Exploring the surroundings of Efes: the top sights around Ephesus!
Table of Contents
Selçuk Castle: Ayasuluk Castle
The Basilica of Saint John
Isa Bey Mosque
The Ephesus Museum
The Temple of Artemis
The Cave of the Seven Sleepers
The House of the Virgin Mary
Şirince, quaint mountain village near Ephesus
How about Selçuk?
Where to stay?
More practical information for an Ephesus visit
Where is Ephesus?
After posting our Ultimate Guide to Ephesus, we might have needed a cold Efes (or two). Still, it didn’t keep us from doing what we love, so we went out to explore Ephesus or Efes’s surroundings, as it is called in Turkish.
In this post, we will take you to Selçuk Castle, the Basilica of Saint John, Isa Bey Mosque, the Ephesus Museum, the Temple of Artemis, The Cave of the Seven Sleepers, the House of the Virgin Mary, and Şirince. In short, we’ll tell you the things worth visiting outside of the ancient site of Ephesus itself. This is how to extend your stay in Ephesus and make the most of it.
Isa Bey Mosque And Selçuk Castle
Selçuk Castle: Ayasuluk Castle
It is virtually impossible to miss Selçuk Castle since it is dominating the entire town. In fact, it is far easier to spot Ayasuluk Castle than it is to find Ephesus. 🙂 Some castles look great from a distance but aren’t really worth visiting. Selçuk Castle is different. Its grounds are home to the Basilica of Saint John, and of course, to the inner Ayasuluk Castle.
The Byzantine Castle was also used during the Selcuk and Ottoman reigns. If only to admire the views, it is worth climbing the steps to the inner castle. Other than the views, you will discover the remains of a restored mosque and ruins of cisterns, baths, slope houses, mansions, and a small basilica.
Restored Mosque In The Inner Castle
The Basilica of Saint John
The Basilica of Saint John must have been an impressive construction before an earthquake destroyed it. Still, it is said that Saint John is buried on the Northern slope of Ayasulug hill, where people constructed a small chapel during the 4th century. Emperor Justinian felt the small church didn’t do Saint John justice and ordered a monumental basilica construction. The cross-shaped basilica with six domes was built of stone and brick, a rarity in those days. Nowadays, it is a collection of pillars, gates, and walls that are the remains of what must have been a spectacular building.
Saint John Basilica, An Impression Of Its Size
Isa Bey Mosque
Isa Bey Mosque lies just below Saint John’s Basilica and has a courtyard with an almost mystical character. It is an illustration of Seljukian architecture. Though we have visited the mosque inside, we felt that its attraction lies in the impressive courtyard and the decorations above the entrance gate. You will see some fascinating gravestones against the back wall surrounding the courtyard.
Isa Bey Mosque From Selçuk Castle Grounds
The Ephesus Museum
The Ephesus Museum or Efes Müzesi is located in the center of Selçuk, and we highly recommend to visit it after you have seen Ephesus. The museum has an archaeological and an ethnographical section displaying artifacts from Prehistoric, Mycenaean, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman Periods. Each exhibition hall covers a specific theme and displays artifacts belonging to that topic from different times in history. These are the different subjects for each exhibition hall:
- Fountain Sculptures
- Terrace Houses Finds
- Coins
- Ephesus through the Ages
- Stone Artifacts
- Cult of Cybele
- Temple of Artemis Finds
- Artemis Ephesia
- Imperial Cult
Click here to access the Efes Müzesi brochure, and a floor plan of the exhibition halls
Ephesus Museum Great Artemis Statue
The Temple of Artemis
The Temple of Artemis is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It must have been beyond impressive and has been rebuilt twice. The latest version consisted of 127 columns of 17,5 meters. Nowadays, there is not much more than one pillar still standing in a swampy field. If you are into history, have a quick stop here, it is along the way from Selçuk to the ancient site of Ephesus anyway. But be prepared for some over-eager fake coin sellers trying to trick you into buying genuine fake antique coins.
Artemis Temple
The Cave of the Seven Sleepers
You’ll find the Cave of the Seven Sleepers not too far from the ancient site of Efes, on the slopes of Mount Pion on the road to the House of the Virgin Mary. The Grotto of the Seven Sleepers is not much more than yet another road stop during your ventures around Ephesus. You can see the remains of a church built by Christians on top of the cave, as well as several tombs.
On Top Of The Cave Of The Seven Sleepers
The House of the Virgin Mary
The House of the Virgin Mary lies in a lush green setting on a mountain at about 9km from Ephesus. It is said to be the place where Mary spent her last days. The Roman building where only the central part is open for visitors combines a house, a church, and her grave. The House of the Virgin Mary near Ephesus is a pilgrimage place for both Christians and Muslims who acknowledge Mary as the mother of one of their prophets. Each August 15th, you can attend a ceremony commemorating Mary’s Assumption.
