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Ephesus Tour: Explore Ancient Marvels
5.0
80 Ratings
Kusadasi
Experience an inclusive and customizable private tour of Ephesus, Slope Houses, and St. John Basilica. No hidden costs, flexible time, and the chance to taste delicious Turkish food.
Experience an inclusive and customizable private tour of Ephesus, Slope Houses, and St. John Basilica. No hidden costs, flexible time, and the chance to taste delicious Turkish food.
Duration:
6 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Kusadasi - Your personal guide will greet you at Kusadasi port or hotel with a sign displaying “Your Name“ at your preferred time.
- Ancient City of Ephesus - Following the greeting, enjoy a 20-minute drive to the Ephesus area. Begin exploring one of Turkey’s main attractions, Ephesus, one of the 12 cities of the Ionian League (an ancient Greek…
- Kusadasi - Your personal guide will greet you at Kusadasi port or hotel with a sign displaying “Your Name“ at your preferred time.
- Ancient City of Ephesus - Following the greeting, enjoy a 20-minute drive to the Ephesus area. Begin exploring one of Turkey’s main attractions, 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 significant starting point for trade routes into Asia Minor.
Stroll through history along marble streets lined with magnificent public buildings, including the Baths of Scholastica and the Library of Celsus, constructed in the early 2nd century A.D. by Gaius Julius Aquila as a tribute to his father, Gaius Julius Celsus Polemanus, the proconsul of the Province of Asia. The Temple of Hadrian and The Grand Theater are two of the most remarkable structures in Ephesus. The Grand Theater was built in the 3rd century B.C. and later expanded by the Romans in the 1st century A.D. to accommodate 24,000 spectators.
- Ephesus Terrace Houses - Explore the recently opened Terrace Houses, where the wealthiest Romans resided, showcasing excellent examples of careful excavation and presentation. The mosaics and frescoes are stunning.
Not recommended for individuals with walking difficulties or acrophobia (fear of heights).
- The Basilica of Saint John - After Ephesus, travel to the Basilica of St. John, where it is believed that the evangelist St. John spent his final years in the region around Ephesus and was buried on the southern slope of Ayosolug Hill.
- The Temple of Artemis - Visit the Temple of Artemis, once one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, as our final stop before returning to Kusadasi town center and port.
- Kusadasi - Arrive back in Kusadasi. You will be dropped off at your original pick-up point or Kusadasi center for some last-minute shopping on your own.
What's Included
- Private Professional Licensed Tour Guide
- Guaranteed On Time Return to Port
- Entrance Fees with Pre-paid Tickets to Skip Lines
- Private Transportation with A/C Vehicles
- Landing and/or Facility Fees
- Parking Fees
- Private Professional Licensed Tour Guide
- Guaranteed On Time Return to Port
- Entrance Fees with Pre-paid Tickets to Skip Lines
- Private Transportation with A/C Vehicles
- Landing and/or Facility Fees
- Parking Fees
What's Not Included
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
- Tips to your tour guide and driver
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
- Tips to your tour guide and driver
Additional Information
Private Tour: Ephesus - Terrace Houses - St. John Basilica - Artemission Temple
NO HIDDEN COSTS. This tour includes ENTRANCE FEES, a Private Professional Licensed Tour Guide, A/C transportation, and pick-up and drop-off services. Departure time is flexible and can be decided by the guest. The tour guide will greet guests at the port with a name sign. The…
Private Tour: Ephesus - Terrace Houses - St. John Basilica - Artemission Temple
NO HIDDEN COSTS. This tour includes ENTRANCE FEES, a Private Professional Licensed Tour Guide, A/C transportation, and pick-up and drop-off services. Departure time is flexible and can be decided by the guest. The tour guide will greet guests at the port with a name sign. The professional tour guide and A/C vehicle will accompany guests from arrival to departure, providing guidance at each site. Guests have the flexibility to spend as much time as desired at each location without waiting for other group members. There will be opportunities to stop for photos during the tour. Private tour rates are more affordable than cruise shore tours. Guests will have several options to enjoy famous Turkish cuisine if they wish to have lunch during the trip.
- NO HIDDEN COSTS. Our tour includes ENTRANCE FEES, Private Professional Licenced Tour guide, A/C transportations, Pick up and drop off, You will decide on departure time.
- Our Private tour rates are more reasonable than cruise shore tours.
Location
Kusadasi
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(80 Ratings)
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Claudiakuzniak
Sep 25, 2026
You Deserve A Private Tour! - Seeing the historical sites with a knowledgeable local guide made the experience so much richer. We learned the history, heard local perspectives, and enjoyed a tour tailored to our interests. Having a private guide and driver was absolutely worth it! Ask for Inan!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robert_z
Sep 4, 2026
Best Guided Experience Hands Down - Our tour of Ephesus was the absolute highlight of our cruise to the Mediterranean. Our guide (Emre) was the absolute best guide we have ever had. Not only was he very personable, but his understanding of history, Biblical history, and archeology were unparalleled. He navigated us on our private tour seamlessly through a very crowded and hot day in Ephesus and made the entire experience enjoyable. I could not give him a higher recommendation.
