Top Izmir Day Trips

The highlight is the ruins. Way more than I expected and our guide was knowledgeable and gave us time to explore on our own. The activities after were adjusted by our guide to better match our interests. It was a good day. The transportation was top notch!!

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.

Our tour was great - Ephesus is amazing. Our pickup was on time and the ride was very comfortable. Our tour guide gave us great information. But we wished he would have given us enough time to take pictures. It felt a little rushed, starting at the very first spot which is a beautiful Amphitheater and that carried throughout the tour - If you are planning to take the tour, please talk to the guide as soon as you can to ensure you get time to take pictures with your family. We made a stop at the carpet place which was not really needed. We would have preferred to use that time at Ephesus instead. We were also taken to a glass blowing/mosaic place. But instead of visiting It, half of our tour folks (and including us) decided to visit the ruins that are close by - they were so worth it. If you are taking this tour, carry bug spray. There were a lot of mosquitoes at the House of Mother Mary and at Ephesus. Despite challenges with respect to feeling rushed, I am giving it a 5-star review since Ephesus is absolutely amazing.

We had a great trip to Hierapolis and Pamukkale. Mustafa was a great guide. He provided great history and gave us ample time to take pictures. The ruins are fantastic. The Taverines of Pamukkale are beautiful. Our pickup from the Izmir hotel was on time and the ride was very smooth.

Faruk did a great job in organizing this tour and executing per plan. The pickup and drop off from my hotel in Izmir were smooth. The tour was well paced and I loved all the places I saw. Faruk took awesome pictures and also recommended an outstanding lunch place to try in Alacati.

Ephesus is a beautiful city still with many of the structure restored. The guide, Mr Alperen was very knowledgeable and was detailed in his explanation. It was also interesting to visit the Temple of Artemis, pottery place and Turkish delight shop where we bought their cold press olive oil! The experience of this trip was great and enjoyable! The weather was forecasted to be rainy all day but thank God, the rain didn’t last long and came only when we finished the temple of Artemis!

Great day either with Ozgur. The pick up from our hotel was smooth. There were three of us in a large van, so very comfortable. It was a private tour, so Ozgur was open to any suggestions, and we had good conversation throughout the day. Visiting Ephesus is an amazing experience. Don’t miss it if you are in Izmir.

Extremely professional. Upon booking the agency contacted me right away which was reassuring as there weren’t that many reviews. The guy who picked us up came early. Car was clean and air conditioners . We changed pick up time and the agency was responsive. Don’t hesitate to use this agency. Will definite use them again if I come back.