Ephesus Day Trip from Istanbul incl Domestic Flights

Recommended by 98% of travelers

Selçuk, Turkey

14 to 18 hours (approx.)
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Recall the days of ancient Rome on this full-day trip to Ephesus from Istanbul by air. With a professional guide, explore the spectacular Greco-Roman Ephesus, Turkey’s archaeological showpiece. Stroll the ancient streets to marvel at the Basilica of St. John and the Temple of Artemis. You also get time to walk through the Ephesus Archaeological Museum to see the excavations of the ancient city and shop for local handicrafts.

Fly to Izmir and travel to UNESCO-listed Ephesus, Turkey’s well-preserved Greco-Roman city
Flights, transfers, entrance fees, lunch, and licensed guide are included
Upgrade to a private tour for a customizable experience
Numbers are limited to ensure more personalized attention from a guide

What's Included

AIRPORT TRANSFERS (from Sultanahmet & Taksim Hotels)
Professional Licensed TOUR GUIDE
Return DOMESTIC FLIGHTS from/to Istanbul
SMALL-GROUP TOUR up to 15 persons (can be upgraded to PRIVATE TOUR)
Transportation with A/C Minibus
LUNCH during the Tour

Gratuities (recommended)
Drinks during Lunch (if preferred)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Arranged start time

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

Select your preferred tour option to see hours.

Itinerary

After early pickup at your Istanbul hotel, transfer to the airport and relax during your short flight to Izmir.

On arrival, meet your professional local guide and others in your tour group for your journey to Ephesus. Settle aboard your air-conditioned vehicle and absorb the views of rural Turkey as you travel south to the stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Explore the ancient Greek city that rose to prominence as a Roman seaport from the second century AD. With your guide, stroll around the semi-intact streets past the shells of long-ago shops and houses, and learn fascinating facts about life in the city during its Roman golden age.

Having explored the main Ephesus ruins, pass by to the nearby remains of the Basilica of St. John, a 6th-century church built on the apostle’s believed burial site. Then, after a tasty buffet lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy views of the Isabey Mosque, a lovely example of medieval Anatolian religious architecture, and Selcuk Castle.

Lastly, stop at the site of the Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. As you inspect the temple’s remnants, learn how it was rebuilt three times before its final destruction in 401 AD.

Transfer to Izmir airport for your return flight to Istanbul.

Istanbul

5 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Ancient City of Ephesus

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Meryemana (The Virgin Mary's House)

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

The Temple of Artemis

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Kusadasi Shopping Center

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Istanbul

5 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Infant seats available

Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
Pick up and Drop off services available from the Hotels which is located in the Sultanahmet and Taksim Regions. While booking this package, please indicate your Istanbul Hotel. The travelers who stay out of the pick-up & drop off zone may handle their own transportation to/from the Airport.
After we received your booking, our team will contact you to request copies of your passports in order to book your domestic flights. Please send us the copies of your passports as soon as possible to complete your reservation, this is very important to have a smooth-running operation. Your reservation may be canceled or operational disruptions may occur due to information not sent on time. Our company is not responsible for such situations.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

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)

Featured review

Jerry_C

Our guide Fatima was wonderful. She was very knowledgeable, providing a wealth of historical information and fun facts. The lunch was a variety of local cuisine - delicious. The tour, flight, and drive was very well coordinated. I would definitely recommend.

Reviews

4.9

based on 130 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Ephesus Tour

Tim_F, Apr 2026

Great in depth tour of the ancient city of Ephesus with side trips and a delicious lunch with Fatima as our guide. Highly recommended.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing your kind words. Knowing you had a great experience encourages us to keep delivering unforgettable tours. Best Turkey Tour Team

Ephesus tour

Jerry_C, Apr 2026

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Dear Guest, Thank you for sharing your kind words. Knowing you had a great experience encourages us to keep delivering unforgettable tours. Best Turkey Tour Team

Simply amazing!!

Michelle_H, May 2025

We just finished our tour with Fatima. Start to finish the company was amazing and easy to work with. Within the hour of booking, I got a WhatsApp message with my next steps. I provided them our passport info and they got on securing our tickets. Once they got tickets, they sent great step by step info of what to expect. Only thing I want to highlight—make sure you checkin online to actually get your boarding passes. And double check that you have checked in on both directions as they coordinate your flight based on best times available so you get the most out of your excursion. For this reason, you may be on two different airlines so just make sure you have both boarding passes!! Back to the excursion, Fatima is simply amazing. Not only was she personable, and ridiculously knowledgeable about ALL the history, but she also helped us with the rest of our time in Turkey by coordinating another excursion for us in Cappadocia with her colleagues. Really—if you are on the fence about finding a day excursion from Istanbul to Ephesus…look no further!!!! This company is trustworthy and Fatima was outstanding!!!

