When you travel to the Izmir-Ephesus region of Turkey with Dos Plumas these are some of the interesting and unique places you should visit:
1. Ephesus – The ancient city of Ephesus that once stood a 
seaside metropolis is by far the most famous of ancient sites visited by tourists in Turkey. Thousands of tourists a day and hundreds of thousands of tourists a year come through this place of both historical fascination and religious pilgrimage. The restoration work on the city is an ongoing process. Over the past ten years we’ve seen great strides in restoring a large section of residential ruins. Hundreds of thousands of fragments have been pieced together to give vivid testimony to the beauty of ancient design. Ephesus is a must see even in the middle of the summer heat. So, bring a bottle of water, your camera and a hat and be ready for a fascinating couple of hours.
See at this location: Library of Celsus, Ancient Amphitheater, Roman Arcade, 4th century church.
Visiting Times: Daily (8:30 – 19:00)
2. House of the Virgin Mary – Another popular pilgrimage location just to the South of the upper entrance to the Ephesus site is a statue and claimed location of the house of Mary the Mother of Jesus. This is a quick stop that can be made before or after visiting the main site at Ephesus.
3. St. John’s Basilica in Selçuk – Just across the way from 
the ancient ruins of the city of Ephesus is the town of Selçuk, a city crowned by a castle from the time of the Selçuk conquerors of the late 11th through the 14th centuries. St. John’s church lies in the valley to the South West of the hilltop fortress and contains portions of the even older temple of Artemis. The church is also directly adjacent to the Isa Bey Mosque. The close proximity of these historic locations makes for an exciting visit to the center of Selçuk.
Visiting Times: Tuesday – Sunday (8:30-4:30)
3. Priene , Didyma and Miletus – A short hour 
drive from the Ephesus area and you are driving along roads that once would have been submerged. The Meander River after thousands of years of silting has covered up the Bay of Miletus and made it easier to visit three sites by bus in one day. Priene, Miletus and Didyma these ancient sites give insight into the building of ancient temples and the coastal culture of the ancient world. This is an excellent way to spend your time if you want to spend more than the usual day or two in the Ephesus area. Plan to spend the whole day visiting these three magnificent sites.
4. Pamukkale and Hierapolis – This is another 
full day trip to the center of the Anatolian peninsula where you can see one of several of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites in Turkey. The mineral deposits that cover the side of the mesa upon which sits the ancient city of Hierapolis give the area it’s white, snow like, appearance and it’s Turkish name: “pamuk” – cotton, and “kale” – castle. It is a short drive from this location to another site of Biblical interest and an up and coming pilgrimage Mecca – Laodicea. Pause for a bath in the hot springs of Hierapolis where you can say you swam in the same waters as Cleopatra upon her visit to the healing waters of Hierapolis. Recent archaeological work has uncovered what seems to be the tomb of Philip the Apostle.
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