Ephesus Private & Mini Group Shore Excursions - Skip The Lines

Recommended by 98% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Kusadasi, Turkey

4 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

See Kusadasi’s signature sight—the Ephesus UNESCO World Heritage Site—in just half a day on this great-value small-group shore excursion, scheduled to work around the time your cruise docks. Enjoy a guided skip-the-line tour of Ephesus, including the Library of Celsus and the Temple of Hadrian, stop by the Temple of Artemis (Artemision), and return. Upgrade for a private tour, with the option of seeing the Ephesus Terrace Houses (own expense).

Hit the highlights of ancient Ephesus with a guide and skip-the-line entry
See the Temple of Artemis—the ruins of one of the Seven Wonders of the World
Numbers are capped at just 10 travelers—or upgrade for a private tour
Picks up and drops from the port at a time that works with your ship

What's Included

Professional Licenced English speaking tour guide
Parking Fees
All taxes, fees and handling charges
Transportation with A/C vehicles
GUARANTEED On Time Return to PORT

Food and drinks
Gratuities
ENTRANCE FEES (Our guide will have pre-paid tickets to skip lines)

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup point

Kuşadası Port Türkiye
Camikebir, Feribot Limanı, 09400 Kuşadası/Aydın, Türkiye

Pickup details

Pick up point is Kusadasi Cruise Terminal only This tour is for cruise ship passengers only and is not available to those staying in hotels. Our Tour guide will have your name sign at the port. Enjoy this 4 hours excursion starting at Kusadasi port and taking you to Ephesus where you can trace Alexander the Great, Caesar or Cicero. You can add recently opened Terrace Houses to your program ( Terrace houses can be added to Private option only. Not available in mini group tours ) and admire the frescos Once back in Kusadasi, you can enjoy some shopping. Professional Licenced Tour guide, A/C transportation are included * Mini group Tour * Informative, friendly and professional guide * Option with Private Tour for your family and Friends

Operating hours

Select your preferred tour option to see hours.

Itinerary

Kuşadası Port Türkiye

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Ephesus Ancient City

2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

The Temple of Artemis

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Okuz Mehmet Pasa KervansarayI (Pass By)

Ege Ports

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Not wheelchair accessible
Infant seats available
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level

Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Option with Private Tour for your family and Friends
Mini Group Tours with max 10 guests
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.9

based on 116 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Fabulous Day in and around Ephesus. Highly Recommend this Tour

Erica_T, Nov 2025

We had a seemless and fabulous day with Alex in Kusadasi. Do NOT do the shore excursion. This is so simple. We paid $40 pp and had a private Mercedes Van along with our awesome guide Alex. The tour busses had 30 people in their groups and god only know what they paid. Also Alex took us by other sites to see them from the van and explained the history. Separate from that we went to this family owned pottery shop (I researched after the fact and it is legit) where we bought some beautiful truly special items. But we also love pottery. Anyway, Alex guided us through the ruins, took pictures but was also super chill. The only things we would have done differently would be to skip the weaving school which we felt was just a rug store and took too much time. And skip ANY restaurant in the port. They’re all garbage including the one Alex suggested. We still love you Alex but that is not good food. :)

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Dear Erica, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your kind words. We are delighted to hear that your experience with us exceeded your expectations, and your compliments have been shared with our team with great pleasure. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderfull country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Great tour to Ephesus, Kusadasi

Galina_K, Aug 2025

We had a great, very interesting tour to the ruins of the ancient town Ephesus. Gulkada, may be I spelled his name wrong, is a very knowledgeable tour guy. We enjoyed this tour a lot. And the price was very reasonable as well.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hello, Your kind words will be shared with our entire team, who will be thrilled to know they helped create this memorable experience. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderfull country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Worth more money

Linda_R, Oct 2024

This was the highlight of our cruise. Rose was our tour guide and did an outstanding job! She explained so much history of the area to us. Rose was very pleasant and patient with us as we navigated the terrain. We stopped at a rug making factory where I was able to put a knot into a rug. It is really interesting to see the process of how the yarn is made. This is truly an eye opening tour. It gave me chills knowing that the apostles Paul and John spent time here. I think this tour was well worth more that what we were charged. You will not be disappointed with this tour company!!

