Things to Do in Aegean Coast

Choose from 25 Fun Things to Do in Aegean Coast

Temple of Domitian

One of the greatest ancient Roman cities was Ephasus, and its ruins are located in Selcuk, Turkey. It is one of the most popular sites to visit in Turkey. Near the ancient Agora, visitors can see the remains of the Temple of Domitian and Domitian Square. The temple was built in honor of Emperor Domitian, and it is the first structure here known to be dedicated to an emperor. Though not much remains of the temple today, archaeologists have learned much about its structure.

Visitors can see the remaining foundation of the temple and imagine what it might have once looked like. It was approximately 165 feet by 330 feet and sat on vaulted foundations. The northern end was two stories tall and was accessed by stairs, which can still be seen today. There were also several columns on each side of the temple. Reliefs from some of the columns can still be seen here as well.

Practical Info

The Temple of Domitian and the Ephasus ruins are located about 5 minutes by bus from the main bus station in Selcuk. Opening hours are 8am to 7pm in the summer and 8am to 5pm in the winter. Admission to Ephasus is 30TL.

Efes Harabeleri, Selcuk, Izmir Province, Turkey 35920, Turkey

Open daily, summer 8am-7pm and winter 8am-5pm

30TL

From $ 41

Terrace Houses

The ruins of the ancient city of Ephasus are located in Selcuk, Turkey. The city was a major port city in its time, but the port has since silted over and the shoreline is quite a distance away. One of the important sections of the ruins are the Terrace Houses, which are on a hill across from the Hadrian Temple. There are six units on three terraces, the oldest dating back to the 1st century BC. It was used as a residence until the 7th century AD.

Two of the houses are now open as a museum, and they give visitors a glimpse at what family life might have been like during the Roman Period. The houses contained mosaics on the floors and frescoes on the walls, which are now protected. They had central interior courtyards, and although most of the houses were two stories tall, the second levels have collapsed over time.

Practical Info

The Terrace Houses and the Ephasus ruins are located about 5 minutes by bus from the main bus station in Selcuk. Opening hours are 8am to 7pm in the summer and 8am to 5pm in the winter. Admission is 30TL for Ephasus plus 15TL for the Terrace Houses.

Efes Harabeleri, Selcuk, Izmir Province, Turkey 35920, Turkey

Open daily, summer 8am-7pm and winter 8am-5pm

30TL for Ephasus plus 15TL for the Terrace Houses

From $ 13

Temple of Artemis

The Temple of Artemis, or Artemision, was a Greek temple in present-day Turkey dedicated to the goddess Artemis. It was one of the original seven wonders of the ancient world. It was built not far from Ephesus just outside the present-day town of Selcuk. The temple was completely rebuilt several times throughout history after being destroyed on multiple occasions by both nature and human factors. Little remains of the temple in its original location today since archeologists brought much of the ruins to the British Museum.

The Temple of Artemis is only a couple of miles from Ephesus, making it an easy attraction to visit. Visitors can still see one tall column and a handful of marble pieces from the foundations of the structure, and the historical location is fascinating. From the site, you can also see the ruins of St. John's Basilica, located on a hill in Selcuk.

Practical Info

The Temple of Artemis is located half a mile from the center of Selcuk and about 51 miles from Izmir.

Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey, Turkey

From $ 41

St Polycarp Church

St Polycarp Church dates from the mid-1600s and is Izmir’s oldest church. Dedicated to Saint Polycarp, a bishop who was martyred by the Romans in 155 AD, the church was been repeatedly damaged by earthquakes and its present building dates from 1690.

Saint Polycarp was converted by John the Apostle and later became Bishop of Smyrna. His views on Christianity were apparently not appreciated by his Roman overlords, who tried to burn the 86-year-old Bishop at the stake. Legend has it, the flames would not burn Bishop, so the Romans resorted to stabbing him to death instead. A white dove is said to have flown up into the sky from the spot where he died.

The Church is now used by the catholic minority as a place of worship and pilgrimage. The murals were restored at the beginning of the century by the French architect Raymond Pee.

St. Polycarp Church is across from the Izmir Hilton. Only tour groups are allowed to enter the church by prior arrangment.

Akdeniz Mh., Izmir 35210, Turkey

From $ 900

Temple of Hadrian

The Temple of Hadrian is one of the highlights of the ruins of Ephesus in Turkey. It was built around 118 AD and is actually more of a monument to Hadrian, Artemis, and the people of Ephesus. The temple is small, but there is a beautiful arch on the outside, a porch, and a small main hall. The porch is supported by pillars and Corinthian columns. A statue of Hadrian once stood on a podium in the temple, but it has been lost. On the front of the porch are bases with the names of Galerius, Maximianus, Diocletianus, and Constantius Chlorus inscribed on them, indicating that the bases might have once held statues of these emperors.

Panel reliefs on the inside depict Medusa warding off the bad spirits, the mythological foundation of Ephesus, and various religious scenes. The reliefs seen today are plaster replicas, while the originals are protected in the Ephesus Museum.

Practical Info

The Temple of Hadrian and the rest of Ephesus are located just outside the town of Selcuk and 51 miles from Izmir.

Ephesus, Izmir, Turkey, Turkey

From $ 41