Ephesus Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
Ancient Greek city in Anatolia
About Ephesus
The city of Ephesus can be traced back to the 10th century BC, and human settlement here is thousands of years older than that. The river was navigable from the sea, and a trading port grew up at Selçuk 4 km east, which may have relocated from time to time as the river meandered in its lower course. Its estuary was a stinking midden-cum-malarial swamp, so from about 290 BC the city migrated west to its present site. From 129 BC the new Roman regional superpower took over: they began by looting the place but stayed to embellish it, and most of what you see nowadays is their work from 100 BC to 260 AD. The place was wrecked by the Goths in 263 AD but rebuilt, and continued to prosper in the Byzantine Roman era. It was an important centre for early Christianity; St Paul preached here, and Eph
Top Attractions in Ephesus
Explore the best things to see and do in Ephesus:
- ★Ancient Harbour
- ★Arcadiane
- ★Church of Mary
- ★Commercial Market
- ★Fountain of Trajan
- ★Great Theatre
- ★House of Pleasure
- ★Library of Celsus
Ephesus Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: