Selcuk: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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Ephesus was one of the great cities of the Roman East, the capital of the province of Asia, with a harbour that tied it to the whole Mediterranean. What is visible today is mostly Roman, laid along one marble street that falls gently from the upper gate to the theatre. This route follows it downhill. Two to three hours, starting at opening time; there is very little shade, so bring water and a hat.

A short history of Selcuk

Selçuk lies next to the ruins of Ephesus, which was one of the largest cities of the Roman Empire. Its Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, was set on fire in 356 BC by a man named Herostratus who wanted to become famous. On the hill in the centre of the town, the Emperor Justinian built a basilica in the 6th century over the tomb attributed to John the Apostle, and at its foot the İsa Bey Mosque was built in 1375. For centuries the town was called Ayasoluk, and it only received its present name in 1914. In 2015 Ephesus was declared a World Heritage Site.

The ten best sights in Selcuk

1
Basilica of Saint John
The church over John's tomb; climb to the top of the hill for the view over the plain
2
İsa Bey Mosque
Right below the basilica; look at the carved marble gate
3
Temple of Artemis
One column in a marshy field — it was one of the Seven Wonders
4
Ephesus Museum
Go after the ruins: the statues from the site are here
5
Ephesus
Start at the upper gate and walk downhill; arrive at opening time to beat the cruise groups
6
Library of Celsus
The facade everyone photographs; the light is best in the morning
7
Great Theatre
Climb a few rows up to see the old harbour road running to the sea
8
House of the Virgin Mary
A small chapel in the woods above Ephesus; modest dress
9
Cave of the Seven Sleepers
Fenced off, but the walk there passes on the quiet side of Panayır hill
10
Priene
A Greek town on a mountain ledge, 40 minutes south and rarely crowded

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What is an audio walk?

Tours in Selcuk →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Selcuk:

Free walking tours in Selcuk

Down the marble street

Odeon · This small roofed theatre of about 1,500 seats was built around 150 AD by the wealthy Publius Vedius Antoninus and his wife Flavia Papiane, and the city council met in it.
Memmius Monument · The monument honours Gaius Memmius, grandson of the Roman dictator Sulla, who had taken Ephesus back after the city sided with Rome's enemy Mithridates.
Temple of Hadrian · The small temple on Curetes Street was dedicated to the emperor Hadrian. The carved panels on its front are casts; the originals are in the Ephesus Museum in Selçuk.
Library of Celsus · The library was built in the early 2nd century by a son for his father, the governor Celsus, who is buried in a sarcophagus under the floor. It held about 12,000 scrolls.
Great Theatre · With room for about 25,000 people, it is where the Book of Acts places the riot of the silversmiths against Paul, when the crowd shouted 'Great is Artemis of the Ephesians' for two hours.
Arcadian Way · This colonnaded street once ran straight to the harbour. Silt from the Küçük Menderes river filled the bay, and the sea is now several kilometres away.

One hill, four faiths

Long before the Roman city, people here worshipped Artemis in the marshes below Ayasuluk hill. Christians later built a basilica over the tomb of John on top of it, and the Turkish emirs of Aydın put their mosque at its foot. All of it is in modern Selçuk, within walking distance. Allow half a day; the museum and the basilica are the two with tickets.

Temple of Artemis · The temple was one of the Seven Wonders. A man named Herostratus burned it in 356 BC to make his name immortal — on the same night, Plutarch says, that Alexander the Great was born.
Ephesus Museum · The two marble statues of Artemis of Ephesus are covered with rows of egg-shaped forms on the chest. Whether they are breasts, eggs or bull's testicles is still argued over.
İsa Bey Mosque · The mosque was built in 1375 for İsa Bey, emir of the Aydın dynasty, by an architect from Damascus, and its columns were taken from the ruins of Ephesus.
Basilica of Saint John · The emperor Justinian built the great basilica in the 6th century over the grave believed to be that of John the Apostle, who according to tradition spent his last years in Ephesus.
Ayasuluk Castle · The name of the hill comes from the Greek Hagios Theologos, 'the holy theologian' — the title of John — worn down over the centuries into Ayasuluk.
Cave of the Seven Sleepers · The legend tells of seven young Christians who hid here from persecution and slept for about two centuries. The same story is told in the Quran, in the Sura of the Cave.

