High quality vacation attractions in Ephesus today? 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. Find many more information on Ephesus tours from Izmir Airport.
This citadel-like basilica once occupied the whole breadth of the hill it sits on and was ranked with the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (now the Aya Sofya) as one of the Byzantine Empire’s largest churches. According to tradition, the grave of St. John is under the church. Originally, a mausoleum with a domed roof borne on four columns was built over the grave, but the Emperor Justinian replaced this simple monument with a three-aisled basilica on a Latin-cross plan boasting six domed roofs. Including the narthex at the western end and the arcaded courtyard, the basilica was 130 meters long and 40 meters wide. After the Seljuks captured Ephesus in 1130, the church was converted into a mosque and later served as a bazaar until it was finally destroyed by an earthquake. Although only partially restored, the basilica ruins that remain give a good idea of the awesome size of the original building.
Approximately two kilometers down a road from the Ephesus ruins is this small cave system with an interesting local legend attached to it. Supposedly, in 250 CE, the Emperor Decius persecuted seven early Christian converts who then were sealed up by the emperor in this cave. Two hundred years later, the Christians awoke to find the Roman world had become Christian and lived peacefully in Ephesus for the rest of their days. When they died, they were buried back here in the cave, and it became a pilgrimage center. There’s not a huge amount to see inside the cave except some tombs, but just before the cave entrance is an outdoor terrace where local women cook traditional gözleme (flatbreads), which make for a great lunch after visiting Ephesus.
Ephesus Ancient Theatre has been known for being the biggest open-air theater of the ancient period. The capacity of this theater is 25 thousand people and it includes 65 rows. Ephesus Ancient Theatre is considered one of the most important structures worldwide in terms of art history. The theatre has not been only used for artistic activities. It has also been used as a place for gladiator fights. Even if the stage of the theatre has collapsed, the rows are still solid. The story of the theatre actually tells us about the formation of modern theatre. According to this story; various performances were held to honor Dionysus, the god of wine, during the vintage festivities. The main subject of these games was Dionysus’ life philosophy, which alternated between pleasure and pain.
Based on founder’s experiences “Best Ephesus Tours” guarantee %100 guest satisfaction on Ephesus Tours. Best Ephesus Tours aims fully satisfied guests on their Private Ephesus Tours, accordingly we prefer with working tour guides who have a national tourism ministry license but not regional. Thus, we try our guest to take benefit of their short stay in Turkey with learning about country together with famous Ephesus Ancient City also. Read more information on https://www.bestephesustours.com/.
See the Pollio Fountain: According to the Latin and Greek inscriptions, this building was built as a “Mausoleum” for C. Sextilius Pollio by his stepson, in the area allocated by the city administration. Thus, the person who built the Basilica and Marnas Aqueducts and dedicated them to the emperor and the city was honored on behalf of the city. There is also a small pool inside. The water of this pool comes from the wall of the Agora. On the bench in the pool was the Polyphemos sculpture group, which is exhibited today in the Ephesus Museum.