Ephesus Shore Excursion from Kusadasi: Ancient City, Wine Tasting

Ancient marble streets, a Turkish lunch, local wines, and back to your ship on time

This shore excursion from Kusadasi combines a guided tour of Ephesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with traditional Turkish lunch and wine tasting in the hillside village of Sirince. You walk the marble streets of the ancient Roman city, see the Library of Celsus and Great Theatre with expert commentary, then move to a carpet presentation and wine tasting before returning to port. The 5.5-hour tour is built for cruise passengers and includes port pickup and guaranteed on-time return to your ship.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Ephesus and Wine Tasting

• Visit Ancient City of Ephesus
• Walk marble streets and see landmarks
• Enjoy traditional Turkish lunch
• Attend Turkish carpet presentation
• Visit village of Sirince
• Sample local fruit and grape wines

The experience

You arrive at Kusadasi cruise port and board an air-conditioned vehicle for the short drive to Ephesus. A licensed local guide meets your group, up to ten people, and walks you through the Ancient City on marble streets that once carried Roman emperors and merchants. The Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre, Hadrian's Temple, and the ancient agora are the landmarks you stop at. The guide brings the daily life and stories of the city into focus rather than rushing between photo spots. This is the core of the morning, and it moves at a pace that lets you actually see the scale of what you're standing in.

After Ephesus, you sit down to a traditional Turkish lunch. Then comes a visit to a carpet cooperative, where you learn about Turkish weaving traditions and see the work up close. There's no pressure to buy anything, and many travelers find the craft itself worth the stop. From there, the tour climbs into the hills to Sirince, a preserved stone village known for small-scale winemaking. You taste a range of local wines (grape, pomegranate, blackberry, peach), and learn how the region makes them. A single glass is included. If you want more, you order it separately. The whole sequence moves without dead time, and the return to the Kusadasi port is timed to your ship's departure window.

The tour includes port pickup and drop-off, all parking and local taxes, and skip-the-line entry tickets to Ephesus (though entry to the ancient city itself is not included in the base price and can be added at checkout). Wheelchair-accessible vehicles and surfaces throughout mean travelers with mobility needs can join the full itinerary. Children and infants can travel in a pram or stroller, and service animals are welcome.

What’s included

• Port Kusadasi cruise port pickup and drop-off.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• professional licensed local tour guide in English.
• skip-the-line entrance tickets to Ephesus.
• traditional Turkish lunch.
• one glass of wine tasting in Sirince.
• carpet presentation and handicrafts cooperative visit.
• all parking fees and local taxes.

Before you book

Lasts 5h 30m, runs every day, 5 start times, from US$ 70 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 11:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (8 to 80 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go 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.

Paid on siteUS$ 45

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Samyeli Travel

Is this one for you?Book this if you're docked in Kusadasi with a few hours to spare. The tour departs and returns on a fixed schedule timed to your ship, and the English-speaking guide paces the walk so you can absorb the history without rushing.

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Top questions

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 Library of Celsus and why is it worth seeing in Ephesus?

The Library of Celsus is a two-story Roman structure built in the 2nd century AD to hold thousands of scrolls, and it's one of the best-preserved buildings in Ephesus. The ornate facade with its columns and statues still stands, and the guide explains how it functioned as both a library and a monumental tomb for the city's wealthy citizens.

How much time do you actually spend walking around the Ancient City of Ephesus?

The guided visit to Ephesus takes up the core of the morning. You walk the marble streets and stop at multiple landmarks (the Library, the Theatre, the Temple of Hadrian, the agora) with your guide providing context at each one. The pace is built to let you absorb the scale and history without rushing.

Is the wine tasting in Sirince included, or do I pay extra for the wines?

One glass of wine is included in the tour price. The tasting happens at a local winery in Sirince village, where you sample several varieties: grape wines and fruit wines like pomegranate and peach. If you want additional glasses, you order and pay for them on the spot.

What happens during the carpet presentation, and will I be pressured to buy?

The carpet presentation takes place at a Turkish handicrafts cooperative where you see traditional weaving and learn about the craft. The operator explicitly states there is no obligation to purchase anything. It's an informative stop about Turkish culture and craftsmanship.

Does this tour get me back to the Kusadasi port in time for my ship's departure?

Yes. The tour is specifically designed as a shore excursion with guaranteed on-time return to the Kusadasi cruise port. The 5.5-hour itinerary is timed to fit within typical port windows, and the operator guarantees you'll make it back to your ship.