Ephesus Museum

This excellent museum houses a striking collection of artefacts recovered from the ancient city. The first gallery is dedicated to finds from the Terrace Houses of Ephesus, including scales, jewellery and cosmetic boxes. This is also where you'll find the famous effigy of Priapus, the Phallic God, as seen plastered on every postcard from İstanbul to Antakya. No doubt to avoid offending delicate sensibilities, it's displayed inside a darkened case. Press the light to see him illuminated in all his rampant glory.

The other display areas hold collections of coins, funerary goods, and plenty of statuary. There's an entire room dedicated to sculpted representations of Eros, and an enormous (and slightly creepy looking) head and arm of the Emperor Domitian that once formed part of a 7m-high statue. Look out for the exquisitely carved multi-breasted marble statues of an egg-holding Artemis, which have become icons of the city.

The final room, near the entrance, holds an interesting exhibition based on the excavations of a gladiators' cemetery discovered in 1993. Displays describe the gladiators' weapons, detail their training regimes and cheerfully catalogue the various gruesome injuries they suffered. Also worth a mention is the frieze from Hadian's Temple; note the four heroic Amazons with their breasts cut off. Eagle eyes will spot the cross on the bust of Augustus.

It's best to visit the museum after touring the ruins, but try to get here early to avoid the overwhelming cruise crowds who rush through the museum before being carted back to their ship.