Why Ephesus Should Be on Your Bucket List

Ephesus is one of those places that makes you stop and genuinely wonder at what humans were capable of building two thousand years ago. This was not some small settlement. At its peak, Ephesus was home to over 250,000 people and was the second largest city in the Roman Empire after Rome itself.

The Library of Celsus is the showstopper. The facade has been beautifully reconstructed and when you stand in front of it, looking up at the columns and carved figures, it is hard to believe this was built in 117 AD. The library once held around 12,000 scrolls and was designed with double walls to protect them from humidity. The engineering that went into it is remarkable.

The Great Theatre is equally impressive. It seats 25,000 people and it is still standing. The acoustics are so good that if someone speaks from the stage, you can hear them clearly from the top row. This is the same theatre where a riot broke out against the apostle Paul, as described in the Book of Acts. Standing in it, you feel the weight of that history.

The Terrace Houses are the hidden gem of Ephesus. They cost a small additional fee to enter but they are worth every penny. These were the homes of wealthy Romans and the mosaics, frescoes, and underfloor heating systems inside are extraordinarily well preserved. It gives you a window into daily life that the public buildings cannot.

Walk along the marble-paved Curetes Street and you are literally following the same path that Roman citizens, early Christians, and traders walked. There are carved advertisements for an ancient brothel, public toilets with a remarkably modern design, and fountains that still have their original plumbing visible.

The Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is nearby. Only one column remains standing today but knowing that this temple was four times the size of the Parthenon gives you a sense of its scale. The site is a short drive from the main ruins and worth the detour.

If you have time, visit the nearby village of Sirince. It is a charming hilltop town known for its fruit wines, old Greek stone houses, and a much slower pace than the coast. Lunch in Sirince after a morning at Ephesus is a perfect combination.

Go early in the morning if you can. The tour buses start arriving around 10am and the site gets crowded quickly. If you enter from the upper gate at 8:30am, you can have the marble street and the Library of Celsus almost to yourself for the first hour. That quiet is worth setting an alarm for.