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Ephesus Tour: Explore Ancient Wonders
4.9
115 Ratings
Kuşadası
Uncover the ancient ruins and rich history of Ephesus on a private tour. Explore the well-preserved structures, learn about the culture and traditions of ancient life, and visit the spectacular Celsus Library and the site where St. John preached about Christianity.
Uncover the ancient ruins and rich history of Ephesus on a private tour. Explore the well-preserved structures, learn about the culture and traditions of ancient life, and visit the spectacular Celsus Library and the site where St. John preached about Christianity.
Duration:
6 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Kusadasi - Ephesus Travel Agency extends a warm welcome to cruise passengers at the port’s main exit gate, holding a sign with your name, and to hotel guests in their hotel lobby. After booking your tour, please reach out to our team to confirm and arrange your meeting time by providing your cruise ship name and arrival & on-board times. This…
- Kusadasi - Ephesus Travel Agency extends a warm welcome to cruise passengers at the port’s main exit gate, holding a sign with your name, and to hotel guests in their hotel lobby. After booking your tour, please reach out to our team to confirm and arrange your meeting time by providing your cruise ship name and arrival & on-board times. This information will help us recommend the best timing for your tour. If you face any challenges finding a suitable time option, we are happy to assist you to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.
- Kusadasi Castle - As you pass by, admire Kuşadası Castle on Pigeon Island, an iconic Ottoman-era fortress originally built for coastal defense. Surrounded by the sparkling waters of the Aegean Sea, this historic landmark once protected the shores from pirates and invaders. Today, it offers visitors stunning panoramic views, a rich glimpse into Kuşadası’s maritime history, and is a must-see attraction for those exploring Turkey’s beautiful coastline.
- Okuz Mehmet Pasa KervansarayI - As you pass by, explore the historic Öküz Mehmet Paşa Caravanserai, a landmark built in 1618 as a vital Ottoman trade hub connecting merchants from East to West. This architectural marvel provided safe lodging and protection for traders and their goods, showcasing the importance of commerce in cultural exchange and economic growth. With its grand arched entrance, robust stone walls, and classic Ottoman design, the caravanserai stands as a must-see attraction in Kuşadası, rich in heritage and timeless splendor.
- Sirince - Şirince Village, perched in the scenic hills near Ephesus, is a captivating destination blending history and tradition. Famous for its beautifully preserved Greek-style houses, cobblestone streets, and locally crafted fruit wines, this charming village offers breathtaking views and an authentic taste of Turkish culture. A serene retreat, Şirince is a must-visit spot for travelers seeking a unique cultural and historical experience in Turkey.
- Ancient City of Ephesus - Ephesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in the world. Its ancient streets, still marked by chariot tracks, connect landmarks like the Great Theater, seating over 20,000, and the Celsus Library, the third-largest of its time. Visit the Public Agora, famed for trade in Anatolian handicrafts, and explore the Temple of Hadrian, Trajan Fountain, and Odeon. Ephesus offers a captivating glimpse into the grandeur and culture of ancient civilizations.
- The Temple of Artemis - The Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was dedicated to Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt and moon. Built around 650 BC on a site sacred to Cybele, the Anatolian Mother Goddess, it was financed by the King of Lydia and engineered on marshy ground to prevent earthquake damage. In 41 BC, Cleopatra’s sister, Arsinoe IV, was murdered here under Mark Antony’s orders. Though only columns and ruins remain, the temple’s legacy rivals the grandeur of the Parthenon.
- Kusadasi Shopping Center - Discover the Best Traditional Handicrafts and Local Insights from Your Guide. Get expert tips from your local guide on must-see attractions, top-quality traditional handicrafts, safety advice, and insider recommendations for a hassle-free experience.
- Kusadasi - At the end of your tour, we will ensure your timely return to Kusadasi Cruise Port, well before your ship’s scheduled departure.
Important Note: With multiple cruise ships docking and departing at different times, we carefully monitor all schedules, confirm details with our guests, and coordinate return timings to guarantee a smooth and hassle-free experience.
Our tours promise an on-time return to your cruise ship, so you can explore with confidence and peace of mind.
What's Included
- LUNCH IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, Enjoy a peaceful meal with authentic flavors in a serene rural setting.
- TO SKIP TICKET LINES, ask your guide to arrange tickets; pay the fee in cash to your guide.
- GUARANTEED ON-TIME RETURN, ensuring cruise passengers return on time for their departure schedule.
