Back to the Ancient City of Ephesus

Fell absolutely in love with Ephesus when I first visited in 2014. You can tell it was an important city from the EVERYTHING about it---wide streets, auditoriums, massive library, 1,000 sq.m. homes---you know, much like cities today minus the technology. But this visit was extra special because I got to bring my husband and child with me.Now that winter is starting to die (THANK U, NEXT) we can finally enjoy this beautiful country that's hosting us.

How to Get To Ephesus

The first visit:  We got on a cruise ship in Greece, sailed across the Aegean, stopped at other cities, landed in Kusadasi and took a bus to Ephesus.This visit: We took a 45-minute Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Izmir, then a 45-minute van ride to the ancient city of Ephesus. The tour group handled the rest of the arrangements, which was a relief! More details about them at the end of the post.

What's so important about it

Ephesus was the fourth biggest city in the ancient world, behind Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch. It was a port city, and one of the most important harbors for exporting products to the West. The city's location made it good for trade, as it had easy access to the sea as well as the Silk Road.Our guide said people who lived here made their money as merchants. Products like silk would come in from the East, the locals would get purple dye from sea snails to color it, and sell it to the West.The city is equally significant in Christianity, as the apostle Paul spent at least three years in Ephesus teaching the Christian community that the apostle John founded.  John spent his last years in the city after returning from exile on the island of Patmos. He is said to be buried nearby, on Ayasuluk Hill.

Why you should go to Ephesus

Well okay, granted not everyone likes looking at ancient ruins. We spent some time at the Temple of Artemis and it's hard to imagine a busy, sprawling Hellenistic temple when all you've got is grass and one marble pillar.But Ephesus is a CITY. It's got marble walkways that lead you through the city, passes ancient homes, public baths, and out into the harbor.The city is well-preserved because of sedimentation from overflows of the nearby Cayster River.  Many of the structures seen now were completed during the reign of emperors Caesar Augustus and Tiberius in the first century.Ephesus gives us a real glimpse of ancient life even though only 20% of the city has been excavated. Among these include a town hall, an amphitheatre, the library of Celsus, and of course, the agora or market place.

Inside the City

We walked down the city's main street, past places where people meet and do business. There were ancient backgammon inscriptions on one side of the street, and homes of the rich on the other. These homes had plumbing and heating and their own bathroom. We decided to skip entering one of the restored houses (an additional 100TL) because we had a toddler.I don't know if you know anything about toddlers, but they don't do so well when you tell them to be careful. They're not that great near delicate things, either.

Tour Information

Road Runnel Travel helped us out with the details. We booked their two-day, Ephesus and Pamukkale trip. Now truly, it was hectic. We were picked up at home at 6AM because our flight was at 8 I think, and then it was nonstop. But we didn't have to worry about booking it ourselves. They booked the flights and hotel, covered most of our meals, and brought us back to our apartment in Istanbul. We appreciated the door-to-door service.Have you been to Ephesus, or any other ancient city? Or are you a design/architecture nerd like me? Or a mom wondering if you can still travel with your tiny human? Let me know in the comments below.Stay tuned 'cause our Pamukkale adventure is up next!