Visiting ancient Roman ruins in Ephesus, Turkey

November 5, 3:01 PMLA Escapes ExaminerJennifer Marlo

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There are few relics left from the ancient world that haven’t been surrounded by growing modern cities. If the city of Rome sets the example of how to merge past and present in a seamless quilt of history, then the Roman ruins at Ephesus, Turkey exemplify how lonely and abandoned physical history can be when separated from the modern world.

Ephesus houses the largest and most well preserved collection of Roman ruins on the eastern Mediterranean. While only a tiny portion of the ruins has been excavated, there is enough to keep you busy for a half-day walking tour. The greatest advantage to exploring Ephesus is that tourists haven’t yet overwhelmed the ruins: one can climb and explore most of the ruins in peace, without having to fight through crowds or wait in line.

Some notable sites include the Library of Celsus (built in 135 B.C.), the Basilica of St. John, which sits upon the supposed tomb of John the Apostle, a 44,000 seat theater (the largest Roman theater in existence), various Roman baths and the singular column that marks the location of the Temple of Artemis (one of the seven wonders of the ancient world).

Entrance to the ancient city doesn’t cost more than a few Turkish Lira, but taxi transportation from nearby cities of Selcuk and Kusadasi can run upward of 30 dollars per person.