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Dear Guest, We’re grateful you shared your travel story with us. Knowing that you had a great experience is the best feedback we can receive. We are committed to providing top-notch service and unforgettable tours. We hope to welcome you again in the near future. Best Turkey Tour Team

An amazing time in Ephesus thanks to Fatima

Megan_L, May 2025

This was such an excellent experience! Our guide Fatima is very knowledgeable and made our tour very fun and personable. We were fortunate to be the only party on the tour so Fatima was able to suggest places that appealed specifically to us, which was a very enriching and special feature that we hadn’t experienced with other tours. The lunch was my favourite, as Fatima took the time and effort to explain each dish and how we could pair the sides, mains and condiments to achieve the ultimate Turkish Lunch dining experience. The dishes were also very tasty. We also enjoyed checking out the local businesses and just had to make some purchases as their goods are so unique and of great quality!

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Dear Guest, We truly appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback. It’s a pleasure to know you had a memorable experience with us. Your comments motivate us to keep improving and delivering exceptional service. We would be honored to host you again in the future. Best Turkey Tour Team

Fatima + Mehmed are the best for the private tour!

Samuel_S, Mar 2025

Fatima was an amazing tour guide. An intellectual who knows what she's talking about. Knew the history behind the ruins, as well as had a great sense of humor. Mehmet (our driver) was excellent and punctual, ready with a sign that had our name as to not cause confusion. The private tour was definitely worth every penny, I would even personally say it was priceless. Thank you Fati + Mehmet!

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Dear Guest, Thank you for choosing us and for taking the time to share your experience. We look forward to creating more memories together. Best Turkey Tour Team

Great experience and guide

cesar_l, Mar 2025

It was a short trip , but everything went smoothly, from the pick up at the airport to the sites and back to the airport in 1 day . Fatima was very knowledgeable about the region and she was very personable. We had to change some of our itineraries but it was all for the better and was less crowded by changing the planned day. Ended up great on time for our flight . Thank you Fatima . We will recommend her tour company to our friends.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Dear Traveler, It’s an honor to be part of your travel memories. We hope to accompany you on many more adventures to come! Best Turkey Tour Team

A long, but wonderful day!

Beth_P, Jan 2025

It was an intense and very long day, but very much worth it! Everything worked very smoothly. I was nervous about all of the points of connection that would have to happen and everything went perfectly. We were met immediately with our drivers at our hotel and at the airports, we didn't have any waiting. Our tour guide, Fatima, was lovely and did a great job talking about Ephesus and about the general area. She was warm and friendly and very open to answering our questions. A very nice lunch was provided that they were able to make vegetarian friendly for me. We did this tour in the off season and ended up having our guide to ourselves. It was great to tour Ephesus when it was not busy and we could take our time and see everything. If you can handle the stairs, I highly recommend doing the additional tour of the terrace houses within the Ephesus complex.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Dear Guest, We’re grateful for your review and happy to know you had a great tour with us. We hope to welcome you again soon! Best Turkey Tour Team

Incredible Experience!

BHARAT_U, Dec 2024

It was an incredible experience. Our guide, Ismail, was outstanding—his deep knowledge of Ephesus and passion for history truly made the tour unforgettable. He guided us through every key site, including the Library of Celsus, the Grand Theatre, the Terrace Houses, the Temple of Artemis, and the Ephesus Archaeological Museum, providing detailed and engaging insights at every step. Ismail’s professionalism and hospitality stood out; he ensured our comfort throughout the day without pressuring us into any purchases.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Dear Guest, We’re grateful for your review and happy to know you had a great tour with us. We hope to welcome you again soon! Best Turkey Tour Team

A great experience!

koh_y, Sep 2024

We really enjoyed ourselves with Fatima our guide! She was a really good storyteller, and gave us insight into how the local culture is like. We learnt a lot about Turkey in the few hours we spent with her. The Ephesus tour was overall a really great experience. Huge thanks to Melisa as well for providing us with important and clear information on how to get to and from Izmir.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Dear Guest, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed with our service.We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back again soon for another wonderful trip! Best Regards

A tour not soon to forgotten.

Jordan_W, Jun 2024

This was the best tour I have been on. I was told that it was a lot like Rome. There were interesting ruins and historical/biblical/mythological sights all at once. If you are interested in any of those things I would highly recommend. Our guide, Josh, was extremely helpful with information and he gave us all the information we would ever need to have about this place. I know first hand that a younger person would find this interesting because I enjoyed it and I am 14 yrs.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed with our service.We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back again soon for another wonderful trip! Best Regards

Fun day out in Ephesus

Bo_G, May 2024

This was my second time booking with Fatima on this tour, I have been always amazed her knowledge on all the sites we have visited, will definitely book this tour again in the future.

