What's on in Selçuk (Ephesus), Turkey through the year

Peak crowds — Efes Camel Wrestling Festival, Semester (winter) break in Turkey

• Festival

  Efes Camel Wrestling Festival

  18 JanMajor festivalCrowded

  The biggest camel wrestling meet in the country, held on the third Sunday of January at Pamucak beach below Ephesus. Decorated bulls, a hundred-odd of them, and a crowd that has been drinking since breakfast. Source ↗

Busy — Semester (winter) break in Turkey, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in February.

Busy — Second-term mid-break in Turkey, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Storks on the aqueduct

  15 Mar – 31 Aug · usuallyBirdlife season

  White storks nest on the Byzantine aqueduct arches in the middle of town and clatter their bills over the tea gardens all spring. They are gone south by early autumn.

Busy — Ephesus cruise season, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Season

  Ephesus cruise season

  1 Apr – 31 OctCrowded

  Ships berth at Kusadasi twenty minutes away and empty straight onto the marble street. The site is bearable before ten and after four, and unpleasant in between on a two-ship day.

Still on: Storks on the aqueduct (15 Mar – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — Ephesus cruise season, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Storks on the aqueduct (15 Mar – 31 Aug (usually)), Ephesus cruise season (1 Apr – 31 Oct)

Peak crowds — Ephesus cruise season, Summer holidays in Turkey

• Season

  No shade at Ephesus

  25 Jun – 31 Aug · usuallyExtreme heat

  The ruins are a kilometre of open marble with nothing to stand under, and the terrace houses are hotter still under their roof. Go at opening or accept a very short visit.

Still on: Storks on the aqueduct (15 Mar – 31 Aug (usually)), Ephesus cruise season (1 Apr – 31 Oct)

Peak crowds — Ephesus cruise season, Summer holidays in Turkey

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Storks on the aqueduct (15 Mar – 31 Aug (usually)), Ephesus cruise season (1 Apr – 31 Oct), No shade at Ephesus (25 Jun – 31 Aug (usually))

Peak crowds — Ephesus cruise season, Summer holidays in Turkey

• Season

  Fig harvest

  1 Aug – 20 Sep · usually

  The Kucuk Menderes valley behind the town is fig country, and from August the fruit is laid out to dry on trays beside the road. The Saturday market is the place to taste the difference.

Still on: Storks on the aqueduct (15 Mar – 31 Aug (usually)), Ephesus cruise season (1 Apr – 31 Oct), No shade at Ephesus (25 Jun – 31 Aug (usually))

Peak crowds — Ephesus cruise season, Summer holidays in Turkey

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Ephesus cruise season (1 Apr – 31 Oct), Fig harvest (1 Aug – 20 Sep (usually))

Busy — Ephesus cruise season, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Ephesus cruise season (1 Apr – 31 Oct)

Busy — First-term mid-break in Turkey

Nothing new starts in November.

Quiet — school holidays in 5 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in December.