ALL INCLUSIVE Private Ephesus, House of Virgin Mary with lunch

Recommended by 100% of travelers

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Kusadasi, Turkey

5 to 7 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Kusadasi, Turkish Riviera

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Private Guided Ephesus Highlights Tour

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Customizable Private Guided Ephesus Tour for your family

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Customizable Private Guided Ephesus Tour for your family

from $119

Price varies by group size

Kusadasi, Turkish Riviera

Luxury Ephesus Highlights Tour

from $550

Price varies by group size

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Overview

Explore the ancient wonders of Ephesus without the stress of coordinating transport, managing entry fees, or keeping pace with a group schedule. This full-day private experience lets you discover key historical sites at your own rhythm, with all logistics, admissions, and meals taken care of in advance. With flexible departure times and a personalized itinerary, you can focus on the history, culture, and atmosphere rather than planning or waiting for others.

All-inclusive private Ephesus tour for a seamless, fully personalized experience
Visit the House of the Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis for a meaningful journey through history
Enjoy a delicious Turkish lunch at Agora Restaurant for an authentic local dining experience
Travel in a modern private air-conditioned vehicle for comfort throughout your day

What's Included

Entrance Fees ( Our guide will have pre-paid tickets to skip the lines )
Traditional Turkish Lunch
Private professional licensed tour guide
Private transportation by brand-new vehicles with AC
Private tour for your family and Friends only
GUARANTEED On Time Return to PORT

Tips and personal expenses are not included

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

The meeting time at Kusadasi port varies for each ship. Generally, the meeting time is 45-60 minutes after your ship arrives. The Kusadasi Port meeting time will be sent via email. NO HIDDEN COSTS - All Inclusive private tour offers you the best program to Visit Ephesus, The House of Virgin Mary and Have Turkish Lunch . Entrance fees, private guiding and transportation are included Pick up from Listed Hotels' Lobby and Kusadasi Cruise Terminal for cruise guests. Suggested pick up time will be given on your confirmation message.

Itinerary

Ege Ports

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Ephesus Ancient City

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Ephesus Terrace Houses

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

The House of the Virgin Mary

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Agora Restaurant

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

The Temple of Artemis

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Ege Ports

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Infant seats available
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Not wheelchair accessible

Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
NO HIDDEN COSTS - All Inclusive private tour offers you the best program to Visit Ephesus, The House of Virgin Mary and Have Turkish Lunch .
Entrance fees, private guiding and transportation are included.
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

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Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

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Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Paul_W

This was a private tour for just my wife and I. We were picked up from the cruise port and had a large comfortable car with both a driver and a licensed guide. Our guide, Pilar, was friendly and knowledgeable.she was happy to answer many questions , not only about the history of the sites but also about Turkish culture and life. All entrance fees were included. It was definitely worth visiting the terraced houses. The number of visitors was much lower here and we saw stunning mosaics, frescoes and decorative marble. The main site was fascinating too, as was the visit to the Virgin Mary House. We finished with a pleasant meal in a traditional restaurant. We did agree to visit a ceramics place, as we had a bit of time before the restaurant opened. It was a family business going back multiple generations and we saw a pot being made. The quality of the goods was very high. We declined the offer of a visit to a carpet workshop as we had no interest. This was not a problem. Our guide gave us plenty of time to see everything that we wanted

Reviews

5.0

based on 990 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Staying ahead of the crowd

Ken_K, May 2026

We had a great time with Taz exploring Ephesus and the the surrounding areas. He made some great decisions about the order in which we visited the various locations, keeping us ahead of most of the bus loads of people. We arrived at the House of the Virgin early enough to go right through. 15 minutes later there was a long line. Seeing Ephesus through his eyes really brought it to life for us.

Perfect Private Tour of Ephesus

Steven_B, Mar 2026

This was a great tour from start to finish. We were picked up right at the cruise dock in Kusadasi with no waiting, which made everything feel smooth and stress-free from the beginning. It was a completely private experience with just the two of us, our wonderful guide Pinar, and a driver in a very comfortable SUV. We visited all the major highlights, including the House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus, and the Temple of Artemis. Each stop was well-paced and never felt rushed, and Pinar shared great insights along the way that really enhanced the experience. We also enjoyed a delicious lunch and even got to see a demonstration of how traditional Turkish rugs are made, which was a unique and interesting addition to the day.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Dear Steven, 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. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Curio Travel Team

Good solid tour, should have a solo option

Jason_H, Dec 2025

Good tour, but you should have a solo option the bulk of the tour was Ephesus and the lunch was tasty

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Dear Jason, 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. Curio Travel Team

It was a very good...

KATHY_M, Oct 2025

It was a very good experience. Driver was good and guide was very nice and knowledgeable. The lunch was delicious. We were back on the ship in plenty of time.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Dear Kathy, 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. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderfull country again. Curio Travel Team

Well run private tour to main sights in Ephesus

Paul_W, Sep 2025

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Dear Paul, 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. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderful country again. Curio Travel Team

Amazing!

Zander_V, Aug 2025

The vehicle was awesome! It was new, clean and a/c worked very well. Our guide, Gonga, was very informative and arranged our excursion in the order that gave us the least crowded experience. Gonga also gave us options as to how much walking we wanted or were able to do, looking out for people who may be less able bodied. We were offered options to see how they make carpet and/or pottery but it was not forced on us. Ephesus is an amazing experience which was made even better by having a tour guide.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Zander, 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. Curio Travel Team

Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary.

Peter_S, Aug 2025

The experience was very informative and professionally delivered. We had a private tour at a very reasonable price. We had been on a tour two days before with the cruise line and it was double the price for f this tour. We had a wonderful time with a great host.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Peter, 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. Curio Travel Team

Wonderful Experience in Ephesus!

