PRIVATE Ephesus Tour for Cruisers included Skip the Line Tickets

Recommended by 99% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Kusadasi, Turkey

Popular pick

Booked 5+ times last week!

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

Why travelers loved this

4.9

· Kathleen_A ·

Aug 2026

Great guided tour. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Quite flexible and worth the private tour. Comfortable vehicle and great driver too. Lots of laughs 😂

· Lisa_B ·

Jul 2026

Riza was fantastic, gave us an amazing tour, highly recommend! His knowledge of the area, thorough descriptions, and willingness to help were outstanding.

Overview

The ruins of Ephesus are 10 times the size of Disneyland, and strolling around the vast archaeological site—not to mention traveling there and back—can easily swallow up a whole day. Designed for cruise ship passengers, this easy half-day excursion covers highlights such as the Great Theater and Celsus Library in just a few hours. Pickup and drop-off from Kusadasi port is included for a seamless, stress-free experience.

Learn all about the site's millennia-spanning history from your guide
Choice of morning, midday, and afternoon start times to fit your cruise schedule
Budget-friendly small-group option is capped at around 8-10 people for an intimate vibe
Opt for a private tour for a personalized experience and undivided attention from your guide

What's Included

Entrance fee - Ancient City of Ephesus. (If you booked with tickets option)
GUARANTEED on-time return.
Kusadasi Cruise Port pick-up and drop-off.
Professional licensed tour guide.
Car Park Fees and local taxes.

Ancient City of Ephesus. (If you booked without tickets option)
Personal Expenses.

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

To make it easier to find, although written in three ways, all refer to the same place, Kusadasi Port. Explore Ephesus Ruins, and the Temple of Artemis with a local expert guide from/to Kusadasi Port (only for cruise guests). ◉➤ The tour offers Group and Private tour options, with or without tickets. ◉➤ Group Tour Option: This option usually has 8–10 participants. But, even if your group has 10+ people, you can still book. Groups are formed by passengers from the same ship. ◉➤ Private Tour Option: The tour will be provided only for your party with a personal tour guide. ➤ You can stay at the sites as long as you wish. If there are any other sites you would like to visit, depending on time availability, they can be added to the program. ◉➤ The tour is specially designed for cruise guests. ◉➤ Pick-up and drop-off are only available from Kusadasi Port. ◉➤ The tour start time will be adjusted according to your cruise docking and onboard times. ◉➤ We GUARANTEE your timely return to the port.

Itinerary

Kusadasi Port

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Ephesus Ancient City

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

The Temple of Artemis

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kusadasi Port

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Infant seats available
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate

Your tour guide may suggest visiting places with handmade items, but it’s completely optional for the guests.
We GUARANTEE your timely return to the port
Group Tour Option: This option usually has 8–10 participants. But, even if your group has 10+ people, you can still book. Groups are formed as passengers of the same ship.
Private Tour Option: The tour wıll be provided only for your party with personal tour guide. Stay in the sites as much you wish, if there is any other site you want to visit, depending on time availability, it can be added to the program.
The tour specialy designed for the cruise guests. Pick up and drop off only available from Kusadasi Port. The tour starting time will adjust according to your cruise dock and onboard times. We GUARANTEE your timely return to the Port.
Free entry for kids 8yr and below (take passport for children if any)
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

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 1,231 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Sort by: Most insightful

Our tour guide Selin was...

Patrick_M, Sep 2026

Our tour guide Selin was fantastic. The tour was great and Selin was very knowledgeable. It was moderate walking which was enough for my wife and myself

Great Experience!

Angela_R, Sep 2026

We had a great experience that was relaxed and comfortable. Our guide was very informative and allowed us to move at our own pace. We also had a dedicated driver who seamlessly dropped us off at the lower entrance and was right there to pick us up when we were done. For us it was a perfect experience of Ephesus.

Great private tour through Ephesus

Kathleen_A, Aug 2026

Great guided tour. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Quite flexible and worth the private tour. Comfortable vehicle and great driver too. Lots of laughs 😂

Ephesus

Randi_B, Aug 2026

Great tour and fantastic guide. Her name Isidis (sp?) was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Took us to great spots and knew the history well. Even our kids enjoyed.