Response from Host, May 2024

Great Day at Ephesus

Jose_O, Feb 2024

Great day from start to finish. Even better than expected. Fatima is a great kind guide at made this day memorable

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Dear Guest, We want to express our sincerest gratitude for your TripAdvisor review of your recent experience with us. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are thrilled to receive such positive remarks Your support and recommendation mean the world to us. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back in the future for another exceptional visit. Warmest Regards Iglesias Tour Turkey Team

Ask for Josh

Kaitlin_C, Jan 2024

Josh absolutely made this tour for our group! Knowledgeable and friendly, we felt like we got the best experience possible for what was already an incredible deal. Doing such a big trip in a day was daunting but we were taken care of the entire time. Highly recommend for anyone who wants to visit Ephesus and the surrounding area.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Great experience that was well organized

Lindsey_S, Dec 2023

Absolutely have to recommend this! We had a fabulous time on this tour with Fatima, our friendly and knowledgeable guide. I'm happy with how many locations we were able to squeeze in to make this day packed of interesting and education sites as well as some engaging conversations with Fatima herself. And a tasty lunch, to boot. A driver picked us up from the hotel and was extremely prompt (2 minutes early) and the vehicle was very comfortable and clean. No issues at all and gave us immediate confidence that the entire tour was well planned so we could start relaxing already on our way to the airport. We had the private tour with just the two of us and so we had a van to ourselves and our guide for the day, which was also clean and comfortable. The driver was very friendly and courteous and he and Fatima always kept us happy and on schedule. Overall I'm very pleased we selected this tour and that we were able to have such a wonderful experience in the convenience of a single day trip. I have recommended this tour already to friends who have been thinking about visiting Istanbul. So if you're thinking of doing a trip to Ephesus, too, this is definitely a safe option for ensuring you have an great experience.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Great tour guide

YessicaI_M, Nov 2023

I took the Ephesus tour with Gul M. and loved it. She is very passionate and knowledgeable. She explained everything in detailed and chose everything carefully. She even accommodated and made changes to our tour as we wanted to do something additional. She is great and will recommend her highly.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

We loved St John’s burial site.

Dyann_A, Sep 2023

We loved seeing the ancient ruins and our favorite place was St John’s basilica and burial place. The museum was interesting and our side events of seeing rug making and pottery making was exceptional. Our guide, Gul was very knowledgeable and took such good care of us!

Response from Host, Sep 2023

The best tour of Ephesus

Patrick_T, Aug 2023

This was an excellent tour. Fatima is fantastic. She is the best tour guide I ever had. She doesn't pressure you to buy anything , she arrange the schedule according to your interests, and she speaks good English. She is very knowledgeable on different cultures, the history and culture of Ephesus and Turkey in general. THE van was clean and new and the AC worked well especially on a hot humid day. She brought me to this nice private and quiet restaurant and tried delicious Turkish food. The driver was on time during the pick up and drop off. I recommend this tour with Iglesias tour Turkey especially with Fatima as the guide.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Fabulous tour!

Emily_Y, Aug 2023

Had a great day seeing Ephesus with our tour guide Fatima! My family and I wanted to visit Ephesus and she showed us an amazing day. We absolutely loved the tour and appreciated having her as our tour guide. Ismail helped us with coordinating the airport flights and pickup. Super communicative and helpful! Thank you to the our wonderful driver Yildirim as well!

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Excellent!

asif_s, Dec 2022

Fatima does a great job!!!! Very interesting and educational! The pick up sand drop offs were excellent!

Response from Host, Dec 2022

Dear Guest, Thank you very much for sharing travel experience you had with us. Our company values put customer satisfaction as top priority and we are committed to our customers. We look forward to serving you again. Best Wishes Best Turkey Tour Team

Must see tour-ask for Fatima

Vincent_S, Nov 2022

Fatima was our tour guide. She’s knowledgeable, interesting and brought the story of Ephesus to life. We truly enjoyed this tour with Fatima.

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Unique experience

Vong_D, Nov 2022

The tour operator arranged everything in great detail. Everything was on time and flowed smoothly. Once we got close to Ephesus our guide Fatima joined us. She is very knowledgeable about the history of the area. She also was able to give us insight on Turkish culture and traditions. We were able to decide how much time we wanted to spend at each location. The lunch place that was included on the tour with traditional Turkish dishes was really good. Definitely would recommend this tour.

