Ancient city of Ephesus hosted over 2 mln visitors in 2023

IZMIR

The ancient city of Ephesus in the western province of İzmir, which sees an influx of tourists every year, welcomed approximately 2.2 million people in 2023, according to the data of the Ephesus Archaeological Museum.

The ancient city of Ephesus, which is a magnificent city of the Hellenistic and Roman periods and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, has been an important port city and cultural center throughout history. This historic city attracts an average of 1 million visitors every year.

The number of visitors to the ancient city, which is home to significant structures in terms of architecture, culture and aesthetics, has increased compared to previous years.

Cruise ship services to Kuşadası, one of the country's tourism hotspots in the western province of Aydin, which is close to Izmir, also played a role in Ephesus welcoming so many tourists.

Norwegian flagged Viking Saturn, the first cruise ship of 2024, docked at the port with 921 tourist passengers, mostly U.S. citizens, and 457 crew members.

Passengers were taken to the ancient city of Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary and historical ruins by buses under the coordination of the tour operator. Tourists who did not participate in the tour program visited and shopped in the bazaar in Kuşadası.

Aziz Güngör, the general manager of Ege Port Kuşadası, stated that they are excited to host the first cruise ship of the season.

"Approximately 560-565 ships are expected to arrive. In return, we expect 850,000 ship passengers. We also expect about 150,000 passengers to arrive with 850 ferry trips. One million passengers will come to Kuşadası by sea alone," he said.

Another factor that increased the tourist density in Ephesus in 2023 was the fact that one of the stops of the Turkish Culture Road Festivals, one of the most comprehensive culture and art projects organized by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, was the ancient city of Ephesus.

As part of the events, the gastronomic riches of İzmir were discussed at the festival with various gastronomy programs.

The Ephesus Experience Museum, where visitors travel back in time in the mystical atmosphere of the ancient world, has been opened in the ancient city of Ephesus in İzmir. The museum offers an entirely mesmerizing experience of seeing the daily life of the Roman Empire, the grandeur of the Temple of Artemis, and the magnificent atmosphere of the Celsus Library.