Ephesus Tour from Cesme: Temple of Artemis & Celsus Library

A licensed guide brings the Great Theatre and Celsus Library to life instead of just pointing at stones.

A private Ephesus tour departing from Cesme or Alacati hotels with a licensed English or Spanish-speaking guide covers nine to ten hours of ancient sites including the Celsus Library, Great Theatre, Terrace Houses, the House of Virgin Mary, and the Temple of Artemis. Hotel pickup and air-conditioned transport are included. Entrance fees are optional at checkout. The Terrace Houses entrance is not included in either option.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Ephesus2h
2. Ephesus Terrace Houses30m
3. Temple of Artemis30m

Private tour of Ephesus and surroundings

• Pick up from Cesme or Alacati hotel
• Drive to Selcuk to visit Ephesus
• Explore Celsus Library and Great Theater
• Visit Temple of Hadrian and Fountain of Trajan
• See Hercules Gate and Domitian Temple
• Stop at Terrace Houses on Curetes Street
• Visit Ephesus Experience Museum
• Visit House of Virgin Mary shrine
• Explore Temple of Artemis ruins
• Drop off at Kusadasi or Cesme hotel

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your Cesme or Alacati hotel and a drive to Selcuk, where Ephesus spreads across hillsides that once made it a major Roman trade hub and spiritual center. Your guide is a licensed storyteller who knows the Celsus Library, Great Theatre, Temple of Hadrian, Fountain of Trajan, Hercules Gate and Domitian Temple not as a list of names but as the working city they were, where St. Paul preached and St. John spent his final years. You'll walk the actual streets where that history happened, and the guide points out the angles for photographs and the quieter corners where the crowds thin out.

The Terrace Houses sit on slopes opposite the Temple of Hadrian along Curetes Street, exclusive residences of wealthy Ephesians uncovered in recent excavations. Step streets connected directly to house entrances, and colonnaded porticoes still stand. After the ruins, the Ephesus Experience Museum uses 3D projections and digital reconstructions to show what daily life looked like in the Roman era, then you visit the House of Virgin Mary, a shrine sacred to both Catholic and Muslim pilgrims in the foothills nearby. The Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is your final stop: only fragments of marble remain, but the guide explains how different religions coexisted for centuries in this single city.

Transport is private throughout, in a latest-model air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver. The tour runs nine to ten hours total. At checkout, you choose whether to include entrance fees or pay them on-site. Either way, the Terrace Houses entrance is separate. Hotel dropoff is in Kusadasi or back to Cesme, depending on where you started.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver.
• hotel pickup and dropoff from Cesme or Alacati.
• licensed guide in English or Spanish.
• parking fees.
• all taxes.
• entrance fees if selected at checkout (Terrace Houses entrance is separate in both options).

Options for this experience

2 options

Entrance fees are not includedGuide in English or Spanish · No fixed timeEntrance fees are not included. Pickup is included.

Entrance Fees includedGuide in English or Spanish · No fixed timePrivate Ephesus tour from Cesme or Alacati hotels; entrance fees are included and pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (9 and older) · Child (5 to 8 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

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. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Puerto Travel Turkey

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want a guide who explains the history instead of just naming the ruins, and if you prefer moving at your own pace without waiting for a group to gather. The private vehicle means you control the schedule and can spend extra time at whichever site holds you longest.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 8 years); Infant (under 5): 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's actually left to see at the Temple of Artemis after all these centuries?

The Temple of Artemis, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, survives as only one or two pieces of marble. Your guide explains its significance as a center where different religions coexisted for centuries, even though the structure itself is mostly gone.

Do I have to pay entrance fees, or are they built into the tour price?

Entrance fees are optional at checkout. You can include them in your booking or pay them on-site. The Terrace Houses entrance fee is not included in either option, so plan for that separately if you want to visit.

How does the Ephesus Experience Museum fit into the day?

The Experience Museum is one stop on the tour itinerary. It uses 3D projections, interactive storytelling, and digital reconstructions to show daily life in the Roman era, which complements walking the actual ruins of Ephesus.

Is the House of Virgin Mary included in the tour route?

Yes, the House of Virgin Mary is a scheduled stop. It's a Catholic and Muslim shrine located in Bülbüldağı near Ephesus, awarded visits from various popes and recognized by the Patriarchate.

Can I bring a stroller or wheelchair on this tour?

Yes. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, transportation is wheelchair accessible, and infants can ride in a pram or stroller. Service animals are allowed. Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness to navigate the ancient sites.