Highlights 

 

• House of Virgin Mary
• Ephesus Open Air Museum
• Artemis Temple

 

Overview

Recall the days of ancient Rome on this full-day trip to Ephesus from Istanbul by plane. Accompanied with a professional guide, explore spectacular Greco-Roman Ephesus, Turkey’s archaeological showpiece. Stroll the ancient streets to marvel at the 2nd-century Celsus Library, the Great Theater and crumbled shops, bathhouses and temples. End your trip with visits to the House of the Virgin Mary, Isabey Mosque and the ruins of Artemis Temple. At the end of the tour, return to Istanbul or enjoy a drop-off in Kusadasi, once the tour is over. Numbers are limited to 15 for a small-group experience.

 

Descreption / Itinerary

After the early pickup at your hotel in Istanbul, there will be a transfer to the airport for your short flight to Izmir. On arrival, you will meet your professional local guide and the other members of the tour group for your journey to Ephesus. Settle aboard your air-conditioned vehicle and absorb the views of rural Turkey as you travel south to the stunning UNESCO World Heritage site. Stop at the House of the Mary, a stone cottage believed to mark where the Virgin Mary spent her last years. Peek inside the atmospheric house-turned-chapel, and learn why the site is so heavily linked to Mary and St John. Continue to Ephesus, an ancient Greek city that rose to prominence as a Roman seaport from the 2nd century AD. Accompanied by your guide, stroll around the semi-intact streets past the shells of long-ago shops and houses, and learn fascinating facts about life in the city during the Roman golden age. Awe at highlights such as the façade of the Library of Celsus and Hadrian’s Temple and gaze at the massive Great Theater, where St Paul once preached. Having explored the main Ephesus ruins, move on to the nearby remains of the Basilica of St. John, a 6th-century church built on the apostle’s believed burial site. Then, after a tasty buffet lunch at a local restaurant, pay a visit to the Isabey Mosque, a lovely example of medieval Anatolian religious architecture. Lastly, stop by the site of the Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. As you inspect the temple’s remnants, learn how it was rebuilt three times before its final destruction in 401 AD. Transfer to Izmir airport for your return flight to Istanbul or enjoy a drop-off at your hotel in Kusadasi or Selcuk (if option selected).
 

 ITINERARY
 

• 04:00 Transfer from your hotel in Istanbul to Airport
• 07:00 Flight from Istanbul Airport to Izmir
• 08:20 Greeting in İzmir airport & Transfer to Ephesus
• 09:30 Depart For Full day Ephesus Tour
• 16:00 End of the Ephesus Tour
• 16:30 Transfer to Izmir Airport
• 18:45 Flight to İstanbul (depending on flight availability)
• 20:00 Arrival in İstanbul & transfer to your hotel

 

Included

All Airport Transfers
Licensed Tour Guide
Transportation during your Tour
Lunch
Return flight ticket from/to Istanbul
 

Exclusives

Gratuities
Drinks during Lunch (if preferred)
 

Additional Information

Departure Point Traveler pickup is offered Pick up and Drop off services available from the Hotels which is located in city center. While booking this package, please indicate your Istanbul Hotel. The travelers who stay out of the pick-up & drop off zone may handle their own transportation to/from the Airport.