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Ephesus Highlights: Private Family Tour
5.0
10 Ratings
Selcuk
Embark on a private family-friendly tour from Kusadasi Port and explore the ancient cities of Ephesus and Pergamon. Marvel at the impressive monuments and immerse yourself in history with the help of knowledgeable local guides.
Embark on a private family-friendly tour from Kusadasi Port and explore the ancient cities of Ephesus and Pergamon. Marvel at the impressive monuments and immerse yourself in history with the help of knowledgeable local guides.
Duration:
7 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Ancient City of Ephesus - Discover the breathtaking ruins of Ephesus on a comprehensive full-day tour. Ephesus stands as the most well-preserved classical city along the Mediterranean, offering perhaps the finest glimpse into Roman-era life. Marvel at captivating ancient landmarks such as the Temple of Hadrian, the impressive facade of the Library…
- Ancient City of Ephesus - Discover the breathtaking ruins of Ephesus on a comprehensive full-day tour. Ephesus stands as the most well-preserved classical city along the Mediterranean, offering perhaps the finest glimpse into Roman-era life. Marvel at captivating ancient landmarks such as the Temple of Hadrian, the impressive facade of the Library of Celsus, the Great Theater, and more.
- Temple of Hadrian - Encounter remarkable ancient structures including the Temple of Hadrian, the magnificent facade of the Library of Celsus, and the Great Theater. An expert guide will enrich your experience with detailed information about the numerous extraordinary sites visited throughout the day.
- Meryemana (The Virgin Mary’s House) - Located just beyond Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary is believed, according to Christian tradition, to be where Mary was brought by the Apostle John after Christ’s Resurrection, spending her final days there. A small shrine dedicated to St. Mary was discovered when the house’s ruins were first unearthed. The Vatican has since acknowledged the site as the Virgin’s final resting place.
- Isa Bey Mosque - Explore the Isa Bey Mosque, established in the 14th century by the first Muslim family to settle in West Anatolia. Gain valuable insights into early Islamic architecture. The tour continues with a visit to St. John Basilica, where the Apostle John passed away and was buried after completing his missions in Anatolia. Conclude with a visit to the Temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
- The Temple of Artemis - The Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, remains a significant relic.
- Ephesus Terrace Houses - The Ephesus Terrace Houses boast well-preserved Roman mosaics and frescoes, showcasing the opulent lifestyle of elite families in ancient Ephesus. They offer a unique perspective on daily life and the sophistication of Roman architecture.
What's Included
- Professional local guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Private tour
- Private Transportation
- Professional local guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Private tour
- Private Transportation
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Entrace Tickets
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Entrace Tickets
Additional Information
A licensed guide will greet travelers at the port with a personalized name sign and guide them through the highlights of Ephesus Ancient City, renowned as one of the best-preserved Roman cities globally.
Embark on a shore excursion from Kusadasi Port to explore the ancient city of Ephesus. Visit the Library of Celsus and the House of the Virgin Mary,…
A licensed guide will greet travelers at the port with a personalized name sign and guide them through the highlights of Ephesus Ancient City, renowned as one of the best-preserved Roman cities globally.
Embark on a shore excursion from Kusadasi Port to explore the ancient city of Ephesus. Visit the Library of Celsus and the House of the Virgin Mary, with a guaranteed timely return to the cruise ship.
Stroll along marble streets and uncover landmarks such as the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, and the magnificent Great Theater. Visit the revered House of the Virgin Mary, the historic Isa Bey Mosque, and the remnants of the Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Additionally, explore the extraordinary Terrace Houses, featuring intricate mosaics and frescoes that depict elite Roman life. After the tour, enjoy a punctual return to Kusadasi Port for the cruise departure.