If this place is of special spiritual significance to you, make the drive up there and pay the rather high entrance fee. If not, you may feel slightly disappointed by your visit, especially if you’re unfortunate enough to have to wait in line behind a few busloads of people waiting to enter the chapel.
The House Of The Virgin Mary
Şirince, quaint mountain village near Ephesus
It has almost become a classic, Şirince, the mountain village not too far from Ephesus is turning into a tourist circus, despite its reputation for being authentic and typical. Admittedly, Şirince is picturesque, but it is also crowded to an almost unpleasant degree since it has been ‘discovered’. The reason is obvious; it is a perfect place for tour buses to stop and show their client what a Turkish village looks like. The result is that the narrow streets are flooded with people.
It’s a shame because this is a pretty village. And if you hang around long enough to see the day-trippers leave, it is delightful, with lovely restaurants and cafés, artisan shops, and lots of wine shops that sell the wines coming from the grapevines surrounding the village.
Should you visit Şirince or not? That’s entirely up to you, but if you plan on going during the tourist season in the middle of the day, don’t be put off by how crowded it gets. If you are looking for a more relaxing vibe, go out of season and spend the night, it will be the best way to experience the village as it was not too long ago.
Şirince Instagram Spot At The Greek Church
How about Selçuk?
Selçuk is a great option as a base to visit Ephesus and the broader area. If you stay in the old town, Selçuk Castle, Isa Bey Mosque, and the Basilica of Saint John are within walking distance, as are the Ephesus Museum and Artemis Temple. The town itself is a nice mixture of old and new and caters to any traveler. Wandering around its streets, you’ll discover a lot more historical buildings and charming corners.
Old Hammam In Selçuk
Where to stay?
You will find there are plenty of options in Selçuk for all kinds of budgets and travelers. Check out our personal selection using the tabs below. We stayed at Ephesus Paradise Hotel in Selçuk. This is a lovely, boutique-style hotel in the old town of Selçuk, within walking distance of famous Selçuk spots such as Isa Bey Mosque, the Basilica of Saint John, and the Castle. It is run by a historian who wrote a book about Ephesus for sale at a reduced price at the hotel, compared to the Museum Shop in Efes.
Click to see more places to stay near Ephesus on a mapMore practical information for your Efes area visit
The easiest way to prepare your trip to Turkey is to visit the page where we’ve bundled all Turkey travel resources on one page. It contains the links to the official visa application website, FastTrack through Istanbul airport links, and plenty more.
If you ask us, you need more than one day to cover Ephesus and the surrounding sights. But we’re into slow travel, and we prefer to take it easy to avoid the crowds. Is Ephesus worth visiting? Absolutely! To make the most of your visit to Ephesus (or Efes), invest time preparing your trip and choosing the right timing.
Click on the links below for current ticket prices and opening times.
Take a closer look at the pictures in the blog post about Ephesus. They clearly show the difference between having the place almost to yourself early in the morning or towards sunset, compared to sharing it with busloads of people at other times of the day. The same goes for any of the places we showed in this ‘wider area of Efes’ post.
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Check the weather
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Prepare your trip
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General Turkey travel information, essential to help prepare your trip, on one page!
Lists & Reviews
Bookmark your favorite places, find other destinations nearby, get directions from your location, and read or leave reviews.
Our Turkey Trip Planner wad designed to do just that. You'll find all our favorite spots in one place, including scenic road stops.
Map of Turkey
Do you like to see things on a map? On our interactive tourist map of Turkey, you'll spot nearby points of interest right away. We've done the heavy lifting for you. Just click on the icons to go to each post.
Enjoy our practical and inspirational map of Turkey!
Check the weather
Never wonder about the weather in Turkey again. The Turkish climate is as diverse as the country with significant differences between the regions.
This page contains the current weather and weather statistics for all regions in Turkey.
Prepare your trip
How to order a tourist visa for Turkey?
What about public transport?
Can you skip the line at Istanbul Airports?
General Turkey travel information, essential to help prepare your trip, on one page!
LISTS & REVIEWS
Bookmark your favorite places, find other destinations nearby, get directions from your location, and read or leave reviews.
Our Turkey Trip Planner wad designed to do just that. You'll find all our favorite spots in one place, including scenic road stops.
Map of Turkey
Do you like to see things on a map? On our interactive tourist map of Turkey, you'll spot nearby points of interest right away. We've done the heavy lifting for you. Just click on the icons to go to each post.
Enjoy our practical and inspirational map of Turkey!