PRIVATE Ephesus Full Day Tour from Izmir
Description
Our PRIVATE Ephesus Tour is one of its kind about places it covers and it's our best-seller! This tour is a perfect option for those who have a full day to spend around the most important sights of the Ephesus area. This tour is guaranteed Skip-The-Line with pre-purchased tickets. You can always customize your tour with your private guide. This tour includes pick up service from Izmir Cruise Port / Hotels. During your tour, you will visit; Ephesus Ancient City which used to be the most important commercial center of the western Anatolia, the House of Virgin Mary where Mary had spent her last day, the Basilica of St. John where is believed that the evangelist St. John had spent his last years in the region around Ephesus and buried in the southern slope of Ayosolug Hill and the Temple of Artemision which is known as one of the seven wonders of the Antic World. Enjoy the personalized attention of your licensed local tour guide and the comfort of your private vehicle.
Tour Options
Itinerary
This enclosure for archaeological remains at Ephesus elegantly reconciles historic conservation with accessibility for visitors. The site of a succession of great ancient civilizations, Ephesus, on the south-west coast of modern Turkey, embodied a peculiarly fertile synthesis of architecture and culture. In 356BC the Greeks built the Artemesium (a colossal Ionic temple dedicated to Artemis the fertility goddess) which was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. During the 2nd century BC, Ephesus was the fourth largest city in the eastern Roman Empire, famous for its Artemesium, the Library of Celsus and its medical school..
The Temple of Artemis is known as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. It has been built in the areas of Ephesus on a flat area which has over the centuries turned into a swamp. If you visit Ephesus today, you can only see the ruins of the foundations of this marvelous construction of the Hellenistic Age, entirely made of marble and full of sculptured columns' capitals and shafts. The most beautiful remaining of this temple are today exhibited in the London British Museum.
It is believed that the evangelist St. John had spent his last years in the region around Ephesus and buried in the southern slope of Ayosolug Hill. Three hundred years after the death of St. John, a small chapel was constructed over the grave in the 4th century. The church of St John was changed into a marvelous basilica during the region of Emperor Justinian (527 -565 AD). The second half of the first century was full of persecution for the early Christians.Apostle James and Stephen were killed in Jerusalem.Paul was sent to Rome and executed. According to tradition John took The Mother Mary and came to Ephesus.He wrote his Gospel in Ephesus and the Revelation in Greece Island, Patmos in 96AD.
House of Virgin Mary is located on the top of the "Bulbul" mountain 9 km ahead of Ephesus, the shrine of Virgin Mary enjoys a marvelous atmosphere hidden in the green. It is the place where Mary may have spent her last days. Indeed, she may have come in the area together with Saint John, who spent several years in the area to spread Christianity. Mary preferred this remote place rather than living in crowded place. The house of Virgin Mary is a typical Roman architectural example, entirely made of stones. In the 4th century AD, a church, combining her house and grave, has been built. The original two-stored house, which consisted of an anteroom (where today candles are proposed), bedroom and praying room (Christian church area) and a room with fireplace (chapel for Muslims).
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
CRUISE PASSENGERS; WE MEET GUESTS AT THE EXIT GATE OF THE IMMIGRATION TERMINAL OF THE IZMIR CRUISE PORT WITH A BOARD WITH OTTI TRAVEL SIGN ON IT. FOR PICK UP FROM HOTELS, WE MEET GUEST BY THE HOTEL RECEPTION. FOR IZMIR AIRPORT (ADB) PICK UP, WE MEET GUEST AT THE EXIT GATE OF THE DOMESTIC TERMINAL WITH A BOARD WITH OTTI TRAVEL SIGN ON IT.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- 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
- Please note that it takes one hour from Izmir to Ephesus Ancient City by drive
Reviews(102)
It was a great tour. Our tour guide Selim arranged all the timings for us. We recommend him! Epehsus city was beautiful. We stayed there and he explained all the history and we got the all answers. You should bring sunscreens also!
