CHOICE 7: EPHESUS + DIDYMA + MILETUS

You will be met by your private tour guide at port and drive to first stop to Miletus, an ancient city located near Akköy at the mouth of the Buyuk Menderes (meander) River. Miletus owed its importance to its position on the trade routes. It was one of the largest cities in Anatolia with a population of between 80.000 and 100.000. Highly prosperous, it was found many colonies and was the home of the 6C BC philosophers Anaximander, Anaximenes and Thales, the town planner Hippodamus and architect Isidorus. Having a prominent position, Miletus became the most important port in this area and it was the most active member of the twelve cities of the Ionian Confederation. In the 7th century BC Lydians besieged the city. Then, the city was controlled  by Persians, Romans and Seljuk Turks.

The next visit after Miletus  will be Didyma. Didyma means "twins" and it was associated by some as being the meeting place of Zeus and Leto to have their twins Apollo and Artemis. Didyma was famed as a prophecy center dedicated to Apollo, which served a similar purpose as the Delphi of Anatolia. It was not a city but a sanctuary linked to Miletus by Milesians with a 19 km/12 mi sacred road.

Then we will visit Ephesus is one of the best well-kept Greco- Roman ancient city in the world, famous with Odeon where the music concerts were given; Domitian Temple which is one of the first temple dedicated for a human; Celcius Library  which was the third biggest library in the ancient time; Amphitheatre where is one of the biggest amphitheatre in the world with 24.000 people capacity and St. Paul preached; Roman Baths ; Fountains; Temples; Agora; Love House; Public Toilets; ( Terrace Houses ) etc.