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Selcuk is a pleasant, somewhat unremarkable Turkish town with some spectacular history on its outskirts. As the closest town to Ephesus, one of the great Roman sites within Turkey, hundreds of thousands of visitors pass through every year on their way to the city where St Paul preached.
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However, Selcuk is worth more than just a transit point to Ephesus. It has good tourist infrastructure, and several interesting attractions in its own right. Selcuk is actually the original location of Ephesus, though the city moved several thousand years ago. You wouldn’t know, however, from the sleepy and mostly modern village you see today.
Getting In
The closest airport to Selcuk is Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport. From here, there are good connections to the rest of Turkey and major European cities. IZBAN suburban trains run from the airport south to Selcuk village, with a transfer at Tepekoy. Most visitors pass through Izmir on the way to Ephesus, but there is plenty to see in that city as well.
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Train services arrive at Selcuk’s small, barebones train station from Izmir Airport and Izmir central. The Izmir-Denizli train passes through Selcuk as well, for those moving on the Pamukkale. Purchase a cashless Izmirim Kart to ride the IZBAN suburban trains from machines located within the stations. You can pay the conductor onboard the Izmir-Denizli train.
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Dolmus (public minivans) run to Izmir, Pamukkale, Kusadasi, and Ephesus Archaeological Site (less than 10 minute). In addition to the dolmus buses, regular buses run to Izmir, Istanbul, and Ankara from a centrally-located station.
Getting Around
Selcuk is a small town, and totally walkable. If you’re transferring for Ephesus, you can walk from the train station to the dolmus parking lot in less than 10 minutes.
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Dolmus (private, shared minivans) depart from a designated parking lot in the center of town. Destinations include Ephesus, Kusadasi, and the mountain village of Sirince. Find any van marked ‘Ephesus’ on the windshield and pay the driver or assistant outside in cash. You may have to wait for the van to fill up before leaving, but you’ll rarely wait long. Dolmus drop visitors off at Ephesus lower gate. If you plan to follow the usual Upper Gate-Lower Gate route, you’ll have to walk through the site first.
Ephesus Museum
Ephesus is an astounding archaeological site, with countless structures scattered across several acres. However, many of the smaller artifacts used every day, and the statues that decorated temples and fountains, were moved into the nearby Ephesus Museum.
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The museum is modern, well-organized, and easy to navigate. English signage abounds. It is laid out in a U-shape, with a covered courtyard halfway through.
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Inside, statues, coins, jewelry, pottery, game boards, glassworks, cosmetic tools, and more are displayed in an organized manner. Some of the artifacts are so well-preserved, and well-constructed, that you’d scarcely believe they were 2,000 years old.
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One room covers the Temple and Cult of Artemis, an important part of Ephesian history. Artemis was very important to Ephesus, and the doll-sized Artemis statue on display is just one of the thousands produced here.
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Entry to Ephesus Museum costs 100 lira, or free with a valid Turkey Museum Pass. Opening hours are 10 to 7 April to October, from 8:30 to 5 from October to April. Final entry is one hour before close.
The museum isn’t busy except when tour groups pass through. These move through quickly, though, so you can wait them out. Ephesus Museum is best visited after a visit to Ephesus Archaeological Site because you can better visualize the statues where they once stood.
Temple of Artemis
Ephesus, and today Selcuk, was home to once of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Ancient World’. The Temple of Artemis, a spectacular structure of great renown, is now only a single reconstructed column.
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The Temple of Artemis site is free to access. You can find it just out of town on the road to Ephesus, it is an easy walk. Don’t go expecting anything spectacular, because site is an unpleasant swamp with long-weathered stones dotted around. And the single reconstructed column, of course.
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Still, those with a sense of imagination can get a lot out of the space where the Temple once stood. Such a place of high historical importance is at least worth a glance. If you don’t want to walk all the way down to the spot, you can get a good view from the Byzantine Citadel.
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Today, your companions will be only tour groups, pushy vendors, and the odd stray dog. Someday, however, some of the site may be excavated.
Byzantine Citadel
Ephesus began on this fortified hilltop complex on the outskirts of Selcuk some 5,000 years ago or more. The current walls were built by the Byzantines in the 600s AD to protect the below Basilica from Arab invaders. The invaders eventually came through, and the complex fell into ruin.
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Today, visitors can explore the rocky hilltop fortress and small structures within the walls. The citadel is very atmospheric, with incredible views of the Aegean Sea and hinterland. However, there is little signage or interpretation of the site, so it doesn’t take long to visit.
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Tickets for St John’s Basilica are also good for the Citadel.
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St John’s Basilica
St John’s Basilica was constructed in 565AD, supposedly over the burial site of St John, Brother of Jesus. It was built largely from the remains of pagan remains, including from the Temple of Artemis just below the hill. The structure stands halfway up the hill beneath the Byzantine citadel built to protect it.
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St John’s Basilica is very atmospheric. The structure was and is huge, and visitors can walk through the remaining foundations. There are tons of columns and walls that create an air of verticality. It was damaged by war and earthquake, and so sits in ruins today.
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Entry to the Basilica and Citadel complex is 100 lira. The site is open 8am to 7pm, with shorter hours in winter. Last entry is 1 hour before close.
Isa Bey Mosque
Beneath the Basilica and Citadel at the foot of the hill, Isa Bey Mosque rounds out Selcuk’s religious heritage. The mosque was built in the 1370s with stone from local pagan and Christian sites. Visitors enter through the walled courtyard, with more ruins from Ephesus scattered around to set the scene.
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Isa Bey Mosque’s façade was built purposely asymmetrical. Its domes, minarets, and walls nonetheless give an interesting impression. This is a good mosque for first-time visitors to better understand Islam and its architecture. Not only is it beautiful, but it is also small enough to not be imposing.
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Inside, Isa Bey Mosque’s arched brick ceilings make the space feel bigger than it really is. The interior is closed to visitors during the five daily prayer times. Entry is free.
Sirince Village
The small mountain village of Sirince is located just east of Selcuk. Touristy but pleasant, some call it the ‘Tuscany of Turkey’ thanks to its beautiful setting. Sirince has loads of small businesses like shops, restaurants, and wine bars. It is quieter than Selcuk or Kusadasi.
I didn’t have time to visit Sirince, but it comes with many recommendations from Selcuk locals. Take a taxi or a dolmus; dolmus leave from the same parking lot as for Ephesus. The journey takes around 10-15 minutes. Sirince is especially beautiful at sunset.
Ephesus Centrum
Since the major tourist site of Ephesus is so close, there are a ton of hotels to choose from in Selcuk. I stayed at Ephesus Centrum, which was comfortable and very affordable. Not only are the rooms here huge, but breakfast is included free as well. Many of Selcuk’s hotels are well reviewed, but Ephesus Centrum offers the best mix of comfort and value. So if you take my advice and spend a night or two in Selcuk, this place should be at the top of your list.
Final Thoughts
Most visitors to Selcuk only pass through on the way to Ephesus. This is understandable, since Ephesus is such an important Roman site, but there are many other things to see in Selcuk as well. It would be a shame, for instance, to pass over the Ephesus Museum or the Basilica of St John. And the view from the Byzantine Citadel is unparalleled.
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Those who choose to spend a night or two here can expect comfortable hotels, decent places to eat, and a fair number of English speakers. Selcuk can make for a nice alternative to Kusadasi, the main cruise port for Ephesus tours, as it holds off the worst of the tourist sleaze. If you’re already coming to see Ephesus, Selcuk can be a very useful place to stay, with several interesting things to see in its own right.