Ephesus Day Tour from Izmir: Ancient Ruins & Virgin Mary Shrine

Eight Hours Among the Ruins That Shaped Christianity

You visit the House of the Virgin Mary, walk the full ancient city of Ephesus with its temples and library, see the Temple of Artemis, and eat lunch between sites: all without arranging your own transport or entry tickets. Eight hours round trip from Izmir, with a guide who knows which streets matter and where the light is best for photos.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. House of the Virgin Mary45m · entry included
2. Ephesus2h · entry included
3. Ephesus Terrace Houses45m
4. Temple of Artemis45m · entry included

Explore Ephesus and nearby sites

• Pick up from Izmir
• Visit House of Virgin Mary
• Tour ancient city of Ephesus
• Optional visit to Ephesus Terrace Houses
• Lunch break
• Visit Temple of Artemis
• See Church of St. John and Mosque of Isa Bey
• Visit old village of Sirince
• Return to Izmir

The experience

What draws people back to Ephesus again and again? It's the weight of it: walking streets where Paul spent two and a half years, standing in front of a library that survived two thousand years, touching stone that pilgrims have touched since the early church. The Ephesus day tour from Izmir takes you through all of it in one morning and afternoon, starting with pickup from your hotel and ending back there by evening. You don't arrange transport, you don't navigate between sites, you don't wonder if you've missed something. The guide handles the timing.

The day opens at the House of the Virgin Mary, a small shrine on a hillside where Mary is believed to have spent her final years after arriving with Saint John. It's quieter than you'd expect: pilgrims still come, and Pope Paul VI visited in 1967, but the place itself is intimate. After that, you move into Ephesus proper, the ancient city itself. The scale hits you first: the Celsus Library with its two-story facade, the Great Theatre carved into the hillside, the Curetes Street lined with what used to be shops and temples. Your guide walks you through the Odeon, the State Agora, the Hadrian Temple. The Terrace Houses are optional. They're the old residential villas with mosaics and graffiti, and they cost an extra 25 Turkish lira per person if you want to go inside, but your guide needs to know beforehand.

Lunch happens midway through, built into the day so you're not eating on the run. After that comes the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world: what's left of it, anyway. The columns are gone, but the site itself opens up, and from there you can photograph the Church of St. John and the Mosque of Isa Bey from angles most visitors miss. Some tours add a stop in a local wine village on the hills above Selçuk, where Byzantine Greeks once lived before the population exchange after the Turkish National War. The whole thing takes eight hours door to door.

The tour includes entrance fees, the vehicle with air conditioning, fuel, parking, and lunch. It's not recommended if you have spinal problems, are pregnant, or have cardiovascular concerns. There's genuine walking involved, and the heat in summer is real. You need moderate fitness to get through it comfortably. If that fits, book it with your hotel pickup time confirmed a day ahead.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and dropoff from Izmir, entrance fees to the House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus ancient city, and Temple of Artemis, lunch at a local restaurant, and transport in an air-conditioned vehicle with fuel and parking covered. The Terrace Houses are optional for an additional 25 Turkish lira per person if you arrange it with your guide beforehand.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (8 and older) · Infant (under 8)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Apasas travel

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Ephesus's main sites in one day without renting a car or buying tickets separately: the fixed schedule and included transport are what make eight hours of walking and history feel manageable rather than rushed.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 8).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the Ephesus day tour from Izmir?

Eight hours total, including pickup and dropoff from your Izmir hotel.

What's included in the tour?

Entrance fees to all sites, lunch, air-conditioned vehicle, fuel, and parking. The Terrace Houses cost an extra 25 Turkish lira per person if you want to enter.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?

Yes, moderate fitness is required. There's significant walking through the ancient city and uneven terrain. It's not recommended for people with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health.

Is the House of the Virgin Mary included?

Yes, it's the first stop of the day.

Can I skip the Terrace Houses?

Yes, they're optional. Tell your guide beforehand if you want to skip them or add them for the extra fee.

What time does pickup happen?

Pickup time is arranged with your hotel when you book. Confirm it the day before.

Is lunch included?

Yes, lunch is included and happens midway through the tour.

Will I see the Temple of Artemis?

Yes, it's the final major stop after lunch. You'll also have time to photograph the Church of St. John and Mosque of Isa Bey from the site.