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Voykit pocket guide · Türkiye (Turkey)
Selçuk
Stay 2 nights: one full day for Ephesus, one morning for the museum, basilica and İsa Bey Mosque. Base here, not in Kuşadası.
Selçuk is the town that serves the Roman ruins of Ephesus, 4 km west, and it holds enough of its own sights to justify sleeping here rather than commuting from İzmir or the coast. Two nights covers Ephesus properly plus the Ephesus Archaeological Museum, the St John Basilica and citadel on Ayasuluk hill, the İsa Bey Mosque and the single standing column of the Temple of Artemis. Trains and dolmuşes run to the ruins and to İzmir, so you do not need a car.
- Country
- Türkiye (Turkey)
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (mid-30s °C and crowded ruins), winter rain
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TRY
- Money
- Currency is the Turkish lira (₺, TRY). About ₺56 to €1 in late September 2026 — check; inflation was still in the double digits, so prices rise several times a year.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₺1,200–2,000 excl. bed · Mid ₺2,000–3,500 excl. bed · High ₺3,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom sell tourist SIMs at airports (passport needed); they are dearer than in town shops — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Lokanta / simple café: Leave the coins or round up.; Sit-down restaurant: 5–10% in cash, even if the card machine does not offer a tip; check for a 'servis' charge first.; Taxi: Round up to the next ₺10–50.; Hamam: 10–15% to the attendant (tellak/natır).; Guide / driver day: €10–20 for a guide, €5–10 for a driver per day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₺50–100.
- Water
- Tap water is treated and chlorinated but tastes of it; locals buy bottled or 19-litre dispenser water. Restaurants charge for bottled water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets (alaturka) in older mosques and bus stops. Public toilets (WC) cost ₺10–30 — carry coins or small notes. Most toilets have a bidet spray; paper goes in the bin in older buildings.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea in a café | ₺60–120 |
| Kebab or pide plate | ₺250–450 |
| Gözleme or a light lunch | ₺120–250 |
| Draught Efes beer | ₺120–200 |
| Dolmuş ride in town or to Ephesus | ₺40–80 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₺300–600 |
| Museum and basilica entry | ₺300–500 each (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ADB · İzmir Adnan Menderes
- 55 km north; on the İZBAN suburban line, so you change at Tepeköy rather than going into central İzmir34 mi north; on the İZBAN suburban line, so you change at Tepeköy rather than going into central İzmir
Typical fares
- Dolmuş Selçuk → Ephesus lower gate
- about ₺60, 15–20 min (check)
- İZBAN Selçuk → ADB airport
- change at Tepeköy; about 1 h 15 min (check)
- Taxi Selçuk → Ephesus upper gate
- ₺300–500 (check)
Get around
The town centre is walkable in 15 minutes end to end. For Ephesus, dolmuşes heading to Kuşadası pass the lower gate, and tours or taxis cover the upper gate and the House of the Virgin Mary. İZBAN trains run from Selçuk station north to the airport and İzmir, changing at Tepeköy. ESHOT bus 770 links Selçuk with Belevi and Torbalı on weekdays and is cashless, so you need an İzmirim Kart.
See and do
Known for
- Ephesus, 4 km west
- Ephesus Archaeological Museum
- St John Basilica and Ayasuluk citadel
- İsa Bey Mosque
- Temple of Artemis column
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ephesus | Dolmuş towards Kuşadası to the lower gate, or a tour/taxi to the upper gate | 15–25 min |
| Şirince | Dolmuş or taxi from the centre, 9 km east into the hillsDolmuş or taxi from the centre, 5.6 mi east into the hills | 20–30 min |
| Kuşadası | Dolmuş west on the D515 | 30–40 min |
| İzmir | İZBAN from Selçuk station, change at Tepeköy | About 1.5 h |
| Pamukkale and Denizli | Regional train from Selçuk towards Denizli, then a dolmuş up to the terraces | 4–5 h |
Sleep
- Around the museum and St Jean Cd
- Pensions and small hotels within a few minutes' walk of the museum, basilica and mosque; best for a short stay without a car.
- Near the railway station and otogar
- Central, walkable to the eating strip west of the station; convenient if you arrive or leave by train or bus.
- East of the centre
- Quieter streets with citadel views; 10–15 min walk to the sights.
- Pamucak and the D550 edge
- Beach and resort hotels 5–8 km west; you need a car, taxi or dolmuş for everything.Beach and resort hotels 3.1–5 mi west; you need a car, taxi or dolmuş for everything.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Merhabamer-hah-BAH |
| Thank you | Teşekkürlerteh-shek-kewr-LER |
| How much is it? | Ne kadar?neh kah-DAR |
| The bill, please | Hesap, lütfenheh-SAP, lewt-FEN |
| Where is the toilet? | Tuvalet nerede?too-vah-LET neh-reh-DEH |
| Can I pay by card? | Kartla ödeyebilir miyim?KART-lah ur-deh-yeh-bee-LEER mee-yim |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Merhaba' (hello) or 'Selamün aleyküm' in conservative areas; cheek kisses between friends of the same sex; avoid: Offering a hand to a conservative woman first — wait for hers
- Mosques: Covered clothing, headscarf for women, shoes in hand, quiet voice; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; visiting during Friday midday prayer
- Hospitality: Accept tea or at least a sip; bring sweets or pastries to a home; avoid: Refusing food repeatedly; showing the soles of your feet
- Politics and history: Listen; let hosts raise it; avoid: Opinions on Atatürk, the Kurdish issue, Armenia or Cyprus with people you just met
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly in conservative towns during the day; avoid: Eating, drinking or smoking in front of fasting people in small towns
- Gestures: A slight upward head nod with a tut means 'no'; avoid: The OK hand sign (can be read as rude) and a thumb between fingers
- Dress in town: Shorts are fine in Istanbul and resorts; longer clothes in the interior and east; avoid: Swimwear away from the beach
- Names: First name plus Bey (men) or Hanım (women): 'Ahmet Bey'; avoid: Using the surname alone
Scams and watch-outs
- Ephesus has two gates; entering at the upper gate and walking downhill to the lower gate is easier than the reverse.
- The House of the Virgin Mary is up in the hills with no useful public transport: go by tour or taxi.
- Temple of Artemis is one column in open ground; do not plan a half-day for it.
- Cittantica Ephesus Park, a photo-set replica, was closed in 2022: check before going.
- Carpet and souvenir shops near the museum work on commission; agree a price before anything is unrolled.
Selçuk is a small, calm town and the usual Aegean precautions apply: heat on the exposed ruins, uneven marble at Ephesus, and shop touts near the museum. Keep to lit streets at night and use licensed taxis.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Selçuk yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ephesus, 4 km west
- Ephesus Archaeological Museum
- St John Basilica and Ayasuluk citadel
- İsa Bey Mosque
- Temple of Artemis column
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Selçuk municipality: www.selcuk.bel.tr/
- Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism — museum and site tickets: muze.gov.tr/
- TCDD Taşımacılık (regional trains): www.tcddtasimacilik.gov.tr/
- İZBAN suburban rail: www.izban.com.tr/
- Wikivoyage: Selçuk, revision 5314966 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5314966
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Selçuk
Bu adrese, lütfen
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All emergencies112
No embassies in Selçuk; consulates-general are in İzmir, embassies in Ankara. The US consulate-general is in İzmir (check the address).
Ephesus entry is a separate ticket from the museum and basilica; buy online or at the gate and keep the card.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/selcuk). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.