Daily Trip to House of Virgin Mary, Ancient City of Ephesus, Basilica of St.John
Description
This private Ephesus tour is available for departures from your hotel in Istanbul or Kusadasi or Selcuk or Bodrum. You can create your own Turkey travel plan with this flexible daily trip. The highlights of this private tour are UNESCO-listed ancient city of Ephesus, House of Virgin Mary, St.John church where St John lived with the Virgin Mary after being cast out of Jerusalem in 37 to 42 AD. The lunch is including in a traditional local restaurant.
Tour Options
Itinerary
DEPARTURES FROM ISTANBUL: We will pick you up from your hotel (or at your Airbnb address if parking is available) in Istanbul and transfer you to airport for your flight to Izmir. Upon arrival at Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport, your tour guide and driver will meet you at the arrival terminal exit gate. They will then drive you to Selcuk town for your full-day tour of Ephesus and its surroundings. This service is valid for bookings with the 'from-to Istanbul Hotels' option.
DEPARTURES FROM BODRUM CRUISE PORT OR HOTELS IN BODRUM: Your private guide and driver will meet you at the reception of your hotel in Bodrum or at the arrival terminal exit gate of Bodrum Cruise Port. They will then drive you to Selcuk town for your full-day tour of Ephesus and its surroundings. This service is valid for bookings with the 'from-to Bodrum Port & Hotels' option.
DEPARTURES FROM KUSADASI CRUISE PORT OR HOTELS IN KUSADASI: Your private guide and driver will meet you at the reception of your hotel in Kusadasi or at the arrival terminal exit gate of Kusadasi Cruise Port. They will then drive you to Selcuk town for your full-day tour of Ephesus and its surroundings. This service is valid for bookings with the 'from-to Kusadasi Port & Hotels' option.
Ephesus was one of the most important harbor cities in antique world and also it is mentioned in the book of Revelations as one of the seven churches. Also Celsus Library and theater in Ephesus are the other highlights. You will see and visit the Celsus Library, Temple of Hadrian, the fountain of Trajan, Grand Theater, Hercules Gate, Odeon, Ancient Toilets and many important historical buildings in this UNESCO-listed ancient city.
Ephesus Experience Museum, where you will travel back in time and immerse yourself in the mystical atmosphere of the ancient world. With innovative approach of this amazing museum, we offer an entirely mesmerizing experience where time breaks free from its static confines and dances in perpetual motion, bringing historical artifacts to life and presenting interactive visual spectacles that will leave an indelible imprint on your memory. (Admission to the Ephesus Experience Museum is free if you have a ticket for Ephesus Ancient City)
You will be walking from front of Terrace Houses during your tour, and your guide will provide information about the Terrace Houses of Ephesus Ancient City. (There is no visit to this place included in the guided tour. However, you may add a short visit if your schedule allows.)
The next visit of your tour will be the last home of the Virgin Mary. Once you arrive there you will be thrilled by the natural beauty that surrounds the monument. The House of Virgin Mary is located on the Aladag Mountains 5 miles away from Ephesus. At the third Ecumenical Council on 431 AD in Ephesus, it was claimed that Mary came to Ephesus with St. John in 37 A.D. and lived there until her death in 48 A.D. After the discovery of the house, the Archbishop of Izmir declared there as a place of pilgrimage in 1892. On July 26, 1967, Pope Paul VI visited this place and prayed there.
You will stop at a traditional Turkish restaurant for your lunch. After the lunch, you will have experience in a traditional handcraft co-operative for get lecture about the special arts of Turkish villagers.
Another visit of tour will be to this ancient Basilica dedicated to the author of Revelation St. John. According to the legend St. John died in this church after having written the Fourth Gospel and the Basilica was built by the Emperor Justinian over St. Johns burial place.
At the end of the tour of Ephesus and its surroundings, we will drop you back at the cruise port or your hotel in Kusadasi or Bodrum, depending on your pick-up location. If you booked the 'from-to Istanbul Hotels' option, you will be transferred to Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport for your return flight to Istanbul.
Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport, your driver will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Please note that this service is only included if you select the 'from-to Istanbul Hotels' option.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
This tour program offers pick-up and drop-off services from hotels in Istanbul, Bodrum, Kusadasi, and Selcuk, as well as from the Kusadasi and Bodrum cruise ports, so that you can explore the ancient city of Ephesus and its surroundings. You can take advantage of this great benefit by selecting the options provided for you.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required.
- Departures from Cruise Ports of Kusadasi & Bodrum : The local tour operator may request the details of ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time.
- Departures from Istanbul : This option includes round-trip flight tickets between Istanbul and Izmir. Therefore, the local tour operator may request your passport details in order to book your flight tickets. If you do not provide the requested information, your domestic flight tickets may not be issued, and you may not be able to join the tour. If you fail to provide this information at least 48 hours prior to your trip, or if you refuse to share the required details, you will need to cancel your reservation. Otherwise, the local tour operator may apply the tour’s cancellation and refund policies, as your booking cannot be completed due to missing required information.
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking.
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required.
- Infant meals not included.
