PRIENE - MILETUS - DIDYMA 

 These three ancient sites make an excellent daytrip from Selçuk it is possible to take local transport, but if you wish to see all sites in one day an organized guided tour is your best option.

Priene, set amongest beautiful forested slopes was important around 300BC when the league of Ionian cities held congresses and festivals here and devoted its resources to religion and sports, otherwise, it was smaller and less important than nearby miletus.

Miletus which is 22 km. south of Priene once sat  upon a thin strip of land surrounded by four separate harbors. Envied for its prosperity and strategic coastel location, Miletus once was the headquarters of the Ionian School of Philosophers, including thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes. The city was destroyed and resettled several times, but eventually it suffered the same fate as its Ionian neighbors, the silting of its harbors.

Didyma was the site of a sacred sanctuary to Apollo and the Temple ranked as the 3rd largest sacred structure in ancient Asia Minor which today remains the most impressive surviving example of Collossal Temple Architecture.

PAMUKKALE (COTTON CASTLE) 

One of the most familiar images of Turkey with its gleaming white calcium formations and travertine pools are easily reached from Selçuk as a day trip.

The local bus leaves Selçuk at 9.30 am and gives you plenty of time to explore Pamukkale and the ruins of Hierapolis once a large Roman Spa city taking advatage of  the warm calcium-rich mineral water, before returning on the 5.00 pm direct bus to Selçuk.