Top Izmir Day Trips

I have visited many ancient archaeological sites over the years, including Baalbek in Lebanon, as well as remarkable ruins in Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, and elsewhere. Ephesus, however, is by far the most impressive ancient city I have ever experienced. The scale, preservation, and atmosphere are simply breathtaking. Walking along the marble streets, surrounded by towering ruins that have stood for nearly two thousand years, makes it easy to imagine what life was like at the height of the Roman Empire. Every corner reveals another incredible structure, and the site feels less like a collection of ruins and more like an entire ancient city brought back to life. A major part of what made this visit so memorable was my guide, Alperen. He is absolutely brilliant, with an incredible depth of knowledge about Ephesus, its history, and ancient civilizations more broadly. His explanations brought the ruins to life and added layers of context that made the experience far more meaningful and fascinating. If you have any interest in history, archaeology, or ancient civilizations, Ephesus is an absolute must-visit. It exceeded my already high expectations and stands out as one of the most extraordinary places I have ever been.

This tour was a revelation from beginning to end. The location is amazing and our guide Darmla was informative, professional and could not have made the experience better. We have been traveling for a while and this was definitely one of our most favorite tours.

If I could give Faruk more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. From the moment he picked us up until the end of the tour, he was the definition of professionalism, kindness, and genuine hospitality. He made us feel completely comfortable and safe throughout the entire day while sharing interesting information about the places we visited. What made the experience truly unforgettable was how much he cared about making our day special. He took the most beautiful photos of us with his own camera, knew all the best viewpoints, and made sure we left with incredible memories not just of Çeşme and Alaçatı, but of Türkiye itself. If you’re lucky enough to have Faruk as your guide, you’re in the best hands. He turned a wonderful destination into an unforgettable experience. Thank you, Faruk, for your kindness, your dedication, and for making our trip so special. We will always remember this day.

Our goal for this day was to visit Ephasus and learn more about the culture, food, and people of Turkey. We were blown away-this tour far exceeded our expectations! We were lucky enough to be met at our cruise port by the co-owner,Nesrin. What a delightful woman, full of knowledge and kindness. The minivan my husband and I traveled in was extremely clean and comfortable. Walking through the marble streets of Ephasus was mind blowing. The delicious lunch at the farm and being able to speak with the women making rugs there was something I will never forget! We went into another little town and shopped and then headed to the most picturesque hillside winery for wine tasting with appetizers. Batu, our driver did a fabulous job and got us back to our port as scheduled! Highly recommend this tour and this company! The communication was much appreciated

It's fabulous but there just isn’t enough time to do everything considering the long drive from Izmir. The guide was knowledgeable and personable. I did enjoy seeing the countryside on the drive. The travertine pools are treacherously slippery. Cleopatra's pool was the highlight for me. It was a busy day so had to wait in line before and after swimming to use one of the limited changing rooms. I chose to pay for a golf cart ride to the theatre instead of walking. It was well worth paying for in order to have more swimming time. I got a round trip ticket and when we got to the top the driver said I had 15 minutes to take pictures. I hadn't noticed any signage informing me of this detail. Unless you are really into museums I would say skip it. The Buffet lunch was good. Be aware that there is always a "shopping experience " included with a tour.

I really enjoyed it. It was a group tour but I was the only one signed up for this day and they still went ahead with the tour. I had my own driver and guide on a 15 passenger van! I was able to converse with the guide about random questions I had about Turkey. Pergamum is beautiful and way less crowded than other ancient cities. The included lunch was a fabulous home cooked meal at a hidden away complex in the country side. Of course there is a carpet presentation. I went on quite a few 1 and 2 day tours in Turkey and I felt this carpet thing was the most educational and personable out of all I listened to.

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.

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.