Ancient Ephesus and Virgin Mary House Day Trip

Embark on a captivating Ephesus sightseeing tour from Kusadasi. Explore ancient ruins, visit the House of the Virgin Mary, and indulge in Turkish delicacies. Book now!

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Temple of Hadrian - Enjoy pickup from your Kusadasi hotel and relax on the drive to Ephesus. When you arrive, stop at St John’s Basilica on the top of Ayasuluk Hill. Visit the basilica and see the 4th-century tomb where the remains of the saint are said to be housed.

Next, travel to the ancient city of Ephesus, an important center of early Christianity. Ephesus was one of the seven churches addressed by Christ in a vision, according to the book of Revelation. With your guide, visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, then see the Great Theater, the Library of Celsus and many other well-preserved ancient temples.

Take a break to enjoy a delicious lunch of Turkish cuisine at a local restaurant, while your local guide explains interesting facts about Ephesus and its surroundings.

After lunch, visit the House of the Virgin Mary, where she spent the last days of her life. The cottage has been a pilgrimage place for many centuries, and was authenticated by Pope Paul VI in 1967.

Next, relax on your comfortable coach on the drive back to your hotel.

  • Meryemana (The Virgin Mary’s House) - Virgin Mary’s House
  • Temple of Domitian - temple of domitian
  • Bibliotheque de Celsus - Ephesus
  • Efes Antik Kenti Tiyatrosu - Ephesus
  • The Temple of Artemis - Temple of Artemis
  • Ancient City of Ephesus - Ephesus
What's Included
  • Local guide
  • Lunch
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Hotel pickup and drop off
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Experience the enchantment of the historical remnants of Ephesus and the Virgin Mary’s house on this day-long excursion from Kusadasi. Explore the Temple of Artemis, a member of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and one of the most well-maintained historic ruins in the Mediterranean. See the grandeur of the Great Theater and the Library of Celsus. Enjoy a taste of Turkey through its traditional dishes during lunch before venturing on to the dwelling of the Virgin Mary, the site believed to be where she spent her last days.

  • Confirmation for this tour will be received at time of booking
  • In the event of any museum closures, an alternative similar museum will be visited
  • Not recommended for children aged 4 and under
  • Children 18 years and under must be accompanied by an adult
Location
Temple of Hadrian
Curetes St.,
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.3
(50 Ratings)
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Donna_f
May 8, 2022
Amazing Ephesus - Very enjoyable trip, went smoothly. Ephesus was amazing! The Guide -Josh - was very knowledgeable and paced the tour well.
Review provided by Viator
Flopsy03
Feb 12, 2019
Amazing - The GREAT library - Great day out. The tour guide was excellent we enjoyed our walk around the place. So much history to absorb, and even a short tour of the highlights will take half a day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tomeda
Oct 9, 2018
Must see - The place is spectacular, breathtaking and memorable, definitely deserve a second trip. I good tourist guide is a must, or at least take audio guiders provided for low cost at entrance. If you have a car it's better to go by your self rather than paying to travel agency, the ticket is 40YTL (Turkish lira) for adults and free for children up to 12 years. Make sure to have plenty of water as the walking is for hours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jean
Jul 27, 2018
A step back in time! - A fantastic historical site to visit, especially on a guided tour,where the past is brought to life.It is rather uneven to walk in places but if you're careful,as I was, even though I have some mobility problems it can be managed.A point to remember is that it can get extremely hot, so if you can choose your holiday dates it's best to avoid the high summer! As you go round the guides can choose areas with walls etc where you can sit to listen to their informative talks, if you mention that you need a little assistance.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Iainmcg
Jul 23, 2018
Really great place - Brilliant place to visit, there are some interesting sites very old, loved the library, got toured and told the Ephesus story, so informative and if you love culture you’ll love Ephesus
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ruthie
Jun 29, 2018
Ephesus Tour - Tour guide was great, very informative. Lots of outdoor walking. Make sure to bring water, comfortable walking shoes, hat or umbrella to shade from the sun. Lunch provided was traditional Turkish food and delicious. Lunch was at a Turkish Rug Center where we were shown a demonstration on how rugs are made and had the chance to purchase a rug. Prices were a bit high but I only have one carpet buying experience from a couple years ago to compare to. Still overall a great experience and was one of the highlights of the trip.
Review provided by Viator
Zfamilyinla
Apr 27, 2018
The extraordinary one day private tour - If you like to enjoy a tour of Ephesus, House of Mary and temple of Artemis as well as spending time in beautiful Kusadasi by the sea,ask for Zeynep w/ Kusadasi private Ephesus tours, She is a pleasant woman w/ vast knowledge of the ruins and history of Turkey. Both her & her partner speak fluent English and provide a comfortable transportation from and to Izmir. We truly enjoyed our guided tour and highly recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Su
Mar 14, 2018
Amazing - Take a hat, camera and water and enjoy a brilliant day out, very interesting history and architecture.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lovetravel21_10
Jul 9, 2018
Excellent Tour - We had a fab time on this tour and the ruins were really spectacular you could imagine yourself in there time, really would recommend this sightseeing tour, we also had a lunch included where we watched how carpets are made.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Samsontravel2020
Apr 9, 2019
DO NOT BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY - These guys were absolutely horrible. I booked them through Viator, I sent them a direct email to confirm, which they did. Then I waited for my pickup info...nothing. I emailed them, they didn’t respond. I called them but got a recorded line. I called them the morning of, to confirm, and they wouldn’t pick up. I called their “emergency line” and the guy said to call the office. They responded to my last email that said the tour was canceled because of low attendance, 22 minutes before the start of the tour! I was furious! And of course, they couldn’t have cared less. I only had one day planned in the area, and even so, seeing Ephesus was a big part of my trip to Turkey. This tour company nearly destroyed that plan. Luckily my superb hotel (Ilayda Advantgarde) found me another tour, already in progress, so I zipped over and joined them mid-tour. I heard Neon Tours is a big company and they do this kind of thing all the time. Book with them at your peril.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 9 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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