Ephesus Small Group Day Tour from Izmir
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Ephesus Small Group Day Tour from Izmir
Recommended for your Izmir trip
Free Cancellation
up to 24 hours in advance
11 hours (Approx.)
Hotel pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English and 1 more
Good for avoiding crowds
Overview
Ephesus is one of Turkey’s most impressive ancient sites but with over 2 million annual visitors it can get crowded. Ensure a more personalized experience with this small-group tour from Izmir and enjoy a comprehensive itinerary that includes UNESCO-listed Ephesus; the House of the Virgin Mary, where Mary spend her final years; the site of the Artemis temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; and the Isabey Mosque.
- Full-day small-group tour of Ephesus from Izmir
- Explore the UNESCO-listed ruins of Ephesus including the Odeon and the Celsus Library
- See the remains of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
- Visit the House of Virgin Mary and Isabey Mosque
- Great-value tour includes hotel pick-up, lunch, and entrance fees
- Small-group tour limited to 15 people ensures a personalized experience
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Your tour begins with an early morning pick-up from your central Izmir hotel by air-conditioned coach. As you drive south to Ephesus, listen as your guide fills you in on the history of the ancient city, which was once the Roman capital of Asia Minor and at its peak between 1 AD and 2 AD.
On arrival, follow your guide and small-group of no more than 15 people around the UNESCO-listed ruins, pausing to admire archeological wonders such as the Temple Of Hadrian, the magnificent Celsus Library, and the Great Theatre, which seats up to 24,000 people. Learn more about life in ancient Roman times as you peek into the Public Latrines and Roman Baths, stroll around the Agora, and walk down the grand marble-paved Arcadian Way.
Continue to the House of the Virgin Mary, perched atop the Bulbul Mountain, where Mary is alleged to have spent the final years of her life. Head inside to see the shrine of the Virgin Mary, and perhaps drink from the spring, said to possess healing qualities.
Pause for lunch (included) at a local restaurant and tuck into some delicious Turkish cuisine, before continuing to nearby Selçuk to admire the Isabey Mosque, an exquisite example of Seljukian architecture. There’s just time for one more stop before the return journey – to the site of the Temple of Artemis, which was once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
After a full day uncovering Turkey’s ancient past, return to Izmir, where your tour ends with drop-off at your hotel.
On arrival, follow your guide and small-group of no more than 15 people around the UNESCO-listed ruins, pausing to admire archeological wonders such as the Temple Of Hadrian, the magnificent Celsus Library, and the Great Theatre, which seats up to 24,000 people. Learn more about life in ancient Roman times as you peek into the Public Latrines and Roman Baths, stroll around the Agora, and walk down the grand marble-paved Arcadian Way.
Continue to the House of the Virgin Mary, perched atop the Bulbul Mountain, where Mary is alleged to have spent the final years of her life. Head inside to see the shrine of the Virgin Mary, and perhaps drink from the spring, said to possess healing qualities.
Pause for lunch (included) at a local restaurant and tuck into some delicious Turkish cuisine, before continuing to nearby Selçuk to admire the Isabey Mosque, an exquisite example of Seljukian architecture. There’s just time for one more stop before the return journey – to the site of the Temple of Artemis, which was once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
After a full day uncovering Turkey’s ancient past, return to Izmir, where your tour ends with drop-off at your hotel.
Itinerary
The House of the Virgin Mary (or Meryem Ana Evi in Turkish) is a place where, according to the beliefs of many people Mary, the mother of Jesus, spent the last years of her life. She was supposed to arrive at Ephesus together with St. John and lived there in the years 37-45 CE until her Assumption (according to Catholic doctrine) or Dormition (according to Orthodox belief).
Duration: 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
Of Turkey's hundreds of ancient cities and classical ruins, Ephesus is the grandest and best preserved. Indeed, it's the best place on the Mediterranean to get a feel for what life was like in ancient times. Ancient Ephesus was a great trading city and a centre for the cult of Cybele, the Anatolian fertility goddess.
Duration: 2 hours
Admission Ticket Included
Odeon. The Odeion of Ancient Ephesus is a small, semi-circular theater originally constructed in the 2nd century A.D and financed by PubliusVedius Antonius and his wife FlaviaPaiana. The building would have served as a space for political meetings, social events, concerts, and theatrical performances.
Duration: 15 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
This magnificent library dating from the early 2nd century AD, the best-known monument in Ephesus, has been extensively restored. Originally built as part of a complex, the library looks bigger than it actually is: the convex facade base heightens the central elements, while the middle columns and capitals are larger than those at the ends. Facade niches hold replica statues of the Four Virtues. From left to right, they are Sophia (Wisdom), Arete (Goodness), Ennoia (Thought) and Episteme (Knowledge).
Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
This temple dedicated to the Emperor Hadrian is considered one of the best preserved and most beautiful structures on Curetes Street. It was constructed in the beginning of the 2nd century AD by P. Quintilius to celebrate Hadrian visiting the city from Athens.
Duration: 10 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
The great theater of Ephesus is a splendidly preserved and very impressive building. This structure, built of marble, has a width of 145 meters, and its audience once reached up to 30 meters. In its heyday, it could accommodate up to 24,000 spectators. The construction of the theater began in Hellenistic times.
Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
Temple of Artemis (or Artemision), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In an empty field to the west of the centre, this lone reconstructed pillar is all that remains of the massive Temple of Artemis (or Artemision) At its zenith, the temple counted 127 columns.
Duration: 15 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
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