According to your tour pickup time, meet with your guide and start your day. First, visit the House of Virgin Mary. Located 6 km to the north of the ruins of Ephesus, this church was built in 6C AD on top of the foundations of a house from 1C AD. Next check out Ephesus, an archeological treasure and the best preserved classical city in the Eastern Mediterranean. During 1C AD, Ephesus was the second largest city on the planet after Rome with more than 250.000 citizens. It was in the center of the known world and played the role of a gateway between the East and the West. With its giant harbor, it was also the center of trading in antiquity. It is also home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis. Walking on the ancient streets among the beautiful monuments such as the third largest library of the ancient world or the largest roman theatre on the Asia continent gives you the feeling of a time traveler. After lunch, continue to the Temple of Artemis. Its ancient cult dedicated to Artemis was famous in antiquity and made Ephesus a much-visited pilgrimage place. At the end of the tour, head back to your hotel or the port.

Pick-Up: The Izmir Ephesus Tour is scheduled to start during the morning. A modern and comfortable bus will pick you up from your hotel in Izmir or from İzmir Airport and drive you towards Ephesus. The road trip will be approximately one hour. Our Guides: During your excursion, you will be accompanied by a professional tour guide who will be in charge to assist you. The experienced guide will also be in charge to explain everything you need to know in every stop of your journey. Ephesus Tour: The ancient city of Ephesus forms one of the most important and popular attractions in Turkey. It hosts a number of important monuments from the Hellenistic and Roman periods. These monuments include, among others, the Hadrian Temple, the Library of Celsius, the Grand Theatre, the Roman Baths, the Agora and the Latrina. Ephesus is also home to the infamous Temple of Artemis. As you will be touring around the ancient city, the guide will provide important information for every monument. House of Virgin Mary: At a close distance from the ancient city of Ephesus, there is another place of interest which is the House of Virgin Mary. Surrounded by a quiet and beautiful landscape, this house was chosen by Virgin Mary to spend her last days there with St. John. This location has enormous interest for the Christian population. Take a chance to admire nature and observe the spectacular setting while you are there. Lunch: Izmir Ephesus Tour continues with a lunch break at a local restaurant in the area. Relax and enjoy a tasteful open buffet with a variety of choices. Temple Of Artemis: The ancient city of Ephesus is mostly known for hosting the Temple of Artemis. This temple is listed among the 7 wonders of the ancient world due to its impressive size, design and importance for the area. It was constructed during the Hellenistic period and nowadays, visitors are able to observe and tour around the ruins of the temple. Isabey Mosque: The full day trip to Ephesus continues with a visit to Isabey Mosque. The mosque demonstrates an interesting character due to its majestic Seljukian architecture. The guide will explain everything you need to know about the mosque and its interior design.

Spend the day exploring the most memorable places in Ephesus and Şirince on this guided full-day tour from Istanbul, lunch included. Visit the House of Virgin Mary, see the Temple of Artemis, and taste local wine at a vineyard. Enjoy convenient round-trip transportation from Istanbul. Start your trip by getting picked up from your hotel in Istanbul and transferred to the Istanbul Airport for your flight from Istanbul to Izmir. Upon arrival at Izmir Airport, meet your driver to head to Ephesus to start the tour. First, stop at the House of Virgin Mary, the place where Mary may have spent her last days. This place was officially declared a shrine of the Roman Catholic Church in 1986, and since then it has become a popular place of pilgrimage. The visit to the House of Virgin Mary takes about 45 minutes. After, take a 5-minute drive to Ephesus to continue the tour. Ephesus is an exceptional testimony to the cultural traditions of the Hellenistic, Roman Imperial, and early Christian periods. The city is an important site for Christianity as one of the Seven Churches of Revelation. Walk along the city’s marble streets accompanied by a tour guide. See the Ephesus Odeon, Ephesus Prytaneion, State Agora, Memmius Monument, Temple of Domitian, Hercules Gate, Curetes Street, Temple of Hadrian, and Ephesus Latrines. Next, optionally visit The Private House (so-called “Terrace Houses” brothel). Afterward, carry on to the Celsus Library, Marble Road, Commercial Agora, the great theater, and Arcadian Street (Harbor Road). Later, head to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Get a chance to take memorable photos of the Church of St. John and İsa Bey Mosque. Before the end of the tour, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Afterward, head to Şirince, an old village of Rûm (Byzantine Greeks) situated on the hills of Selçuk, 7 km from Ephesus. The village is popular for beautiful traditional houses and fruit-flavored wine production. Complete your experience with free time for a wine tasting. At the end of your trip, get transferred back to the airport for your flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival in Istanbul, a driver will pick you up at the airport and transfer you back to your hotel in the evening.

