Where is Ephesus?
Ephesus is an ancient Roman city located in eastern Turkey. Now you can find there city remains and many monuments left from the past. This is the most preserved ancient city in whole Turkey. So, it’s natural that there are many tours packages offered by many Turkey tour operators.
PRIVATE EPHESUS TOURS – FROM KUSADASI AND IZMIR
Private Ephesus tour
As any other private tour this will begin with your own guide who will meet you at Kusadasi, usually at the port. Your private guide is someone who will lead you through every significant place you should see in Ephesus. One of those places is the library of Celsus which used to be the most impressive building back then. Also, you will see the temple of Hadrian. One wall of that temple is still preserved, and it has been under reconstruction. This tour also includes visit to the grand theater who could receive up to 24000 visitors. This sightseeing tour should end in about three hours, if you don’t request to go to lunch. Then it would last longer and after that you go back to the starting point, the port. But if you request visit to terrace houses it can increase the price and the tour will be prolonged for about half an hour.
Private Ephesus – Artemission temple tour
Again, this tour will have the same beginning as the previous one. You will also be able to see the library of Celsus and on your way to it you will visit the Scholastica baths. These baths carry their builder name, a woman called Scholastica. These baths purpose wasn’t only hygienic. They were used for socializing. Specific Roman touch cannot be felt anymore, because Ottomans turned them into traditional Turkish baths. The great temple of Hadrian and the grand theater are also included in this tour. This tour ends when you visit Artemission temple. This temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It was dedicated to the goddess Artemis and it used to be Greek temple when it was built. This tour will take around three and a half hours to be completed (without lunch).
Private Ephesus – Artemission Temple – The house of Virgin Mary tours
This tour includes everything the previous one has but one place is added. It’s the house of Virgin Mary. Mary was the person who brought Apostle John to that place. Place you will visit there is building that was her house. This house has absolutely gorgeous interior, with one bedroom and a kitchen. This tour will also end at Artemission temple after four hours of sightseeing. There is also another tour in offer, like this, but a little moderated. In includes a traditional Turkish lunch, so you can try all tasty dishes that Turkey has. This will prolong the tour for additional hour and a half. Another moderation of this tour is made when Turkey tour operators added a visit to St. John basilica to it. What you have to see there are basilica ruins and tomb of St. John. The tour will know last for six and a half hour.
There is also a little shortened tour made as a composition of these places. For people with different interest, there is a tour that takes them to Artemission temple and St. John basilica only. This tour will take four hours of your time.
Private Ephesus – Miletus – Didyma tour
After you visit every significant place in Ephesus, like the Scholastica baths, the library of Celsus etc, your personal guide will take you to Miletus. Miletus is also an ancient city, just like Ephesus. It was really big city with developed trading. Many famous philosophers found their home in Miletus. The theater of Miletus can still be seen there because it’s in really good condition, and I’m sure it will amaze you. After Miletus, you will go to Didyma. Didyma was an ancient sanctuary and a part of Miletus city. Translated to English, Didyma means ‘’’twins’’ and sanctuary got that name because of two temples – one is dedicated to Apolo and another to Artemis. Apolo and Artemis were twins. Ruins of this two temples can be still be found and they are the main attraction in Didyma.
Private Ephesus – Sirince village
This tour will lead you to Sirince, a small village located near Selcuk city. There is a legend connected to this place that says that it was founded by Greek slaves who named it ‘’Ugly’’ so other won’t follow them. This name was changed in the past century. This village can offer you to feel combination of two different cultures and a unique spirit they have created in this place. The most interesting building there is the Orthodox Church. If you take this tour and decide to go for a lunch, you must try Sirince wine, it’s absolutely remarkable. This tour will last for about five hours.
Private Priene – Miletos – Karine (Doganbey fishing village) tour
Priene is a place where the temple of Athena is located. When you get there, you will hear interesting history of this temple, and some interesting facts about its founder, Alexander the Great. There are five high columns that represent remains of the temple. After Priene you will visit Miletos (you can read about it in the previous text). After that your personal guide will lead you to Karine or Doganbey fishing village. As you can see from its name, Karine is a fishing village where your tour will come to an end. Karine is special because it has beautiful landscapes and views, clear blue water from the sea and many different species of fish in there. Many different kinds of birds can be found too.
Relax Ephesus tour
By ‘’relax tour’’ is meant that you have completely freedom in planning and arranging your tour. Your private guide will meet you at the port and you will tell him where you want to go. These tours can take up to 12 people.
What if I’m coming from Izmir?
Every tour starts in the same way – you meet your personal guide at the Kusadasi port. If you are coming from Izmir, your personal guide will wait for you at the Izmir port and after that it will take about 50 minutes to get to Ephesus, where your tour can start.
What’s included?
You pay a price in which are included the following things:
- personal guide services
- tickets to every place you visit
- minivan or a car in which your personal guide transports you to different places
- lunch (only in some tours package)
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