Ephesus Tour from Kusadasi
Description
ON TIME RETURN GUARANTEE FOR CRUISE PASSENGERS Whether joining us from your hotel or a cruise ship, this journey is about your pace and peace of mind. Begin at the House of the Virgin Mary, a quiet sanctuary in the hills. It’s a place that invites you to pause, pray, and feel the spiritual history in the air. Next, we’ll walk the ancient streets of Ephesus. Instead of just seeing ruins, imagine standing in the Great Theater where St. Paul’s voice echoed, or browsing the Celsus Library like an ancient scholar. Your professional tour guide shares living stories of the Marble Streets and the Agora. From the legendary Temple of Artemis to the harmony of different faiths in one neighborhood, you'll see the soul of this land. We handle every detail, including an ON TIME RETURN GUARANTEE for cruise guests, so you can simply stay in the moment. Book now for a day of history and heart.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Virgin Mary’s House is a Catholic shrine located at the skirt of Bulbul Mountain in Selcuk. It is discovered after a nun in Germany described the place in her visions about a house Mother Mary lived before she died. It has become an important pilgrimage spot for Catholics since then.
Discover one of the most popular trade cities of ancient Greek and Roman Empire. Ephesus is probably the most famous ancient site in Turkey. It was a busy trade center as a port city. Ephesus had a great influence on the ancient world. Also as an important religious center of early Christianity and one of the seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelations. In Ephesus you will see, Celcus Library, Temple of Hadrian, the fountain of Trajan and the Theater and more.
These are exclusive residences situated on the slopes opposite the Temple of Hadrian along Curetes Street. Commonly known as the “rich houses,” they were uncovered during recent excavations. The houses near Curetes Street feature colonnaded porticoes, while step streets connected directly to the house entrances. We will stop at Terrace Houses and explore the Houses of Rich Ephesians.
We'll visit the Ephesus Experience Museum and step into the past with cutting-edge technology that brings the ancient city to life! Through incredible projections and interactive exhibits, you'll feel what it was really like to live in Ephesus during its prime—a perfect way to put the marble ruins you just saw into stunning historical context.
Temple of Artemis is one of the Seven Wonders of the World completed in 550 BC is at the outskirts of Ephesus. It is a sanctuary built in a sacred place. The temple itself dates back to 8th century BC but the sacred place dates way back. It has been destroyed three times and rebuilt. But it has been abandoned after Christians started to rule the area.
Open buffet lunch in a local restaurant with traditional Turkish Food & vegetarian options in Selcuk.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Free pick up from Kusadasi Port, Hotels in Kusadasi area, Selcuk Ephesus area & Kusadasi Setur Marina.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please contact us after you complete the booking process to confirm pick up time and place.
Reviews(84)
Communication from time of booking to drop off was wonderful! We left a few minutes late as cruise passengers were delayed getting off the ship but all's well that ends well! Derya gave great info while being very personable! Driver Ogun (sp might be wrong) was on the spot as needed and drove courteously. The carpet "school" stop was really educational and food was great-they even accommodated my food allergy! It was NOT a pushy sales experience which is always a turnoff! Great representation by the Turkish Min of Education & Tourism/Culture to a first time visitor! I def hope to come back!
Dear Guest, Thank you for this wonderful feedback! We are thrilled that our team's coordination and patient communication ensured a smooth experience from start to finish. Providing an authentic, pressure-free insight into our rich culture is exactly what we aim for, especially for first-time visitors. We look forward to welcoming you back to Turkey for more great discoveries! Warm regards, Puerto Travel Team
Daria was fantastic! Very enthusiastic and such a lovely person! We toured in a very comfortable and immaculate Mercedes van which was always cooled when we returned (36C). I would highly recommend this tour! Picked us up and returned to cruise ship terminal on time. Enjoyed the lunch and carpet making experience.
Dear Mary, Thank you for this brilliant review! We are so glad that Daria’s energetic presence and our cool, air-conditioned transport made your warm day in Ephesus completely effortless. Ensuring our cruise guests enjoy every cultural stop and return to the terminal right on time is always our top priority. It was an absolute pleasure hosting you, and we hope to welcome you back for more unforgettable Turkish routes in the future! Warm regards, Puerto Travel Team
The guide is friendly and professional. He has rich knowledge on the history of the places we visit.