Response from Host, Nov 2022

An Interesting Side Trip from Istanbul

Susan_F, Oct 2022

Since I have visited many Roman ruins in Israel, those of Ephesus did not “wow” me as they did for my friend, but I’m still glad we made this side trip. It would have been helpful to have a driver who could explain the local geography, features and culture of the area as we travelled from the airport. At one point our driver had to brake suddenly to avoid an accident and my friend was flung from her seat. The driver didn’t notice or apologize. For me the highlight was the traditional Turkish cuisine at a local restaurant and learning about our guide’s life in rural Turkiye. Our guide was lovely but did not stay with us to the end of the tour of Ephesus.While it was interesting to learn about carpet making, I felt uncomfortable with the pressure to purchase rugs. Overall the experience was good but could be improved.

Ephesus Tour by local agency

Maria_C, Oct 2022

Well organized Tour By local Company. We hâd a wonderful time . We Felt like family With driver and Guided Fatima. Lunch, Carpet school was The best ! Ephesus and house of Mary is in Our progremme. Highly recomended!

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Ephesus your by local agency

Ovidiu_D, Oct 2022

Ismail who is a man arrange our tour. He was well organized . Flights transfers and tour was amazing. U WILL FEEL THE LOCAL ATMOSPHERE! The guide Fatima was local guide and the best person that we made our trip in Turkey. We liked the local lunch and rug school was the best expirence in Turkey. Highly recommended this company for everyone!!!

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Exciting Trip to Ephesus

Daniel_K, Sep 2022

I greatly enjoyed my trip to Ephesus. I was well taken care of and I had a good time. My guide Fatima did an excellent job. She was informative and spoke excellent English. I wish I had more time to walk around Ephesus instead of visiting Mary’s house. I also wish I could have visited the Ephesus Museum and had a closer look at the Church of Saint John. But lunch was delicious. I hope to return one day.

Response from Host, Sep 2022

Ephesus trip from Istanbul

Richard_L, Sep 2022

It was a great trip to Ephesus conducted by tour operator Iglesias Turkey Tours. Tour guide Fatima was friendly snd personable. She is also extremely knowledgeable both in historical and biblical aspects of Ephesus. You can ask any question and she will try her best to explain to you. If she doesn’t know, she will also let you know. My wife and I were picked up at our hotel in Karakoy, Turkey at 4:20 am. The driver sent by the tour company was on time and on the dot. He was professional , greeted us and immediately drove us to the airport to catch the flight to city of Izmir. It was a domestic flight and the plane took off on schedule. On arrival at Izmir, we were greeted by the company’’s driver at the airport and driven to Ephesus where we were greeted by tour guide Fatima. Everything was so well organized and planned ahead like you would see in the movie Mission Impossible. I kid you not. The other thing I failed to mention and I think is very important especially traveling in a foreign country where English is not widely spoken or understood, is clear communication. By this I meant, you want to know what is going on and what to expect. Well, with your operator Iglesias Turkey Tours, Ismail Kuscus and Fatima were always very accessible and they stayed in close contact, through emails or WhatsApp or whatever social media platform you happened to be using. You can ask them any questions about the trip ahead or questions about the itinerary, they will respond quickly. The only regret I had about the Ephesus trip was the very hot and humid weather. I am from California and I know what hot weather is like. Of course, it’s not the tour operators fault. It’s beyond their control. If I were to do it again, I would choose a much cooler or milder weather. Check the weather forecast way ahead of time before you buy your airplane ticket. Just my suggestion.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Must try!

Miko_C, Sep 2022

The trip is wonderful and convenient. I love the free time given in Ephesus as it gave opportunities to explore the area. Guide was very friendly and easy to be comfortable with.

Response from Host, Sep 2022

Five star chain of...

QuamrulH, Aug 2022

Five star chain of services…. Book with them, close your eyes… be in good hands…. Enjoy the whole day…from start to finish. Extremely happy…flawless services… Dr. Hasan New Jersey

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Dear Guest, Thank you very much for sharing the travel experience you had with us. Our company values put customer satisfaction as a top priority and we are committed to our customers. We look forward to serving you again. Best Wishes Fatima& Ismail

Perfect day in Ephesus

Lynn_B, Aug 2022

This trip met all of our expectations for the day. On time pickup at our hotel in Sultanahmet, prompt pickup in Izmir, English speaking guide, and we saw everything we could want! Fatima was fantastic, truly knew the area well and also helped avoid the large groups by moving the day’s activities around a bit based on what she knew. Well worth the time and money to have this private tour versus doing it solo or as part of a large group.

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Ephesus! A+

Farzeen_A, Jul 2022

Exceptional tour! The tour company took care of everything from booking airport transfers to flights and everything to do with the tour. It was hassle-free and perfect for my son and I. Fatima is an excellent guide- she's informative, helpful, accommodating and has a great cheerful personality. The sites we went to were spectacular, the traditional food was great and we got to do some shopping as well. Thank you for a memorable day!