When to set off
In summer, an early start solves two problems at once: heat and crowds. Ephesus is a stone-paved site with very little shade, and walking it at midday in July or August is punishing.
Leaving central Izmir around 08:00 is ideal, putting you at the upper gate by 09:15-09:30. Cruise passengers generally reach the site after 10:00, so the first hours are comparatively quiet.
Going late in the afternoon works too: after 16:00 the sun softens and the tour groups thin out. If you do that, check the closing time in advance — it changes with the season.
The site: upper gate to lower gate
Ephesus has two entrances, and the right direction is top to bottom. Entering by the upper gate and leaving by the lower one means walking the whole main street downhill; the same distance in reverse is noticeably harder.
That means the car needs to drop you at the upper gate and wait at the lower one. Walking back between the two gates adds roughly half an hour. Arriving by private car makes this arrangement routine — the driver moves down to the lower gate while you are inside.
The main stops are the Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre, the Temple of Hadrian and Curetes Street. The Terrace Houses need a separate ticket and are worth it for the mosaics; allow another 30-40 minutes.
What else fits the same day
The area around Selcuk is dense: several significant sites sit close together. With the ancient city taking two to three hours, there is room for two more stops.
Bear in mind Sirince's narrow, steep lanes — larger vehicles cannot easily enter the village, the car park is at the entrance, and the last stretch is on foot.
- House of the Virgin Mary — 7 km from Ephesus at the end of a mountain road, 45 minutes
- Basilica of St John — in central Selcuk, 30-40 minutes
- Ephesus Museum — finds from the site, 45 minutes
- Sirince — stone houses and fruit wine, 1.5-2 hours with lunch
- Temple of Artemis — on the way, a short stop
A realistic day plan
The plan below assumes a start from central Izmir. Coming from Kusadasi cuts the drive to 25 minutes, so you can leave an hour later.
- 08:00 — Leave Izmir
- 09:15 — Enter Ephesus by the upper gate
- 12:00 — Exit at the lower gate, drive to the House of the Virgin Mary
- 13:00 — Arrive in Sirince for lunch
- 15:30 — Set off back
- 16:45 — Back in Izmir
