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Ephesus Day Tour from Istanbul by Plane (Group)Flights Included

1 DayGroup tourEntrance tickets & lunch included

From€329per person, based on 2 travellers

Licensed local guides+90 507 357 58 94Office in Kuşadası

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We reply on WhatsApp within about 1 hour, 09:00–18:00 Turkey time — and in the evening whenever we can.

Infants under 2 travel free · Children 2–7: free site entrances (seats and flights at adult rate)

Overview

Take a one-day group tour from Istanbul by plane to Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis. Hotel pickup, return flights, a guide, site tickets and lunch are included.

Highlights

  • Walk Curetes Street to the Library of Celsus
  • See the Great Theatre at Ephesus
  • Visit the House of the Virgin Mary
  • Stop at the Temple of Artemis and carpet centre

Itinerary

The day starts at 05:00, when your driver meets you in the hotel lobby for the transfer to the airport and an early flight to İzmir. From İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB) it is about an hour's drive to Selçuk, where you join the shared group tour with a licensed English-speaking guide. Entrance tickets for Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary are included, as is lunch in Selçuk. The group also stops at a carpet weaving center and the Temple of Artemis before heading back to the airport for the evening flight to Istanbul.

  1. Hotel pickup in Istanbul

    05:00

    Your driver meets you in the lobby and takes you to the airport for the domestic flight.

  2. Istanbul to İzmir (ADB) flight

    An economy flight of just over an hour down to the Aegean coast.

    Tip: Bring your passport; you need it at check-in.

  3. İzmir Airport to Ephesus

    About an hour south by motorway to Selçuk, where the group gathers.

  4. Ephesus

    Time here: about 2 hours

    In the Great Theatre, which seated around 25,000 people, the silversmith Demetrius stirred up a riot against the apostle Paul, as told in Acts 19. From its steps, look down Harbor Street toward where the sea once reached the city.

  5. Lunch in Selçuk

    A set lunch at a local restaurant; drinks are extra.

  6. Carpet Weaving Education Center (about 30–45 min)

    Weavers demonstrate the double knot used in Turkish carpets, and you see raw silk unwound from cocoons. No obligation to buy.

  7. House of the Virgin Mary

    Pope Paul VI prayed here in 1967, John Paul II in 1979 and Benedict XVI in 2006. The chapel is small, so visitors pass through quietly in a line.

  8. Temple of Artemis

    A brief stop at the marshy site of one of the Seven Wonders, where storks often nest on the single rebuilt column.

  9. Evening flight İzmir to Istanbul

    After the transfer back to ADB, you fly to Istanbul in the evening.

Shared air-conditioned minibus, flights and airport transfers

Meals: Lunch

Pickup and route

Pickup
Istanbul hotel pickup included. Your driver will meet you at the lobby at 05:00 AM.

What's included

Included

  • Licensed English-speaking guide
  • Air-conditioned sightseeing transport, Istanbul hotel-to-airport transfer, and transfers from İzmir Airport to Ephesus and back
  • Entrance tickets: Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary
  • Lunch in Selçuk
  • Flight Istanbul → Izmir on day 1 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)
  • Flight Izmir → Istanbul on day 1 (economy class; checked bag as per the ticket fare)

Not included

  • Tips (optional)
  • Personal purchases
  • Drinks with meals
  • Dinner

Optional extras

  • Domestic flights

Good to know

Workshop stop: a carpet weaving centre. Part of the programme, no obligation to buy.

Before you go

  • Domestic flights are economy class. Your baggage allowance follows the ticket fare, and we confirm it with your tickets.
  • Travel with the passport you booked with: airlines check the name on the ticket against it.
  • Wear comfortable walking shoes: most sites have uneven ground, stone paths and steps.
  • Bring a hat, sunscreen and water in the warm months; there is little shade at the ancient sites.
  • Vegetarian, vegan or other dietary needs at lunch: tell us when you book and we let the restaurant know.
  • Mobility needs or travelling with small children? Tell us before you book, and we tell you honestly which parts of the day suit you.

Cancellation policy

Cancellation charges from 25% · see the schedule

  • 91 days or more: The 25% administrative fee is charged. 61–90 days: 55% of the total is charged (30% + the 25% administrative fee). 31–60 days: 65% of the total is charged (40% + the 25% administrative fee). 16–30 days: 95% of the total is charged (70% + the 25% administrative fee). 15 days or less or no-show: 100% of the total is charged. Charges are percentages of the total booking value and include the 25% administrative fee retained on every cancellation; non-refundable flight, hotel or entrance tickets already bought are added, up to 100% of the total. Your deposit is applied to the charge: if the charge is higher than your deposit, you pay us the difference; anything we hold above the charge is refunded within 14 days.
  • Request cancellation in writing, by email or WhatsApp; the cancellation date is the day we receive your message. Refunds go back the way you paid, within 14 days: card payments to the same card. Shore excursions are paid on the day, so nothing is collected in advance.
  • If unavoidable extraordinary circumstances at the destination make the trip impossible, you receive a full refund, less any mandatory taxes and genuinely non-refundable third-party payments, itemised for you.
  • Date changes are free when requested at least 72 hours before a day tour, 24 hours before a shore excursion, or 21 days before a package or a day trip by plane, subject to availability. For these, a date change 14–20 days before departure costs €50 per booking; under 14 days it depends on availability, and any airline or hotel change fees are charged at cost. Name changes (passing your booking to someone else at least 7 days before departure) are free except for any airline name-change fee, charged at cost.
  • If TurkeyVia cancels, including because the minimum group size is not met, you can choose a full refund or an alternative.
Full cancellation policy

Your contract is with İlke Seyahat Turizm Ticaret Gıda Orman Ürünleri Gemi Acenteliği İthalat İhracat Sanayi Limited Şirketi, Turgut Ozal Bulvari 67/1, Kusadasi, Aydin 09400, Turkey — the company behind TurkeyVia. Terms

Frequently asked questions

What time is pickup for the Ephesus day trip from Istanbul?

Your driver meets you in your Istanbul hotel lobby at 05:00 for the transfer to the airport and the early flight to İzmir.

Can I use my own flights to İzmir?

Yes. Remove the domestic flights option when booking and we meet you at İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport. The meeting time is confirmed with your booking; your flight needs to land in time to join the group in the morning.

Is the transfer back to my Istanbul hotel included?

The package includes the morning transfer from your hotel to the airport. For the evening ride from the airport back to your hotel, you can book one of our private airport transfers or take a taxi.

Which entrance tickets are included on the Istanbul–Ephesus day trip?

Tickets for Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary are included, and the Temple of Artemis is free. Lunch in Selçuk is included too; drinks, tips and dinner are not.

What should I bring for a flying day trip to Ephesus?

Your passport for the domestic flights, comfortable shoes with grip, a hat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle. For the House of the Virgin Mary, bring something to cover shoulders and knees.

Is there a shopping stop on this group tour?

Yes, one: a Carpet Weaving Education Center visit of about 30–45 minutes, where you see hand-knotting and silk production. There is no obligation to buy anything.

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