After being picked up between 5AMand 5.30AM from your hotel in Istanbul, you will be driven to the airport where you will catch a flight to Izmir. Meet your private guide in Izmir and make your first visit to House of Virgin Mary, a small house in the Solmissos Mountains which is recognized as the final resting place of the Virgin Mary. See the small shrine dedicated to St. Mary which was found when the ruins of the house were first discovered. Continue your tour to the ancient city of Ephesus. Visit the Fountains of Trojan, Polio, The Temples of Hadrian and Domitian, the Library of Celsius, and the Great Theatre. After this make a stop for a traditional Turkish lunch. Visit a leather shop and continue to Isa Bey Mosque, one of the most delicate examples of Seljukian architecture, situated below the basilica of Saint John. To conclude your tour, stop at the Temple of Artemis, first built during the Archaic period and considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Afterwards, drive back to Izmir airport to make your flight back to Istanbul. Our Istanbul team will met you at the Istanbul airport and transfer you to your hotel in Istanbul.

The Best of Ephesus Tour is a comprehensive, full-day excursion to the ancient city of Ephesus, located in Turkey. The tour offers an opportunity to explore and discover the rich history and culture of one of the most well-preserved classical cities in the world. During the tour, you will visit several important sites including the Library of Celsius, Hadrian's Temple, the Fountains of Trajan, the Temples of Hadrian and Domitian, the Terrace Houses, the House of the Virgin Mary, and the Basilica of St. John. You will be guided by a professional and knowledgeable tour guide who will provide detailed explanations and historical context for each site. The tour offers a unique and immersive experience that brings the history and culture of Ephesus to life, making it an unforgettable and enriching adventure for anyone interested in ancient civilizations, history, and archaeology.

The tour starts with your pick-up from your hotel in Kusadasi. The pick-up in Kusadasi starts at 08:30 am, and the pick-up in Selcuk starts at 09:00 am. After all the participants of the tour meet up; the discovery of Ephesus starts with the House of the Virgin Mary. The House of the Virgin Mary is the place where Mary may have spent her last days. Indeed, she may have come to this area together with Saint John. This place was officially declared a shrine of the Roman Catholic Church in 1986, and since then it has become a popular place of pilgrimage. Pope Paul VI visited the shrine in 1967. The visit to the House (church) takes about 1 hour and after our visit there will be a 10 min drive to Ephesus. Ephesus is an exceptional testimony to the cultural traditions of the Hellenistic, Roman Imperial, and early Christian periods. Ephesus is an important site for Christianity; being one of the seven Churches of Revelation Apostle Paul probably spent two and half years in Ephesus during his third missionary journey. In two hours, you will be exploring the city by walking on the marble streets, accompanied by our English-speaking tour guide. On our tour, we will be seeing the Odeon, state agora, the Prytaneion, the Memmius monument, the Domatian temple, Hercules Gate, curates street, the Hadrian temple, and the Latriens. The visit to the private houses (So-called ‘Terrace Houses’) is an optional visit for an extra 320 ₺/ per person and your guide should be informed beforehand. After the terrace houses, we will carry on with our exploration of the Celsus library, marble road, commercial Agora, great theatre, and Arcadiane (harbor road). A nice lunch will be served in a quaint local restaurant. After lunch, we will visit the temple of Artemis, one of the 'seven world wonders' of antiquity. Here, there will be a good chance to take gorgeous pictures of the church of St.John and the Mosque of İsa Bey. Sirince is an old village of ‘the Byzantine Greeks situated on the hills of Selcuk and 9 km from Ephesus. As part of the peace pact after the Turkish national war (1919-1922), a formal exchange of Turkish and Greeks, was agreed upon and Sirince is inhabited by Turkish now. The village is popular for beautiful traditional houses and fruit-flavored wine production, and you will have free time for some wine tasting. Our daily tour will be finalized around 4:30 pm and you will be brought back to your hotels.