Village, rails and the sea

Around Selçuk the hills are covered in olives and figs, and the coast is twenty minutes away. This loop leaves the ruins for a hill chapel, a wine village, a field of old locomotives and a beach, and ends at an older Greek city to the south. A full day by car; split it if the heat is strong, and keep Priene for the late afternoon.

House of the Virgin Mary · The house was identified in 1891 by Lazarist priests who followed the visions of the German nun Anne Catherine Emmerich. Three popes have visited it: Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
Şirince · Until the population exchange of 1923 this was a Greek village. Its new Turkish name, Şirince, means 'pleasant', and it is now known for its fruit wines.
Çamlık Steam Locomotive Museum · The museum stands on the İzmir–Aydın railway, the first railway in Anatolia, begun by a British company in 1856.
Pamucak · The beach sits at the mouth of the Küçük Menderes, the river whose silt pushed the sea away from Ephesus and closed its harbour.
Pigeon Island · Kuşadası means 'bird island', and the town took its name from this islet, which is joined to the shore by a causeway.
Priene · Priene was laid out on a strict grid of streets. Alexander the Great paid for its temple of Athena, and the stone recording his dedication is in the British Museum.

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Getting to Selcuk and getting around

İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport · About 50 minutes north by car; trains from the airport station also run to Selçuk
Selçuk Station · In the middle of town, a few minutes' walk from the basilica
Selçuk Bus Station · Minibuses to Kuşadası, Şirince and the Ephesus gate leave from here

Cheap eats in Selcuk

The Aegean table is built on olive oil: vegetables cooked slowly in it and served cold, wild greens, white cheese and figs. Selçuk adds the quick things a market town lives on — pide, köfte and döner — all packed into the streets between the museum and the station. Prices are lower than in Kuşadası, a few minutes away on the coast.

Selçuk Pidecisi · Pide straight from the oven, about 200-350 lira
Efes Köftecisi · Grilled köfte with piyaz bean salad, about 300-450 lira
Lahmacun · Thin lahmacun with herbs and lemon, about 100-180 lira each
Donerci Uğur · Döner in bread, about 200-300 lira
Ali Baba & Mehmet · Simple Turkish plates by the museum, about 250-400 lira
Kallinos Coffee · Coffee and a pastry, about 100-200 lira

Museums in Selcuk

Ephesus Museum · The Artemis statues and finds from Ephesus; an hour
Ephesus · The ruins; two to three hours
Tetragonos Agora · The big market square beside the library
Çamlık Steam Locomotive Museum · Old engines in the open air

Nature and day trips near Selcuk

Dilek Peninsula National Park · Swimming coves in a pine forest; under an hour south
Pamucak · Wide sandy beach, 10 minutes west
Şirince · Olive and fig hills above Selçuk
Pigeon Island · Sea views from the little fort

Things to do in Selcuk with kids

Çamlık Steam Locomotive Museum · Climb into the cabs of real steam engines
Pamucak · Shallow, sandy entry into the sea
Great Theatre · Shout from the stage and hear it at the top
Pigeon Island · A short walk out to an island fort

Where to eat in Selcuk

Şirince Kilise Şarap Mahzeni · Wine tasting by the old church in Şirince
Artemis Restaurant · Dinner on a terrace above the Şirince valley
Old House · Turkish dishes in the centre of Selçuk
Boomerang Garden Restaurant · Garden tables near the museum
Gurme Tarhan Chef · Home-style Aegean cooking

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Frequently asked questions about Selcuk

What is there to see in Selcuk?

The top sights in Selcuk are Basilica of Saint John, İsa Bey Mosque and Temple of Artemis. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Selcuk?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Selcuk without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Selcuk?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Selcuk, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Down the marble street.

How do you get to Selcuk and get around?

The main ways are İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport, Selçuk Station and Selçuk Bus Station. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Selcuk, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Selcuk that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

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