We loved Istanbul but we were ready to explore so we picked up our rental car and headed out of the city. We didn’t make any reservations in advance but we had planned to make a clockwise loop around the country. After speaking with some locals they agreed our route was good but they suggested we go counter clockwise so we would hit the beaches before the weather cooled down. Sounded good to us so we drove 5 hours along the west coast to Ephesus. The ride was very scenic and relaxing. No traffic and good roads. The country side reminded us of Sicily.
We arrived in the ancient Greco-Roman town of Ephesus around 6 and went for our customary walk around town. We found a walking street with cafes full of locals, enjoyed dinner and called it a night.
The next morning we headed out to the house of the Virgin Mary. The house is where Jesus sent her to be cared for after his death. The house was located on top of a small mountain. The actual house was tiny with not too much to see but the grounds were beautiful and peaceful. From there we drove only a few miles and spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the Ephesus archeological complex. Lots of ruins including a giant amphitheater and the main attraction, the bank. Luckily it wasn’t crowded or we probably wouldn’t have lasted so long there. On our way home we found a small restaurant and enjoyed another amazing meal. They only served 2 dishes so we blindly ordered 1 of each and hoped for the best. Both were really good.
After eating we walked about a half mile from our hotel to the Temple of Artemis. Only one column remains and other than the nice walk it wasn’t worth the stop.
1 day in Ephesus was enough for us. If your exploring the west coast of Turkey its worth a stop.