Amazing Tour to Ephesus

Simos_A, Aug 2026

We had a wonderful experience on our Ephesus tour through Viator. Our guide, Taylan, was excellent—friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful throughout the entire tour. The van was comfortable and had excellent air conditioning, which made the journey very pleasant. Taylan also kindly helped us take some great photos and made sure we had a memorable experience. Everything was very well organized, and we felt comfortable and well taken care of from beginning to end. I highly recommend this tour and especially Taylan as a guide. Thank you, Taylan, for a fantastic day in Ephesus!

Best Ephesus tour

Carisa_K, Aug 2026

Tour was very well guided. Showed us all kinds of interesting points. Enjoyed the whole trip. Would definitely recommend to anyone going!!

Excellent tour

Niamh_B, Aug 2026

Excellent picked us up right at the cruise port. Duyga was an excellent tour guide, very knowledgeable and helpful with any questions. She was enthusiastic and showed us around all the main sites.

Ozz

John_D, Aug 2026

Ozz was a great guide. We had a small group which meant you could hear everything. Very informative trip.

Recommend!

Maria_S, Aug 2026

The site and tour was magnificent. Our guide was very knowledgeable; especially about how the site relates to biblical times. There’s time for a little shopping and a snack then back to the port on time. No hassles at all.

We had a nice tour that...

Bowen_P, Aug 2026

We had a nice tour that was well paced for our family of four. The guide was well informed and did a nice job adapting the tour for our kids and their interests. But I left it as a two-star review because the guide tried to add on going to a leather store and a rug store after finishing what was included in our tour - Ephesus and Artemis - surely so they could get a kick back on any purchases since it was not included in the original itinerary. Also we were prompted three times while still in the van to write a review and asked repeatedly if we had completed our review yet. Then once we got to the drop off, it felt as if the driver and guide couldn’t wait to leave as they barely said thank you before the door was closed and the van whipped away.

Riza was fantastic, gave...

Lisa_B, Jul 2026

Riza was fantastic, gave us an amazing tour, highly recommend! His knowledge of the area, thorough descriptions, and willingness to help were outstanding.

Excellent activity

Eddie_D, Jul 2026

Every better than described and the photos. Really glad I we did it, excellent guide, drive and bus. Excellent activity

Rug mafia

Laurie_K, Jul 2026

The guide was great but we did things that weren’t in our itinerary that really made the whole day weird. We went to a Turkish rug place, which was cool at first until they brought us all in separate rooms trying to sell us rugs and even when we repeatedly said no they didn’t stop and it made us very uncomfortable. It was like the rug mafia. The fact that they separated all the adults was so uncomfortable and inappropriate and it happened so fast I don’t even know how they did it. They get mad when you say no and then call over managers etc. when we didn’t even chose to go to a rug place so I had no desire to buy a $5000 rug. Then when you finally get out of that mess they then usher you to a whole jewelry side where sales people are waiting again! At that point we just left even though they were clearly very upset. It felt weird that they bring you to this place like they’re getting commission or something. The tour was way longer than listed and we kind of felt trapped. So if you book I’d ask to skip the Turkish rug place (even though it’s not listed)

Response from Host, Jul 2026

In Ephesus, there are government-supported workshops that help keep local traditions alive. Our guides simply ask guests if they would like to visit them. The decision is always yours. These visits offer a chance to enjoy local culture, learn traditional crafts, and create memorable experiences. Guests may also choose to buy handmade products if they wish. It is completely optional, and there is never any obligation to make a purchase. The staff at the workshop may have been more enthusiastic than expected, but this is not something that can be attributed to our company, especially since the visit was entirely your choice. We do not believe such a harsh and misleading review fairly reflects the experience we provide. We kindly ask you to reconsider and update your review. Thank you for your understanding.

Selchuk was amazing and...

Kristie_C, Jul 2026

Selchuk was amazing and very informative! Highly recommend this tour if you are headed here! Absolutely stunning!

Fantastic experience...

Jelena_I, Jul 2026

Fantastic experience with Medi! Medi is an amazing tour guide! We absolutely loved our trip to Ephesus. Everything was so smooth, easy, and beautiful. I highly recommend this tour and absolutely recommend Medi. We had such a wonderful time!

