DAILY EPHESUS TOUR FROM ISTANBUL

After your arrival journey, our private vehicle will pick you up from the meeting point. Ephesus is located in the Selçuk district of İzmir, about an hour’s drive from İzmir Airport. If you haven't had breakfast, our guide will recommend suitable places for you to have breakfast once you arrive in Selçuk. When you are ready for the tour, we will first begin our visit to the Ancient City of Ephesus. Two and a half to three hours will be sufficient to explore the ancient city of Ephesus in detail.

The Ancient City of Ephesus 

During the Roman period, Ephesus was the second-largest city. Its development was greatly influenced by its status as a port city. It is home to the largest ancient amphitheater in the world. The theater, with a capacity of 25,000, still maintains its acoustic properties today. Ephesus is globally famous for its historical significance. It experienced its most glorious period during the Roman era. After the Artemis cult, it also hosted the early years of Christianity to a great extent. The ancient city of Ephesus was built entirely from marble and is currently located about 5 kilometers from the coast. After a major earthquake in the 1360s, the distance to the coast increased, reaching its present form.

The Ancient City of Ephesus, where all details of architecture and traditional culture are reflected, has hosted numerous beliefs. For this purpose, there are many structures in the city reflecting various cultures. Some of the main ones include: the Magnesia Gate, the Grand Theater, the Eastern Gymnasium, the State Agora Baths, the Upper Agora (State Agora) and Basilica, the Odeon, the Prytaneion, the Temple of Domitian, the Pollio Fountain, the Memmius Monument, the Street of Curetes, the Heracles Gate, the Trajan Fountain, the Terrace Houses, the Varius Baths, the Public Latrine, the House of Love, the Temple of Hadrian, the Stoa of Alytarkhus, the Octagon, the Heroon, the Library of Celsus, the Commercial Agora, the South Gate, the Marble Street, the Harbor Street (Arcadiane), the Theater Gymnasium, the Ruins of the Virgin Mary Church, and the Harbor Baths.

After exploring the Ancient City of Ephesus, our guide will give you a break for lunch. If you have a special dietary preference, such as vegetarian, it is recommended to inform us in advance when you contact us regarding the tour. Having a reservation helps us save time when proceeding to lunch. After your lunch break, we will head to the Temple of Artemis.

The Temple of Artemis

In ancient times, there were many temples dedicated to Artemis. The most famous of these was the Temple in Ephesus. It gained worldwide fame after it was declared one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by the Byzantine Philon in the 3rd century BC. The Temple of Artemis is not located within the Ephesus Archaeological Park. It is about 2 kilometers away from the site. It is also 1 kilometer away from the center of the Selçuk district. It is easily accessible by walking from the town center. In this program, you will reach the Temple of Artemis with just a 5-minute drive. It is also known as the Temple of Diana. As is well-known, it is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It is the first marble temple of the ancient world. It was constructed with a total of 127 columns. Like other temples dedicated to Artemis, it faces west. 

The House of Virgin Mary 

After our visit to Artemis, where you will observe the deep traces of history, we will take you to the House of Virgin Mary, where she spent her last years. This part of the journey will take about 10 minutes by car.
The House of Virgin Mary was a place whose location was unknown for most of history. It was eventually found after Sister Catherine Emmerich had a vision of it, which she shared with a German author. Although it was not discovered by the German author, the writings helped shed light on its location. In 1891, priests in İzmir found a small house that matched Emmerich's description. Archaeological investigations have shown that the structure dates back to the 6th century AD, although its foundation dates back to the 1st century AD. This suggests that the house was later restored. It was discovered that some villagers from nearby villages held ceremonies at this site every year on August 15th, under the name of Panaghia Kapulu. Since it was a time when many people around the world were not familiar with the meaning of Christmas or Easter, the villagers themselves were unaware of the significance of their ceremonies when asked. Historians researched the term "Panaghia Kapulu" and found that it means "Gate of Virgin Mary." August 15th is still celebrated as the day of the Virgin Mary's ascension to heaven. Today, the House of Virgin Mary is visited not only by Christians but also by Muslims.

This stop will complete the final point of our tour. Afterward, unless you have any other requests, our private vehicle will take you to the airport as previously arranged.