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Private Ephesus-Only Shore Excursion from KuşadasıShort Port Calls

Shore excursion3-4 HoursPrivate, your party only

Pay nothing now — pay cash on the day

No card needed · Free cancellation up to 24 hours

From$69≈ €59per person, based on 2 travellers

Total for 2: $138 · per person drops as your group grows

+ about $46 pp entrance fees (≈ €40), paid at the sites

Ask us on WhatsApp

On WhatsApp within about 1 hour, 09:00–18:00 Turkey time

  • Back-to-ship guarantee: back at the pier 60 minutes before all-aboard

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

Entrance fees
You pay about $46 per adult (≈ €40) at Ephesus (children under 8 free). Ticket queues can be long on cruise days — your guide plans the time around them.

Official prices per adult: Ephesus $46

2 adults: $138 in cash on the tour day (US dollars, euros or British pounds) · entrance fees paid at the sites

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

  • Duration3-4 Hours

  • Tour typePrivate · your party only

  • Meeting pointYour guide waits at the exit of the Kuşadası Ege Port cruise terminal with a TurkeyVia sign. Minimum port stay: 5 hours; you are back at the terminal at least 60 minutes before all-aboard.

  • Return to shipBack at the ship 60 min before all-aboard

  • CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours · Port-call cancellation covered

Overview

Take a 3–4 hour private Ephesus shore excursion from Kuşadası Ege Port, with your own guide and vehicle. Walk downhill from the upper gate through the ancient city; pay your guide in cash on the day.

Highlights

  • Walk downhill from Ephesus upper gate to lower gate
  • Pass the State Agora and the Odeon
  • Follow Curetes Street past the Temple of Hadrian
  • See the Library of Celsus and Great Theatre
  • Visit a carpet weaving centre, with no obligation to buy

Itinerary

Meet your guide at the Kuşadası Ege Port cruise terminal exit (TurkeyVia sign).

Built for short calls: Ephesus only, walked from the upper gate down to the lower gate with your own guide, then a short carpet weaving visit and the drive back to Kuşadası Ege Port. About 3–4 hours in total, with no lunch stop; your guide times it to your ship.

  1. Kuşadası Ege Port to the Ephesus upper gate

    Time here: 25 mins

    Your guide meets you at the terminal exit and the driver heads inland to the upper (Magnesian) gate.

  2. State Agora and Odeon

    Time here: 25 mins

    Start among the civic buildings of the upper city; the small, steep Odeon was used for council meetings and music.

  3. Curetes Street

    Time here: 35 mins

    Walk down the marble-paved main street past the Temple of Hadrian, the Fountain of Trajan and the public latrines. The paving is uneven and worn smooth, so watch your step.

  4. Library of Celsus

    Time here: 30 mins

    Stand before the two-storey façade, built in the early 2nd century AD as a library and tomb for the governor Celsus.

  5. Great Theatre

    Time here: 25 mins

    See the theatre cut into the slope of Mount Pion, which seated about 25,000 people, then leave by the lower gate where your vehicle is waiting.

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

    Time here: 30-45 mins

    A cultural introduction to traditional Turkish hand-knotted carpets: see weavers at work, how silk is drawn from cocoons and how natural dyes are made, with Turkish tea. No obligation to buy.

  7. Drive back to Kuşadası Ege Port

    Time here: 25 mins

    You are dropped at the terminal at least 60 minutes before all-aboard.

Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver; it collects you at the lower gate of Ephesus

Departure transfer: Drop-off at the cruise terminal at least 60 minutes before all-aboard.Meals: No meal on this tour; snacks and drinks are sold at the Ephesus gates.

Meeting point and return to your ship

Meeting point
Your guide waits at the exit of the Kuşadası Ege Port cruise terminal with a TurkeyVia sign. Minimum port stay: 5 hours; you are back at the terminal at least 60 minutes before all-aboard.
Return to your ship
Back at the port at least 60 minutes before all-aboard. If your ship is late or the call is cancelled, see the cancellation terms below.

What happens after you book

  1. 1
    Reserve online, no card

    Give your ship name, port date and WhatsApp number. Nothing is charged.

  2. 2
    We confirm

    We confirm on WhatsApp or by email, usually within about 1 hour (09:00–18:00 Turkey time). Your e-voucher follows by email.

  3. 3
    We check in before your port day

    We confirm the plan 48 and 24 hours before your call.

  4. 4
    Pay your guide in cash

    Pay your guide in cash on the day — US dollars, euros or British pounds.

What's included

Included

  • Licensed English-speaking private guide
  • Private air-conditioned vehicle from and back to Kuşadası Ege Port

Not included

  • Entrance tickets (Ephesus) — add them at booking or buy them at the gate
  • Lunch
  • Tips (optional)
  • Drinks and snacks
  • Entrance fees (Ephesus): about €40 per adult, paid at the sites; children under 8 free

Good to know

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

Before you go

  • Bring your cruise card and a photo ID; you need them to leave and re-board the ship.
  • 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.
  • 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

Free cancellation up to 24 hours · Port-call cancellation covered

  • 24 hours or more: Free cancellation, full refund. Under 24 hours or no-show: No refund, unless the cruise line cancels or skips the port call. If the cruise line cancels or skips the port call, you receive a full refund.
  • 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

How long is this private Ephesus shore tour?

The tour takes 3–4 hours, with about two hours on foot inside Ephesus.

Where does the tour meet and return?

Your guide meets you at the Kuşadası Ege Port terminal exit with a TurkeyVia sign. The tour returns at least 60 minutes before all-aboard.

How much walking is there at Ephesus?

Expect about two hours walking downhill on worn, uneven marble with little shade. The vehicle waits at the lower gate.

Are Ephesus entrance tickets included?

No. You can add the Ephesus ticket when booking or buy it at the gate.

Is there a shopping stop?

A short carpet weaving visit is part of the itinerary, with no obligation to buy.

How do I book and pay for the Private Ephesus-Only Shore Excursion from Kuşadası?

Reserve now, pay your guide in cash on the day (US dollars, euros or British pounds) — no deposit and no card needed. Send your ship name, port date and WhatsApp number with the request, and we confirm the booking and your meeting point.

What is the cancellation policy for the Private Ephesus-Only Shore Excursion from Kuşadası?

Free cancellation up to 24 hours · Port-call cancellation covered. 24 hours or more: Free cancellation, full refund. Under 24 hours or no-show: No refund, unless the cruise line cancels or skips the port call. If the cruise line cancels or skips the port call, you receive a full refund. Full terms: cancellation policy.

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.

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