Ephesus Tour: Ancient City and Turkish Cooking Class

Immerse yourself in ancient history on an Ephesus tour and then indulge in a local cooking class. Discover the secrets of Turkish cuisine and experience the culture like a local!

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Kusadasi - Drive through the town of Kusadasi.
  • Okuz Mehmet Pasa KervansarayI - The castle that you will see on the way to Ephesus
  • Ancient City of Ephesus - The Odeon
    Hadrian Temple
    Latrina
    Ancient Stores
    Avenues
    The impressive Library of Celcus
    The Grand Theater
    Discover the delicacy of Romans in ancient times, their diet, and wines….
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Fluent English-speaking local guide
  • Included lunch
  • Boutique cooking class experience
  • All taxes and fees covered
  • Fuel and parking fees included
What's Not Included
  • Admission tickets to Ephesus - 40Euro for each (Cash & Credit Card options)
  • Gratuities for your tour guide and driver will be appreciated.
Additional Information

Discover Ephesus with a cooking experience.
Walk along the colonnaded streets in Ephesus to get the feeling of what life was like in Roman times, and then drive to a village around Ephesus to take a cooking class with locals!
Travel back in time to explore the remarkable ancient city of Ephesus, the glory of an old civilization, and the interesting…

Location
Ege Ports
Liman Caddesi
Our guide will be holding a sign board with your name waiting for you at the exit of costoms hall.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(17 Ratings)
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Lizm007
Jul 25, 2024
Great family experience - This was a great experience. As we have been to Ephesus before, we started off with a visit to the Ephesus Museum, then to a local glass and pottery shop, and then the focus of the experience was the cooking class. My husband, 10 year-old son and I all participated. We made zucchini (courgette for Brits) fritters, stuffed peppers and a chicken stew (casserole for Brits). Everything was delicious and what we learned will be very replicable at home— which is great because we don’t have any Turkish restaurants in town but we love Turkish food. The hosts also treat you to fresh peaches, melon and plums they grow on their property. The vegetables used in the dishes are also grown on-site. There’s also a really nice pool onsite, so bring your swimsuits!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V6859kjkathrynw
Mar 25, 2024
Amazing day touring Ephesus and dining with a knowledgeable and personable local. - What a fantastic day we had! Azime is an incredible guide/hostess; knowledgeable, articulate and fun. She really knows the history of Ephesus we learned so much from her. If you have a chance the terrace houses are worth the extra admission. Loved cooking with the chef at a beautiful countryside location. Our meal was delicious topped off with great conversation, company and wine. Would highly recommend this tour.
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M1971rrloris
Oct 14, 2023
Wonderful Day in Turkey - We did a tour with Nesrin of Ephesus, then helped cook lunch at a local family's house and visited a pottery studio. Nesrin met us outside the port with a big smile and a sign with our name on it. She had a driver with a large comfortable van, so she sat with us and narrated the trip as we drove to Ephesus. The ancient city of Ephesus was amazing. There were archeological finds everywhere you looked in great condition. We got to see how people lived thousands of years ago. Nesrin weaved us through the ruins so we could avoid the crowds and pointed out some great spots to take pictures. She was very knowledgeable and could answer all of our questions. After that we went to Ganja and Oleaks family property which included an inn, tiny cabins, yoga spot and gardens. We cooked a traditional Turkish meal together and then ate on the deck overlooking the countryside. We enjoyed talking to our hosts and Nesrin and were sad to leave at the end of the day. After goodbye hugs we next went to a family run Turkish pottery studio. The father crafts the pottery, the mother paints it, the daughter-in-law does the tours, and the sons were busy in the backroom. Our friend got to sit at the wheel and make a pottery dish from a mound of clay. Their show room had some exquisite pieces in all price points. We each bought a souvenir. Now that we are back home every time I look at it, it reminds me of what a nice day we had. I would highly recommend this tour. We enjoyed our time in Turkey so much we want to go back.
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Cruisecrusader
Sep 29, 2023
Ephasus private tour. - Nesrin provides a wealth of knowledge about the history and area. She is very personable and provides A+ service. You will not be disappointed. Host family for cooking and lunch were amazing as well.
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Olgag520
Sep 1, 2023
Best day of the trip! - This was possibly the best day of the whole trip. The tour of Ephesus was so interesting. Our guide is such a wealth of information and he knows how to present it in a way that kept our 8, 12, 18 and 19 year old children and adults interested. After Ephesus we headed to the village to a charming b&b where the atmosphere is hard to describe. It’s the kind of place you come to and forget to leave. The staff is kind and generous. We did a cooking class here and had a blast. Then we devoured an incredibly delicious meal. Thanks for a great day!
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401murads
Aug 29, 2023
Best Tour Guide Ever! - Emre made this experience absolutely amazing for our family! The Ephesus tour was incredibly insightful as Emre thoughtfully explained the rich history of the area. He is such a charismatic guy which really enriched our overall trip to Turkey. The cooking class provided us with a very authentic experience and the fresh, local food was delicious. We have so much to thank Emre for as he made our trip to Turkey that much more special!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wwchdin
May 4, 2023
Fantastic day of history and authentic Turkish cooking! - Our experience started when a very cheerful gentleman collected us from the airport and brought us to our hotel. The following morning our guide Azime popped in while we were breakfasting at our hotel to introduce herself and let us know that she (and our lovely driver) were ready for us outside. After finishing breakfast we loaded our belongings into the very spacious car as we were only spending the day, the driver kept our bags for us. Azime pointed out all of the landmarks and noteworthy sites as we drove, before taking us through Ephesus. Azime's knowledge and personal experience (she used to play games at Ephesus as a child!) made the entire day a complete submersion in the culture without feeling like a tourist but rather visiting a friend. This feeling continued during the cooking lesson where we cooked with Azime, and a local restaurant owner and her mother. They were extremely accommodating of my VERY unturkish dietary requirements and we managed to make traditional Turkish dishes that were absolutely delicious! We were left to enjoy our meal together and finished up with Turkish coffee and tea before being returned to the airport to continue our trip (Istanbul was next). The experience was authentic, fun, and memorable, we would 100% recommend Phoenician tours and Azime!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Emerald1611
Apr 30, 2023
Tour that not to miss - Very happy that we took this tour. It was fun,new information and experience and a very pleasant environment
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K8559bflorraineb
Apr 4, 2023
Fantastic Experience! - Can't say enough about our tour of Ephesus! My husband and I were looking for opportunities to know real people and understand the real lives of people in Turkey, and this tour was exactly that! Nesrin is a fantastic tour guide! She was very personable, friendly and open about her experience growing up in a small village in Turkey, and her life now as a wife, mother and small business. owner in Izmir. She is very knowledgeable about Turkish history, archeology and the ancient city of Ephesus. She had a lot of background information for us that went above and beyond a standard tour. She helped. us understand some of the current political dynamic in Turkey, current theories about Ephesus and other ancient sites in Selcuk, the history of the silk road, the process of restoration and the lives of its inhabitants, ancient and modern. Double thumbs up!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ylevitinmd
Feb 9, 2023
Turkey travel with Phoenicia travel agency - Our tour guides from Phoenicia travel agency were excellent! They anticipated most of our needs, and demonstrated excellent knowledge of culture and history.
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November 2024
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