One of Turkey's great sites, the extensive Roman ruins of Ephesus are easily accessible on foot along a two-mile tree-shaded path from nearby Selcuk. Come here to snoop on the minutiae of a lost way of life—right down to the communal lavatories! Keen walkers could combine a visit to the ruins with a stiff six-mile walk up Mount Bulbul to see Meryemana (Mary's House), where some people believe the Mother of God lived out the last years of her life.

Since Ephesus is usually mobbed with bus-tour parties, here's a plan of attack: Enter through the Lower Gate in the morning, explore the ruins, and then continue out through the Upper Gate and onto the mountain road toward Meryemana as the sun starts to set. If you take the road skirting the ruins, you can also visit the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers, set into the side of the mountain, where seven Christians are believed to have been entombed for two centuries before emerging, unscathed by their experience.

Don't ruin your vacation: Follow our
schedule for visiting Ephesus