Discover the wonders of the archaeological site of Ephesus on a tour that is sure to be a highlight of your visit to Turkey. You’ll begin the full-day tour with a visit to Isa Bey Mosque, one of the most spectacular examples of Anatolian architecture. Head into the ancient city of Ephesus, and take a guided walk to the Celsus Library, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Trajan Fountain. Explore the historical marble street, and stop at the Great Theater, where St. Paul preached. Lunch will be an open buffet at a local Turkish restaurant. Afterwards you’ll visit a carpet cooperative to see how the Turkish carpets are made by hand. See the shrine of the Virgin Mary, at the site where it is believed she lived her final years. In the late afternoon you’ll visit the Temple Of Artemis (Diana), on the site of one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.

Enjoy a whirlwind tour of Ephesus and Pamukkale on a 2-day trip from Istanbul. Travel by overnight bus on a 10-hour journey and then spend 2 full days exploring the region. Visit the Temple of Artemis and the Virgin Mary's home. After a night in 3-star accommodations, wake up and travel to Hierapolis to see its necropolis and other ruins. Then visit the thermal springs of Pamukkale, before beginning your return trip to Istanbul. Detailed Itinerary Day 1: Istanbul - Selcuk - Ephesus - Kusadasi (Meals: L) Upon your arrival in Ephesus, you will be met at the bus station and transferred to Selcuk for a tour of the ancient city of Ephesus. Visit the former site of the Temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, then stop for lunch. After, stop at the house of the Virgin Mary, where she spent the last years of her life, and then continue on to see Isa Bey Mosque. In the afternoon, you will be taken back to your accommodation in Kusadasi, where you will have free time. Day 2: Kusadasi - Hierapolis-Pamukkale - Istanbul (Meals: B, L) In the morning, travel to Hierapolis-Pamukkale, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stop on the way at a 4-star hotel for lunch and swimming in thermal waters. See the ancient city of Hierapolis, formerly a home to baths and location of a well-preserved necropolis. Then spend time in Pamukkale, a center of natural thermal spring waters with healing properties. Finally, return to your hotel to gather your belongings before heading on the overnight bus back to Istanbul.

Following a pickup from your hotel in Selcuk, enjoy a short drive to Ephesus in a comfortable, air-conditioned minivan. Start by visiting the extensive ruins in the ancient city. Admire the fascinating ancient structures surrounding you, including the spectacular Temple of Hadrian, the stunning facade of the Library of Celsus, and the vast Great Theater.     Continue the tour to the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Then, stop by the house of Virgin Mary, a popular place of pilgrimage for Catholics, where it is believed the Virgin Mary spent the remainder of her life. Located on top of Bulbul Mountain, it offers visitors a panoramic view of the town.   Finally, explore the Isa Bey Mosque and marvel at its crown-like doors, a jewel of Seljukian architecture combined with decorative elements from the Ottoman Empire.

This is a flexible private tour that you are able to customize. It is up to you to modify the itinerary according to your personal preferences, even during the tour. The most important places in the region to visit are;  Ancient Ephesus which is the best preserved classical city in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Great Theatre where St Paul preached against the Pegans and Gladiators once engaged in battle, the largest Open-Air Museum in Turkey and the Library of Celsus which has been remarkably restored and is probably the most photographed place in Ephesus. Also, you might want to see the Odeon Temple, the Fountain of Trajan, the Temple of Hadrian, the stream baths of Scholastic, Marble road, Agora, or the Temple of Domitian. Visit Terrace houses from the time of Augustus, these dwellings of wealthy Ephesians were decorated with beautiful frescoes and mosaics.