It's difficult not to. Turkey's geo-political importance has attracted so many settlers, conquerors and traders over the centuries that you literally find yourself tripping over their legacies. On the Aegean coast Ephesus (8am-7pm daily May-September; 8am-5pm October-April; TL10/ £4.40) is a worthy world heritage site with some of the best preserved Roman ruins in the Eastern Mediterranean. At its peak in the first and second century this city was second only to Rome in the empire's pecking order.
The crowd-pleasers today are the breathtaking Library of Celsus and the enormous open-air theatre, but it is the sheer quantity and density of the other ruins, from residential houses to public latrines that allow glimpses of urban life under Emperor Augustus. An audio guide (TL5/£2.20) helps to fill in the background.
Only one-fifth of the original city has been excavated: it seems likely that it was once home to at least 200,000 people. If your visit coincides with that of a cruise ship to the nearby port of Kusadasi then you'll be ably assisted in imagining what a population of that size looks like. For a more intimate appreciation of the ruins arrive at 8am sharp or late afternoon. Start at the southern entrance, walk down through the ruins and exit from the northern one.
Selcuk, two miles away, is the nearest town, and has plenty of accommodation and eating options. Taxis from here to the southern entrance cost TL10 (£4.40), minibuses to the northern entrance for TL2.50 (£1.10). The Ephesus museum in Selcuk is worth a visit (summer 8.30am-7pm daily, closing for an hour at noon; TL5/£2.20 entrance; opposite the tourist office). It gives helpful context to what you've seen; there's a new section on gladiators and on a hot August day it's got the best air-conditioning in Selcuk.
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