Caroline's escape to Selcuk...

I love to get away from the big city life and head to Selcuk which is a small village in Turkey, it's about an hours drive from Izmir and 45 minutes from Kuşadası.

Selçuk is a small town in the Izmir province in Turkey 18 km (11 miles) from the tourist resort of Kuşadası 3 km (2 miles) from the ancient site of Ephesus Its original name was Ayios Theologos (from which the Ottoman Turkish name Ayasluğ is derived.

In 1914 it was renamed Selçuk, after the Seljuk Turks who settled in the region in the 12th century. Selçuk is one of the most visited touristic destinations within Turkey, known for its closeness to the ancient city of Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary and Seljukian works of art. The 6th century basilica of St. John the Apostle, which, some claim, is built on the site of the Apostle's tomb, is also inside the town. Selçuk, for many visitors is a stopping point for Ephesus but stay overnight in Selcuk and visit , the old quarter of Selçuk which remains generally undisturbed and undeveloped, retaining traditional Turkish culture and locality.

Ayasoluk Hill dominates the surrounding area, with several historical buildings on its slopes, including the İsa Bey Mosquebuilt by the Seljuk Turks in 1375, and the Grand Fortress. The Ephesus Airport and Selçuk Training Center of the Turkish Aeronautical Association is only 3 kilometers away from Selçuk, offering piloting, parachuting, paragliding and microlight training. The annual camel wrestling championship takes place in Selçuk in the Winter, not far from the ancient site of Ephesus

Here are my top tips if you will be staying in Selcuk;

You may want to visit the House of the Virgin Mary.

The shrine of the Virgin Mary was authenticated by Pope Paul VI in 1967. Pope John Paul II has also visited the House of the Virgin Mary in 1979, and Pope Benedict XVI, in 2006 during his four day trip to Turkey. Every year, on the 15th August, there is a religious ceremony held at the shrine to commemorate Virgin Mary who spent her last years of her life here until she died at the age of 101.Saint John the Apostle brought the Virgin Mary to this place near Ephesus in Turkey towards the end of her life (AD37 to AD45).

The first Pilgrimage to the Virgin Mary’s house took place in 1896 which was just a few years after the shrine had been discovered.The House of the Virgin Mary is located about 9km from Selcuk and about 5km from Ephesus. If you want to explore of this area rich in history, then you are best to book your cheap accommodation in Selcuk in advance, especially if you will be travelling over the dates when the ceremony takes place on the 15th August.

The Flying horse at Ephesus museum Courtyard at the Ephesus museum Selcuk is also home to the Ephesus Museum which is in turn home to some of the artefact's that have been uncovered at the ancient site of Ephesus which is just 2km from Selcuk. The photograph above is of the Flying Horse which you can see in the Courtyard of the museum. Ephesus Museum is opposite the park near the intersection of Atatürk Mah and directly opposite the Tourist Information office.

This is the main road in Selcuk, Atatürk Mahallesi which is comming from the direction of Izmir and the road that you see in the photograph is about as busy as it ever gets apart from on a Saturday which is market day and there is likely to be a traffic jam of tractors from farmers bringing their fresh produce to sell!Pamucak beach is a long sandy beach just 20 minutes away from Selcuk by the local mini bus ( dolmus) - This is my favourite day out I have to say.... The beach is pretty much undeveloped so its best to take your own soft drinks and snacks. Having said that, there is a small motel and camping site at the entrance to the beach when you get off the dolmus. The small motel backs onto the beach and you can walk through the site to get to the beach. The motel has a small market where you can get drinks, beer and snacks. There is also an attractive restaurant that overlooks the beach and small palm trees. The sea can be choppy and sometimes windy on the beach but it makes for a pleasant way to spend the afternoon. Its best to avoid going to the beach on a Sunday as it will be very crowded. From the motel entrance to Pamucak beach if you look right you will see that the beach is probably quite busy with locals who drive on the beach with their cars. To the left of the beach there are a few 5* hotels. The bars of the 5* hotels are generally open to non residents so you can enjoy a cocktail or two before heading back to Selcuk.

Caroline - Customer Care Manager