Private Tour - House of Mary, Village, Ephesus and Temple

Back

Tour Times: 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM

Don't Port,

Don't Pay Security

Back-to-Ship

Guarantee

Hassle-free

Cancellation

Book ahead!

On average, this booked 3 months in advance.

Why people love this tour

The guides are amazing, there is nothing that they do not know. Ephesus and House of Mary is mind blowing.

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup and Dropoff at the Cruise Port Included

6.5 hours (approx.) Private Tour Moderate

Overview

You will be met at the port of Izmir.

We will start visiting one of the main highlights in Turkey, Ephesus, one of the 12 cities of Ionian League (an ancient Greek district on the western coast of Asia Minor). As a port city it was a major departure point for trade routes into Asia Minor.

We will take a walk through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, among them the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus; it was built in the beginning of the 2nd century A.D. by Gaius Julius Aquila to be a memorial to his father Gaius Julius Celsus Polemanus, the proconsul of Province of Asia. The Temple of Hadrian and The Grand Theatre are two of the most impressive buildings in Ephesus. The Grand theatre was built in 3rd century B.C and it was later expanded to 24.000 spectators by the Romans in the 1st century A.D.

At the end of the Ephesus tour there are plenty of souvenir stands and also restrooms should you require them, time will be allocated for this.

The tour will then continue to the House of Virgin Mary is located on the Aladag Mountains 5 miles away from Ephesus. At the third Ecumenical Council on 431 AD in Ephesus, it was claimed that Mary came to Ephesus with St. John in 37 A.D. and lived there until her death in 48 A.D. After the discovery of the house, the Archbishop of Izmir declared there as a place of pilgrimage in 1892. On July 26, 1967, Pope Paul VI visited this place and prayed there.

We will then visit Artemis Temple where used to be one on the seven wonders of the ancient world before it was burned down in an arson attack by a man named Herostratus for nothing other than fame. It was later rebuilt with the help of Alexander the Great before being destroyed again by the Goths. It was destroyed a total of 3 times.

After Artemis Temple, drive up to the pretty old Turkish-Orthodox village Sirince, located on the top of a mountain, where anyone will enjoy the impressive wine yards and peach trees. The village has synthesis of Turk-Greek culture, where we visit mosque and Orthodox Church. All the narrow streets of the village belong to the women, selling handcrafts of all kinds, olive oil. Another attraction of Sirince is its wine: try its taste in small cafes.

After all of that, we will make our your way back to port and berth.

The order of the itinerary may change on the day.

What's Included

Cruise port pick-up
Professional English-Speaking Guide
Air-Conditioned Transportation
Entrance fees to Ephesus and House of Mary

Food and Beverages
Tips/Gratuities

Itinerary

Meet and Greet at the Cruise Port

Tour Start

70 Minutes Drive

To House of Mary

45 Minutes Visit

Inside House of Mary Site

10 Minutes Drive

To Ephesus

90 Minutes Exploration

Guided Tour of Ephesus

10 Minutes Drive

To Artemis Temple for Photo Opportunity

20 Minutes Drive

To the Village of Sirince

45 Minutes

Free Time in the Village

70 Minutes Drive

Back to Cruise Port

Arrive at Cruise Port

Tour End

Considerations

The ground is very uneven at Ephesus and House of Mary, there are also steps and inclines (this tour would be unsuitable for those who have walking difficulties)

Special Instructions

There are several restrooms inside the sights with a small charge locally
Bring your sunglasses, sunscreen, sunhat and water bottle.
Wear comfortable walking shoes
Bring your camera to capture wonderful memories of your time ashore!
Local Currency is Turkish Lira (TRY), US Dollar, Euro and Great British Pound is accepted in certain places

Sightseeing/City Tour Archaeological/Cultural Walking Tour Skip The Line

Tour Times: 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM

Hassle-free

Cancellation

Book ahead!

On average, this booked 3 months in advance.

Why people love this tour

The guides are amazing, there is nothing that they do not know. Ephesus and House of Mary is mind blowing.

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup and Dropoff at the Cruise Port Included

Private Tour - House of Mary, Village, Ephesus and Temple

Overview

What's Included

Itinerary

Considerations

Special Instructions

Book Now

Price Info

Tour added successfully

Share this tour

POPULAR DESTINATIONS

Log in to Venture Ashore

Forgot your password?

Back-to-Ship Guarantee

Don't Port, Don't Pay Security

Create a new account