Kusadasi to Ephesus and House of the Virgin Mary: Private Tour
Start the day with pickup in Kusadasi between 7:30am and 11am—if you’re traveling by cruise ship, we suggest departing 30-minutes after docking time. Travel by private vehicle to the ancient city of Ephesus, where you'll leave the car behind to tour the site on foot. Follow the pillar-lined Harbor Street to an open-air theater, then continue to Marble Street, the Celcius Library, and the imposing gate of Mithridates and Mazeus. Get a glimpse of ancient Roman life at the commercial agora and a series of well-preserved temples, baths, fountains, and monuments. Leave the archeological site for Mt. Koressos, where a small stone house of the Virgin Mary has become a pilgrimage place for Catholics from around the world. Pause for lunch at a nearby restaurant then visit the Basilica of St. John, built to honor the tomb of John the Apostle. Make a final stop at the Temple of Artemis, whose foundation stones and chipped pillars are the only remnants of a ‘Wonder of the Ancient World.’ This tour concludes with drop-off at your Kusadasi hotel or cruise port.
What you'll see & do
- ✓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 Artemision, the Library of Celsus and its medical school..
- ✓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).
- ✓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.
What's included
- ✓Pick Up and Drop Off from Cruise Port and Hotels
- ✓Transport by Luxury Private Vehicle
- ✓All Parking Fees and Taxes
- ✓English Speaking Tour Guide with Archaeological Backgroud
What's not included
- ✓Local Lunch
- ✓Ephesus Ancient City
- ✓Virgin Mary House
- ✓St John Basilica
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Specialized infant seats are available
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
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
For Cruisers: Your private tour guide will be meeting you at the exit of the immigration gate of Kusadasi Cruise Port with a board with your name on it. For Hotel Guests: We will meet you by the hotel reception.
Cancellation policy
- •A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
- •No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.
Kusadasi to Ephesus and House of the Virgin Mary: Private Tour
Start the day with pickup in Kusadasi between 7:30am and 11am—if you’re traveling by cruise ship, we suggest departing 30-minutes after docking time. Travel by private vehicle to the ancient city of Ephesus, where you'll leave the car behind to tour the site on foot. Follow the pillar-lined Harbor Street to an open-air theater, then continue to Marble Street, the Celcius Library, and the imposing gate of Mithridates and Mazeus. Get a glimpse of ancient Roman life at the commercial agora and a series of well-preserved temples, baths, fountains, and monuments. Leave the archeological site for Mt. Koressos, where a small stone house of the Virgin Mary has become a pilgrimage place for Catholics from around the world. Pause for lunch at a nearby restaurant then visit the Basilica of St. John, built to honor the tomb of John the Apostle. Make a final stop at the Temple of Artemis, whose foundation stones and chipped pillars are the only remnants of a ‘Wonder of the Ancient World.’ This tour concludes with drop-off at your Kusadasi hotel or cruise port.
What you'll see & do
- ✓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 Artemision, the Library of Celsus and its medical school..
- ✓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).
- ✓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.
What's included
- ✓Pick Up and Drop Off from Cruise Port and Hotels
- ✓Transport by Luxury Private Vehicle
- ✓All Parking Fees and Taxes
- ✓English Speaking Tour Guide with Archaeological Backgroud
What's not included
- ✓Local Lunch
- ✓Ephesus Ancient City
- ✓Virgin Mary House
- ✓St John Basilica
Good to know
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Specialized infant seats are available
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
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
For Cruisers: Your private tour guide will be meeting you at the exit of the immigration gate of Kusadasi Cruise Port with a board with your name on it. For Hotel Guests: We will meet you by the hotel reception.
Cancellation policy
- •A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
- •No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.