Private Tour : Biblical Ephesus Tour for Cruisers from Kusadasi ( Ephesus ) Port
Description
THIS IS A PRIVATE TOUR ONLY FOR YOU AND YOUR TRAVEL COMPANIONS. Enjoy your full day,private guided tour that was focussed on Christian History in Ephesus. Visit Ancient City of Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary, Saint John Basilica and Temple of Artemis. Walk on the streets where Apostle Paul and John walked, feel the peaceful atmosphere of House of the Virgin Mary, visit the tomb of John the Apostle in Saint John Basilica, see the Grand Theatre of Ephesus that St. Paul preached to Ephesians, take excellent pictures in front of Celsus Library,explore Roman Baths,Temple of Hadrian, Public Toilets, Marble Street, Agora, etc. Ensure a personalized experience with your knowledgeable guide. Since it will be your private tour, you can spend your time in the sites as much as you wished, take your pictures from best foto ops that are shown by your guide, ask your questions to your private guide who will be with you entire day.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Ancient City of Ephesus that is one of the best well-kept Greco- Roman ancient city in the world, famous with Odeon where the music concerts were organized; Domitian Temple that is one of the first temple dedicated for a human; Celcus Library which was the third biggest library in the ancient time; Amphitheatre where is one of the biggest amphitheatre in the world with 24.000 people capacity and St. Paul preached to Ephesians; Marble Street; Roman Baths ; Fountains; Temples; Agora; Love House; Public Toilets
House of the Virgin Mary where mother of Jesus Christ spent her final years. Pope Paul VI visited the shrine in 1967, and 'unofficially' confirmed its authenticity. Pope John Paul II also visited the shrine in 1979. Pope Benedict XVI visited this shrine in 2006.
It is believed that the Evangelist St. John had spent his last years in the region around Ephesus and buried in the southern slope of Ayosolug Hill. The tomb of St John was under the central dome of basilica.
Temple of Artemis that was one of the seven wonders of ancient world.
Resort city famous with hotels, beaches and port. This is the city that we meet our guests from cruise ships.
Bazaars around Port
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We highly recommend you to meet at port after 30 / 45 minutes your ship docked to port in order beat crowds / school buses and hot weather in the afternoon. It is better to meet early to have a better tour in Ephesus before the crowds. THIS TOUR IS ONLY FOR CRUISE GUESTS. IF YOU ARE NOT FROM A CRUISE SHIP, PLEASE DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- No dress code
Reviews(66)
Overall a very good tour. Our guide was very friendly, engaging, and knowledgeable. Four stars because of the unnecessary stop at the carpet makers,. The high pressure sales tactics left a bad taste in our mouths for what was otherwise an excellent tour.
Pina was a wonderful guide! She was personable and made recommendations based on our preferences. She was knowledgeable and worked at our pace. We thoroughly enjoyed the day.
We had a private tour with Ahmet, and it was amazing. He was kind, attentive, knowledgeable and made the tour fun.
Bano, our guide, was the best. She made it a great experience and a fun day. Was able to book the tour the day before and Viator made the process very easy.
I booked this tour specifically for its biblical focus, but came away feeling that description was a bit of a stretch. While the visit to Ephesus, the Basilica of St. John, and the House of the Virgin Mary was genuinely enjoyable, the biblical context was largely absent. Several sites and stories were presented as “legend” rather than being explored with any depth or historical grounding, and there were a few moments of outright misinformation that I was able to verify later. The guide was pleasant enough and clearly knew the area, but his English made things difficult at times — I missed or misunderstood parts of the commentary, which added to the frustration on a tour where the details really matter. The sites themselves are extraordinary and well worth visiting. If you’re looking for a culturally rich experience, you’ll enjoy this. But if you’re specifically seeking a biblically informed tour, I’d recommend doing some research beforehand or finding a guide with stronger biblical knowledge and clearer English. Three stars — the history is there, the tour just didn’t fully deliver on its promise.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughtful feedback. We’re pleased to hear that you enjoyed visiting Ephesus, the Basilica of St. John, and the House of the Virgin Mary. We’re sorry that the biblical aspect of the tour did not fully match your expectations. Our guides aim to present both the biblical traditions and the historical and archaeological perspectives, which is why some subjects are described as traditions or legends when there is no historical consensus. This approach is intended to provide balanced information while respecting different beliefs. We’re also sorry if the guide’s English made parts of the commentary difficult to follow. We continuously work with our guides to improve communication and provide the best possible experience. Your comments are valuable and will be shared with the guide. We truly hope the remarkable sites you visited and the hospitality you experienced will remain positive memories, and we appreciate your feedback as it helps us continue improving.
Alican (Ali) was our guide and he was OUTSTANDING. He was so knowledgeable, humorous, and accommodating. I would recommend him and this tour. Five stars.
Fatih waited for us to disembark the cruise ship. We travel with a handicapped adult daughter and both Fatih and the driver were very kind to her. We mainly visited Mary’s House and the ancient ruins of Ephesus. In both places, he expedited our entry so that we weren’t waiting in crowds. In Ephesus, he was our personal audio guide and made the visit more interesting with his knowledge of history. (He actually took special courses in school to become a tour guide and speaks English perfectly.). Although Muslim, he respects the Christian faith to the point of giving the tour through a Christian New Testament perspective. He later took us to where Turkish rugs were handmade and a place where luminous moon rocks were sold. As mentioned, he was Muslim but was not offended when briefly discussing issues of faith. He acknowledged that Islam doesn’t recognize Jesus as divine even though it came into existence 500 to 600 years after the time of Christ (which Islam recognizes the person of Christ). It was truly refreshing to talk with someone who is kind, tolerant, and not easily offended. We highly recommend Fatih and this tour.
Our guide Omer was wonderful! Polite, respectful and knowledgeable. The entire day we spent in Ephesus was memorable. The fact that we were the only two people on the tour that day made it like our own personal tour. Everything was well-organized and on-time. The vehicle we drove around in was brand new, air-conditioned and clean. Lunch at a turkish restaurant in the rural part of the city was the highlight of the day. We talked of so many things that wouldn't have been possible on a larger tour. Bravo!
Our guide Fatih is great! He is knowledgeable, fun and go according to our pace (we are a group of ten with some seniors). The ancient city of Ephesus is amazing! We’ve learned a lot of the history and culture about this port city. Fatih also brings us to a cute shop to try the Doner and Turkish coffee.
Our tour guide in Ephesus was Banu. She was very friendly and knowledgeable! She took us to places we would not have been able to see with our cruise ship tours. We got to see many Christian sites. She helped create lifetime memories! Wonderful!
