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Private Ephesus & Terrace Houses from Kuşadası PortVirgin Mary & St John

Shore excursion5-6 HoursPrivate, your party onlyLunch included

Pay nothing now — pay cash on the day

No card needed · Free cancellation up to 24 hours

From$79≈ €69per person, based on 2 travellers

Total for 2: $158 · per person drops as your group grows

+ about $84 pp entrance fees (≈ €74), 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 $84 per adult (≈ €74) at Ephesus, Terrace Houses, House of the Virgin Mary, St John's Basilica (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 · Terrace Houses $17 · House of the Virgin Mary $14 · St John's Basilica $7

2 adults: $158 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)

  • Duration5-6 Hours

  • Tour typePrivate · your party only

  • Meeting pointLook for your guide holding a TurkeyVia sign as you leave the Kuşadası Ege Port cruise terminal. Minimum port stay: 7.5 hours, so you are back on the quay 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

Visit Ephesus, the Terrace Houses and the House of the Virgin Mary on a private 5–6 hour shore excursion from Kuşadası Ege Port, with your own guide and vehicle. Lunch is in Selçuk; pay cash on the day.

Highlights

  • Visit the House of the Virgin Mary
  • Walk through Ephesus and its Terrace Houses
  • See the Basilica of St John
  • Stop at the Temple of Artemis
  • Have lunch in Selçuk

Itinerary

Your guide waits at the cruise terminal exit with a TurkeyVia sign.

The House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus with the Terrace Houses, lunch in Selçuk, the Basilica of St John and the Temple of Artemis, with a carpet weaving visit. 5–6 hours from the port and back, timed to your ship.

  1. Kuşadası Ege Port to Bülbül Mountain

    Time here: 30 mins

    The road climbs through pine forest to the shrine above Ephesus.

  2. House of the Virgin Mary

    Time here: 30 mins

    Separate ticket. Visit the restored stone chapel, then the spring taps and the wall where visitors tie written prayers. Shoulders and knees covered; no photos inside.

  3. Ephesus, upper gate to Curetes Street

    Time here: 35 mins

    A short drive down to the upper gate, then the State Agora and the Temple of Hadrian on the way down the marble street.

  4. Terrace Houses

    Time here: 35 mins

    Separate ticket. Follow the walkways through the roofed hillside houses to see wall paintings, mosaic floors and a hall lined with cut marble. Expect steps and warm air in summer.

  5. Library of Celsus and Great Theatre

    Time here: 30 mins

    The library façade, then along Marble Street to the theatre and out through the lower gate to your vehicle.

  6. Lunch in Selçuk

    Time here: 45 mins

    Lunch at a local restaurant in town.

  7. Basilica of St John

    Time here: 25 mins

    Walk among the columns and the baptistery of Justinian’s basilica on Ayasuluk Hill, with views over Selçuk and the plain where the Temple of Artemis stood.

  8. Temple of Artemis

    Time here: 10 mins

    A short stop at the field where one re-erected column marks the temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. No ticket needed.

  9. 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.

  10. Return to Kuşadası Ege Port

    Time here: 25 mins

    Drop-off at the cruise terminal at least 60 minutes before all-aboard.

Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver from and back to Kuşadası Ege Port

Departure transfer: From Selçuk back to the port, arriving at least 60 minutes before all-aboard.Meals: Lunch in Selçuk included; drinks extra.

Meeting point and return to your ship

Meeting point
Look for your guide holding a TurkeyVia sign as you leave the Kuşadası Ege Port cruise terminal. Minimum port stay: 7.5 hours, so you are back on the quay 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
  • Lunch at a restaurant in Selçuk
  • Temple of Artemis visit (no ticket needed)

Not included

  • Entrance tickets (House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus, Terrace Houses, Basilica of St John) — add them at booking or buy them at the gate
  • Tips (optional)
  • Drinks with lunch
  • Entrance fees (Ephesus, Terrace Houses, House of the Virgin Mary and St John's Basilica): about €74 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.
  • 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

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

Which places does this private tour visit?

It visits the House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus and the Terrace Houses, Basilica of St John, and Temple of Artemis.

Are entrance tickets included?

No. Tickets for Ephesus, the Terrace Houses, House of the Virgin Mary and St John’s Basilica can be added when booking or bought at the gates. The Temple of Artemis needs no ticket.

How long must my ship stay in port?

The minimum port stay is 7.5 hours. Your guide times the tour to return at least 60 minutes before all-aboard.

Is there a workshop stop?

Yes. A carpet weaving centre visit is included in the programme, with no obligation to buy.

How much walking should I expect?

The tour includes walking at Ephesus and its Terrace Houses and at the other sites; surfaces include uneven marble, steps and outdoor paths.

How do I book and pay for the Private Ephesus & Terrace Houses from Kuşadası Port?

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 & Terrace Houses from Kuşadası Port?

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.

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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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