Shoes, and this is the one that matters

The paving on Curetes Street and the Marble Street has been walked on for two thousand years and it is polished. Add a gradient and the effect is closer to worn tile than to stone. People go down every day, mostly in sandals or smooth-soled trainers, and mostly on the middle third of Curetes Street.

Wear something with a rubber sole and a bit of tread. Nothing technical is needed — the surface is even, it is just slick.

After rain the first few hours are the worst. If you are there in winter and it has been wet, use the gravel margins.

Sun

There is effectively no shade between the two gates. Bring:

  • a hat with a brim, not a cap
  • sunglasses, for the glare off white marble as much as the sun
  • sunscreen, applied before you go in
  • water, at least a litre each, more in July and August

There are drinks kiosks at both gates and one inside near the Lower Gate. There is nothing on the walk.

What is worth carrying

A small bag, not a big one. There is no cloakroom and nowhere to put anything down.

A charged phone. Not for the map — for the panels, which are easier to read as a photograph than in the glare.

Cash in lira, a little. For the kiosks and the toilets outside the gates.

What you can leave

A tripod. Not allowed for general visitors, and there is nowhere to set one up in the crowd.

A drone. Prohibited over the site.

Walking poles. Allowed, and genuinely useful on the descent if you want the stability. Nobody will stop you.

Toilets

At both gates, and one set inside near the theatre. Small charge outside the gates in some cases; free inside. Plan around them — it is a fifty-minute walk between the two ends.

Dress

There is no dress code at Ephesus itself. If you are going on to the House of the Virgin Mary or the mosque in Selçuk, cover shoulders and knees.

Also asked

What shoes should I wear at Ephesus?

Anything with a rubber sole and some tread. The marble streets are polished smooth and slope downhill; smooth soles slip.

Is there water at Ephesus?

Kiosks at both gates and one inside near the Lower Gate. Nothing along the walk itself, so carry at least a litre each.

Are drones allowed at Ephesus?

No. Drones are prohibited over the site, and tripods are not permitted for general visitors.