Ephesus, Turkey
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The security lines at the entrance move with airport-like efficiency. Beyond them, the concrete of the 21st century falls away, replaced by creamy pillars and marble paving stretching into the distance, with green hills beyond.
It feels like stepping back 2,000 years in time.
In a country overflowing with archaeological treasures, the ancient city of Ephesus, in western Turkey’s İzmir Province, remains the crown jewel. Around 2.5 million people visited the remains of this Greco-Roman port city in 2025. Founded in the 10th century BCE the 1,600-acre UNESCO World Heritage site is around 10 times the size of Disneyland — packed with so many historical…