Most popular
Best of Ephesus Tour
The classic trio — Ephesus Ancient City, House of Virgin Mary and Temple of Artemis — in our single most-booked itinerary.
The essentials, brilliantly timed
Treasures of Ephesus Tour
Short on hours but not on wonder? This is the tour we designed for travelers who want the icons of Ephesus without a wasted minute.
Tour overview
What makes this tour special
Some guests come to us with a whole day; others step off a cruise ship with just a few precious hours. The Treasures of Ephesus Tour was created for the second kind — a private itinerary built around perfect timing, so you see the greatest monuments of Ephesus before the tour-bus crowds close in.
Because your tour is private, we adapt on the fly: linger at the Library of Celsus for photographs, or move briskly and add the Temple of Artemis viewpoint. Your guide — born and raised here — knows exactly which gate to enter, at which hour, in which season.
Highlights
- Walk the marble streets of a city that housed 250,000 Romans
- Stand before the Library of Celsus, once home to some 12,000 scrolls
- Visit the Odeon, the intimate concert hall of the ancient city
- See the State and Commercial Agoras where East traded with West
- Step into the Grand Theater where Saint Paul faced the silversmiths' riot
- Finish at the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
Step by step
Your day, hour by hour
Pickup at your ship, hotel or airport
Your guide meets you with a name sign and a private, air-conditioned coach. For cruise guests we recommend the earliest possible start to stay ahead of the crowds.
Ephesus Ancient City
Enter through the quieter gate and walk downhill past the Odeon, the agoras and Curetes Street to the Library of Celsus and the Grand Theater — with stories at every column.
Temple of Artemis
A single soaring column remains of the wonder that once boasted 127 of them. Your guide reconstructs its lost glory — and explains why a man named Herostratus burned it down to become famous.
Optional lunch & local artisan visit
If time allows, we finish with a genuine local lunch at a large artisan center — whatever is local and fresh that day, cooked by local chefs — while masters of traditional Turkish handcrafts work around you.
No surprises
What's included
Included
- Lunch included — whatever is local and fresh, cooked by local chefs, at a local artisan centre
- Private licensed tour guide (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French or German)
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver
- Hotel, cruise port or airport pickup and drop-off
- Parking fees and fuel
- All taxes, official expenses and required insurance
Not included
- Entrance fees to the sites (see our up-to-date entrance fees page)
- Personal drinks
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
- Gratuities (optional, always appreciated)
Arriving by sea?
We serve all of these cruise lines
Whichever ship brings you to Kusadasi or Izmir, our guides know its pier, its schedule and exactly how much time you really have ashore.
Guaranteed pick-up and drop-back on time — for every one of these cruise lines.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Is three hours really enough for Ephesus?
For the essential monuments, yes — because the tour is private and precisely timed. If your ship gives you longer, consider the Best of Ephesus or Full Day tours for extra sites like the House of Virgin Mary.
Will we be back at the ship on time?
Always. We build in a generous buffer, our drivers monitor traffic, and in years of operating cruise excursions we have never caused a missed departure.
Can we start earlier than the cruise crowds?
That is exactly the point of this tour. If your ship docks at 07:00, we can be at the gate when it opens.
Ready for the Treasures of Ephesus Tour?
Every tour is private and tailored to your pace. Send us your date — a local expert replies within 24 hours.
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Full Day Ephesus Tour
Ephesus plus the Terrace Houses, House of Virgin Mary, Temple of Artemis and Isa Bey Mosque — the complete day, at your pace.
Tailor-made
Create Your Own Ephesus Tour
Pick your sites, your pace and your lunch table. Our local experts turn your wish list into a perfectly planned private day.