- PARKING FEES, all parking fees are included in the tour…
- LUNCH IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, Enjoy a peaceful meal with authentic flavors in a serene rural setting.
- TO SKIP TICKET LINES, ask your guide to arrange tickets; pay the fee in cash to your guide.
- GUARANTEED ON-TIME RETURN, ensuring cruise passengers return on time for their departure schedule.
- PARKING FEES, all parking fees are included in the tour price, for your convenience
- PROFESSIONAL, LICENSED LOCAL TOUR GUIDE, Authorized by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture
- PRIVATE TOUR, ensures a more personalized and exclusive experience tailored to your preferences
- PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION, travel with separate driver in an air-conditioned, non-smoking van.
- CRUISE PORT / HOTEL PICK-UP & DROP-OFF, convenient service as detailed in the itinerary.
What's Not Included
- Personal Expenses
- Gratuities
- Entrance Fees to the Museums and any Sites
- Beverages During Lunch
- Personal Expenses
- Gratuities
- Entrance Fees to the Museums and any Sites
- Beverages During Lunch
Additional Information
Embark on a journey over 3,000 years into the past with a private tour to Ephesus from Kusadasi, exploring one of Turkey’s most celebrated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Enjoy the comfort of private transportation from your hotel or cruise port and gain valuable insights from a knowledgeable guide. Uncover historical treasures such as the Odeon,…
Embark on a journey over 3,000 years into the past with a private tour to Ephesus from Kusadasi, exploring one of Turkey’s most celebrated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Enjoy the comfort of private transportation from your hotel or cruise port and gain valuable insights from a knowledgeable guide. Uncover historical treasures such as the Odeon, Bouleuterion, Temple of Domitian, Temple of Hadrian, Fountain of Trajan, and the stunning Celsus Library, the third-largest library of the ancient world. Enhance your experience with visits to the picturesque Şirince Village and the legendary Temple of Artemis, making this tour an essential experience for history lovers.
- Optimize Your Cruise Tour Experience – Meet Your Guide at the Perfect Time! For cruise guests, we recommend meeting your guide at the port promptly for a seamless and enjoyable tour. If your ship arrives before 7:00 AM, plan to meet at 7:45 AM. For later arrivals, aim to meet 30–45 minutes after docking. This ideal timing helps you avoid crowds from other cruise ships, escape the midday heat, and enjoy your tour comfortably, as much of it takes place in open areas. Start your Tour stress-free and make the most of your visit!
- After booking your tour, please contact our team to confirm and arrange your meeting time by providing your cruise ship name and arrival & on-board times. This information will help us suggest the best timing for your tour. If you encounter any difficulties finding a suitable time option, we will gladly assist you to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Location
Kuşadası Port Türkiye
Feribot Limanı
Visit to Ephesus Travel Agency warmly welcomes cruise passengers at the port's main exit gate.
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
4.9
(115 Ratings)
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Francescofu571ax
Jun 30, 2025
Ephesus and Sirince Village Tour from Kusadasi - Yesra was friendly and very knowledgeable about the local sites and shops. Ephesus and Sirince Village Tour from Kusadasi tour was very worth it and recommended. Thanks again for memorable vacation!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Meikehanny
May 17, 2025
A day in Hierapolis of Kusadasi - The views are amazing, the weather is raging but the clouds help sometimes cover, so it's not too hot.
The trip from Kusadasi is about 3 hours, continued with lunch pizza ala turki and extra visit to the onyx workshop.
After that to Hierapolis, very impressive, although at first we felt unable to climb in the hot weather and looking for an alternative using the buggy car, but because there was no buggy car, we finally walked relaxed.
Our guide, Yesra, showed the travertine pool tourist attraction, and then explained what was on Hierapolis site.
Next we got 90 minutes of free time and we explored to the theater, which is very amazing, photos in the ruins of the temple and also on the side of the travertine pool.
Honey, by the time we got there, Cleopatra's pool was closed for renovation and will be reopened by the end of June 2025.
