House of Virgin Mary

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.

Explore the Greek and Roman ruins of Ephesus on this half-day sightseeing tour from Kusadasi Cruise Port. Small Group Tours are departing only from Kusadasi Cruise Port. This sharing tour option is best way to visit Ephesus Ancient City, Virgin Mary House and experience delicious local lunch Transfer to Ephesus and wander among the stunning ruins with a local guide, and see sites such as the Odeon Theatre, which could seat up to 1,400 spectators in its heyday. Admire beautiful Roman statues and decorations carved into marble slabs at the Pollio Fountain. Other highlights include the Celcius Library, completed by the Romans in 117AD. Admire the building’s awe-inspiring façade of columns, statues, and intact windows. Finally, explore the Greek Temple of Artemis, to see one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.

Start with a pickup from your hotel in Izmir. Then, the discovery of Ephesus begins with the House of the Virgin Mary and a 10-minute drive to the ancient city of Ephesus. Explore the city by walking on the marble streets, accompanied by a guide.  See the Odeon, State Agora, the Pretension, the Memmius Monument, the Domitian Temple, Hercules Gate, Curetes Street, Hadrian Temple, and the Latrines. Choose to take an optional visit to the terrace houses for an additional cost.  After the terrace houses, carry on with your exploration with the Celsus Library, Marble Road, Commercial Agora, Great Theater, and Arcadian (harbor road). Enjoy a nice lunch served in a quaint local restaurant. Visit the Temple of Artemisa and take pictures of the church of St. John and the Mosque of İsa Bey. Enjoy free time in the old village of Sirince to discover the traditional houses, the fruit-flavored wine production, and enjoy some wine tasting.  End the day with a transfer back to Izmir airport or to your hotel in Izmir.

After greeting begin your 20-minute drive to Ephesus. Once there, begin touring the city, which is one of the 12 cities of the Ionian League. As a port city, this was a major departure point for trade routes into Asia Minor. Walk through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, among them discover the Baths of Scholastica and the Library of Celsus. Encounter the Temple of Hadrian and The Grand Theater, which are 2 of the most impressive buildings in Ephesus. Visit the Terrace Houses, located on the skirt of Pion Mountain. See the 6 residential units which were built on 3 man-made terraces. These houses are decorated with wall frescoes and floor mosaics, settled by the wealthy citizens of Ephesus. ( Terrace Houses is included in Private with Terrace Houses and Small group with Terrace Houses Options only. Not included in other 2 options. Attention Not recommended for people who has walking difficulties and acro-phobia (fear of heights).) See the House of Virgin Mary, located in the Aladag Mountains, 5 miles away from Ephesus, and learn about its connection to when Mary came to Ephesus in 431 A.D. and why this area became a place of pilgrimage in 1892. Stop at the Artemission Temple, where one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world used to be. This will be the final stop on your tour before your return drive to your point of origin. ( Meeting time is differenet for each cruises. Meeting time will be given in your confirmation in max 24 hours following your reservation . Meeting time will be 30 to 60 minutes after your cruise docks )

Disembark and meet your private guide at the Kusadasi Port. Start by driving to the House of the Virgin Mary, the place where Mary may have spent her last days, officially declared a shrine of the Roman Catholic Church in 1986. Up next, enjoy a short drive to Ephesus to admire the cultural traditions of the Hellenistic, Roman Imperial, and early Christian periods. Discover this historic site, one of the 7 churches of revelation, by walking along the marble streets in the company of your guide. See the Odeon, State Agora, Prytaneion, Memmius Monument, Domatian Temple, Hercules Gate, Curetes Street, Hadrian Temple, Latriens and Private House, Celsus Library, Marble Road, Commercial Agora, Great Theater, and Arcadine. Head over to the Temple of Artemis and snap photos of the Church of St. John and the Mosque of Isa Bey from the best possible angle. Finally, be dropped off back at the Kusadasi Port.

