Who We Are | Contact 

Ancient Ruins Of Ephesus

Bookmark and Share

6 Hours  / Included lunch

Arrive in Kusadasi, you will meet your guide at the port for private sightseeing in Ephesus.

First, you will visit the House of Virgin Mary, where Mary is thought to have lived the last years of her life. The building was rediscovered in the late 19th century by Lazartis based on the vision of a German nun. The site is officially declared a shrine of the Roman Catholic Church and visited by Pope Paul VI in 1967, Pope John Paul II in 1979 and Pope Benedict XVI in 2006.

Next drive to Ephesus. Enter the ancient city and view the Odeon Theatre, where state affairs and concerts were held. Walk down the marble walkway and visit the Hadrian Temple. It was dedicated in 118 AD to Hadrian, Artemis, and the people of Ephesus but greatly reconstructed in the 4th century. This impressive Corinthian style temple has beautiful reliefs on the porch. According to the belief of Ephesians, the Medusa head on the porch, would protect the city from its enemies.

Proceed to the Celsus Library, the library is the best preserved structure of its kind. The inscription on the side of the building's front staircase states that the library was built by Julius, in his father's honour, after his death. His father, Celsus was the Roman governor of Asia Minor early in the 2nd century AD.

You will make a visit to the spectacular Terrace Houses (Villas) located on top of the hill within the Ephesus. They have a fantastic view of the entire city of Ephesus. They were inhabited by wealthy Ephesians, and are finely decorated with incredible examples of mosaics and frescos. The Terrace Houses were brought to light in excavations carried out since the 1980s by a team of Austrian archeologists. Along with those in Pompeii, they constitute some of the most vivid examples of Roman domestic architecture to survive to the present.

Next, visit the Great Theatre, dating back to the Hellenistic period. In the 1st century AD it was successfully reconstructed and expanded by the Romans until it reached the seating capacity of 25,000. This is also the place where it is believed that St.Paul preached. It is still used for performances today.

You are invited for lunch in a local home to taste and understand the real culture of an Anatolian village. The meal will be prepared by the lady of the house and you will taste local specialties and authentic Turkish cuisine. Enjoy tasting the different local wines during lunch.

After your lunch, visit the Ephesus Museum. Many of the artifacts displayed here were found in Ephesus and other ancient sites in the region. Highlights include the fresco of Socrates, statues and heads of Eros, crosses, coins and the works of the 1st century AD and much more.

At the end of your day, you will return to Kusadasi and have some time for shopping in this enchanting town before embarking your ship.