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Private Ephesus Day Tour from Istanbul by PlaneFlights Included

1 DayPrivate, your party onlyEntrance tickets & lunch included

From€529per person, based on 2 travellers

Total for 2: €1,058 · per person drops as your group grows

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

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 private one-day tour from Istanbul by plane to Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary. Your guide and vehicle, hotel pickup, return flights, site tickets and lunch are included.

Highlights

  • Explore Curetes Street with your private guide
  • See the Library of Celsus and Great Theatre
  • Visit the House of the Virgin Mary
  • Stop at the Temple of Artemis and carpet centre
  • Set your pace within the flight schedule

Itinerary

Your private driver collects you from the hotel lobby at 05:00 for the airport and the early flight to İzmir. At İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport your own guide and vehicle take over for the hour-long drive to Ephesus, and from there the pace is yours: spend longer at the Library of Celsus, or keep lunch short to reach the House of the Virgin Mary sooner. Entrance tickets to Ephesus and Mary's house are included, and so is lunch in Selçuk. The day ends with a carpet weaving stop, the Temple of Artemis and the evening flight back to Istanbul.
  1. Early start from your Istanbul hotel

    05:00

    Your driver takes you from the Istanbul hotel to the airport for the morning flight.

  2. Flight to İzmir Adnan Menderes (ADB)

    A domestic economy flight to İzmir; keep your passport at hand for check-in and security.

  3. Drive to Selçuk with your guide

    Your guide meets you at arrivals and uses the hour-long drive to explain how Ephesus grew from a Greek port into the leading city of Roman Asia.

  4. Ephesus at your own pace

    Time here: about 2–2.5 hours

    Paul spent roughly three years in Ephesus in the AD 50s. Your guide shows you Curetes Street, the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre, and you choose where to slow down for photos.

  5. Lunch in Selçuk

    Lunch at a local restaurant, timed to suit you; drinks are not included.

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

    A short introduction to how wool and silk are dyed and knotted by hand, with tea. No obligation to buy.

  7. House of the Virgin Mary

    The road climbs through pines on Bülbüldağı to the small chapel; afterwards, see the wishing wall and the spring taps outside.

    Tip: Shoulders and knees should be covered.

  8. Temple of Artemis

    A short stop at the single column that marks the temple's site; entry is free.

  9. Evening flight back to Istanbul

    Your guide and driver take you to ADB for the evening flight to Istanbul.

Private air-conditioned vehicle, flights and hotel-to-airport transfer

Meals: Lunch

Pickup and route

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

What's included

Included

  • Private licensed English-speaking guide
  • Private sightseeing transport, Istanbul hotel-to-airport transfer, and return transfers between İzmir Airport and Ephesus
  • 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

Who picks us up for the private Ephesus trip, and when?

A private driver meets you in your hotel lobby in Istanbul at 05:00 and takes you to the airport. At İzmir airport your own guide and vehicle are waiting.

We already have flights to İzmir. Can we still book the private tour?

Yes. Remove the domestic flights option when you book, and your private guide meets you at İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport arrivals. We confirm the meeting time with your booking and plan the day around your flight times.

Can our private guide change the order or pace of the day?

Within the flight times, yes. You might spend longer at the Library of Celsus, keep lunch brief or take more time at the House of the Virgin Mary. The guide keeps an eye on the clock so you reach the airport comfortably.

How do we get from the Istanbul airport to our hotel at night?

Only the morning hotel-to-airport transfer is part of this tour. For the evening return we can arrange a private airport transfer on request, or you can take a taxi from the rank.

Is lunch included, and can you cater for dietary needs?

Lunch in Selçuk is included; drinks are extra. Vegetarian and other dietary needs can usually be arranged, so please tell us when you book.

Is there a carpet workshop visit on the private tour?

The day includes a Carpet Weaving Education Center visit of about 30–45 minutes with a demonstration of weaving and silk. There is no obligation to buy, and your guide may shorten it if time is tight.

Planning guide

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Questions before you book? Message us on WhatsApp.

Tell us your dates, your ship or the tour you like. We reply on WhatsApp within about 1 hour, 09:00–18:00 Turkey time, and in the evening whenever we can.