Private Ephesus Tour from Selçuk

Why hire a guide when Ephesus is only 3 km away?

Because getting there is the easy part. The hard part is knowing what you are looking at. The site has signs, but they name buildings one at a time. They don't tell you that Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of Asia and one of the great ports of the eastern Mediterranean, and without that picture the ruins read as a row of old stones.

A small example. Almost everyone photographs the four statues on the front of the Library of Celsus: Wisdom, Virtue, Thought and Knowledge. Few visitors know they are modern copies. The originals were taken to Vienna and stand in the Ephesos Museum there. Our founder, Dr. Asil Tunçer, holds a PhD in history and has spent 40 years pointing out details like this: what is original, what was rebuilt when the façade was reconstructed in the 1970s, and why it changes what you are seeing.

How do you get from Selçuk to Ephesus?

You can walk, take the dolmuş (shared minibus), take a taxi, or be collected from your hotel. The lower gate is about 3 km from the centre of Selçuk; the upper gate is further up the hill.

The catch with doing it yourself is the return. Ephesus is a one-way walk, so you finish at the opposite gate from where you started and need a second ride back to town.

Which gate should you enter from Selçuk?

Start at the upper gate if you can, and walk downhill to the lower gate. The route through the ancient city is about 1.6 km and mostly downhill; the full walk is on our Ephesus walking route map. The lower gate is closer to Selçuk, so many independent visitors start there and walk uphill instead.

Both gates open at 08:00. The upper gate closes at 18:00 and the lower gate at 19:00 (Ministry of Culture and Tourism, checked 27 September 2026). On a private tour the vehicle drops you at the top and meets you at the bottom.

What does the day look like on a private tour from Selçuk?

It starts with a pickup at the time you choose. We suggest the quietest hour at the gates for that day, then plan the route around the sun and what you most want to see.

1. Pickup at your Selçuk hotel, the train station or the bus station.
2. A short drive to the upper gate of Ephesus.
3. The walk down: Curetes Street, the Terrace Houses (optional), the Library of Celsus, Marble Street and the Great Theatre.
4. The Ephesus Experience Museum at the lower gate, which is included in the Ephesus ticket.
5. Selçuk sights of your choice: St John's Basilica, the Temple of Artemis or the Ephesus Museum.
6. Drop-off back at your hotel.

Because the tour is private, the order is yours. In midsummer we usually keep the open-air walk for the cooler hours and save the museum for the heat of the day; in spring and autumn there is more freedom.

What else can you see in Selçuk on the same day?

Four of the area's key sights are in Selçuk itself, within a short walk of each other. When the harbour of Ephesus silted up, the city moved back to Ayasuluk Hill, which is today's Selçuk, so the town is part of the same story.

Basilica of St John

Built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century over the traditional tomb of John the Apostle, on Ayasuluk Hill with the castle above it. See our guide to the Basilica of St John.

Temple of Artemis

One of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Today a single re-erected column stands in a field at the edge of town, and there is no ticket. The history is in our Temple of Artemis guide.

Ephesus Museum

If the Celsus copies bothered you, this is where many originals from Ephesus are kept, including two statues of Artemis of Ephesus and the finds from the Terrace Houses.

İsa Bey Mosque

Built in 1375 for İsa Bey of the Aydınid dynasty, at the foot of Ayasuluk Hill. Entry is free, but visitors are asked to stay out during prayer times.

Staying longer? Dr. Tunçer has worked in and around Kuşadası and Selçuk for 40 years, so our team can suggest what to do next, from the hill village of Şirince to a wine tasting in Şirince.

How much does a private Ephesus tour from Selçuk cost?

Our private tours from Selçuk are listed from €70 per person, and every entrance fee on your route is included. The final price depends on the size of your group, so send us your dates and group size for an exact quote.

Every tour includes:

• Entrance fees for every site on the route, including the Ephesus Experience Museum
• A licensed guide
• An air-conditioned vehicle
• Pickup and drop-off at your Selçuk hotel, train station or bus station

For more routes, including tours from Kuşadası and Izmir, see all our private Ephesus tours.

Who will show you Ephesus?

Tuncher Tourism was founded in 2025 by Dr. Asil Tunçer, a historian with an MA and a PhD in History who has guided in the Kuşadası and Selçuk area for 40 years. Before founding the company he guided Steve Jobs and other well-known guests around Turkey; the list is on our references page. Read more about Dr. Tunçer on his profile.