PRIVATE EPHESUS TOUR from Bodrum Cruise Port

At the exit of the cruise port, you will be welcomed by your professional licensed local tour guide who will be with you during your private tour and tell you every point of the ruins you will visit. We advise you to meet our team 30/45 minutes after your ship docked to the port. Upon meeting with our team, you will hit the road and will drive approximately 2hrs to Ephesus. On the way, your guide will keep informing you about Turkey.

UNESCO listed place; The ancient city of Ephesus (Ephesos) takes you on an unforgettable journey through history; etched on minds as the home of the Blessed Virgin Mary, stretching back to the Neolithic period and inhabited in the greatest period of the Roman Empire. This ancient city was valued for a long time as a harbour town, and due to the excavations which have uncovered new sections and artefacts every year, the city continues to surprise its visitors and to maintain its historical value. Many famous classical philosophers, who are still read today, such as Heraclitus, lived in the scientific, artistic and cultural city of Ephesus.

The Terrace Houses complex in Ephesus consists of luxurious residential villas, located on the northern slope of Bülbüldağı Hill, next to Curetes Street and opposite the Temple of Hadrian. So far, two housing complexes - Eastern and Western - have been excavated. They were built according to the Hippodamian plan where the roads transect each other at right angles. The excavation work of the Terrace Houses started in 1960. The restoration of the houses is an ongoing process and every year there is something new to admire there.

In early A.D, Evangelist St. John lived in the Ephesus in order to spread Christianity and collect more followers to the way of Jesus. And, according to many sources, he died around Ephesus after he returned from exile in Patmos. And, buried on the southern slope of Ayosolug Hill by his students. Roman Emperor Justinian constructed one of the biggest Basilicas of Christianity in the 4th Century A.D over the burial of St. Jean the Evangelist!

The House of the Virgin Mary (or Meryem Ana Evi in Turkish) is a place where, according to the beliefs of many people Mary, the mother of Jesus, spent the last years of her life. She was supposed to arrive at Ephesus together with St. John and lived there in the years 37-45 CE until her Assumption (according to Catholic doctrine) or Dormition (according to Orthodox belief). Currently, the restored house serves as a chapel. Typically, the chapel is crowded by huge numbers of tourists who visit Meryemana while on their way to or from Ephesus. The place is under the care of the Franciscan order. The House of the Virgin Mary also has enormous significance for the Muslims, for whom Mary was the mother of one of the great prophets of Islam, called İsa Peygamber (i.e. Jesus).

Temple of Artemis, also called Artemesium was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The great temple was built by Croesus, king of Lydia, about 550 BCE and was rebuilt after being burned by a madman named Herostratus in 356 BCE. The Artemesium was famous not only for its great size, over 350 by 180 feet (about 110 by 55 metres), but also for the magnificent works of art that adorned it.

You are able to see local handicrafts and experience local shopping if preferred. You will be also able to collect informations from your Local Tour Guide about: the best traditional handicrafts, best places to go, things to be carrefull, and best tips for hassle free experience...

In the end of our tour, we return to the Bodrum Cruise Port according to your ONBOARD TIME! PLEASE NOTE THAT: There are several Ships with different arrival and departure times. We carefully check all the timings, confirm with the passengers, and coordinate our return time to Cruise Port. OUR TOURS ENSURE GUARANTEED ON-TIME RETURN TO THE BOAT!