Quick answers live on the top-eleven page; this is where the planning questions stretch out. Everything below comes from the on-site reality of guiding, not from other websites — which is why the cats get a section.
Accessibility and strollers
Honestly framed: Ephesus is a hillside of original marble, and full wheelchair access to everything is not possible. That said, meaningful visits absolutely are — the lower entrance gives level-ish access to the Library plaza, Marble Street and the theatre area, the site provides assistance arrangements at the gates, and a private vehicle (ours or any) can position between gates to minimise gradients. Strollers manage the main route with effort; baby carriers manage it with none. Tell us your needs when booking and we will design the honest best route, not a brochure promise.
Children at Ephesus
Genuinely good, with management: the site is one large legal climbing opportunity, the theatre and latrines are child-delighters, and the gladiator and cat content carries the middle stretch. The threats are sun and marble-slips — hats, water, grippy shoes, and a pace with shade stops. Our guides carry the kid-version of every story; ask for it openly, adults enjoy it more anyway.
Photography and drones
Cameras and phones: free and unlimited — Ephesus may be the most photographed ruin on earth. Tripods and professional shoots technically need permits (enforced flexibly against obvious commercial setups). Drones: forbidden over the site without official permission, and enforced — the airspace protects both visitors and the storks. The Library photographs best in early light; the theatre from its upper tiers; the whole city from the Terrace Houses walkways.
Food, water and the famous cats
Inside the site: water and ice cream kiosks at both gate zones, nothing substantial between — carry water, snack discreetly (formal picnics are frowned on among the monuments). Selçuk and Şirince handle lunch properly afterwards. The cats: yes, they are everywhere; yes, they are fed and semi-official; yes, you may photograph and pet the willing ones. They have worked these ruins for centuries and treat visitors as staff, correctly.
Safety and scams
The site and region are thoroughly safe by any tourism standard — the realistic risks are sunburn and a slip on polished marble, in that order. Around the gates you may occasionally be approached by unlicensed “guides”; a booked tour removes the question altogether, and independent visitors need only a friendly no thank you.
