Kusadassi second time suggestions? HELP

Hi,

We visited Kusadassi in 2009 on a cruise and wanted to do something different this time. We went to Ephesus and Mary's house and the local shops by the port. These are all of course in most tours. We are only travelling as two but cant find any share tours either so any suggestions would be great. We are not keen to do on our own with the current situation. We will be arriving on the Oosterdam in July. We are also having the same issue with Olympia but content to have a down day here and just visit the local town and beach but figure there must be plenty more to see and do in Kusadassi but prefer to have it organised in advance. Any help and suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thanks:)

There have been several good discussions on what to do from Kusadasi if one has already done Ephesus.

Here's a thread with some good info: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1970125&highlight=kusadasi+second

There have been several good discussions on what to do from Kusadasi if one has already done Ephesus.

 

Here's a thread with some good info: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1970125&highlight=kusadasi+second

Thanks for that. Will take a look!

M:)

I recently booked a private tour for my family through Viator which does include some time in Ancient Ephesus, but also includes lunch at a winery + wine tastings. I thought it looked a little different, and the winery (Yedi Bilgeler) has wonderful reviews online.

Here is the tour description if that helps. It was around $190 for my family of four.

Once you board your private luxurious vehicle you will drive up to a scenically wonderful coastal road before to reach the ancient Ephesus.

Upon arrival to Ephesus you will start the visit of the ancient city through the Magnesia Gate. Discover innumerable monuments including the Forum, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the Thermal Baths of Scolastika and the Great Theatre built in the Greek era and reconstructed in the Roman period, which is still noted for its remarkable acoustics. Walk back to your vehicle along the Arcadian Way, where once Mark Anthony and Cleopatra rode in procession. After Ephesus you will continue to the Seven Sages winery (Yedi Bilgeler) for lunch and wine tasting. After lunch, the tour will start with an overview of the estate, which includes a five hectare winery of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Shiraz grapes.

In the production area you will be able to learn the process of wine making and what is needed to make fine local wine. Here you will see oak barrels, bottling machines, filtration equipment and stainless steel fermentation tanks.

After the visit to the cellar of the winery you will have the opportunity to taste three different wines produced at the “Seven Sages”.

After this wonderful visit you will drive back to the port.

I recently booked a private tour for my family through Viator which does include some time in Ancient Ephesus, but also includes lunch at a winery + wine tastings. I thought it looked a little different, and the winery (Yedi Bilgeler) has wonderful reviews online.

 

Here is the tour description if that helps. It was around $190 for my family of four.

 

Once you board your private luxurious vehicle you will drive up to a scenically wonderful coastal road before to reach the ancient Ephesus.

Upon arrival to Ephesus you will start the visit of the ancient city through the Magnesia Gate. Discover innumerable monuments including the Forum, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the Thermal Baths of Scolastika and the Great Theatre built in the Greek era and reconstructed in the Roman period, which is still noted for its remarkable acoustics. Walk back to your vehicle along the Arcadian Way, where once Mark Anthony and Cleopatra rode in procession. After Ephesus you will continue to the Seven Sages winery (Yedi Bilgeler) for lunch and wine tasting. After lunch, the tour will start with an overview of the estate, which includes a five hectare winery of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Shiraz grapes.

In the production area you will be able to learn the process of wine making and what is needed to make fine local wine. Here you will see oak barrels, bottling machines, filtration equipment and stainless steel fermentation tanks.

 

After the visit to the cellar of the winery you will have the opportunity to taste three different wines produced at the “Seven Sages”.

 

After this wonderful visit you will drive back to the port.

Sounds a nice idea

I recently booked a private tour for my family through Viator which does include some time in Ancient Ephesus, but also includes lunch at a winery + wine tastings. I thought it looked a little different, and the winery (Yedi Bilgeler) has wonderful reviews online.

 

Here is the tour description if that helps. It was around $190 for my family of four.

 

Have you already taken this tour? If not, you're not allowed to recommend it per CC forum rules (see the Sticky above that's titled something like "You cannot recommend a tour if you have not taken it.")

A lot of tours can sound great from the description, but until you've actually taken them, you don't know if the service is reliable, if it matches the description, if the driver was good and on time, if the guide is knowledgeable and speaks good English, etc.

(I know you are just trying to be helpful, but those are the rules....)

For our second time in Kusadasi, we hired a driver to take us to Sirince. He let us off at the edge of town and gave us general directions to the main marketplace where he would be waiting for us. It was really nice because unlike other places we've visited, there were hardly any tourists walking around and we really felt like locals (okay, so maybe not so much a local but a lot less a tourist!). We wandered the streets and browsed uncrowded shops and even stopped for a couple of wine tastings.

When we got the main market area, we realized why our driver had us start farther out, it was full of buses and tourists! While still nice, it was a typical tour stop which made us appreciate having what felt like the town to ourselves in the beginning.

Unfortunately I don't have the driver's name as we had booked this as a 'free' excursion through Avoya Travel (which I will not use again....another story), so they use different providers. I usually ask for a business card but forget when we got back to the port. None the less, Sirince was a nice change of pace from Ephesus and the usual excursions.

That said, we will be stopping again in Kusadasi in July, so will be looking for other ideas. Otherwise, it will just be shopping for genuine fake watches!