|
Sprawling
beneath an ancient fortress on
Ayasoluk Hill, Selçuk (SELL-chook)
provides hotels, restaurants,
transport and
other services to travelers visiting Ephesus.
It
also provides storks! The
town is a favorite nesting-place
for the leggy birds, who take up
residence here on the old Roman aqueduct,
disused minarets, television aerials
and any other safe perch, from April into September.
The Ephesus
Museum and St
John Basilica are
both in Selçuk (SEHL-chook,
pop. 22,500), and worth a visit,
as is the 14th-century İsa
Bey Mosque.
There
are even a few minor Seljuk
Turkish buildings in the town,
as this was the western extent of Seljuk
Turkish expansion—hence
the town's name.
On
your way out to the Ephesus
archeological site, stop for
a look at what's left of the Temple
of Artemis, one of the Seven
Wonders of the World.
For
a swim, try Pamucak
Beach, 7 km (4 miles) west.
The seaside
resort and cruise ship
port of Kuşadası is
only a 30-minute ride away (map),
and the pretty mountain town of
Şirince is
a 15-minute ride in the opposite
direction (east).
You
can visit the ruins
of Ephesus on a flying
day-trip from Istanbul via Izmir's Adnan
Menderes Airport, but it's better
to spend at least one night in
a hotel here.
There are plenty of small restaurants,
too. (Here's
how to drive from the airport to
Selçuk.)
Spend
at least two nights if
you plan to see the other sights
in the region. You can visit the
impressive ruins of Priene,
Miletus and Didyma
on a day
trip. Pamucak
Beach is good for a dip in the
Aegean Sea after trekking the hot
marble streets of Ephesus.
Kuşadası is
a booming, bustling cruise port
resort. The hilltop winemaking town
of Şirince,
is a beautiful place to get away
from it all. Dilek
National Park. provides
unspoiled nature in the midst of
a booming tourism region.
Bus,
train and car connections between Izmir and
Selçuk are convenient. More...
Bus
service to Selçuk is
frequent from Izmir,
with minibuses shuttling back and
forth between Izmir's main bus
terminal (Otogar) and the bus station
in Selçuk every
15 or 20 minutes throughout
the day (just ask for the Selçuk
minibüs).
Bus service to and from Bodrum
is not convenient, however. More...
Several trains run
daily between Selçuk and Izmir (Basmane
Station), stopping at Izmir's Adnan
Menderes Airport on
the way. (The airport is actually
between
Izmir and Selçuk.) More...
|
