History

Presided over by the imposing façade of the Library of Celsus, the ancient city of Ephesus, with its amphitheatre, baths, temples and mansions, fires the imaginations of over a million visitors a year, adding an irresistible appeal to your conference or meeting.

Founded in the 10th century BC, Ephesus rose to prominence as one of the 12 city-states of the Ionian League and, at the height of its importance, was a leading city of Imperial Rome. For thousands of years visitors have been drawn to Ephesus for its stunning architecture and spectacular natural beauty. Today, many of those visitors arrive in Ephesus through the nearby port of Kuşadası. The largest port in Turkey, and situated just fifteen minutes from one of the world’s great historic sites, Kuşadası is an ideal destination for cruise tourism and now for cruise-based conferences. Just minutes by car or shuttle from Ephesus, over 700 cruise ships, operated by the world’s top cruise lines, call at Kuşadası every year. Their million plus passengers come from around the world to explore the ruins, eager to discover this marvel of ancient civilization.

Throughout history, the astonishing natural beauty of Ephesus has inspired everyone from emperors and religious figures, to poets, philosophers and architects. Its rugged hills, terraced ranks of olive trees and graceful palms, swaying in a gentle breezebeneath the warm Aegean sun are as timelessly beautiful today as they were when one of the most famous residents of Ephesus, the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, ‘‘The sun is new each day’’.”

Of course, the newest thing in this ancient corner of the world is the state-of-the-art Ephesus Convention Center. Your delegates are sure to embrace the unique opportunity to discover the architectural masterpieces of the Greek, Roman and Ottoman empires that attending a conference held at the Ephesus Convention Center will afford them.