Top Izmir Day Trips

Ephesus is an amazing archaeological site and well worth the visit. I would highly recommend a guided tour. You can walk through the site yourself and you will see a lot, but a good guide will fill in the “story” of the city and the people who lived there. It brings the place to life and I much prefer a live guide even over the recorded audio tours often available. Our guides for the day were Erman and Alpi. Both were excellent. Clearly spoken, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They made the day interesting and enjoyable. The tour was well organised. We were picked up right on time, transport was comfortable, driver was good, lunch was good. Nothing to complain about. Tour did include the obligatory stop at a handicraft site with demonstrations and souvenirs available for purchase.

Excellent Tour! The Hüray guide was super attentive, explained every historical detail and curiosity very well, in addition to giving several valuable tips for us to have a better experience. The tour was incredible, everything was very punctual and delivered as promised. It was a very good experience, I recommend it with my eyes closed

A really enjoyable tour of Pamukkale. Our guide gave clear, interesting explanations of the area, and we were given sufficient time to explore and appreciate the sights without feeling rushed. The pace worked really well and made for a great day. One tip for other travellers: make sure to bring your swimwear!

We were very satisfied with the transfer. I am rather a very skeptical and cautious person, but I must say that if I had known how simple, smooth, and reliable the transfer works, we would never have traveled any other way. Very reliable, punctual, and friendly. Simple and fast communication via WhatsApp. The price-performance ratio is totally spot on. Since you are not familiar with the airport in a foreign country, you are sent photos of the meeting point directly. We have two small children, so the classic hotel transfer that you know was not an option for us at all. It was also totally great for our children; they were very fascinated by the starry sky in the vehicle. Very clear recommendation. Another important aspect: you only pay after the service has been provided. We booked both transfers, there and back, and always only paid for the service directly provided. We would book again anytime.

Wonderful full day tour from Kusadasi to Ephesus. Our tour guide Mel and driver Mehmet were very flexible in terms of our pickup, and allowed us to get the most out of the time we had. Melike was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about her town, and we understand far more about the entire area and history than we did after our first time there. Thanks Mel….we really enjoyed the day

First of all, it's very nice that we are in the Morning outside the regular pickup area were picked up🫶. The wonderful tour guide (Rafael) could tell a lot about Anatolian history. He was very clear and structured about the program. Great lunch! The stone shop didn't need me. Maybe I would have preferred to stay longer at the limestone or excavations.

We had a truly flawless day exploring Ephesus and its surroundings, thanks to the impeccable coordination by Selin at OTTI Travel. The day began perfectly with a prompt pickup right at our ship in Izmir. Our driver, Ahmed, was fantastic—he navigated the roads with total professionalism in a large, impressively comfortable van that made the commute a breeze. Selin is a world-class guide whose deep knowledge of Ephesus brought the history to life, from the iconic Library of Celsus to the fascinating Terrace Houses. The ancient site was undoubtedly the highlight of our day; seeing the towering ruins against the backdrop of glorious weather and piercing blue skies was an unforgettable experience. Selin’s storytelling and insights ensured we saw the best of the city while truly appreciating its monumental scale. Beyond the ruins, the itinerary Selin curated was exceptional and well-paced. We enjoyed a delicious, authentic lunch in the serene garden of the Turkmen Carpet Weaving Center, which provided a wonderful opportunity to relax and appreciate local hospitality in a beautiful setting. It was the perfect midday break between our historical explorations and our afternoon visits to local artisans. Before departing for Izmir, we explored several local highlights that rounded out the day perfectly. We stopped at a local leather shop and a ceramics studio to see incredible artistry, as well as a shop specializing in Turkish delights and other delicious food items. If you are looking for a seamless, high-end, and deeply informative tour while in port, I cannot recommend Selin, Ahmed, and the OTTI Travel team highly enough.

An unmissable tour in Izmir, with an exceptional guide like Herman who speaks perfect Spanish, knowing the most important places like some of its Mosques, the clock square, its market, the agora , the elevator and viewpoint with our guide who made this activity an unforgettable experience, exceeded all our expectations.