Dress Code for the House of Virgin Mary and St John's

Ephesus is an easy walk in the right shoes and a miserable one in the wrong shoes. The route is two kilometers of ancient marble and cobble, worn glassy-smooth in places and broken and uneven in others, with a steep polished stretch down Curetes Street where visitors slip every single day. Everything else on this page is secondary to that.

Footwear

Closed shoes with flat rubber soles and real grip — trainers, walking shoes, hiking sandals with a proper sole. Avoid smooth leather soles, heels of any height, and flip-flops, all of which turn the marble into an ice rink. If you are visiting after rain, grip matters even more; wet ancient marble is genuinely treacherous.

Sun and heat

There is almost no shade between the upper gate and the Library of Celsus. From May to September you want a wide-brimmed hat (not just a cap), high-factor sunscreen applied before you arrive, sunglasses, and light, loose, breathable clothing with long sleeves if you burn easily. Water is sold at the gates and at a couple of points inside, but bring a full bottle in anyway — a litre per person for a summer morning is not excessive.

Dress code at the holy sites

The archaeological site itself has no dress code — wear what is comfortable. The religious sites do, and it is a matter of simple courtesy rather than enforcement:

• House of Virgin Mary — an active chapel: shoulders and knees covered for both men and women. Photography is restricted inside the chapel itself.
• Isa Bey Mosque and any working mosque — shoes off at the door, shoulders and knees covered, and a headscarf for women. Scarves are usually available to borrow at the entrance.
• Basilica of Saint John — a ruin rather than a working church, so no formal code, but many visitors treat it as a holy place and dress accordingly.

A light scarf or pashmina in your bag solves all of this at once, doubles as sun cover on the marble, and weighs nothing.

What else to bring

• More water than you expect to drink
• A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen from spring through autumn
• A light waterproof from November to March
• A small bag you are happy to carry for three hours
• Cash in lira for small purchases; cards for tickets
• Your camera — the light at the library is best in the morning

Accessibility and mobility

The main street is walkable for most people of reasonable mobility because it runs downhill, and a step-free route covers a good part of the site, though the surfaces are uneven throughout and the Terrace Houses involve stairs and walkways. Wheelchair users do visit Ephesus, but the experience depends heavily on the route chosen and on having transport waiting at the lower gate. Tell us honestly what walking is comfortable when you enquire and we will plan the day around it — this is one of the things a private guide genuinely changes.