Top vacation points of interest in Ephesus? For the travelers who overnight and have time to explore other sites around Ephesus, we recommend to visit the following sites. They are all nearby Ephesus. Some can be added to private Ephesus tour, some can be visited in a day trip from Kusadasi, Selcuk, Sirince or Izmir. All the below sites, are recommended for travelers who have been to Ephesus already. Ephesus is the main highlight of the area. Some of the sites can be combined with Private Ephesus Tours. For tour enquiries and/or questions please do not hesitate to contact us. For the travelers who will be staying in Kusadasi, Sirince or Selcuk, we offer 3 days tour of western Turkey tours. Read additional information at Ephesus tours from Port of Izmir.
Don’t miss the mammoth library (third largest in the ancient world), the well-preserved theater, the Temple of Hadrian, and the terraced houses complex. The site is huge, so many visitors find hiring a guide allows them to get the most out of their time and understand the site better. The private full-day Ephesus tour is fully customizable, so you can decide how much time you’d like to spend within the ruins and how in-depth your visit will be. You can then choose to add on whichever of the other nearby sites you’d like to explore, from touring the historic monuments of Selçuk to heading out to Meryemana. The tour includes a guide and driver at your disposal for the day and pickup and drop-off from Selçuk, Izmir, or Kuşadası.
Just one lonely column (topped by a stork’s nest) is all that remains of the Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Excavations carried out by archaeologist JT Wood here showed that the site was originally occupied by a stone platform on which the cult image of the goddess stood, while underneath were rooms where votive offerings were presented. The renowned gigantic marble temple of Seven Wonders fame was built in the 6th century BCE and boasted a staggering 127 columns. Although destroyed by fire and other disasters across the centuries, it was twice restored and rebuilt before finally falling into a state of complete dilapidation in the Byzantine era, when its stones began being used as a quarry for building material. The most famous major Byzantine monument that reused Temple of Artemis stone was the Hagia Sophia, where some of the temple’s columns and marble slabs can still be seen.
In my opinion, the best months to visit Ephesus are spring. Because you can also experience the lush nature of the city during these months. You can walk through this metropolis city by yourself. There is also the option of a guided walking tour to tour the city. This tour takes about 2 hours, and a fee of 12$ is paid at the entrance to the ancient city. The Library of Celsus has been ranked as the third biggest library in the Ancient World. The library was built by the Roman Empire in their golden times. Even if the certain completion year of the library is unknown, the most common date that has been told as A.C. 135. It is said that the library, named after Tiberius Celsus, a powerful Roman senator and a book lover, has 12-15 thousand scrolls of parchment. In the west wing of the library and under the ground floor there is Celsus’s tomb. Since it was not customary to be buried at the city border at that time, the burial of Celsus here is seen as a special honor.
Ephesus Ancient City has always been a highlight for history and archaeology lovers. But Best Ephesus Tours tailor made programs has options to fulfill your day according to your interests. Best Ephesus Tours also have tours for those who has interest into having less history but having local wine in an authentic village. Also, have tours for those who likes to enjoy shopping in local markets and having courses of Turkish food cooking class. Eventually as an experienced tour company Best Ephesus Tours aim to have guests going back ship with remarkable memories. Find a lot more information at private Ephesus tours.
The street that starts from the Grand Theater and extends to the harbor is 528 meters long and 11 meters wide. It is described as one of the most spacious roads in the ancient world. Columns adorned both sides of the street, and there were many galleries and shops on both sides. There was also a developed sewage system under this spacious road. Since the end of the street leads to the harbor, it was called “Harbor Street”. Kings, emperors, ambassadors, merchants who came to Ephesus by sea were welcomed on this street with an official ceremony. It is also known as “Arkadiane Street” since it was destroyed in the earthquake in the 4th century and repaired by Emperor Arkadius between 395-408. After the adoption of Christianity, the statue of the four apostles of Christ was placed on the street, and these sculptures, unfortunately, do not exist today.