Dear Steven, Thank you for your feedback! We are glad our guide's expertise and professional approach made your visit enjoyable. We hope to welcome you back to Turkey for more historical journeys in the future! Warm regards, Puerto Travel Team
One of my favorite excursions of this trip! We had a private Air conditioned van with concierge service! Gufte was an amazing guide who allowed us to choose our itinerary and kept us updated about lines at certain sites so we could avoid long lines as much as possible! Skip the line was great, we truly skipped the lines and got right into Ephesus city. If you have a baby, I highly recommend a baby backpack or carrier as the Ephesus city was very rocky and slippery! Our driver ( Ogun) was great cooling the car with AC every time we were about to get in! Gufte was so knowledgeable and it was like VIP service having her around to answer every question! Honestly for the price this excursion was amazing- I didn’t expect to have our own driver and guide and comfy vehicle for a group of 5(6 with baby) Also we asked about a baby car seat and they brought one with them- a very nice clean one! They messaged me the day before to check in via what’s app —-communication was awesome . One of the best tours I’ve been on ever!!!!
Dear Katia, Thank you for this incredible review! We are thrilled that our team's smooth communication, flexible VIP service, and family-friendly touches—like the clean car seat—made your group feel so well cared for. It is wonderful that Gufte's crowd management and Ogun's focus on your comfort gave you such a seamless experience. We also appreciate you sharing that practical baby carrier tip for fellow parents! We look forward to hosting your family on another amazing Turkish journey in the future. Warm regards, Puerto Travel Team
We enjoyed our private tour of Ephesus. Our guide, Gufte was very knowledgeable and able to customize our tour to our three teens interests. It was a very busy day thanks to a large cruise in port, but she expertly guided us through with minimal waiting and we could move at our own pace.
Dear Kimberly, Thank you for this high recommendation! We are thrilled that our team's flexible pacing allowed your family to enjoy a completely stress-free, customized day away from the cruise crowds. We look forward to welcoming you and your teens back to Turkey for more great journeys! Warm regards, Puerto Travel Team
A wonderful experience from start to finish. The company communication regarding the tour details was very professional. On the day of the tour, our tour guide Güfte was really outstanding. She is very pleasant, very informative and give us a very interesting tour. She was very helpful and accommodating to our very needs.she is definitely one of the best tour guides I have ever had. Million stars to her.
Dear Alana, Thank you so much for this amazing review! We are thrilled that our professional communication gave you confidence from start to finish, and that Gufte's outstanding, attentive guiding made this one of your best tour experiences ever. I will happily pass your "million stars" along to her! We hope to welcome you back to Turkey for more incredible travel routes in the future. Warm regards, Puerto Travel Team
Unbelievable day with Hugo. Easy to find off the ship. Easy to book. Hugo was humour sand knowledgeable. What fantastic value for money. Thank you highly recommended
Thank you for this highly recommended review! We are thrilled to hear that booking was easy and that Hugo's great humor and deep knowledge made your day off the cruise ship unforgettable and of fantastic value. It was a true pleasure hosting you, and we hope to welcome you back to Turkey for more incredible travel routes in the future! Warm regards, Puerto Travel Team
We really enjoyed the tour, even the teenagers. Hussein is a friendly and informative guide. Lunch was also a highlight.
Thank you for your great review! We are delighted to hear that your entire family, including the teenagers, enjoyed the tour and that Hussein's friendly guiding and the lunch highlight made your day special. We hope to welcome you all back to Turkey for more great travel routes in the future! Warm regards, Puerto Travel Team
I really enjoyed this tour, nice Turkish food, very friendly tour guide Necdet. I met other people from different countries which was great. Watching Silk production process was an amazing experience as well.
Thank you for your kind review! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour, the Turkish food, and your time with Necdet. We are also glad you enjoyed meeting fellow travelers and learning about the silk production process. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back to Turkey in the future! Kind regards, Puerto Travel
Excellent communication prior to the tour and answered all my many questions about meeting time and location as the day approached. (I shouldn’t have worried at all because was so smooth at the port.). Derya was a great tour guide and we were so impressed to learn of her years at university and the tour guide proficiency exam she had to pass before leading tours. She is so knowledgeable and had so many interesting stories that she shared. I’m glad we had a private driver (Matt was very safe and adept at maneuvering the crazy traffic). We were able to avoid the hundreds of cruise excursion people packed on big charter busses and went to the House of Mary first and then went to Ephesus. Derya accompanied us throughout Ephesus for a two hour personalized guided tour filled with so much information about the history. She made it super fun and kept us entertained the whole time. She asked us how we wanted to customize our tour throughout the day which was a nice option to a stiff itinerary. Highly recommend.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your day with Derya and Matt. It is great to know that the personalized experience, flexibility, and detailed historical insights made your visit to Ephesus so memorable. Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing Puerto Travel. We hope to welcome you back to Turkey again in the future! Kind regards, Puerto Travel
