My friend and I took the train from Izmir to Selcuk ( about an hour and 45 minutes) for about 4.75…read moreTL ( that's $2.40 for about 80km!). In the morning, there are seats galore, so do not worry about not having space ( on the way back though, be prepared to stand up).
You pay 25 TL to enter the site. At first I was jealous of all the other foreigners who had tour guides. But really, you can do this yourself if you remember to read up on the site before hand and ask locals down in Selcuk what to do ( we had an amazingly hospitable and kind hearted travel agency person lend us a tour book and give us pointers, no money asked. Even added in tea. Now that's priceless, memorable Turkish care and hospitality).
Enter always from the top entrance, and try to come before the sun comes up ( this way you walk downhill, rather than uphill). It gets very hot ( this was in July). And stock up on water before coming here, because water is very hard to find once you're inside ( we essentially took some water from the Austrian archeological water tank, which was actually an old ceramic water jug millenia ago. Kinda cool. Even cooler is how the archeaologists left their books and tools under temporary tarps, so this is legit a current excavation). Wear a hat, long sleeves so you don't roast alive, come with extra batteries, bananas or some other power food, and good walking shoes. WALKING SHOES ( and sunblock).
These archeological sites will take a greater portion of your day, so be ready for it. Read the signs up in the top entrance if you want a background, but don't waste your time there. There are greater things to see as you walk down. Don't get fooled by the mini amphitheater you immediately see and think "YES! Photo Session!" It is indeed a great photo spot, but the bigger coliseum comes after Celsus Library.
When you walk past the ancient marina, walk on the beaten path to the ruins of the Church of Mary,where the 3rd ecumenical council met. There are a lot of other ruins around this area, but remember, it is a far walk off the normal path. These ruins are in ruin, but the amount of history in this spot alone is mind boggling ( as is with the entire area, of course).
After you leave the Celsus Library area and walk toward the large ampitheter/colisuem, don't jog past the short building to the right. Inside the gated off building are artifacts that were once housed in museums ( but I think are being temporarily stored in the current location because of restoration? Funnily enough, it is in an area fenced off for "the visually impaired" but no one can get to it really). For example you will see the Lady of Ephesus, and other artifacts commonly seen in history textbooks.
When you exit from the lower entrance/exit, you will see lots of cafes. Of course, its over priced, but this is the last time you'll see food for a bit if you're not in a tour group. Definitely replenish yourself, and then walk out through the parking lot to the lone tree, which serves as a minibus stop. It will take you in the general direction of the Temple of Artemis.
If you are in the Aegean Sea region or in neighboring provinces, you must come to Ephesus.It is not hard to get to at all. This will change your life, and your perception of ancient history. I guess it's fitting that Ephesus is visited by a huge variety of tourists. Hearing Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin all in the walkway going towards the Celsus Library on Curetes Street is one of the audible memories that transported me to what Ephesus must have been like during its heyday. It is a memory that I will never forget.