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Dear Linda, I don't know how to thank you enough for your comment. Your feedback is precious and has been proudly share with the entire team. Our colleagues' dedication to our guests is fully rewarded when we received such wonderful comments. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderfull country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Highly recommend

Paresh_T, Jun 2024

Well organized. Polite and knowledgeable guide. Gurkan our guide was super nice. It was a hot day but we stopped and hydrated just at the right times thanks to him. Kids learnt a lot

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Paresh, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your kind words. We are delighted to hear that your experience with us exceeded your expectations, and your compliments have been shared with our team with great pleasure. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Amazing tour slightly spoilt by impromptu fashion show

Adam_M, May 2024

The tour was fantastic, the tour guide was very knowledgeable, friendly and spoke fantastic English. This would have easily been 5 *s, however after seeing Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis, we were taken to a fashion store selling leather jackets, plied with free drinks and had to sit through a full fashion show with models and a catwalk, attempting to sell us leather goods from their store. This was bizarre, and not something we were at all interested in - when the guide had asked if we would be interested beforehand, we had all replied that we were not bothered. This may have incorrectly been taken as a sign of potential interest. If you book this tour, be sure to give a firm "No" if you are asked about a fashion store/show. Other than that, the tour was outstanding, great value for money and extremely informative, so it is a shame I am unable to give it the full 5 *s.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Adam, We don't know how to thank you enough for your comment. Your feedback is precious and has been proudly share with the entire team. Our colleagues' dedication to our guests is fully rewarded when we received such wonderful comments. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Friendly informative guide definitely made this a must tour

Michael_S, May 2024

Our guide Orkun Is very friendly and outgoing. It was his main goal to make everyone comfortable and he was open to suggestions on what to do during the tour. We appreciate the few suggestions that he gave us. For where to eat and buy souvenirs. He also made it very clear that we were not forced to buy anything along our stops. Also, when we were walking through the bazaar, he asked us to stay close to him, and to not engage with any of the vendors to protect us from the aggressive Sales of the vendors . The tour itself was done, very efficiently and informative. He was also very conscientious to make sure that no one was lagging behind and was very patient with our group. We also appreciate the professionalism of our driver. He always seem to be right there when we are ready to carry on from our stop. It was also a nice gesture to provide water when we first got into the vehicle. Beware the area is extremely busy.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Michael, Thank you again for your loyalty and thoughtful insights. We look forward to welcoming you back on your next trip to Ephesus and will do everything we can to ensure another wonderful travel. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Best tour of our Mediterranean Cruise

Jennie_D, Dec 2023

This was the best tour I took during my entire Mediterranean Cruise. Mehmet was our guide and was great!!! The small group tour is the only way to do Ephesus. Then the rest of the day we were given different options so we had a choice of rug factory or pottery workshop. We did the pottery. No hard sales. We had several stops for photo ops. This tour truly was an amazing day. We plan to do this exact same itinerary next year and I really hope we can get the same driver and guide. They were amazing!!!

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Jennie, Thank you again for your loyalty and thoughtful insights. We look forward to welcoming you back on your next trip to Ephesus and will do everything we can to ensure another wonderful travel. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

We have a wonderful experience

tour, Oct 2023

We have a knowledgeable, friendly tour guide. We skip the line to get in ‘Ephesus’ without standing in line, save a lot of time.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Hello, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your kind words. We are delighted to hear that your experience with us exceeded your expectations, and your compliments have been shared with our team with great pleasure. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Wonderful tour of Ephesus

Crini_W, Oct 2023

Our tour guide, Ozge is very friendly and caring. She provides a lot of information about Ephesus which we definitely enjoyed. We highly recommend to join her tour.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Crini, Please rest assured that your kind words have been passed on to the entire Team. We look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable moments. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Would highly recognize.

