Ephesus Day Trip from Istanbul Private Tour with Flights

Set your own pace through five ancient sites without waiting for a group to move on

A private day tour from Istanbul to Ephesus with round-trip flights, hotel pickup and skip-the-line entry to the Temple of Artemis, Ephesus ruins, Terrace Houses, House of the Virgin Mary, and St. John's Basilica. You choose the departure time, spend as long as you want at each site, and a professional English-speaking guide stays with you the entire day. Turkish lunch and soft drinks are included, along with private vehicle transport in Izmir.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Ephesus2h · entry included
2. Ephesus Terrace Houses45m · entry included
3. House of the Virgin Mary45m · entry included
4. Basilica of St. John40m · entry included
5. Temple of Artemis15m

Ephesus day trip from Istanbul

• Pick up from Istanbul hotel
• Transfer to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen airport
• Flight from Istanbul to Izmir
• Meet tour guide at Izmir airport
• Drive to Ephesus
• Explore Ephesus ancient city
• Lunch at local handicrafts center
• Visit Ephesus Terrace Houses
• Visit House of Virgin Mary
• Drive to St. John’s Basilica
• Visit Artemis Temple
• Drive to Izmir airport
• Flight from Izmir to Istanbul
• Meet representative and transfer to hotel

The experience

The day starts with early morning pickup from your Istanbul hotel and transfer to Sabiha Gokcen airport for the morning flight to Izmir. After landing, your guide meets you at the airport with a name sign and drives 45 minutes to Ephesus. You walk the marble streets lined with public buildings: the State Agora, Odeon, Temple of Domitian, Curetes Street, Trajan Fountain, Baths of Scholastica, Hadrian Temple, Celcus Library, and the Grand Theatre, which was built in the 3rd century B.C. and later expanded by the Romans to hold 24,000 spectators.

After Ephesus, lunch is served in the garden of a local handicrafts center where you can watch traditional carpet weaving. The afternoon takes you to the Terrace Houses on the slopes of Pion Mountain: six residential units built on three man-made terraces and decorated with wall frescoes and floor mosaics that belonged to wealthy citizens. Then you visit the House of the Virgin Mary, located 5 miles away on the Aladag Mountains, believed to be where Mary lived from 37 A.D. until her death in 48 A.D., and declared a place of pilgrimage by the Archbishop of Izmir in 1892. St. John's Basilica follows, built where the evangelist spent his final years, and the Temple of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) rounds out the sites before the drive back to Izmir airport.

Your guide holds pre-paid skip-the-line tickets to all five sites, so you move straight through without queuing at the doors. The return flight departs Izmir after the Temple of Artemis visit, landing in Istanbul after 1 hour 20 minutes, where a representative meets you and transfers you back to your hotel. Luggage allowance is 15 kg checked and 8 kg carry-on. A vegetarian lunch option is available if you request it at booking.

What’s included

• Round-trip flights between Istanbul and Izmir.
• hotel pickup in Istanbul and return transfer after landing.
• private vehicle transport throughout the day in Izmir.
• professional English-speaking guide from arrival to departure.
• skip-the-line entrance tickets to the Temple of Artemis, Ephesus, Terrace Houses, House of the Virgin Mary, and St. John's Basilica.
• traditional Turkish lunch and soft drinks (cola, fanta, sprite, soda water, water).

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:00, 06:30 and 07:00

AgesAdult (8 and older) · Child (3 to 7 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Private & Small Group Ephesus & Istanbul & Turkey Tours

Is this one for you?At 14 hours door-to-door, this tour fills a full day and leaves no room for other Istanbul activities. Book it when Ephesus is your priority and you want to see five major sites without splitting the visit across two days or joining a shared group.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 7 years); Infant (under 3).

What is the Temple of Artemis and why is it on this tour?

The Temple of Artemis is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and stands as a monumental ruin near Ephesus. It is included as the final archaeological stop before returning to Izmir airport, completing a full sweep of the region's most significant ancient sites in a single day.

How much time do I spend walking around the Ephesus ruins?

The itinerary does not fix a duration for Ephesus itself. You decide how long to spend there. Your guide stays with you the entire day and does not move the group along, so you can linger at the Grand Theatre, Celcus Library, or any of the marble streets as long as you want.

Is the flight from Istanbul to Izmir included in the price?

Yes, round-trip flights between Istanbul and Izmir are included, along with hotel pickup in Istanbul and the return transfer after landing. Luggage is limited to 15 kg checked and 8 kg carry-on per person.

What happens at the Terrace Houses and why are they worth visiting?

The Terrace Houses are six residential units built on three man-made terraces on Pion Mountain, decorated with wall frescoes and floor mosaics. They belonged to wealthy citizens of Ephesus and show how the city's elite lived in ancient times: many steps lead from the bottom to the top of the site.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation in Izmir, or is it included?

Private vehicle transport in Izmir is included. Your guide drives you from the airport to Ephesus, between all the sites, and back to the airport. You do not arrange any transportation once you land.

Can I request a vegetarian lunch?

Yes, a vegetarian option is available. Let the operator know at the time of booking and they will arrange it for the lunch served in the handicrafts center garden.