We will be back to this area again and next time, we will join our guide for a larger tour of Turkey.
Review provided by Viator
Myar626
Sep 3, 2026
Unforgettable experience - Thank you Füsun for making our short visit to Türkiye an unforgettable experience. I felt that in our 7 hours in Kuşadasi we learned and experienced a large amount of current Turkish culture and traditions as well as the history of the country in this area. We enjoyed a lot of Turkish foods and learned and tried traditional rug making. Visiting Ephesus was definitely a highlight, our guide provided tons of interesting information about this ruins. We were able to freely choose what we wanted to partake in and Füsun, our guide, was overall a friendly, fun, and helpful person. Thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
341quinnr
Sep 3, 2026
Very good - Fusun was very fun and made sure we got to do everything we wanted to. Gave lots of great information. She was superrr nice and sweet!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pamelaps1452ue
Sep 3, 2026
Recommended Kusadasi - Fusun was a lovely and amazing host. We did a private tour for our family of four off the cruise ship. Met immediately pff the ship. Very large and comfortable van, flexibility with our stops which could continue at any speed we wanted. Great sights. Friendly and knowleable and pleasant guide who addressed us and our teenagers equally. Lovely person.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Flyer17043562512
Aug 18, 2026
A great guide - She was an amazing guide
Very knowledgeable, professional and humorous
Review provided by Tripadvisor
695kristinel
Aug 12, 2026
Really Fantastic Touring Experience - We had a truly exceptional experience touring Ephesus with Ephesus Shuttle! To begin with, communication was excellent. Their website clearly lays out various tour options so I was able to browse and get an idea of what I wanted. I then began an email correspondence to arrange a private tour for my group of four. Responses were quick and clear, and pricing was very reasonable.
On the day we arrived in port, it could not have been easier to meet our guide. A map had been emailed to me describing exactly what to expect when we exited the cruise terminal. There was a helpful person standing by the "wall of names" and as soon as I had spotted mine, he immediately called over our guide, Fusun. She introduced herself, made sure we were good to go, and whisked us through the port area to meet our driver. Literally one of the least stressful port meet ups ever.
Our private tour had a very comfortable large van all to ourselves, with a friendly and expert driver. Fusun sat facing us and as soon as we started the 20 minute drive to the ruins, she was educating us with maps and explanations. Not a moment was wasted, and she gave us a wonderful introduction to Turkey in addition to the information on Ephesus itself. Fusun possessed a wealth of knowledge and wonderful ability to share it in an engaging manner. She really was an incredible guide.
Of course the main site was very hot and full of tourists, but we were expertly guided through it and never felt rushed or crowded. When we had seen our fill, our driver met us at the bottom of the ruins and off we went to the Basilica of St. John and the Temple of Artemis. These sites were delightfully deserted and we had them to ourselves. While there is not a lot left physically in either spot, Fusun made them come alive with her historical details. We came away from our visit not just having seen the tourist attractions, but also feeling like we could envision the area during the different times these ruins were part of a thriving culture.
Everyone warned us that we would be "forced" to go to a rug shop. The opportunity was offered and I could see how it would be interesting to learn about the silkworms and the craft. However, we did not want to do that on this trip, and our no thank you was immediately respected. We were taken back to the drop off point exactly on time.
The no hidden fees promise is true. We had the option to pay by card if we wanted, it would have just required a quick stop at their office. However, we had brought cash and just handed that over in the van, exactly the amount quoted. Of course, we did tip both our guide and our driver and they both deserved so much gratitude. We felt we had learned a lot and had a wonderful day, as well as made a friend in Turkey. We very much hope to go back for a longer visit and would definitely reach out to book more in-depth touring with the folks at Ephesus Shuttle.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kimgp3689gf
Aug 5, 2026
Ephesus Shuttle Tours are Fantastic - I would highly recommend Ephesus Shuttle for your tours in Turkey. We booked directly with them and they were very responsive to all of our emails, questions, and planning We were very fortunate to get Cem as our tour guide of Ephesus, the Terrace Houses, and other historical sites we visited on our tour on June 25, 2026. Cem was very knowledgeable of the history of Ephesus, very friendly, and just an overall fantastic guide. If you are looking for a great tour of these historical sites I can't recommend Ephesus Shuttle and especially Cem. You won't be disappointed!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ichuny2023
Aug 1, 2026
Selda best tour guide with Curio Tour - Selda out tour guide and Vetsi our driver were both awesome. Selda was friendly and knowledgeable. Telling us stories and historical facts. She took us to Espeseus ruins, Terrace Houses, Mary’s House, rug and ceramic demonstration . Overall great day with great tour guide and safe and reliable driver. Thanks again Selda for showing us such a great day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
110missye
Jul 30, 2026
An experience of a lifetime! - We booked a private tour and our guide Selda was amazing, the driver was safe and efficient. She was knowledgeable about the history of the ruins, culture and even advised us to try orange and pomegranate juice. She was passionate about sharing the culture of Turkiye with stops to see how rugs and pottery are made in the local town. She moved at our pace and ensured we visited the sites when there were fewer visitors so we could capture pictures without too many people. I would highly recommend Selda as you tour guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