Carolyn_S, Sep 2023

Fabulous ruins. Guide Pinar was wonderful. She brought history to life. Just the right amount of time at each setting.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Carolyn, Please rest assured that your kind words have been passed on to the entire Team. We look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable moments. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Dont book the cruise excursion

spencer_l, Aug 2023

Well organised and efficient. Back to cruise terminal in ample time. Guide was abot boring but great it was a small group tour

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Spencer, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your kind words. We are delighted to hear that your experience with us exceeded your expectations, and your compliments have been shared with our team with great pleasure. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Excellent service

Mirna_V, Aug 2023

Our tour guide was Selda. She was amazing. Well knowledge of the places. She was very responsible, on time, friendly and professional. We recommend her 100%.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Mirna, Thank you again for your loyalty and thoughtful insights. We look forward to welcoming you back on your next trip to Ephesus and will do everything we can to ensure another wonderful travel. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Excellent tour

Mary_R, Jun 2023

One of the best tours we’ve done this trip. Guide was awesome - super friendly, helpful and there were no sales pushes. He made sure we were consulted on time to stop at certain points and kept us out if the sun - and ahead of the big tour groups - as much as possible. I really enjoyed this tour and highly recommended it.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Mary, Thank you again for your loyalty and thoughtful insights. We look forward to welcoming you back on your next trip to Ephesus and will do everything we can to ensure another wonderful travel. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Being at at the site...

Sharon_m, May 2023

Being at at the site early and walking down the avenues and looking at the stadium accommodating 25 thousand. Of all the Roman ruins that Bob has seen this made him feel like a real Roman it was our highlight of 40 days of travels plus our guide did an amazing job

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Sharon, Thank you so much for sharing your experience and giving us such a good note! We hope to have the occasion to welcome you back soon. Thank you for taking the time to share such a lovely review. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

A short trip to Ephesus

Steven_R, May 2023

Our cruise ship made a short stop in Turkey and we booked this tour. We were the only ones on the tour. The tour was very good and the guide made sure we were back to the ship on time. Ephesus was beautiful and I would recommend this tour. We also saw how Turkish rugs were made by hand. Very interesting.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Steven, Your kind words will be shared with our entire team, who will be thrilled to know they helped create this memorable experience. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Great value

Elizabeth_A, May 2023

Great value. Our guide Emre was fantastic- fun, knowledgeable, and gave us options for activities and timing which our small group adjusted for weather, preferences and activity level. We were highly pleased. Ephesus came alive for us thanks to Emre.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Elizabeth, Thank you again for your loyalty and thoughtful insights. We look forward to welcoming you back on your next trip to Ephesus and will do everything we can to ensure another wonderful travel. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Excellent discovery - not...

iain_m, May 2023

Excellent discovery - not what was expected. Informative guide and good pace through Tye site. Turkish coffee after at the pottery kept us going for rest of the day!

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Iain, We don't know how to thank you enough for your comment. Your feedback is precious and has been proudly share with the entire team. Our colleagues' dedication to our guests is fully rewarded when we received such wonderful comments. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Great day in Ephesus with guide Sinan

Xuemin_Y, Apr 2023

We had a good trip with our guide Sinan from Kusadasi to Ephesus. Sinan is an excellent guide, he walked us through the ancient city and gave us rich information about it. Highly recommended.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Hello, Thank you so much for sharing your experience and giving us such a good note! We hope to have the occasion to welcome you back soon. Thank you for taking the time to share such a lovely review. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Knowledge and avarice

harvey_c, Mar 2023

We enjoyed Seda's enthusiasm and knowledge and could hear her clearly while the van was in going slowly, but once we speeded up the noise of the vehicle made understanding what was being said difficult. Fortunately, Seda was very good at shepherding us through Ephesus and we liked the personal attention to all the information she provided. We were not so pleased with spending an hour at a rug store trying to sell us their products. This was not what we expected after paying $150 for 2 of us for a private tour.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thank you very much for the information you provided. There is not any visit to any carpet place in any of our tour programs. Our guides are not allowed to make a visit without the permission of our guests. I have just talked to Ms. Seda. She said that she asked if you would like to see carpet making process or not. After your permission, Ms. Seda visited there. This visit was on your way back to the port after you complated your Ephesus tour. It was not at the begining or at the middle of the tour. Not to have the same problem again, we will make the necessary warnings to all of our guides about the subject. We wish you a wonderfull weekend Best regards, Fevzi Turhan

