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Ephesus excursion


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Nothing could be farther from true. There are a number of well-recommended private tour providers operating excursions to Ephesus from Kusadasi and Izmir. Many have been reviewed/endorsed here if you just do a little reading. I have used two different agencies in the past and while neither was completely outstanding, they both provided solidly good tours.

 

The drive to Ephesus from Kusadasi is only about 20 minutes or so -- no need to worry about length of tour or missing the ship. From Izmir it is quite a bit longer.

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We were on a private small group shore excursion last October to Ephesus. I can't imagine why anyone would find it necessary to visit Ephesus on a ship organized shore excursion.

 

A roll call member organized the tour. She booked through Ephesus Shuttles. We had a very competent driver and excellent private guide. We had all agreed that we didn't want any shopping opportunities; anyone who wanted to shop till they dropped could do so after we returned to Kusadasi (it was a long port call).

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Ship's excursion, shared independent excursion, private excursion, or share a taxi - take your pick, all pretty easy.

But I'd counsel against the cheapest option, the bus. Buses from Kusadasi pass the end of the road but it's a long, hot, dusty & shadeless walk from the bus stop to the Ephesus entrance.

 

If you opt for just a taxi, the driver will wait & bring you back. But you will need to hire a guide there, or at the very least buy an Ephesus guide book (loads of stalls near the entrance) otherwise you'll not have a clue what you're looking at - when we went there were no audio-guides and signage was sparse.

 

When considering an excursion, independently or thro the ship, be aware that it may include a diversion to a carpet demo or similar time-wasting sales/commission opportunity. There are plenty of posts about that on this forum

 

JB :)

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We did the HAL excursion in September. It is pricey but it was the best I've been on. The provider was Sea song. We saw all of Ephesus plus the hill houses then had lunch at a beautiful sea side hotel. It was followed by a carpet demonstration,but no pressure to stay for the sales pitch. To each his on.

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We used Ephesus Shuttle and highly recommend them. They offer both private tours and a shared shuttle. We opted for the shuttle as it was cheaper (when I check their website the tour we did is now $45 US a person). We were in a group of 10 and our guide was excellent.

 

We did have a short stop at a ceramic factory but there was no pressure to buy anything. We found the demonstration interesting and they provided us with a choice of tea or coffee and also had washroom facilities.

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DW and I travel all over the world sans tours...since we prefer to go just about anywhere on our own (no groups, guides, etc). However, Kusadasi (Ephesus) is the exception. For a first-time visitor we strongly recommend booking a private excursion (our personal favorite company is Ekol,....but there are several other great companies) which should include (at a minimum) Ephesus (including the Terrace Houses (not to be missed)), the Virgin Mary House, and the Temple of Artumus. Beyond those important attractions you can consider longer tours that add other area places such as the village of Sirence (now a bit too touristy for my taste).

 

A good tour guide can really help bring these attractions to life and add lots of color to your day. We have done Ephesus on cruise tours, private tours (a guide for just DW and moi), on our own (using the local van/bus plus a long hike to the ruins), and even with our own rental car. We are returning this spring for our 6th visit and actually looking forward to again exploring the ruins. But not having a good guide for a first visit is akin to a crime. And skipping the Terrace Houses (which is sometimes done by cruise line excursions) is another major crime!

 

If you have a couple of extra hours (or more) then you can walk around the city of Kusadasi on your own and enjoy some of the shops ("Real Fake Watches") and food. The main shopping area (bazaar) starts across the street from the port.

 

Hank

Edited by Hlitner
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Another vote for Ephesus Shuttle. We had a great guide and this is a place where a guide does really bring the experience to life. (We did Olympia on our own with a guide book and that was fine for us.)

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  • 2 weeks later...

No you don't need to take a tour. We walked off the ship and went to the tourist information office to find the details of the local mini bus, called the Dolmus. It was a 10 minute walk to the bus stop and they accepted either Turkish lira or Euro onboard. The journey took about 30-40 minutes and we were dropped off at the closest entrance point. It was possible to pick up a taxi there to take you to the far entrance, but we chose to walk, which was easy to follow and took about 10 minutes. To get the bus back, you wait by the road, where you were dropped off. There was a man employed by the Dolmus waiting there and he will phone the bus and get you a seat on the next bus. It was very easy and so cheap. We had plenty of time and still managed to look around Kusadisi at the end of our day. Ephesus is amazing, the best port of call on the Med.

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The first time we were in Kusadasi we used EKOL for a private tour to Ephesus. It was a great tour which included visits to the House of the Virgin Mary, St. John's Basilica, and the Temple of Artemis.

 

We got back recently from a Med tour where we again stopped in Kusadasi. We wanted to see some other ruins that were further out (Didyma, Priene, and Miletus.) so we rented a car from Lion Car Rentals. I think it cost only 18E for the day, plus gas.

 

We had a fabulous day, but we got a little confused when driving back to Kusadasi--our GPS wasn't working, and we couldn't find the place to drop off the car! Of course we did eventually find it, but with only a half hour to spare before sailing. Kusadasi is a big city!

