"guell's Selcuk page" a Selcuk Travel Page by guell

Maria and I spent months preparing for this trip. We bought the guidebooks, we got advice from VT friends, we watched the travel shows and we tagged the hell out of our Michelin map. We had every single day planned out, but were we ready? What will the people be like? Will we really be served tea everywhere we went? Are the roads really as dangerous as the State Department travel warning for Turkey stated? Is the countryside as beautiful as the pictures I had seen?

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outdoor market at Selcuk

After a 20-hour journey, we landed at the Izmir Airport and drove straight to Selcuk (about a 45 minute drive) for the night. It was only 7pm, but we were exhausted! Our questions would be answered in due time.

The next morning we woke up to the sounds of the first call to prayer and went for a walk before breakfast. People were heading to work, some on tractors and some by public transport. Others just walked. It was Saturday morning, and the weekly market was being set up. In a few hours, the town would be filled with hundreds of people haggling for the best prices on tomatoes, figs, apples, peppers, eggs and even wrenches.

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Ephesus-Library of Celsus

On our way back to our pension, we notice the sun coming up from behind the mosque (see the picture above). I knew at that moment that this trip was going to be something special.

Selcuk is a small community that has transformed itself in recent years from a farming town to a very tourist-friendly place with plenty of inexpensive pensions and friendly and informative people eager to help make your visit enjoyable. Every Saturday, the vibrant outdoor market comes alive. Try to time your visit to coincide with the market, and sample the locally grown figs and apples.

Selcuk also makes for a perfect home base to visit the marble ruins of Ephesus and the house of the Virgin Mary.