Explore the stunning ruins of Ephesus on this full-day sightseeing tour from Izmir or Kusadasi, also available as a half-day option from Kusadasi for those short of time. As it is a private tour you can start at any time you like. You will also visit the small House of the Virgin Mary, where it is thought she spent her final days after St. John brought her to Ephesus following the death of Jesus. Located on Mount Bulbuldagi (Koressos), it’s a popular pilgrim site for Christians and Muslims and boasts a captivating, spiritual atmosphere. Once inside the grounds of Ephesus, wander among the ruins with your guide to see sites such as the Odeon Theatre, which could seat up to 1,400 spectators in its day. Admire the beautiful Roman statues and decorations carved into marble slabs at the Pollio Fountain. Other highlights include the Celcius Library, completed by the Romans in 117AD. The building has the most awe-inspiring façade, with columns, statues, and intact windows. Finally, explore the Greek Temple of Artemis, one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, and go to the Basilica of St John (Kusadasi departures only), constructed by Justinian I over the burial site of the Apostle John.

Travel back in time with this excursion to Ephesus from Izmir. You will tour the vestiges of one of the most surprising ancient cities in the Eastern Mediterranean. We will pick you up at the indicated hotel at 8:00 am and travel in a comfortable minibus to Ephesus, an ancient city located on the Ionia coast. After a trip of an hour and a half, we will reach the site of Ephesus, one of the great tourist attractions in Turkey, since it is one of the best preserved Greco-Roman cities in the country. Once there, we will take a guided tour of Ephesus to see some of its monumental jewels, such as the Library of Celsus, one of the most luxurious bibliographic archives of the Roman Empire in the Eastern Mediterranean. Nearby we will find the Roman Theater. Did you know that it had a capacity for 24,000 people? It is impressive! After the visit of Ephesus, we take a lunch. On the other hand, you will also have traditional shopping opportunities for jewelry, leather, or ceramic centers.

Private and Mini Group (Max. 10 Guests) Options with / without Terrace Houses Ephesus, The House of Virgin Mary and Artemission Temple on a guided tour. ( Skip the lines tickets are paid to our guide after the tour ) Your guide will have your name sign at the Kusadasi Cruise terminal exit just after you pass customs. Please note that pick up time ( usually 30 minutes after your cruise arrival ) will be emailed with in 24 hours after your reservation. If you miss this email, please do not forget to contact with us for pick up time. After meeting your guide, drive to the House of the Virgin Mary, located in the Aladag Mountains, 5 miles away from Ephesus. Visit Ephesus, one of the 12 cities of the Ionian League, an ancient Greek district on the western coast of Asia Minor, located near Izmir. As a port city, it was a major departure point for trade routes into Asia Minor. Walk through its historic marble streets lined with historic public buildings like the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Grand Theater. Visit the Terrace Houses, located on the skirt of Pion Mountain. See the 6 residential units which were built on 3 man-made terraces. These houses are decorated with wall frescoes and floor mosaics, settled by the wealthy citizens of Ephesus. ( Terrace Houses is included in Private with Terrace Houses and Mini group with Terrace Houses Options only. Not included in other 2 options. Attention Not recommended for people who has walking difficulties and acro-phobia (fear of heights).) Stop at Artemission Temple, which used to be one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, as your last stop before driving back to Kusadasi town center. Please note : This tour is for cruise ship passengers only and is not available to those staying in hotels.

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.

Start your day with a convenient pickup from your hotel in Izmir and enjoy the drive to your first destination, the House of the Virgin Mary, a popular pilgrimage site. After a 1-hour visit to the church, you'll head to Ephesus, a 10-minute drive away. Walk the marble streets of Ephesus and see the Odeon, the State Agora, the Prytaneion, the Memmius Monument, the Domination Temple and much more. Ephesus is an exceptional testimony of the Hellenistic, Roman and early Christian periods. Enjoy a nice lunch during the 2-hour stay in Ephesus, and take the opportunity to visit the "Terrace Houses" (entry fee not included). Visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. See the Church of St. John and the Mosque of Isa Bey. Next, visit Sirince, a village popular for its beautiful traditional houses and fruit-flavored wines. Enjoy some free time for wine tasting.