Ultimate Private Ephesus Experience All-Inclusive from Istanbul

The Temple of Hadrian is your next site. More of a monument than a temple, the temple was built around 118 AD and inside displays mythological and religious scenes. Parts of The Temple of Hadrian, located in Ephesus Street, are actually plaster replicas as the genuine artefacts are located inside of the Ephesus museum which is where you'll visit next.

The Ephesus Museum is located in the heart of Selcuk and housing artefacts that were retrieved between 1867 and 1905 from Ephesus and after transported to Britain and later to Vienna. When the New Turkish Republic was founded, the government forbid antiques and artefacts to be taken out of Turkey and all artefacts were returned and placed in the museum in 1964. You can see sculptures and finds from The Terrace Houses including coins dating back to when money was first used in history. The highlight for most tourists is the Gladiator Roome which holds excavations from the Gladiator Cemetary.

Opposite the Temple of Hadrian is The Terrace Houses. The complex is a site of luxurious villas once home to Ephesus's middle class and wealthy. Each of the houses had separate entrances from the street and also running water. Here you'll see the Domus which is a two-storeyed building owned then by a wealthy family. Perfectly preserved the house contained a courtyard, dining room and even a Basilica. Some houses in the complex even contain preserved rooms, painting and ornamental floor mosaics.

Head to another major attraction which holds a curious background, The House of The Virgin Mary. The apparent final resting place of The Mother Mary. Following the visions and the precise description from a book written by a German nun, a French priest in the 19th century discovered the ruins and after many years of debate convinced others that this place was, in fact, the last resting place of The Virgin Mary. Today the building is a Catholic shrine and chapel, still used and visited regularly by tourists from around the world. A popular scene here is the Wishing Wall were visitors write a wish upon a piece of cloth and tie it to the wall adorning thousands of wishes from others.

Down the hill is the Basilica of St. John. Proved by Historians that John The Apostle did spend time in this area with The Virgin Mary. Said to be the best spot for a sunset photo, the church stands on the slopes of Ayasoluk Hill in the centre of Selcuk. Partially restored and believed that if restored to former glory, the cathedral, would then become the seventh-largest in the world. Take a quick stop to the Ayasuluk Fortress located here for photos.

You'll next travel 15 minutes East to the charming village of Sirince. Enjoy here an Authentic Turkish lunch among the fruit gardens and greenery. Here you'll get to sample the locally made wine and olive oil. Wander through the traditional markets with crafts made by locals have the opportunity to visit leather and handmade carpet outlets.

Travel back to the centre of Selcuk and hill of Ayasuluk to visit your last stop of the day, The Isa Bay Mosque. Built-in the 14th century, pre-Ottoman times, for sponsor and founder Isa Bay who was then ruling the Aydinid dynasty. During his reign, the town flourished and Isa Bay, in turn, founded several constructions in the area. The Muslim congregation has been gathering at St. Johns Basilica for Friday prayers for many years which led to the grand mosque being built in order to accommodate the ever-growing mass.

Your tour of Ephesus ends here and your guide will transport you back to Izmir airport in time for your flight to back to Istanbul. Upon arriving in Istanbul you'll be met by your driver who will transport you back to your central hotel.

Enjoy your Ephesus tour from Istanbul !