No place in Türkiye ties together as much of the New Testament as Ephesus. Paul lived and preached here for more than two years, he wrote to its church, the first church of Revelation was here, and tradition places the last years of the apostle John and of Mary nearby. For church groups, Ephesus is usually the heart of the journey. This guide brings the Christian sites together.

Ephesus in the Bible

  • Acts 18 to 20: Paul arrives with Priscilla and Aquila, teaches daily in the hall of Tyrannus, and the silversmiths led by Demetrius start a riot in the theatre shouting "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians". Later, at Miletus, he says farewell to the elders of Ephesus.

  • The Letter to the Ephesians, traditionally attributed to Paul.

  • Revelation 2:1 to 7: the first of the seven letters, to the church that "abandoned the love you had at first".

The Christian sites

  • The ancient city: walking down Curetes Street to the Library of Celsus and on to the great theatre, which seated around 24,000 people, is the core of every visit. The theatre is the setting of Acts 19.

  • The Church of Mary: at the edge of the ancient city, the church where the Council of Ephesus met in 431 and declared Mary Theotokos, the Mother of God.

  • The Terrace Houses: a covered excavation of wealthy homes with frescoes and mosaics, a separate ticket and well worth it for understanding daily life in Paul's time.

  • The Basilica of St John: on Ayasuluk Hill in Selçuk, the ruins of the great church built by Emperor Justinian over the tomb tradition places for the apostle John.

  • The House of the Virgin Mary: a small chapel on the wooded slopes of Bülbüldağı above the city, honoured by Christians and Muslims and visited by several popes. Mass is regularly celebrated here, and groups can usually arrange a celebration with notice.

  • The Temple of Artemis: a single re-erected column in a field is all that remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, the goddess of the silversmiths' riot.

How long to plan

The ancient city takes three hours at a comfortable pace. With the Terrace Houses, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Basilica of St John, plan a full day, or a day and a half with a quieter morning for a service. Most groups stay in Selçuk or Kuşadası, about 20 kilometres apart. İzmir airport is a little over an hour away.

When to go and practical points

  • Season: April to June and September to November. Arrive at opening time to stay ahead of cruise groups and the heat.

  • Feast days: 15 August, the Assumption, draws large numbers to the House of the Virgin Mary; plan carefully if your dates fall around it.

  • Walking: the marble streets are polished and uneven; good shoes are essential.

Planning with KAMPA

We have organised faith and cultural groups in Türkiye since 1996. We schedule the sites to avoid the crowds, choose a guide with a strong biblical background, and arrange services, hotels and transfers. Read our guides to the footsteps of Paul and the Seven Churches, or send your dates through the form below.