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Explore the ruins of ancient Ephesus on a full-day trip from Izmir, with pickup from your hotel, the airport, or the cruise port around 8:00 am. A professional guide walks you along Curetes Street to the Temple of Hadrian, the Great Theatre, and the Trajan Fountain before you reach the famous Library of Celsus.
After a lunch of Turkish cuisine, the afternoon covers the House of the Virgin Mary, the Temple of Artemis, and the 14th-century Isa Bey Mosque. Entrance fees, lunch, and air-conditioned transport are included. You return to Izmir around 5:00 pm.
Around 8:00 AM, you'll be picked up from your Izmir hotel, the airport, or the cruise port and driven toward Ephesus. It's roughly a one-hour ride to the ancient city near Selçuk. Your guide meets the small group at the entrance, and you'll set off on foot among the marble ruins.
You'll start along Curetes Street, the old main avenue paved in marble. It leads to the Temple of Hadrian at Ephesus, where carved reliefs above the arch tell the city's founding stories. Farther along, you'll reach the Great Theatre Ephesus, which held about 25,000 people and still carries sound well. Your guide will point out the Trajan Fountain and its role in the city's water system.
The walk ends at the Library of Celsus, finished around 117 AD and once holding thousands of scrolls. Expect about two hours of walking on uneven stone, so wear comfortable shoes and bring a hat and water. Summer here gets hot, with little shade on the main road.
Around midday you'll stop for an included lunch at a local restaurant, with Turkish dishes and a chance to sit down. In the afternoon, you'll drive up to the House of the Virgin Mary, a small stone chapel on the hillside that pilgrims still visit. Next comes the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, though only a single reconstructed column stands today.
Your last stop is the Isa Bey Mosque in Selçuk, built in 1375 in Seljuk style with a walled courtyard and tilework. There's also a short shopping stop on this group tour. You'll head back to Izmir and reach your hotel around 5:00 PM. END OF OUR SERVICE AND TOURS.
We pick you up around 8:00 AM from your Izmir hotel, the airport, or the cruise port, and drop you back at your hotel around 5:00 PM.
It's roughly a one-hour drive each way between Izmir and the Ephesus area near Selçuk.
Yes. A sit-down lunch at a local restaurant with Turkish dishes is included in the price.
Plan on about two hours of walking at Ephesus on uneven marble and stone. Comfortable closed shoes make a big difference.
It's a regular small-group tour. We can arrange a private version on request for an additional cost.
Both are religious sites, so dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered. At the mosque you'll remove your shoes, and women should cover their hair with a scarf.
Yes. All entrance fees to the sites listed in the itinerary are included.
It runs year-round, but summer days are hot with little shade at Ephesus. Bring a hat, sunscreen, and water, and drink often.
As early as you can, especially during holidays. You can usually book up to two days before; for anything closer, contact us to check availability.
The sequence is indicative and may shift with site conditions, but all the stops described will be visited.
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My Ephesus tour was fantastic. The Temple of Artemis and Sirince Village were amazing, especially the House of the Virgin Mary. Highly recommended.
We loved our tour, especially our tour guide Nizam! He was awesome and informative and even did a couple of extra stops for us. We learned a lot about Ephesus and Sirince Village and got to see some really spectacular stuff 🙂