It was a pleasant and unforgettable experience. Hope to stay longer in Kusadasi to explore the beauty of the Aegean coast.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rharytrim
May 17, 2025
Nice tour - Mrs Yesra our guide is helpfull with good knowledge. She gives us good information and keep the time on. The hierapolis it self are amazing. Thank you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tour798709
May 16, 2025
Ephesus Tour - Utku was a fantastic tour guide. Very warm, friendly and knowledgeable. He explained all the history of Ephesus in an easy to understand way, and in great depth. We had a great time. Would highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S6171vhjenniferw
May 7, 2025
Perfect Tour of Esphesus - This tour was amazing! Our guide Utku and our driver Efe did a phenomenal job. Utku was so knowledge, witty, and respectful of all religions and cultures. He told us the stories of the land and then would present the facts that are used to support the beliefs. He was very accommodating to members of our group who chose not to participate in some of the walking portions. Efe was a safe driver and the van was very nice. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone traveling to Kusadasi. You will not regret it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robert_b
May 1, 2025
Fantastic day in Ephesus - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - I estimate we easily saved $150 per person compared to the shiip tour. Except we had a small, private tour at our own pace and the guide was excellent.
Our guide met as right at the port outside the terminal holding a laminated sign with my name. We walked a block away and got into a beautiful large Mercedes mini bus. While the driver took us towads Ephesus, our guide explained everything about Turkey and the region. The Ephesus tour was very detailed with plenty of time for photos and detailed explanation about life in ancient Ephesus. Next a delicious lunch in a small village with plenty of salads, hummus and eggplant spreads for my vegetarian wife and daughter. The grilled chicken breast and beef was excellent. During lunch we talked about daily life in Turkey. After lunch in the village we learned about Persian rug making from the manufacturing of silk threads to the design and cut of the rugs. My adult kids were fascinated. There was another optional stop but we wanted to get back to the ship 90 minutes before "all aboard".
10/10
Review provided by Viator
Soniaolivei
Apr 25, 2025
Unique experience in an Old village. Coo village! - We amazed the intinerary! Free time to explore Sirince village. The restaurant chosen was incredible! Nice place, good food. The guide was a gentleman. Very Nice person as well as the driver.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Melisak171
Apr 22, 2025
Amazing Tour - What an amazing tour with our brilliant tour guide Yesra! She was very kind and catered our trip to what we wanted to see. She was very patient and knowledgeable. We had two toddlers with us (2 and 4) and felt that this tour was the right one for us. We were not rushed and we were given enough time at all the sights. It is worth adding that I was very impressed with the driving. The driver drove very well and he was very careful, we felt very comfortable. I would highly recommend this for anyone who wants to see ephesus and what it has to offer.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Judy_z
May 21, 2025
Better if not for “pressure carpet sale” - Senem is very pleasant, very good tour guide. We probably would have enjoyed the tour better if we didn’t have to be captive audience at the carpet place, even though we were told it was not “pressure sale”, it was felt that way, because they were selling and showing so many carpets when we actually were not in the market for it and would have wanted to see the town more than being kept in a “carpet room”.
Review provided by Viator
Leo_g
May 29, 2025
Do not recommend with the guide we had - Our tour started off on a positive note. We met our guide at the entrance, had a brief conversation, and she joined us in the back of the van to explain the sites we would be visiting. Unfortunately, we didn’t catch her name/ she didn’t seem to mention it.
She led us through Ephesus and did a good job explaining the historical context, and she was helpful in Sirince as well, where we were given about an hour to explore and grab a bite to eat.
However, things began to feel a bit off after Ephesus. During the car rides that followed, she moved to sit in the front next to the driver and didn’t engage with us at all—there was no commentary or conversation during the drive. She was also on her phone quite a lot.
At the lunch stop, it became clear this was a place commonly used for tourists. We noticed other guides actively chatting with their groups, while ours remained mostly silent. We attempted to spark conversation on various topics, but she didn’t seem interested in engaging.
The most uncomfortable part of the tour was the rug visit. The guide asked if we’d like to visit a local school to see students and teachers, which sounded interesting. We agreed, expecting perhaps a cultural or educational experience with young adults or teenagers. Instead, we were taken to a showroom where we were aggressively pressured to purchase rugs. Despite repeatedly expressing that we weren’t interested, the seller continued pushing. We looked to our guide for help, but she seemed indifferent—sitting off to the side with coffee, seemingly unconcerned. It felt like she may have been receiving a commission, which could explain her lack of engagement.
The return trip to the port was silent. She sat up front with the driver and offered no commentary or conversation. Even when we asked a few questions, the responses were brief and disengaged. Despite the experience, we still gave her a generous tip out of courtesy, though we felt it was undeserved. Overall, the tour left us with a negative impression of Kuşadası, and it’s not a place we’d be eager to revisit.
Review provided by Viator
