The House of the Virgin Mary sits in pine woods on the slopes of Bülbül Mountain, about seven kilometres south of Selçuk. Catholic tradition holds that John the Apostle, after the death of Christ, took Mary into his care and brought her to Ephesus, where she lived out her last years in this house. The current building is a small stone chapel — the lower walls are 1st-century Roman, the upper parts a Byzantine and modern rebuild.
The site is open to visitors of any faith and is a quiet, contemplative spot — a tree-shaded approach, the small chapel, a wall of fluttering paper prayers, and three holy springs along the path back down. There is a Mass each morning. You will need a taxi or organised tour to reach it; Selçuk's bus drivers know the route. The entrance fee is modest and the site closes around sunset.