Kusadasi / Ephesus, Türkiye

by Yaoho |

on April 3, 2023

Information

Arriving on cruise at Kusadasi Port. We booked a taxi/tour with Kusadasi Ephesus Taxi Service for a day trip to Ephesus. Highly recommend the taxi service, we booked based on good reviews on TripAdvisor and the reviews were true. Tashin our driver picked us up on time at the port. He provided a lot of information on Ephesus, his English was good. We were able to visit all the historic site we wanted to visit and Tashin took us to Turkish delight, Ceramic and Turkish Carpet shops as well as a view point in Kusadasi before dropping us back to the cruise port.

Audio guide

We found this Rick Steves Audio Europe guide available to be downloaded on the app (and it’s free)- Rick Steves Audio Europe. The Audio guide of Ephesus is very good.

Entrance fee

Entrance fee for Ephesus was 400 Lira in April 2023 (apparently the price was raised on April 1st and it was 200 Lira 3 days before our visit, speaking about inflation!). Terrace house ticket is sold separated at the entrance to Terrace House (170 Lira per person).

House of Mary 200 Lira per person and St. John Basilica 100 Lira per person.

Temple of Artemis is free.

Legend on founding of Ephesus

According to the legends, Ephesus and Istanbul were founded in similar ways as both cities began with the mysterious prophecies of an oracle in Delphi, Greece. Legend has it that, Androcles, the son of the King Codrus, sought the advice of the oracle of Temple of Apollo after his Father died. He wanted to leave Athens and make a new start, but he didn’t know where to go. The oracle advised Androcles to go to the East, cross the Aegean Sea and land there; he said: “The fish will give you a signal, and the pig will guide you.” So, Androcles crossed the Aegean Sea and anchored his ship at the bay where Kucuk Menderes River meets the sea. He and his men started fishing, and one of the fish jumped to the floor. Then, a pig came out of the bushes and stole the fish and ran away. Androcles chased the pig up a hill and then hit the pig with his arrow. The fish gave the signal, and the pig guided them, and Androcles founded his new city where he killed the pig. This city, which Androclos founded in 1000 BC, would be one of the most important cities of ancient times.

Where We Go

House of Mary

A little stone house near the Ancient city of Ephesus. This is where St. John took care of Virgin Mother Mary until her Assumption. There is a line to get into the house and no pictures allowed inside. A fountain and wishing wall is next to the house.

Ephesus Ancient City

There are two entrance for Ephesus Ancient city, an upper entrance and a lower entrance. Most tour start at the upper entrance and walk one way to the lower entrance. It took about 2 hours to walk through with city and visit all the sites including Terrace house.

State Agora, Odeon, Scared Way, Domitian Square

Hercules Gate

St. Paul came to Ephesus in about 52 AD and would have passed through the same Gate. It was in Ephesus that St. Paul wrote the First Epistle to the Corinthians 愛的真諦- “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.”

Public Bath and Toilets, Trajan’s Fountain and Temple of Hadrian

Terrace House

This is where the rich lived in Ephesus. The house with courtyard and mosaic decorations with private bathrooms.

View of Marble road from top of Terrace house exit.

The Library of Celsus

The library of Celsus was the 3rd largest library of the ancient world.

The Great Theater

The great Theater can hold about 25,000 people. It is estimated that the theater is usually build to hold 10% of the city’s population, so archaeologist estimated that Ephesus had 250,000 residents.

Apostle Paul lived in Ephesus for a couple of years and preached here. He wrote letters to Corinthians, Philippians and Ephesians here. His messages threatened the local society’s elite as he denounced the worship of Artemis and Artemis was big business for the locals. According to the Bible Act 19. This is where the angry mob gathered and dragged captured Christians to this theater.

Temple of Artemis

One of the Seven wonder of the Ancient World. Unfortunately, not much is left of the temple. It is said that some of the columns from the temple of Artemis was used in Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.