Pamela_S, May 2025

Wonderful guide (Hazel), lots of walking/standing though. Rough terrain where you have to be very cautious. Hazel was knowledgeable and took time to connect the dots between centuries and rulers, making it all very clear!!! Only concern: We would have very much preferred not being directed to carpet salesmen.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Pamela, 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 wonderfull country again. Curio Travel Team

A must stop

Shelley_F, Oct 2024

Mehmet our tour guide was extraordinary! Definitely worth the money. He was knowledgeable and a real joy to spend the day with!

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 wonderfull country again. Curio Travel Team

Best tour ever?

Deborah_S, Sep 2024

We've done tours and excursions in many places, but this was the best! Ali was delightful, very informative, the most helpful guide EVER! There's not enough words to thank him for our special day! Would recommend this tour to anyone.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Deborah, 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 wonderfull country again. Curio Travel Team

Did not see temple of Artemis

Anonymous, Jul 2024

We were picked up at the port by our tour guide, Nahide from Curio Travel. We made our way to a Mercedes van. The van was very nice and roomy however it was so hot. Air was blowing but it was not cool at all. Yes, it was over 100° but it was over 100° at every port we visited and we only had this issue with this tour. Nahide was very informative, and we appreciated not only her knowledge of the ancient city, but also her knowledge of how to visit, so as to best avoid the crowds. The Ephesus experience museum was an awesome immersive experience, that we very much enjoyed. Next, we made our way to Mary‘s house. As our guide said, this house was built after Mary lived, but she did live in the area. The tour included food and our Turkish meal was very tasty and all the workers at the restaurant were extremely kind. We were given the option of visiting some stores. Nahide said it was up to us, but we should at least go as a learning experience, and only purchase if we wanted to. We went to a pottery studio, a leather factory, and a carpet store. All of the items sold at the stores were very high dollar with the carpets all costing thousands of dollars. I rarely make a high dollar purchase without researching things first, so I had no intention of buying anything other than the $50 small piece of pottery I bought. It is apparent that the guide has a very close connection with all of the stores and she called them all to let them know we were coming. They had Turkish coffee and wine waiting for us. Very kind! If I had it all over to do it again, I would resist the influence to visit these places and would only stick to the historical sites. We were supposed to have visited the temple of Artemis, and I was very excited about this, as it’s one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. We were taken to a street in the middle of a residential area to what we were told was the temple of Artemis. We stopped on the side of a road and looked through a field at the remnants of a column that was on the other side of a fence about 50 yards in the distance. I had already researched pictures of the temple of Artemis so I knew there was not much left of the temple of Artemis, but what we saw was not it. I asked again and was told “yes this is it.” The driver never turned off the van, and we only got out a second to take a picture and I was rushed even doing this. The write up for this tour, stated we would be allowed 20 minutes at the temple of Artemis. I later checked the location of my photos and also put the photo into Google lens to see if it was in fact, the temple of Artemis. Sadly, it was not. I’m not sure why other than maybe because the location was farther away than where we were or maybe so more time could be spent in the carpet store. I do not appreciate the misrepresentation and not be given the opportunity to see this historic site.

Fab half day excursion .. must see 😀

Kim_P, Oct 2023

Ozzie was great. Vehicle great. Prompt and very informative. Sites were well worth a visit except the temple of Artemis which isn’t actually there … nothing to see. Super efficient. Watch out for the suggestion to visit a leather / weaving / pottery factory … it’s ok but not really necessary unless you really want to buy something. We mistakenly thought the lunch location was at the ‘leather’ place which in fairness did sell beautiful things. Great quality but an overwhelming ‘sell’ goes on. Lunch was basic but tasty and overall a really lovely excursion. 👍👍👍

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Kim, 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. Curio Travel Team

Private group, all inclusive and must see Ephesus.

Huan_V, Sep 2023

All inclusive without extra fees except tips to driver and guide. I enjoyed the tour very much because there were just me and my family. We started early and got ahead of the crowd. The tour guide was very nice and knowledgeable. Ephesus is a must see. Take your time and walk through all of it. Not much to see at Artemission. I asked to be dropped off at a “Historic bath” to try traditional Turkish bath. It was a mistake. The facility was too small, no baths, no real sauna. I would not go back to this place.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Huan, 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. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderfull country again. Curio Travel Team

All-inclusive Ephesus Excursion

Marisela_L, May 2023

Our guide, Emre, was phenomenal! His knowledge and expertise on all things pertaining to this excursion was remarkable and very impressive. Moreover, he had great people skills, and was very accommodating according to what we wanted to experience. Without a doubt he is one of the best tour guides we have ever had. Also, hats off to Viator for reaching out to us and rectifying a previous mediocre experience with another guide in Istanbul. We have used the services of Viator in the past and will continue to use them on future trips. They are easy to work with, offer a variety of great options, and are very professional.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Hello, 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 wonderfull country again. Curio Travel Team

Fantastic- Memorable- once in a lifetime

Denise_G, Oct 2022

Wow!! What an amazing day with the most knowledgeable tour guide of our entire trip!!! This tour was above and beyond our expectations. We had food prepared by the local women, a tour of Ephesus and the house of The Virgin Mary, a stop at the local rug maker- where we watched how the women handmake the Turkish Rugs! And then a trip to the leather outlet. It was AMAZING!!!!! Melih-our tour operator was beyond amazing! And so very friendly!!! Thank you for making our trip so memorable! You were the BEST!

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Dear Denise, 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. We would be delighted to see you in our wonderfull country again. Curio Travel Team

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