Priene, Miletus, and Didyma

File:Didyma banner Temple of Apollo - From the Temple of Apollo in Didyma Priene, Miletus, and Didyma are three Ancient Greece|ancient Greek ruins near each other in Aegean Turkey|western Türkiye. They are often visited on a combined "PMD" tour from Selçuk.

Priene, Miletus, and Didyma Halal Travel Guide

GPS 37.6606,27.2973 Priene, at the base of an escarpment of Mycale (modern Mt. Samsun inside the Central Aegean#Other destinations|Dilek Peninsula National Park), used to be a major coastal city. Its harbour has since been silted up by the Meander River. It was the earliest town built on a grid plan. Priene was a member of the Ionian League, and is believed to have had 4,000-5,000 inhabitants at its peak.

GPS 37.5299,27.2779 Miletus(Turkish: Milet) and the greatest and the wealthiest of the Greek cities before the Persian invasion of the 6th century BC, was another major harbour city, its sailors having founded a huge number of colonies, especially around the Black Sea.

GPS 37.3853,27.2561* Didyma was the sanctuary of Miletus, from where visitors approached by following a sacred path of 17 kilometers on foot. Modern Didim, formerly a village named Yenihisar surrounding the ancient site, has been developed as a resort town in the 1980s. It is now centred around the Altınkum ("golden sand") beach south of the original village and has a vibrant United Kingdom|British expat community.

Travel to Priene, Miletus, and Didyma

By bus tour

The easiest option is to join a bus tour from one of the travel agencies in Selçuk during the summer.

In the off-season, ask your hotel in Selçuk to arrange a private driver for 3190 TL or a travel agency who will charge 4190 TL (November 2022). The trip will take about 6½ hours, which provides ample time at each site, including the Miletus Museum. Extra time would be needed if you stop for lunch.

Travel by minivan in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma

Priene is near the modern village of Güllübahçe, take a shuttle van (dolmuş) from Söke to get there.

Miletus is near the modern village of Balat, 3 kilometers north of Akköy — take a shuttle van from Didim to Akköy, and walk the rest or wait for the infrequent dolmuşes on to Balat.

Didyma is just north of the modern resort town of Didim and is easily walkable from there.

By car

It is easy to drive between the sites via the secondary road numbered 09-55 and its southern extension 09-54. The major regional highway, D525, has a number of connections with 09-55/-54 along its alignment between Söke and Milas, all clearly signposted for either Priene, Miletus, or Didyma.

Fees and permits

Each site has a seperate entry fee: 20 TL for Priene, and 400 TL each for Miletus (plus an extra 20 TL for the museum on site) and Didyma.

The Museum Pass – The Aegean (390 TL, valid for 7 days) provides free entry to all three sites (as well as many others in the Aegean Turkey|Aegean Region and some in Lycia), although it cannot be bought locally in any of them (better ask for it while in Ephesus).

How to get around in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma

No single town has connections to all of these sites, so you need to travel back and forth between Söke (shuttle vanes to Güllübahçe/Priene) and Didim (walking distance to Didyma and shuttle vanes to Balat/Miletus) if you have to use the public transport.

Within the sites themselves, walking around is likely your only option.

What to see in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma

Priene

Its evocative hillside ruins, surrounded and partially covered by a dense pine forest, include a Temple of Athena, a small Hellenistic theatre, and parts of the city walls. Little has been reconstructed, so bring your imagination.

Priene Bouleuterion 2009 04 28 - Bouleuterion

Temple of Athena at Priene - The Temple of Athena

The Temple of Athena, funded by Alexander the Great, at the foot of an escarpment of Mycale. The five columns were erected in 1965–66 from rubble and are 3|m short of the calculated original column height.

While you are there, you may also want to check out GPS 37.6672,27.3159 Old Güllübahçe(Gelebeç), a pleasant hillside village of cobbled streets and stone houses (close to Priene but requires some uphill walking). The village was inhabited by the Greeks before the Greco–Turkish War of 1919–22, and an abandoned church dedicated to St. Nicholas, dating back to 1821, exists, along with its ossuary.

Miletus

MiletusIonicStoa - The Ionic Stoa on the Sacred Way Milet stadtmitte 1997 - 549px|Miletus Stadium A excellently maintained amphitheatre, an Ionic stoa along one of its primary streets, and a Roman bathhouse are among the ruins to see in Miletus.

A medieval mosque built by the local Turkish kingdom of Menteşe in 1403, when the city was currently occupied, is also worth visiting at the site. Parts of the site get seasonally inundated, providing a more atmospheric feel.

Didyma

Didymaion front AvL - The ruins of the Temple of Apollo at Didyma

There was an oracle here that was as famous as Delphi in the Hellenic world, and a colossal Temple of Apollo with much ancient Greek art, including the Medusa head which is one of the most recognized sights of the region, with its picture usually making it into the tourism brochures.

Buy and eat

Priene has no shop (or WC facilities).

At Miletus and there is a caravanserai to your right when facing the theatre. It has some stalls sell souvenirs, a WC, and a café selling food. The museum also had a small shop.

There are restaurants and souvenir shops at the entrance to the temple at Didyma.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Priene, Miletus, and Didyma

Priene, Miletus, and Didyma - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Priene, Miletus, and Didyma, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Priene, Miletus, and Didyma. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Priene, Miletus, and Didyma. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Priene, Miletus, and Didyma. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations inPriene, Miletus, and Didyma: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Priene, Miletus, and Didyma and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Priene, Miletus, and Didyma without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Priene, Miletus, and Didyma is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Priene, Miletus, and Didyma.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Priene, Miletus, and Didyma is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Priene, Miletus, and Didyma, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Priene, Miletus, and Didyma Media: info@ehalal.io

Muslim Friendly Hotels

While Didim/Didyma has a large selection of hotels and guesthouses to choose from and the other two sites do not have any. Selçuk is probably your best option to overnight and use as a base for a visit to Priene, which is relatively far and hard to get to by public transport from Didim. You can also try your luck in Söke, a major agricultural town that is nearer.

Travel Next

• Doğanbey — 15 kilometers west from Priene/Güllübahçe, Doğanbey sits on the southern slopes of the Mt. Samsun and is another former Greek village in the area. In the 1990s, some ecologically-minded urban dwellers from elsewhere "discovered" the place, buying its hitherto already well preserved stone houses, renovating them, and moving in. It is now one of the finest villages in the nation.
• Ephesus — the much-better known cousin of the trio to the north is among the best preserved Greco-Roman ruins in all the Mediterranean basin.
• Bodrum — Turkey's partying capital is further down the coast to the south.

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