An Unforgettable Ephesus Experience Made Exceptional by an Incredible Guide
This Ephesus and House of the Virgin Mary day trip from Istanbul, booked through Viator and supplied by Guided Istanbul Tours, was outstanding. They handled everything — hotel pickup, flights to Izmir, and airport transfers — and I was met by a private guide and driver.
My guide, Pinar, was one of the best I’ve had in Turkey: knowledgeable, professional, warm, and genuinely accommodating. When I asked for a local spot, she took me to a family-run restaurant with some of the most authentic, delicious food I ate in Turkey. Pinar made the entire experience so special, meaningful, and truly unforgettable. I couldn’t have asked for a better guide!
M
MariaCarmen_S
September 28, 2026 · via Viator
An Unforgettable Ephesus Experience Made Exceptional by an Incredible Guide
This Ephesus and House of the Virgin Mary day trip from Istanbul, booked through Viator and supplied by Guided Istanbul Tours, was outstanding. They handled everything — hotel pickup, flights to Izmir, and airport transfers — and I was met by a private guide and driver.
My guide, Pinar, was one of the best I’ve had in Turkey: knowledgeable, professional, warm, and genuinely accommodating. When I asked for a local spot, she took me to a family-run restaurant with some of the most authentic, delicious food I ate in Turkey. Pinar made the entire experience so special, meaningful, and truly unforgettable. I couldn’t have asked for a better guide!
P
PaolaS629
May 1, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Private tour
The ruins of Ephesus were on my wishlist and the visit lived up to expectations thanks to the support of Irene who guided us smiling and helpful!
A
alexanderaZ4546GT
June 22, 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Wonderful day in Ephesus and Izmir, Pinar is AMAZING
We did a one day tour of Ephesus and some other areas in Izmir leaving from Istanbul and returning same day. I have travelled around the world and done countless tours and Pinar is truly one of the best tour guides you will find. She is incredibly knowledgeable and courteous and went above and beyond to make it a great trip. She answered all of the questions we had for her about Ephesus, the region, and its history (including challenging ones from my mother, who has a PhD in history). You must go on this tour if you love history and/or photography. Two things to note: You will leave your hotel in Istanbul around 7 AM and not return until 11 PM or so if you do it all in one day (they will book your flights with plenty of time to avoid missed flights and you will spend a few hours on each side at the airports). Also be aware that it can be extremely hot--it was over 100F/40C the day we went in June. Pinar thankfully knew places where we could stop in and get cold drinks/air conditioning as necessary.
