Top vacation places to see in Ephesus
Vacation points of interest in Ephesus today from BestEphesusTours? 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. Read many more details on Ephesus tours from Kusadasi port.
Ephesus is one of Turkey’s major sightseeing attractions. This vast and beautiful Greco-Roman city was once home to 250,000 people, and the glorious monuments that remain point to it being a vibrant and rich metropolis. With a castle, excellent museum, Byzantine basilica, and the remnants of a Roman aqueduct running straight through the center, this little town may be overshadowed by the mammoth ruin next door but offers bundles of extra sightseeing to offer those who choose to spend a few days here. Supposedly founded by the Ionian prince Androclus in the 10th century BCE, Ephesus was not only a center of trade but a great pilgrimage center, with the Temple of Artemis built in worship of the mother goddess.
Ayasuluk Fortress sits on the hill above the Basilica of St. John and is accessed by a trail that leads up from behind the basilica. This hilltop site has been settled since the Neolithic period, but the fortress dates from the Byzantine era, and the fortifications were extended by the Seljuks. The fortress area was closed for years due to archaeologists excavating the site, but it has now been opened to visitors. The mighty enclosure wall had 15 rectangular towers. Inside, there’s not much to see, except for a small Seljuk-era mosque, but the views over town and the surrounding countryside are wonderful from the hilltop, making a trip here well worth the uphill walk.
Even the main foundation year of Ephesus is unknown, most of the sources are claiming that it was founded in 6000 B.C. Ephesus was built for Artemis to show their respect. Ephesus is an Ancient Greek city that is now on the Western side of Turkey, Izmir. In the origins, the city belonged to Greece. Ephesus was also the capital of Hellenic Greece. As Ephesus was in Greece in the past, you may also see Greek culture combined with Turkish culture. Ephesus is a great place to explore if you are into history. Because the city has many historical sightseeing spots. Ephesus would not be a great idea to go to Ephesus for people who enjoy exploring modern places, cafes, and streets.
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. See even more info on Ephesus tours.
The person known as Prytan was the Mayor of Ephesus. Since there are emperor and goddess statues around the Prytaneion, this palace is accepted as a sacred place. Prytaneion is the sacred place where the sacred fire of Hestia is lit, which represents the independence and sovereignty of the city in every Greek city-state. The word comes from the word prytaneis or pyrtan (the executive board of the democratic Greek city), where sacred rituals and dinner parties attended by the city’s rulers were held, and above all important decisions were made for the city government. The sacred fire of Hestia symbolizes the immortality of the city, the extinction of this fire was regarded as bad luck, Prytan’s most important task was to make sure that this sacred fire won’t blow out. With this location, it was the most important of the official buildings and the heart of the city. Besides, the official guesthouse was also within the parts of this building.