FOR CRUISE GUESTS / Archaeological Ephesus Tour from Kusadasi ( Ephesus ) Port

Badge of Excellence

Selçuk, Turkey

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

Overview

Take a break from the cruise ship crowds and enjoy the exclusivity of a private tour on a 5- to 7-hour shore excursion to Ephesus. The comprehensive itinerary takes you to the UNESCO listed ruins, Temple of Artemis, Ephesus Archaeological Museum, and House of the Virgin Mary. Your flexible guide is also happy to alter the itinerary to accommodate your unique preferences or time constraints.

Enjoy the personalized experience of a private tour
Customize the itinerary to suit your interests
Travel comfortably in round-trip transportation
See the top sights of Ephesus in one day

What's Included

100 % Satisfaction
Professional Licensed Local Tour Guide
Fully Air-conditioned Brand new vehicle with Separate Driver
Port / Hotel pickup and drop-off
Private tour
All Taxes
All Parking fees

Entrance fees ( We will arrange the tickets in advance, so you will skip long ticket lines
Food and drinks
Gratitude (suggested)

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We highly recommend you to meet at port after 30 / 45 minutes your ship docked to port in order beat crowds / school buses and hot weather in the afternoon. It is better to meet early to have a better tour in Ephesus before the crowds. THIS TOUR IS ONLY FOR CRUISE GUESTS. IF YOU ARE NOT FROM A CRUISE SHIP, PLEASE DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR

Arranged start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

06/30/2018 - 08/17/2027
Monday - Sunday : 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Itinerary

Best of Ephesus Tours

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Ancient City of Ephesus

2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Meryemana (The Virgin Mary's House)

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

The Temple of Artemis

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kusadasi Castle (Pass By)

Kusadasi Shopping Center (Pass By)

Setur Kusadasi Marina Carsi (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Transportation is wheelchair accessible

Most travelers can participate
No dress code
THIS TOUR IS ONLY FOR CRUISE GUESTS. IF YOU ARE NOT FROM A CRUISE SHIP, PLEASE DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR
WE DO NOT GIVE TOURS IN SPANISH, OUR TOURS ARE ONLY IN ENGLISH.
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

4.8

based on 19 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Good but underwhelmed

tianaAlexandri_g, Jun 2026

Our guide, Emma (Eda), was very friendly and knowledgeable about Turkey's history and the sites we visited. Her English was superb and we really enjoyed her presentations. Her suggestion to meet earlier (8AM) and 1st stop at Mother Mary's house was spot on. When we arrived, no one was in line so we were able to walk right in and took our time to pray. By the time we went out (10 min?) of the house, there was a line a mile long. We were very grateful for the suggestion. We visited only one archaeological site & forfeited the St. John Basilica ruin due to time. Things to know: All admission tix and extraneous fees are not included in the tour pkg. What we paid was only for the driver & the guide. We missed the fine prints and we weren't the only ones. Many other tourists have missed the same details. Other things to watch out for: Emma asked if we would like to visit a Turkish Rug government-owned manufacture and we readily agreed. The manufacture turned out to be a storefront. We got a 10-min presentations on how they are made then ushered into the salesroom. We definitely didn't expect the a full-on sale presentation by very nice but high-pressured salesmen. We ended up buying a rug out of obligation. We may have overpaid for it, too, since we didn't know we should/could have bargained down the price. Since it was billed as a "government owned" factory, we didn't want to insult them. We wasted a lot of time at the factory that costed us precious time. Next stop was the Turkish Pottery factory, which was next door. Again, another storefront with drawn out sale presentation and equally persistent salesmen, but we didn't buy anything there. Although the items were exceptionally beautiful but we weren't willing to pay 3500Euros for a vase. Lunch was mediocre and at the same rug place. Lastly, contrary to Emma's advise, the prices at the port weren't twice as much as what you could find outside. We found them to be very reasonable and you feel free to bargain. I found a vase with similar shape albeit smaller and not quite as intricate as the one at the factory for 50Euros. I'm very happy with my 50Euros vase!!! All is not lost, however. We thoroughly enjoyed the visits to Mother Mary's house and the archaeological site and wish that we could have seen more. The rest of the tour was a waste of time. We could have used the precious time to visit the Grand Bazaar next to the Port and bought similar things for fraction of the cost.