- Comfortable shoes, sunglasses and hat recommended
- At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
- Annual closing dates of all museums in Ephesus area as follows: January 1 - New Year, June 15/17 - Ramadan Festival, August 21/24 - Eid Festival
- Kid-friendly tour guide will be informative for all ages of your family
Location
Ancient City of Ephesus
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(10 Ratings)
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1 star
Maximilianse9254ly
Oct 22, 2025
Awesome tour in Ephesus - Aybike, our guide, was very nice and incredibly knowledgeable! She made our trip informative and fun! She showed some highly interesting places on the grounds and was very accommodating to our questions and needs. She even made great suggestions for lunch that were simply wonderful! I would choose her again in a second!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U1712cnnancym
Apr 13, 2024
Exceptionnel Guide - Ceyla was our private guide for 2 days. She was knowledgeable, attentive and accommodating. She had warm and authentic demeanour and made excellent recommendations to ensure our day was tailored to meet our interests.
I ended up unwell and she when over and beyond the call of duty to ensure I was better. She also shared valued advice for the next tours we were embarking on.
Our driver expertly and patiently get us safely to each destination.
Thank you
Nancy and Edgar
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lmbelding
Apr 13, 2024
Luxurious and Historical Ephesus Experience! - We embarked from the Oceania Cruise in Izmir. Instead of booking a bus tour we booked a private tour. We had a total of 14 people in our group— and went through Guidied Istanbul Tours company.
They have a great selection of tours all around Turkey ports, so we decided to go through them.
Ceyla Ergon welcomed us and we had a fabulous day with her!
She is knowledgeable, friendly and her English is excellent. She has a great sense of humor— which made us feel at ease. (She is a great person!)
All of her shopping recommendations were also on point. (You should see the scarf I picked up. Gorgeous!)
Personally, I was thrilled that we skipped the long lines. We could take our time and not have to rush… the bus was always ready for us!
As we were not hurrying — I was able to take some fantastic pictures.
Our vehicle was a luxury Mercedes van with good air conditioning.
My team and I want to thank everyone involved with creating this trip— but we want to especially thank our wonderful guide Ceyla. She helped create an experience we will never forget: Our unforgettable Ephesus Turkey excursion!
We will be requesting her again —
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katherineci5603ow
Apr 10, 2024
A Turkish Delight! - This was our first trip to Turkey, and we are so happy we got the chance to visit Kusadasi! We booked our private guided tour through Viator, operated by Guided Istanbul Tours and led by the lovely Ceyla. She was so extremely knowledgeable about the area, having an archeological background and true appreciation of the history. We started the tour by visiting the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, followed by a trip to Meryemana (the Virgin Mary's House), believed to be where she lived her final days. These were fairly quick stops, but Ceyla hit the major highlights and gave us plenty of historical information. We then stopped by Lotus Ceramics Garden where we met a local owner and his family who have been making Turkish pottery for generations. We learned all about the process and saw so many absolutely stunning pieces (there was zero pressure to buy anything, but they were very helpful to package and ship for free if desired). The proprietor and his family were so friendly and offered us some amazing Turkish coffee and Turkish delight during our visit. Next, we took an in-depth tour of the Ancient City of Ephesus where Ceyla again provided so many interesting historical facts and led us through key parts of the city, including the Temple of Hadrian and the astounding Library of Celsus. There are no words to describe the beauty of the city and just how vast it was, especially for its time. Afterwards, Ceyla took us to one of her favorite local restaurants where we had some of the freshest, most delicious vegetable and meat plates we've ever had...so happy we had worked up an appetite from touring Ephesus! Finally, we went by one of the local Turkish carpet schools connected to the Ministry of Education. The manager took so much time showing us the intricacies of weaving the rugs and explaining the complete process...it was so interesting! We did get caught up at the end with a bit of a sales pitch, but it's understandable considering the months (sometimes years) the ladies spend hand-weaving the carpets. It wasn't a high-pressure sales pitch, so I would still recommend taking the time to stop by and learn/see the whole process. All in all, we had an amazing time on our approx. 8-hr tour of Kusadasi and would LOVE to visit Turkey sometime in the near future for a longer stay!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katherine_c