Early morning Ephesus

markellerby1, Nov 2022

Excellent (very) small group tour of Ephesus with Iskender. Easy pick up from cruise terminal Kusadasi. Early start rewarded with almost empty Ephesus. Amazing. Also good trip to Lotus Ceramics and Carpet Weavers.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Markell, Please rest assured that your kind words have been passed on to the entire Team. We look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable moments. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Shortened Experience

Cheri_W, Oct 2022

Our tour guide spoke English well but I am not sure he was qualified to be a guide. He mentioned several times that he changed the plans. We did not visit House of the Virgin Mother; it’s just a chapel he said. He had us stop at a fashion show. Yes, at 9:15am we went to a leather manufacturer for a fashion show. Waste of my time. We went to the Ancient City, which was amazing and our guide gave some info, but not a lot and he didn’t walk through all parts with us because he said we could get through faster without him. It felt like he memorized some info to get us through. Then we went to a rug manufacturer for another show. Again waste of my time. At the end, our tour was less than five hours and I felt as though he was rushing off to his next gig.

Enjoyable Tour of Ephesus

Mark_S, Oct 2022

Great tour of Ephesus. Tour guide had a wealth of knowledge about Turkey as well as Ephesus, especially its history. It was very enjoyable as well as educational.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Mark, Thank you so much for sharing your experience and giving us such a good note! We hope to have the occasion to welcome you back soon. Thank you for taking the time to share such a lovely review. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Excellent excursion

daniel_c, Sep 2022

We had a wonderful guide in a small group of 7. It all went smoothly. Ephesus is a remarkable choice for shore excursion.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Daniel, Please rest assured that your kind words have been passed on to the entire Team. We look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable moments. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Best way to see Ephesus

Ted_H, Aug 2022

The best way to visit Ephesus. Our guide was first class. The van was extremely clean. A wonderful experience.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Ted, Please rest assured that your kind words have been passed on to the entire Team. We look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable moments. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Fun tour of Ephesus for a family of nine from our cruise ship.

Mary_F, Jun 2022

We had a wonderful tour of the ancient city if emphasis. We were a family of nine in the USA all adults. We had an air-conditioned Van that was comfortable. Our tour guide speak clear English and was full of stories and knowledge and history! They picked us up and dropped us off round-trip from our cruise ship. I highly recommend this store.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Mary, Your kind words will be shared with our entire team, who will be thrilled to know they helped create this memorable experience. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Our guide was truly...

Kathleen_A, Jun 2022

Our guide was truly amazing...and he was so knowledgeable. A tour you truly would not want to miss while in Ephesus.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Kathleen, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your kind words. We are delighted to hear that your experience with us exceeded your expectations, and your compliments have been shared with our team with great pleasure. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Ty did a great job!

Hannah, Jun 2022

The pickup process was seamless and the tour was great! Ty was very knowledgeable about the sights and so kind. We appreciated the time he took explaining the ruins and that he pointed out shade for us throughout the day as it can be quite hot. Overall very satisfied.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Hannah, Once again, we deeply appreciate your long-standing loyalty and the detailed feedback you’ve provided. We look forward to welcoming you back soon. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

History with a personal touch

Janet_A, Jun 2022

We enjoyed a private tour with a knowledgeable and very personable guide. We were met on time right near the cruise ship as promised. Learning not just about Ephesus history, but life in present Turkey from a native made for a very memorable outing.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Janet, Once again, we deeply appreciate your long-standing loyalty and the detailed feedback you’ve provided. We look forward to welcoming you back soon. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Highly recommended Ephesus tour

Hannah_B, May 2022

Met easily at the cruise port. Good transport to Ephesus which took the hassle out if making our own way there. Knowledgeable guide and overall a great experience. Would highly recommend!

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Hannah, Once again, we deeply appreciate your long-standing loyalty and the detailed feedback you’ve provided. We look forward to welcoming you back soon. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team

Best tour of vacation

Gwen_B, May 2022

Our guide was wonderful! Very knowledgeable and went out of his way to accommodate us. Great value. Safe comfortable transportation. Clean vehicle.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Gwen, Once again, we deeply appreciate your long-standing loyalty and the detailed feedback you’ve provided. We look forward to welcoming you back soon. We will share your kind message and opinions with your guide. Thank you on behalf of her/him. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Ephesus Shuttle Turkey Team