Great Guide Sukru

Renee_C, Jun 2026

Shukru was an AMAZING ! So informative and kind! We had a full day and he was happy to do what wanted! I loved getting to go to mass at Mary’s house! He took so the pictures of our group r we wanted and took us to a lovely lunch ! Watching the carpets being made is really cool … and yes they want to sell them but up can decline politely … we bought 2 !! Enjoy ! Thank you Shukru

High pressure sales

Joy_S, Jun 2026

Our guide was excellent—very informative, friendly, and efficient. They did a great job getting us in and out of the attractions in a timely manner, and we genuinely appreciated their knowledge and professionalism throughout the tour. Our only complaint was the inclusion of three additional stops—a rug factory, leather store, and pottery shop—that involved high-pressure sales tactics. While it was interesting to learn how these items were made, we felt a lot of pressure to purchase, which was not how we wanted to spend our time. We understand that some of these stops may be part of the local tourism culture, and perhaps even required, but the aggressive sales approach really left a bad taste in our mouths and detracted from an otherwise great experience.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and found your guide informative, friendly, efficient, and professional. Providing our guests with a smooth, educational, and enjoyable experience is always our priority, so it is wonderful to know that the historical sites and the guide’s knowledge helped make your day memorable. We also appreciate your comments regarding the additional stops. We would like to kindly clarify that visits to local rug, leather, and pottery workshops are entirely optional and are included to give visitors an opportunity to experience traditional Turkish craftsmanship and learn about local cultural heritage. These workshops have been part of the region’s culture for generations, and many travelers enjoy seeing how these handmade products are created. At the same time, purchasing anything is always a personal decision, and our guests are under no obligation to buy. Our guides respect each visitor’s preferences, and guests are welcome to simply observe the demonstrations and continue with the tour. Many travelers appreciate these stops as a chance to learn more about local arts, traditions, and daily life beyond the archaeological sites. We are very pleased that the overall quality of the tour, the organization, and the professionalism of your guide stood out positively during your visit. Your feedback is valuable to us, and we will continue working with our local partners to ensure that all guests feel comfortable while enjoying the cultural experiences offered throughout the day. Thank you again for choosing our tour, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back to Türkiye in the future.

Terrific day!

GEORGE_M, Oct 2025

We had a splendid day of our desired itinerary, fully complemented by a knowledgeable guide and great driver. This was exactly the experience we had desired and hoped for. Thanks!

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you so much for your kind feedback. We truly appreciate it and hope to see you again.

Ephesus

Anitra_G, Sep 2025

Go early as early as you can! Oscar our guide was awesome, knowledgeable and very passionate about what he does. We had an amazing experience with him.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you so much for your kind feedback. We truly appreciate it and hope to see you again.

Mustafa was the best!

Susan_L, Sep 2025

Great tour. Our guide was so knowledgeable and took the time to explain so much. He was full of historical facts and stories. It was very enjoyable.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you so much for your kind feedback. We truly appreciate it and hope to see you again.

Excellent tour

Shelley_F, Jun 2024

Our tour guide and driver was very good. Dee was very professional and informative. Very convenient for cruisers.

Great way to explore Ephesus

Randi_N, May 2024

We had a private tour with Corky and he was a blast. In addition to the history and sights, we had stops at traditional pottery and rug makers, plus a lovely Turkish lunch and a special stop for the best baklava! It was such a great day. Definitely recommend!

BEST TOUR GUIDE EVER

Aleksandra_W, Aug 2023

We took this tour as one of our many stops on a Celebrity Cruise and we could not have been happier. Our children still call Oz the "BEST TOUR GUIDE EVER" and we have to agree. She crafted an amazing day for us full of historic learnings, delicious food, and personalized experiences. We knew so very little about Ephesus before and thanks to Oz it is one of the most memorable vacation stops our whole family has ever experienced - totally worth it!!

Ephesus private tour

Martha_C, Jun 2022

Ismail was a great tour guide, very organized and pleasant. He communicated the day before to give us the final details and suggested an earlier meeting time that worked out great. The vehicle provided was a mini bus, very nice and spacious. All around a high recommend.