Ephesus: What to Know Before You Go

Ephesus is not complicated to visit. You buy a ticket, you walk down a hill, you see a lot of very old marble. But a handful of small decisions change the day quite a bit, and most first-time visitors only learn them once they're already sweating at the bottom of the site.

Start at the top

There are two gates. The upper one is near the State Agora and the lower one is next to the Great Theatre. The main street runs downhill from top to bottom, so start at the upper gate and let gravity do the work. If you arrive by taxi from Selçuk, ask for the upper gate (the drivers call it the "upper entrance" or üst kapı). Taxis wait at the lower gate to take you back.

Coming by car? Park at the lower gate and grab a taxi up to the top. It costs a few euros and saves a long uphill walk at the end of the day.

Time and tickets

Two and a half to three hours for the ancient city, plus about an hour if you add the Terrace Houses, which need their own ticket. The House of the Virgin Mary is a separate site entirely, up in the hills. We don't list ticket prices here because they change every year and are now set in euros. The official Turkish museums website has the current figures.

Crowds

Kuşadası, 20 km away, is one of the busiest cruise ports in Turkey. On days when several ships dock, tour coaches start arriving from around mid-morning and the lower half of the site fills up quickly. Opening time is quiet. So is the last hour or two before closing.

Heat

From June to early September, it's hot and there's hardly any shade. Bring water, a hat and sunscreen, and plan to be done with the outdoor part by late morning. The Terrace Houses are under a roof, and the museum in Selçuk is air-conditioned, which helps.

A guide isn't essential. Licensed guides wait by both gates if you want one, and it's normal to agree on a price and a time before you start. Otherwise an audio guide, or our rundown of the main sights, will get you through.