Frequently asked questions

Yes. Entry is completely free — there's no ticket office or gate, and you can walk straight into the open field. It's a quick stop, usually 15–30 minutes. (As of 2026.)

No. They're two separate sites near Selçuk. The Temple of Artemis is a free open field about 2–3 km from the paid Ephesus Ancient City — roughly a 20–25 minute walk apart.

One reconstructed marble column (roughly 14 m, often topped with a stork's nest), scattered foundation blocks in a marshy field, and an information board. It's atmospheric and historically monumental, but physically modest — you're seeing where one of the Seven Wonders once stood.

If you're already visiting Ephesus, yes — it's free, close by, and lets you stand on the site of a genuine Wonder of the Ancient World. Just set expectations: what survives is mostly foundations and one reassembled column, so allow 15–30 minutes rather than a half-day.

Because of its size and beauty — a colossal all-marble Ionic temple with 127 columns about 18 m tall, more than twice the footprint of the Parthenon, filled with celebrated artworks. Ancient writers rated it the most breathtaking of all the Wonders. Read the full history →

It was famously burned by an arsonist, Herostratus, in 356 BC, then rebuilt. The rebuilt temple was sacked by the Goths around 262 AD and never fully restored, with final demolition and stone-robbing over later centuries.

A man who deliberately set fire to the temple in 356 BC purely to make his name immortal. Ephesus banned anyone from recording his name to deny him fame — but the story survived, giving us the term "Herostratic fame."

Artemis — but the Ephesian Artemis, a local fertility mother-goddess who merged with the Anatolian goddess Cybele. Her cult statue showed her covered in rows of egg- and breast-like forms symbolising abundance, quite unlike the Greek huntress Artemis.

The famous "Beautiful Artemis" and "Great Artemis" statues are in the Ephesus Archaeological Museum in Selçuk town (entry about €10). Sculptural fragments recovered in the 19th century are in the British Museum, London.

About €40 per person for the main Ancient City, with the Terrace Houses costing roughly €15 extra. Foreign visitors pay in euros by card. Verify on the official museum site, as Turkey revises fees regularly. See our Ephesus tickets guide.

Roughly 08:00 to about 18:30–19:00 in summer and 08:00–17:30 in winter, with last entry before closing. Seasonal night visits run on selected summer evenings. Always confirm current hours before your visit.

The national Museum Pass Türkiye and the regional Museum Pass Aegean (about €95 for 7 days) are reported to cover Ephesus Ancient City — but neither covers the Terrace Houses, which always need a separate ticket. Confirm current coverage before relying on a pass.

Plan for 2–3 hours for the main site, or more if you add the Terrace Houses and the Ephesus Experience Museum. The site is large with a lot of walking, mostly downhill if you start at the Upper Gate.

The Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre (about 25,000 seats), the Terrace Houses, the Temple of Hadrian, and Curetes Street with the Marble Road. Ephesus is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2015.

Partly. The main path is largely downhill from the Upper Gate but has uneven marble, slopes and cobbles; the Temple of Artemis field is flat but often muddy. Wear sturdy shoes, bring water and sun protection (there's little shade), and plan for limited step-free access.

It's about 80–85 km (around 1 hour by car). You can also take a regional train from İzmir (Basmane) to Selçuk (about 1 hr 20 min), then a short dolmuş or taxi to the gates. İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB) is the nearest airport, about 55–70 km away. Full directions →

Ephesus is only about 18–20 km (a 20–25 minute drive) from Kuşadası cruise port. Most cruise passengers book a guided shore excursion with port pickup and a guaranteed on-time return; budget travellers can take a dolmuş to Selçuk and another to the site.

Yes — they're only 2–3 km apart near Selçuk. Most visitors see the paid Ephesus site plus the free Temple of Artemis (and often the Ephesus Museum, Basilica of St. John and İsa Bey Mosque) in the same day.

The House of the Virgin Mary (pilgrimage shrine, about €10–14), the Ephesus Archaeological Museum (about €10), the Basilica of St. John (about €6), İsa Bey Mosque (free), and Şirince wine village (free to enter). Pamukkale is a long full-day trip, about 2.5–3 hours each way.

Most tours include a licensed guide, transfers or pickup, and often the House of the Virgin Mary, the Temple of Artemis and Şirince with lunch. Always check whether entrance fees are included or extra — that's the most common booking mix-up. Compare tours →