Ephesus Day Trip from Izmir: Small Group Tour with Virgin Mary

Four ancient sites in one day, guided through marble streets and a Seven Wonders ruin

Small-group full-day tour from Izmir to Ephesus, House of Virgin Mary, Temple of Artemis and Sirince village, with English-speaking guide, lunch and round-trip hotel pickup. The eight-hour itinerary covers two hours walking Ephesus's marble streets (Celsus Library, Hadrian Temple, the Great Theatre), then moves to Temple of Artemis, one of antiquity's Seven Wonders, before ending in Sirince for wine tasting. Hotel pickup and drop-off happen in Izmir. Entrance fees are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. House of the Virgin Mary2h · entry included
2. Ephesus3h · entry included
3. Temple of Artemis30m · entry included

Ephesus and Sirince day trip

• Pick up from Izmir hotel
• Visit House of Virgin Mary
• Explore Ancient City of Ephesus
• Visit Temple of Artemis
• Lunch break
• Free time and wine tasting in Sirince
• Return to Izmir hotel

The experience

The tour picks you up from your Izmir hotel and heads to House of Virgin Mary first, a shrine officially recognized by the Roman Catholic Church in 1986 and visited by Pope Paul VI in 1967. From there, you spend two hours walking the ancient city of Ephesus with your guide, moving through sites like the Odeon, Curetes Street, Hadrian Temple, and the Celsus Library: one of the largest buildings in the Roman world. The marble streets themselves are part of what you're seeing. The guide's live commentary frames what each ruin was and why it mattered to the people who built it.

After lunch, the tour continues to Temple of Artemis, which stands as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. The site also offers clear sightlines to photograph Church of St. John and Mosque of Isa Bey from the same vantage point. The final stop is Sirince, a hillside village seven kilometers from Ephesus, built on Byzantine Greek foundations and now known for traditional stone houses and fruit-flavored wines. You get free time there to walk the narrow streets and taste wine at local producers before the return drive to Izmir, where you're dropped at your hotel around 6:30 pm.

The group stays small, the vehicle is air-conditioned, and the pace is set by the guide rather than by you choosing stops. Entrance fees to all sites are covered. Lunch is included. If you want to visit the Terrace Houses (a private Roman dwelling sometimes called the brothel) during the Ephesus section, that costs an extra 25 Turkish lira per person and needs to be arranged with the guide beforehand.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Izmir.
• entrance fees to House of Virgin Mary, Ephesus, and Temple of Artemis.
• lunch.
• English-speaking guide.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• parking fees.
• free time for wine tasting in Sirince.

Options for this experience

2 options

Ephesus day trip, privateGuide in English · 5 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 09:30Private tour with pickup included and transfer

Ephesus day trip from Izmir in a small groupGuide in English · 07:30includes pickup

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 09:30

Book up to10h before

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

GroupUp to 14

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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 yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Apasas travel

Is this one for you?Choose the small-group option if you want the stops and timing set by a guide who knows the sites, so you move through Ephesus's marble streets without deciding where to go next. Pick the private version if your group prefers to travel alone and set its own pace within the day's structure.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 8): free.

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.

What exactly is the House of Virgin Mary and why is it on this tour?

House of Virgin Mary is a shrine where Mary may have spent her final years after arriving with Saint John. The Roman Catholic Church officially recognized it as a pilgrimage site in 1986, and Pope Paul VI visited in 1967. It's the first stop on the tour before moving into ancient Ephesus.

How much time do I spend actually walking around Ephesus itself?

You walk the ancient city for two hours with your guide, covering sites like the Celsus Library, Hadrian Temple, the Great Theatre, and the marble-paved Curetes Street. The guide provides live commentary on each structure as you move through them.

What is Temple of Artemis and why is it worth seeing?

Temple of Artemis is one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, though only ruins remain today. It's visited after lunch, and the location also gives you clear angles to photograph Church of St. John and Mosque of Isa Bey from the same spot.

What happens in Sirince at the end of the day?

Sirince is a traditional village seven kilometers from Ephesus, built on a hillside with stone houses and known for fruit-flavored wines. You get free time to walk around and taste wine at local producers before the drive back to Izmir.

What's included in the price and what costs extra?

Entrance fees to all sites, lunch, English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport, and hotel pickup and drop-off in Izmir are all included. Wine tasting in Sirince is free. The only optional extra is the Terrace Houses visit in Ephesus, which costs 25 Turkish lira per person if you arrange it with the guide beforehand.