isis

Immimi,
I hope you are out there because I need your help again. You replied to my original post (see below) with days/times for the sites in Turkey that I listed.

Just want to confirm that the days/times are for November. That is when I will be in Turkey.

Thanks again!!

Pinara is the place to see Lycian tombs: 9 a.m.-5:30p.m.T-Sun

Daylan cliff tombs are fenced off and you can only view them
from a distance; the rock tombs can be seen on river boat
cruises that leave from Daylan

Telmessos - 7:30 - 7:30 daily.

Is Selcuk castle open? The main thing to see is the
Museum - and it's a great one.

Kusadasi is a large town and major cruise ship centre -
it's pretty much open 24/7!

SArdis: open daily 8 am -noon; l p.m. - 5 p.m.

ellencmog

Isis, we just returned from Turkey; I can confirm that the Selcuk castle is not open. The museum is indeed a gem. Get to Ephesus early; it gets crowded fast (although there may be fewer cruise passengers when you're there).

tcreath

When we were in Selcuk we were told that the castle closed many years ago because of safety concerns. So while it does make a good picture, it is indeed closed. And I too agree that the Selcuk museum is a must, especially if you plan on visiting Ephasus.

We didn't have any problems with crowds in Ephasus at all because we were there in February. I'm not sure how it will be in November, but I doubt it would be too overly crowded. Still, there is a lot to see. I also suggest spending the extra money to go into the houses built into the cliff. It's still a live archaeology site and very interesting.


Tracy

ellencmog

Tracy, I forgot to mention the terraced houses. We were so glad we went into them. I'm writing a trip report and will also post photos of the site. The cruise ships start making the crossing in November, so depending on when isis goes, the crowds may not be too bad. There were thousands of people there the day we visited, but it was also Turkey's independence Day, so that may have contributed to it.
Ellen

immimi

I'm here - none of the guidebooks mentioned seasonal closings
so you're probably okay. The weather is pretty temperate in
western Turkey unlike Cappadoccia so I would assume (key word)
that it's mild enough to keep the tourist trade active.

Agree w/Ellen - the terrace houses are amazing - you can
really get a sense of what everyday life was like in the
Beverly Hills of Ephesus. Wonderful wall paintings and
terrazo. And best of all, the cruise people do not
venture into the terrace houses so you can actually take
some time and absorb the site without being mobbed and
pushed and have to do the museum shuffle!

We were there 2nd week in October and 'shared' Ephesus with
the denizens of four HUGE cruise ships - I have a photo of
the Sacred Way that I call The Invasion of the Barbarians!

Personally, I thought Afrodesias was a wonderful evocative
site.

isis

Thanks everyone for your input!

tcreath

Ellen, thanks for the correct name for the terrace houses! They were a highlight for us. When we were there we were the only ones walking around the terrace houses which made for an almost surreal experience. I look forward to reading your trip report!

I have to say that I'm glad I went during off-season, despite the rain and cold temps. I don't really like crowds and I've seen pictures of Ephasus with hordes of cruise-shippers and tourists. Still, it's an incredible site, one of the best I've seen.

Tracy