Ephesus day trip from Izmir: Small group with skip-the-line entry

Walk marble streets lined with ancient temples and theaters built for crowds.

An 8-hour small-group tour from Izmir to Ephesus with hotel or cruise port pickup, professional English-speaking guide, entrance fees and lunch included. The group stays under ten people, so the guide can move at one pace and answer questions without splitting attention. You'll walk through the House of the Virgin Mary, then spend the main part of the day on the marble streets of Ephesus itself: the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Grand Theatre that once held 24,000 spectators. Lunch is served at a local handcraft center garden before the final stop at the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. House of the Virgin Mary1h · entry included
2. Ephesus2h · entry included
3. Temple of Artemis25m

Ephesus and Surroundings Tour

• Pick up from hotel in Izmir
• Drive to House of Virgin Mary
• Visit House of Virgin Mary
• Tour ancient city of Ephesus
• Lunch at local Handcraft center garden
• Visit Temple of Artemis
• Drive back to Izmir via Clock Tower
• Drop off at hotel or cruise terminal

The experience

The tour picks you up from your Izmir hotel or cruise terminal and drives you to the House of the Virgin Mary, located 5 miles from Ephesus on the Aladag Mountains. The house is a pilgrimage site where Mary is believed to have lived after arriving with St. John in 37 A.D. Pope Paul VI visited and prayed there in 1967. From there, you move into Ephesus itself, an ancient port city and one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League on Asia Minor's western coast. The marble streets and public buildings you walk are the physical remains of a major trade hub: the Library of Celsus, built in the 2nd century A.D. as a memorial to a Roman proconsul, still stands with its columned facade intact.

The Grand Theatre dominates the landscape. It was built in the 3rd century B.C. and later expanded by the Romans to seat 24,000 people. The Temple of Hadrian and the Baths of Scholastica are among the other structures you'll see on foot. Your guide, a licensed professional, carries pre-paid entrance tickets so you skip the line at the gate. Lunch happens in the garden of a local handcraft center, and a vegetarian option is available if you request it when booking. The final stop is the Temple of Artemis, the ruined sanctuary of what was once counted among the seven wonders of the ancient world.

The minivan returns you to your hotel or cruise terminal by the end of the 8-hour day. The operator guarantees on-time return to port for cruise passengers and requires their ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time at booking. Air-conditioned transport, the guide's commentary, all entrance fees and lunch are included in the price. Drinks and gratuities are separate.

What’s included

• Hotel or cruise port pickup and drop-off in Izmir.
• professional English-speaking licensed guide.
• entrance fees to all sites with skip-the-line tickets.
• transport by air-conditioned minivan.
• traditional Turkish lunch at a local handcraft center garden.
• visit to the House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus (Library of Celsus, Temple of Hadrian, Grand Theatre, Baths of Scholastica) and Temple of Artemis.

Options for this experience

2 options

A tour just for your familyGuide in English · No fixed timePrivate tour for your family, pickup is included

Full-day mini group tour to Ephesus from Izmir, maximum 10 passengersGuide in English · No fixed timeIncludes pickup

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (8 and older) · Child (4 to 7 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfant seats availableNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

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

Is this one for you?Choose the small-group option if you want a guide who can answer questions and move at a conversational pace without the cost of a private vehicle. Pick the private tour if your family or group wants the same sites and guide but on your own schedule and in a vehicle just for you.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 7 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What is the Library of Celsus and why is it still standing after 2,000 years?

The Library of Celsus was built in the 2nd century A.D. by Gaius Julius Aquila as a memorial to his father, a Roman proconsul of the Province of Asia. Its columned facade and interior structure have survived because of the way it was constructed and buried over time. You'll walk through it on the tour and see the scale of what a major Roman public building looked like.

Can I book this tour if I'm arriving on a cruise ship in Izmir?

Yes. Cruise passengers can book this tour with port pickup and guaranteed on-time return to the ship. At booking, you'll need to provide your ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time so the operator can time the return correctly.

Is lunch included, and what if I'm vegetarian?

Lunch is included and served in the garden of a local handcraft center. A vegetarian option is available. Let the operator know at booking if you need it.

How many people travel in the group?

The group stays under ten people, which keeps the pace manageable and gives the guide time to answer questions without rushing through the sites.

Do I need to pay for entrance fees separately?

No. All entrance fees are included and pre-paid. Your guide carries the tickets so you skip the line at each site.

What's the difference between the small-group tour and the private tour option?

The small-group tour runs with up to ten people on a shared minibus. The private tour is for your family or group alone in a dedicated vehicle. Both include the same sites, guide, entrance fees and lunch, but the private option gives you flexibility on timing and a vehicle just for your party.