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults. If you will be 1 adult + 1 child, the local tour operator can request & charge the amount of 2 adults.
- Please note that if you cancel or skip any part of the itinerary during the tour, no refund will be provided for the cancelled or skipped portions.
- All the information provided above forms part of the terms and conditions for tour. You have been confirmed your acceptance of these when you book this tour. The local tour operator clearly specifies the details in the program, explanations, and reservation options, and is responsible only for the services indicated. That's why, please read those details while booking this tour.
Reviews(23)
we were never picked up. We woke up 3 o’clock in the morning to be ready at four driver never showed up the first time the second time they call us that they didn’t pick up on the hotel. so we never got to go on the trip, very disappointed that was the reason why we went there we never were told why was the reason why the first time the guy never showed up and I had made this reservation month a month ahead and pay for it. I would never make another reservation with this company or tell my friends about you guys.
Dear Patricia, Greetings from Turkey. As you know very well, you requested wheelchair for this tour 32 days before your tour date (July 08, 2025) and we disagreed your that reuqest on same day. We said you "This tour is not wheelchair accessible, that's why, we can not provide that tour for disabled guests who needs wheelchair" Also this detail is already writing clearly at the tour descriptions. And then we said you "please cancel your booking we will refund you full amount what you paid". But you did not cancel your booking and waited until your tour date and tour departure time (August 09, 2025 - 04:30am). We did not understand why you waited a not confirmed tour until departure time. Also, we have already refunded your full amount on same date (August 09, 2025 - 10:43am)
Tour was excellent. The guide Mehmet, is very knowledgeable and a pleasure to be with. Side trips to rug making, pottery and Turkish delight was nice.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We are delighted to hear that you had an excellent experience on the tour and that Mehmet, our guide, was able to make your journey enjoyable with his knowledge and friendly approach. It’s great to know that you appreciated the side trips to rug making, pottery, and Turkish delight—these cultural experiences are a special part of the tour. Thank you again for your kind words, and we hope to welcome you again on another tour in the future.
private tour. Excellent guide. Spend a whole date seeing sights around Ephesus. All around great experience
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback. We are thrilled to hear that you had an excellent experience on your private tour and that the guide was able to enhance your visit. Spending the day exploring the sights around Ephesus is truly a memorable experience, and we’re so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you again for your kind words, and we look forward to welcoming you on another tour in the future.
We had the most amazing day out. Gee was an unbelievable tour guide. His enthusiasm was infectious. We learned so much. He gave us so much context for what we were seeing.
The trip was excellent from pick up from airport to the whole visit to the food to all the experience till sending us back to airport
The tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. They do entice you with buying carpets and high end jackets while on tour though after the lunch and school tour and 5 minute fashion show. It was an interesting experience seeing how it was made but we didn’t appreciate the pushy sales tactics afterwards. I would be okay with one sales motion but two was a bit too much for my mom, she got a headache. The tour itself was very good though and we covered a lot of ground.
Very organized experience. Exceeded our expectation - definitely recommend this trip! The guide was knowledgeable and accommodating to our needs!
Our driver and our guide were wonderful people. Very kind and friendly and cared a lot for our experience on a very hot day in Western Turkey. You get to see all the sights and our guide (Bushra) explained each taking care to answer our questions. The driver made sure we had plenty of water on board our air conditioned coach and it was a pleasure to driver from location to location. The lunch at the carpet making place was fabulous. I will agree with others that the only bad point is the owner of the carpet place (Aussie guy) gave a real pressure sell trying to get us to buy a rug. (Thousands of pounds!). It was definitely a hard sell as he said the money goes to the ladies who hand knit the rugs. As much as that may be true it’s a guilt trip! Having said that like someone else pointed out you CAN refuse which is what we did. I think if there was a way this tour could include the lunch but avoid the hard sell then it would be perfect. I would still recommend the tour as the overall experience was great.
Great long day but worth every minute. Guide Mehmet was excellent, relaxed and just flat-out knowledgeable. We started at 4:30 am and back at our ARBNB by 10:00(would have been home earlier but we waited on our transportation from the airport). Regardless of the long day, we were able to fit in quite a bit of sites. Also went to a Turkish carpet making (no pressure to buy), a leather/fashion show and gourmet shop for goods. We paid our entrance fees, but I knew that going into the tour. Also, got some great pictures from our guide. Just book it!
What an amazing day. My husband and I were picked up promptly at 4:30 am, was met by Mehmet our guide w/driver after our 1 hour flight to Izmir. Spent the majority of our day at Ephesus. Ended the tour with a carpet making demonstration (no pressure to buy) a leather shop (treated to a private fashion show) and then a gourmet spot for saffron, special oils and Turkish delights. Lunch was excellent. Spent some quality time with our guide, extremely passionate about his work as a licensed guide in the area. Had no idea a guide has to attend a 4 year University program in Turkey w/mentorship in order to guide these tours. These guides are like walking Wikipedia’s. Great story telling, relaxed pace but packed with lots of memories and history. Some of the entrance fees were not included, but I knew that when I booked the tour. Great communication with the tour company on WhatsApp. Don’t hesitate, just book it!
