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| Map of Ephesus in Late Antiquity | Site Map of Ephesus |
The first foundation of the ancient city of Ephesus, currently in the Selcuk district of the Izmir province, dates back to about 6000 BC. Recent explorations and excavations have uncovered mounds (pre-historic settlements in hills) near Ephesus, and Bronze Age and Hittite settlements on the Ayasuluk Hill, where the castle was built.
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My friend and I will be spending 12-15 days in Turkey this May and were planning on traveling from Istanbul to Izmir and Ephesus. I normally prefer to use ground transportation when I’m in country, but it will take 8-9 daylight hours on a fairly short trip. Does anyone know how much of the countryside can be seen by bus on this route? Is it at all scenic?
I know it’s a bit of an odd question, but transit has always been part of the fun of travel for me.
There are direct buses from Istanbul to Selcuk, which take around 10 hours. Selcuk is 7 km from Ephesus. Alternately, you could rent a car and drive yourself.
If you want an option that takes less time, you could fly to Izmir, rent a car, drive to Ephesus (about 1 hour), then drive back to Izmir and fly back to Istanbul. That would give you a bit of ground transport, but take less time than an overland route.
I’ve only taken the overnight bus, so I didn’t see a darn thing til the morning. In fact I didn’t even know that the bus had been ferried over the Marmara until it exited the ferry.
I just thought we were delayed.. so that’s some potential scenery, if you get off the bus, as many people did.
The night bus is good, although of course you won’t see the countryside.
Flights to Izmir are very cheap, and it’s easy to get from Izmir to Selcuk. (Efes is just a site, Selcuk is the town where everyone stays). I would strongly recommend you fly one way and consider taking the bus the other way.
Ephesus Map
My friend and I just finished our trip and it was outstanding. We used a few nite buses, which werent bad, and then flew back from Izmir to Istanbul…. bus ride more comfortable and travel on these lines is safe, affordable and comfortable.