Field notes
Notes from the ground
One short, honest piece most weeks — written between tours, about the things guests actually ask us. No press releases, no “hidden gems.”
Every note, newest first
House of Virgin Mary from Kusadasi: three ways up the mountain, and one loop with Ephesus
There is no public bus to the House of the Virgin Mary.
Izmir to Selcuk train: from the airport platform to the gate of Ephesus
From İzmir airport, the direct regional train to Selçuk takes about an hour; from Basmane station in central İzmir, about an hour and a half.
Selcuk or Kusadasi: which town to stay in for Ephesus, from people who live in both
Stay in Selçuk if Ephesus is the reason for your trip: the town is about 3 kilometers from the ruins, roughly ten minutes by car to the gate at the 08:00 opening, and quiet at night.
Ephesus in winter: a December morning on the marble, from the gate to the stove
Ephesus in winter is open every day from 08:00 to 18:00, with the last ticket at 17:30, and from December to February the ancient city is at its quietest of the year.
Ayasuluk Fortress is open: the climb to Selçuk’s castle and what waits on top
Yes.
Kuba Camii in Selçuk: the little mosque shaped like a tomb
It stands in a small park across the road from the bus station, and a few hundred people walk past it every day without looking up.
Selçuk market day: when the Saturday market runs and what locals buy
Saturday is market day in Selçuk, and it is where we do our own weekly shopping.
Things to do in Ephesus, Turkey, after the ruins: twelve picks from the guides who live here
The ancient city takes a morning.
Kusadasi to Ephesus without a tour: the dolmuş, the taxi and the ride back
We live in Kuşadası and drive this road most mornings of the season.
Is there an Ephesus dress code? The rules for clothes, hands and cameras
No dress code at the ruins, a real one at the House of the Virgin Mary, and a short list of rules about ropes, reliefs, bags and drones.
Do you need a guide at Ephesus? The honest answer, from the guides
You can walk Ephesus on your own, and some people should.
The olive harvest in Selçuk, from the first net to the new oil
In autumn the lanes around Selçuk fill with white nets.
Dilek Peninsula National Park, cove by cove, from the town next door
It is where Kuşadası goes when the town has had enough of itself.
Is Kuşadası worth visiting? What we tell friends who ask
We live in this town, and in February we have the seafront to ourselves.
Is Ephesus wheelchair accessible? What the marble is really like
The question arrives by email most weeks, usually from a daughter booking for her father.
Ephesus after dark: notes from inside the Night Museum
We’ve walked this street a thousand times by day.
How long to visit Ephesus, and what to skip if you can’t
This is the question we get in the car park before we’ve even said good morning.
The best time to visit Ephesus, month by month
We walk this site in every month it’s open, which is all of them.
How much should you tip a tour guide in Ephesus?
Everyone Googles this from a restaurant the night before.
ONE MESSAGE, ONE PLAN
Tell us your date.
We’ll tell you the plan.
A licensed local guide replies personally — within 24 hours, usually the same day, from info@ephesusbylocals.com.
TÜRSAB license 15746 · Nothing paid in advance · Skip-the-line tickets held for you