Great tour!!

Amanda_S, Jul 2026

Our guide Maria was very good. We had slower folks in oyr group snd dhe did a great job accommodating everyone.

Great day!

Bridget_H, Jul 2026

Our tour guide made this day so much fun! Gokce was so friendly, informative, and funny! Walking the ruins of Ephesus was an amazing experience.

The ancient site of...

Tracey_L, Jul 2026

The ancient site of Ephesus is amazing. Our tour guide was well-educated and gave us a lot of information during our tour. I would recommend that Viator skip the carpet factory.

Ephesus great - sales pitches after was a shame

Ella_B, Jun 2026

Great tour of Ephesus, thank you! Duygu was fab, with good info. Just a shame it became a commission / sales pitch at the end with the carpet place and leather room. None of our group bought anything and weren’t really that fussed. Would be better if this was just an Ephesus tour.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

During our Ephesus tours, guests may also visit traditional workshops that preserve local crafts. Our guides recommend these stops to help create memorable experiences. If guests like the handmade products, they are welcome to purchase them, but there is absolutely no obligation. These visits are completely free, and buying anything is entirely optional. Thank you again for taking the time to share your feedback.

Ephesus is fascinating

Barbara_E, Jun 2026

Ephesus is a truly fascinating city and our guide Mustafa Suphi brought it to life with his depth of knowledge and good humour. A terrific guide, highly recommended.

Great trip

Susan_C, Jun 2026

We had a wonderful experience touring Ephasus with Hussein. He was friendly and knowledgeable. The small group we had made asking questions easier and more efficient. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone.

Okan was great, patient,...

Valiantsina_L, Jun 2026

Okan was great, patient, detailed explanation when and where to meet, tour was interesting, but not overwhelming. Very accommodating and nice

Great tour!

Kimberly_C, Jun 2026

Great tour with a ton of information! Our guide, Hussein, was so knowledgeable and kind. I would highly recommend this tour! Be aware that it can get quite hot in this area. If you’re sensitive to heat…bring a hat, umbrella, fan, water. Vehicle had comfortable a/c while traveling!

Excellent Day in Kusadasi!

Melinda_A, Jun 2026

This tour was amazing and well worth it! We had Taylan as our tour guide and he was so knowledgeable and such a great guide. These are ruins you dare not miss and were fascinating. Following Ephesus we went to the rug factory which was interesting to learn about, then visited a pottery shop followed by a shop that sells “Turkish delight”. We enjoyed our day with Taylan. The tour wrapped up in enough time that shopping could be done before going back to the ship. Excellent tour! Highly recommend.

Great Ephesus tour.

Renato_C, Jun 2026

Wonderful experience with our guide Ada. Very attentive and attentive to details. Always concerned about everyone's well-being. It was very easy to locate the agency too. I recommend.

Highly Recommend

Jill_P, Jun 2026

Ilgu was fantastic. Super informative and considerate taking note of shaded areas for explaining what we were going to see ahead. Our teenagers were more engaged and enjoyed this more than other tours in Rome. The transportation was also very nice picking us up from the port and getting us back in plenty of time.

Wonderful experience!

Melissa_W, May 2026

Didem was our tour guide, and she was wonderful! Such a wealth of wisdom and knowledge about Ephesus and its history. She also shared a lot about the country of Turkey and its culture. Such a great experience!

Turkey in its best form with ancient history

Sandra_J, May 2026

Silk process rug factory pottery demo Turkish demotes coffee tea and wine. Best ever tour and very informative info about the local population and traditions

Baris was excellent and...

Kenneth_D, May 2026

Baris was excellent and very knowledgeable. The tour included a visit to a leather company and carpet weaving site.

Amazing Ephesus!

Rakesh_N, May 2026

We had a great excursion in Kusadasi. We were picked up from the Port in a very comfortable bus. We had a great guide whose name was Okan. He had good knowledge of the area and fed us interesting facts about Ephesus. Later he took us to a place for an amazing Turkish lunch. The place also had a weaving school and factory. We were very happy with the excursion and would definitely recommend it.