We had a truly flawless day exploring Ephesus and its surroundings, thanks to the impeccable coordination by Selin at OTTI Travel. The day began perfectly with a prompt pickup right at our ship in Izmir. Our driver, Ahmed, was fantastic—he navigated the roads with total professionalism in a large, impressively comfortable van that made the commute a breeze. Selin is a world-class guide whose deep knowledge of Ephesus brought the history to life, from the iconic Library of Celsus to the fascinating Terrace Houses. The ancient site was undoubtedly the highlight of our day; seeing the towering ruins against the backdrop of glorious weather and piercing blue skies was an unforgettable experience. Selin’s storytelling and insights ensured we saw the best of the city while truly appreciating its monumental scale. Beyond the ruins, the itinerary Selin curated was exceptional and well-paced. We enjoyed a delicious, authentic lunch in the serene garden of the Turkmen Carpet Weaving Center, which provided a wonderful opportunity to relax and appreciate local hospitality in a beautiful setting. It was the perfect midday break between our historical explorations and our afternoon visits to local artisans. Before departing for Izmir, we explored several local highlights that rounded out the day perfectly. We stopped at a local leather shop and a ceramics studio to see incredible artistry, as well as a shop specializing in Turkish delights and other delicious food items. If you are looking for a seamless, high-end, and deeply informative tour while in port, I cannot recommend Selin, Ahmed, and the OTTI Travel team highly enough.
We had a great day at Ephesus with our guide, Nesli. She was knowledgeable, clear, spoke excellent English, and was very pleasant to be with. The drive was interesting, lunch was tasty, and the tour of carpet-making was informative. A great day all around.
We were picked up at the airport and went straight to the House of the Virgin Mary, which was excellent because the day was rainy and we got the place just for us.😁 Overall it is a good walk, a pity that the entrance to the attractions are not included; even we found the old city very expensive. Typical lunch, homemade, with good price. Our guide Mel was very attentive and friendly. The driver, too.
Our tour guide (Tas) was amazing. He speaks English with an American accent. He was punctual and picked us up from the cruise ship at 7:00 a.m. We got to Ephesus bright and early to beat all the other tours by half an hour. His guiding was illuminating and creative. He answered all of our questions. He took us off the beaten path to avoid crowds. He took photos for us. He was always mindful that we had two young children tagging along. Tas made Ephesus ours. Even though I had been to Ephesus twice before, I learned the most from Tas. I strongly recommend this private tour. You get what you pay for. We had the most enjoyable time.
WOWOW! What a tour!!! Asli very generously picked us up from the airport with our great driver, (who introduced himself as, "Boss"), and took us straight from Izmir to our day in Ephesus. On the way, she shared tons of details about the region, and was *so* accommodating to our needs—even flipping the schedule to let us have lunch upon arrival. Asli made sure to pack our time with as much information and history as she could, and she did so from a place of deep love and enthusiasm. Ephesus was hands down the most interesting place my husband and I have ever visited, and it was all thanks to Asli's vast knowledge and passion for the region. We are so lucky to now call Asli a friend of ours, and would recommend her tour to ANYONE!!! Please book this tour if you are visiting Izmir and Ephesus!!!
Sergio super guide, very friendly and attentive. Amazing tour, the guide was also excellent, highly recommend it. From day one Sergio very friendly contacted us for WA and helped us there with instructions
Wow! This was an amazing tour led by Elif and her driver Mehmet! Despite the downpour of rain for a few hours, Elif was experienced to keep us dry with other activiites during the downpour. Then we had hours at Ephesus in the dryness. We loved every minute of our tour and Elif was like a family friend in her approach to everything. Some of my family are history buffs and there were alot of questions! This was a 10 out of 10 tour!!! Thank you Elif and Mehmet!
We really enjoyed our trip to Ephesus. Our guide was very knowledgable and helpful and we were able to tailor the trip to our particular interests.
Amazing experience, our guide Selin Çizmeci was the best, always watching us and explaining every detail, the tour exceeded all my expectations