Apr 10, 2024
A Turkish Delight! - This was our first trip to Turkey, and we are so happy we got the chance to visit Kusadasi! We booked our private guided tour through Viator, operated by Guided Istanbul Tours and led by the lovely Ceyla. She was so extremely knowledgeable about the area, having an archeological background and true appreciation of the history. We started the tour by visiting the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, followed by a trip to Meryemana (the Virgin Mary's House), believed to be where she lived her final days. These were fairly quick stops, but Ceyla hit the major highlights and gave us plenty of historical information. We then stopped by Lotus Ceramics Garden where we met a local owner and his family who have been making Turkish pottery for generations. We learned all about the process and saw so many absolutely stunning pieces (there was zero pressure to buy anything, but they were very helpful to package and ship for free if desired). The proprietor and his family were so friendly and offered us some amazing Turkish coffee and Turkish delight during our visit. Next, we took an in-depth tour of the Ancient City of Ephesus where Ceyla again provided so many interesting historical facts and led us through key parts of the city, including the Temple of Hadrian and the astounding Library of Celsus. There are no words to describe the beauty of the city and just how vast it was, especially for its time. Afterwards, Ceyla took us to one of her favorite local restaurants where we had some of the freshest, most delicious vegetable and meat plates we've ever had...so happy we had worked up an appetite from touring Ephesus! Finally, we went by one of the local Turkish carpet schools connected to the Ministry of Education. The manager took so much time showing us the intricacies of weaving the rugs and explaining the complete process...it was so interesting! We did get caught up at the end with a bit of a sales pitch, but it's understandable considering the months (sometimes years) the ladies spend hand-weaving the carpets. It wasn't a high-pressure sales pitch, so I would still recommend taking the time to stop by and learn/see the whole process. All in all, we had an amazing time on our approx. 8-hr tour of Kusadasi and would LOVE to visit Turkey sometime in the near future for a longer stay!
Review provided by Viator
Northstar579010
Oct 16, 2023
Tour to Ephesus by private van - Cagri was a very good tourist guide, he explained everything to us very well and was always very patient, we took a 9-year-old child and he was very attentive to the explanations, plus our guide planned everything so as not to have so much crowding in the places.
The van was very comfortable, with air conditioning and our driver was also very good and very polite!
We loved the Ephesus tour!
Greetings from Mexico
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fatdad2023
Aug 22, 2023
Our day with Pinar - The favorite part of our twas our time spent with our guide Pinar. She was very knowledgeable, personable and sensed what our groups interests were, and responded accordingly. And of course there was the site of Ephesus itself. Just beautiful!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
176misad
Dec 13, 2022
Outstanding private tour with incredible guide - Our tour was outstanding! We had a private tour with a VERY knowledgeable guide named Ozlem! She arrived on time to our hotel in a clean fresh car with a great driver and a nice big map! She explained in great detail where we were and where we were going - we loved the visual! Ephesus was amazing and she made it come alive for us! We had a wonderful lunch, visited the local museum to see the precious artifacts and had a great visit to a local coffee shop for more neighborhood ruins! It was fantastic! You must request her!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Deniseyazbek
Mar 18, 2022
Great day with great person - Hakan was the best, absolutely the best. Special thanks for all the effort. My grand daughter and i just loved him and all placês we went. Obrigada.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trail616130
Dec 18, 2021
Great day with Hatice - We had a great day with Hatice exploring Ephesus. She met us with a driver at the airport in Izmir. She was very personable right from the start. We instantly liked her and knew it would be a fun day. She was very organized, and great knowledge of all of the historical sites and wove in great stories of the local people, the local culture and life generally in the greater Izmir area. Her English is excellent and she wrapped up the day by taking us to a local place she goes with her family for lunch, which was excellent, and going to a coffee in town.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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