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KUS - CRS 001 - Best of Ephesus Full Day
Tour Overview

A motorcoach tour from the port of Kusadasi to the House of the Virgin Mary includes scenic views of the Byzantine fortress in Selcuk and the Temple of Artemis. A long and winding road affords wonderful views of the valley en route to the Shrine of St. Mary. The diminutive house, beautifully situated in the Solmissos Mountains, is considered by the Vatican to be the final resting place of the Virgin Mary. Its idyllic garden contains a spring thought to have curative properties, which can be sampled by all.

Your tour continues to ancient Ephesus, where you'll pass through the arched Magnesian Gate and begin a slow, downhill walk to the ruins of the Roman provincial capital. Your knowledgeable guide will highlight such sights as the beautifully preserved Temple of Hadrian, the magnificent Trajan Fountain, the Odeon Theater, once used for both political and entertainment purposes, and the beautiful Celsus Library with its imposing façade and two story Corinthian-style columns. The dramatic Great Theater is one of the few structures still used today. It seats twenty-five thousand and, although it was once an arena for gladiator games, it is now home to annual spring festivals.

Although in ruins, the Basilica of St. John is still a majestic sight to behold. Among the remains, large columns, frescos and mosaics still stand, paying homage to the monumental basilica built during Emperor Justinian's reign. The structure was created in the shape of a cross and covered with six individual domes, the central one of which is thought to lie directly above the burial site of St. John.

Your tour continues at the famed Ephesus Museum, home of some of the most extraordinary antiquities in the world. Unlike a traditional museum, the artifacts are not displayed in chronological order, but rather in a series of themed rooms and courtyards. There is much variation in the collection and the famous statue of Artemis, Goddess of Fertility, is housed within its walls.

Your scenic drive through Kusadasi to a Restaurant with Kusadasi view for lunch is the perfect respite in your exhilarating day. You'll dine on traditional foods and savor the wonderful Turkish desserts. A local folkloric dance group offers entertainment during your meal. After lunch, explore the lovely port town of Kusadasi, taking in a Turkish carpet-weaving demonstration and browsing the colorful markets and bazaars for souvenirs from this incredible day.

RATESPrices for per person
  • SEASONS
NOTES

This tour is only available during full-day calls in Kusadasi.

Ephesus requires walking long distances over uneven surfaces; to enter the Basilica of St. John involves some walking at an uphill gradient and a few stairs. At the House of the Virgin Mary, there are also some stairs.

The drive from Ephesus to the Virgin Mary Shrine takes approximately 20 minutes over a winding mountain road.

The sequence of tour stops may vary.

This tour is not wheelchair accessible.

This tour uses headsets.

TOUR DETAILS

Tour Highlights

  •  
  • INCLUDING
  • Private Professional Licensed Guide
  • Transportation in Comfortable A/C Vehicles
  • Private Professional Driver
  • Entrance Fees to the Sights Mentioned Above the Itinerary
  • All Parking and Taxes
  • EXCLUDING
  • Any Gratuities for Guide & Driver
  • Any Drinks and Meals(Unless Specifically Mentioned)
  • Any Kind of Other Personal Expenses
DURATION
7 Hour
* Please, contact us for group rates