Ephesus Small Group Day Tour from Selcuk

39 Reviews

Badge of Excellence

Selcuk, Turkey

Ephesus Small Group Day Tour from Selcuk

From $62.56

Lowest Price Guarantee

Free cancellation

Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more

8 hours (approx.)

Hotel pickup offered

Mobile ticket

Offered in: English and 1 more

Good for avoiding crowds

Overview

Explore Turkey's remarkable history on a full-day, small-group tour of Ephesus and surrounding sites from Selcuk, and follow in the footsteps of ancient Greeks, Roman republicans, Goth warriors and early Christians. See archeological excavations that uncovered bright mosaics, an ancient library, carved goddesses and private homes, and explore the remains of the Temple of Artemis. Visit the mountainside House of Virgin Mary then step into the world of the Seljuq dynasty at the 14th-century Isa Bey mosque.

Full-day small-group tour of Ephesus from Selcuk
Learn about the ancient history of this swath of antiquity
Visit the Temple of Artemis, once one of the seven wonders of the ancient world
Stop by the last residence of the Virgin Mary
Get picked up and dropped off at your hotel in Selcuk
Small-group tour ensures plenty of personalized attention from the guide

Saved to wishlist!

From $62.56

Lowest Price Guarantee

What's Included

All taxes, fees and handling charges

Fuel surcharge

Lunch

Professional guide

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Transport by air-conditioned minivan

Drinks

Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)

Gratuities

Departure & Return

Departure Point

Possible departure locations

Open in Google Maps

Departure Time

9:00 AM

Please NoteHOTEL PICK-UPS - From Kusadasi are usually from 8.00 AM to 09.00 AM. - From Selcuk are usually from 9.00 AM to 09.30 AM. - Pick up times may vary depending on a) your pick up point b) how many other additional people/pick up points we have that day. This means the final pick up time will be decided 1 day before. - IT IS IMPORTANT that you contact our pick up operator (call/whatsapp/sms) to find out your final pick up time. MEETING POINT - If you are coming to our office to meet the tour, our office is located next to Ephesus Museum in Selcuk, opposite Selcuk bus station. Address: Ataturk Mah. Ugur mumcu sevgi yolu sok. No 16/b Selcuk, Izmir

What To Expect

Meet your small group and guide at your Selcuk hotel, then make the short trip to Ephesus in a comfortable, air-conditioned minivan. Trace a route through the ruin’s highlights and hidden gems, with plenty of time to explore sites like the Celsus Library, the Great Theater and the Temple of Hadrian, a 2nd-century structure built to honor the visiting Emperor.

Hear about daily life in the ancient city, and learn how local beliefs, politics and religion have changed through the centuries. See the ruined foundations of the Temple of Artemis, once a Wonder of the Ancient World that was damaged by earthquakes, Goths and passing time.

Take in an important Catholic pilgrimage site at Bulbul Mountain, where some believe that the Virgin Mary lived her final years in a small, stone house. Discover Isa Bay mosque, a jewel of Seljukian architecture, whose brick minarets tower above Iznik-tiled domes and 12 columns, then finish the day with return transfer to your Selcuk hotel. This tour includes lunch.

Itinerary

Stop At:

Meryemana (The Virgin Mary's House)

The House of the Virgin Mary (or Meryem Ana Evi in Turkish) is a place where, according to the beliefs of many people Mary, the mother of Jesus, spent the last years of her life. She was supposed to arrive at Ephesus together with St. John and lived there in the years 37-45 CE until her Assumption (according to Catholic doctrine) or Dormition (according to Orthodox belief).

... More

Duration: 30 minutes

Admission Ticket Included

Stop At:

Ancient City of Ephesus

Of Turkey's hundreds of ancient cities and classical ruins, Ephesus is the grandest and best preserved. Indeed, it's the best place on the Mediterranean to get a feel for what life was like in ancient times. Ancient Ephesus was a great trading city and a centre for the cult of Cybele, the Anatolian fertility goddess.

... More

Duration: 2 hours

Admission Ticket Included

Stop At:

The Odeion

The Odeion of Ancient Ephesus is a small, semi-circular theater originally constructed in the 2nd century A.D and financed by PubliusVedius Antonius and his wife FlaviaPaiana. The building would have served as a space for political meetings, social events, concerts and theatrical performances.

... More

Duration: 15 minutes

Admission Ticket Included

Stop At:

Temple of Hadrian

This temple dedicated to the Emperor Hadrian is considered one of the best preserved and most beautiful structures on Curetes Street. It was constructed in the beginning of the 2nd century AD by P. Quintilius to celebrate Hadrian visiting the city from Athens.

... More

Duration: 15 minutes

Admission Ticket Included

Stop At:

Bibliotheque de Celsus

Bibliotheque de Celsus, Selcuk, Turkey This magnificent library dating from the early 2nd century AD, the best-known monument in Ephesus, has been extensively restored. Originally built as part of a complex, the library looks bigger than it actually is: the convex facade base heightens the central elements, while the middle columns and capitals are larger than those at the ends. Facade niches hold replica statues of the Four Virtues. From left to right, they are Sophia (Wisdom), Arete (Goodness), Ennoia (Thought) and Episteme (Knowledge).

... More

Duration: 20 minutes

Admission Ticket Included

Stop At:

Efes Antik Kenti Tiyatrosu

The great theater of Ephesus is a splendidly preserved and very impressive building. This structure, built of marble, has a width of 145 meters, and its audience once reached up to 30 meters. In its heyday, it could accommodate up to 24,000 spectators. The construction of the theater began in Hellenistic times.

... More

Duration: 20 minutes

Admission Ticket Included

Stop At:

The Temple of Artemis

Temple of Artemis (or Artemision), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In an empty field to the west of the centre, this lone reconstructed pillar is all that remains of the massive Temple of Artemis (or Artemision) At its zenith, the temple counted 127 columns.

... More

Duration: 15 minutes

Admission Ticket Included

Stop At:

Isa Bey Mosque

Isabey mosque was built in a post-Seljuk/pre-Ottoman transitional style, when Selcuk was capital of the Aydin Emirate. An inscription in Arabic above the main entrance states that it was built in 1375.

... More

Duration: 15 minutes

Admission Ticket Included

Show 6 More Stops

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Infants must sit on laps
Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
Infant meals not included
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
OPERATED BY Alaturka Ephesus

Cancellation Policy

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

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Learn more about cancellations.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

39 Reviews

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Reviews by Viator travelers

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-2 of 39 reviews

I was advised to go with a guide to...

Rachel H

, Jun 2017

I was advised to go with a guide to visit Ephesus which is what led me to choose this tour. The guide I ended up with was pleasant and knowledgeable. The site itself is magnificent. In retrospect, I also would like to have had more time to explore on my own, and also to visit the Terrace Houses. The inclusion of two children in the group that day made it so that we rushed perhaps more than other days, and that did not allow time for those who wished to buy the extra ticket and take time to view the terrace houses. The other perhaps unavoidable extra was visiting a leather shop for a fashion show. The items for sale were beautiful, but it takes time out of a day that I wanted to just spent visiting Ephesus.

... More

1 traveler found this review helpful

My parents were very happy with this...

Mazdak K

, Oct 2016

My parents were very happy with this tour and Begum was the best possible tour guide!

... More