 

If you're interested in the details, here's a linkie to that port day in my blog.

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We will chime in with our usual advice. Regarding private tours (which we strongly recommend for a first-time visitor) we also recommend Ekol....although there are several other highly recommended local companies that one will find by reading through some of the posts right on this board.

 

As to DIY (mentioned in one post) by using the Dolmus (small local buses....while it is possible (we have done it on one of our 4 visits to the ruins) it is not the recommended travel mode for most folks. You have to find your way over to the Kusadasi bus station (about a 10-15 min walk from the port), sometimes get crammed into the crowded bus, and still need to do some hiking from the bus stop to the ruins. But for us, the biggest problem with DIY is that you will not have a professional guide. DW and I do not generally like tours (we are confirmed independent travelers) but the ruins at Ephesus really come to life if you have a decent professional guide who can explain the history/theories and point out certain items that will be missed by the DIYer. Using the local transportation (Dolmus) is best left to a future visit :).

 

Hank

Edited by Hlitner
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  • 2 weeks later...

My wife and I are planning (assuming our cruise ship Azamara doesn't cancel this last Turkish stop) to take a taxi from the port to Ephesus. We have a "Guney" book by an archaeologist on Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary that shows the existing structures and artists interpretations of what they looked like in their prime.

 

At a tour group operator (who is also an archaeologist) presentation today we were told to just take a taxi, study the book, and get a free Rick Steves podcast to listen to as we walk through the city. Personally, I prefer to only use tours when it gets me out of long lines into museums or there are serious traffic/logistics problems. I have used taxi's and walking in lots of cities around the world.

 

In theory we dock at 8AM and leave the port at 10PM. So we have lots of time. The tour operator we talked to said to get to Ephesus as early as possible or go in the mid-late afternoon and stay as late as you can. That way you avoid the mid-day crowds.

 

She also recommended that if go early in the morning and we are in shape, we should start at the bottom and walk to the top. That way we will see the Grand Theater, Temple of Art, and Library of Celsus without crowds.

 

I would appreciate any thoughts on a DIY tour of Ephesus, Virgin Mary house, and Kusadasi. Advice on Taxi, etc. Thanks.

 

While lots and lots of folks go to Ephesus every day, it sounds like there will be a lot less cruise ships docking there this summer. Any thoughts on how to optimize

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  • 2 weeks later...
For a first-time visitor we strongly recommend booking a private excursion ... which should include (at a minimum) Ephesus (including the Terrace Houses (not to be missed)), the Virgin Mary House, and the Temple of Artumus.

Hank

 

On our first trip to Ephesus, we took a ship excursion that was one step above their usual ones: "with an archeologist." Our guide had worked for many years at the Ephesus excavations [and spoke perfect English], and was able to add a great deal to our understanding and enjoyment -- despite the rainy weather. So I agree with your first point. The other two -- not so much. The Virgin Mary house is of questionable history, and the Temple of Artemus (although one of the seven wonders of the classical Greek world) is a single remaining column. I would substitute the Basilica of Saint John (from which you can see the Artemus column anyway). What we couldn't do in 2014 but hope to do this year is supplement the Ancient Ephesus experience with the Ephesus Archeological Museum in Selcuk (newly renovated and reopened). I don't think public transportation is an option for us (to see Ancient Ephesus, the Museum and the Basilica). The question is whether we should book a private guided tour, or just hire a taxi at the port for the day. We have the Rick Steves book for Ancient Ephesus and the Basilica, but he gives the museum short shrift since it was closed. Also can we count on the taxi hanging around for us to finish each step (we have no idea how long we will want to spend at the museum, and can't even give a good estimate for Ancient Ephesus)?

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We used Ali from Ephesus Taxi Service aka Ali Baba Taxi. He took us to Ephesus and all of the regular stops and was a knowledgeable and entertaining tour guide. I think the cost was 80 euros for the 6 of us (that is total, not per person). Nice air conditioned van and on board wifi. We had a great day with him.

 

I did blog about our tour on my cruise blog if you want more details and photos. No matter which tour company you pick, Ephesus is definitely not to be missed, from my perspective. It had such incredible history and I was thrilled that we were actually able to walk through a lot of the ruins instead of having to stay outside a rope everywhere you go. We paid extra to see the Terrace Houses and were glad we did. There are still frescoes and mosaics clearly visible and some in amazing condition. A glimpse into how affluent ancients once lived :)

 

We bought a booklet at Ephesus and we also carried Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports travel guide with us everywhere we went. We got a lot of the history and background that way. There was also the option of hiring a guide once you arrive at Ephesus. If we went again, we might consider doing that as they would likely know lots of interesting things that perhaps don't make the cut in a guide book.

Edited by icequeen
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We used Ali from Ephesus Taxi Service aka Ali Baba Taxi. He took us to Ephesus and all of the regular stops and was a knowledgeable and entertaining tour guide. I think the cost was 80 euros for the 6 of us (that is total, not per person). Nice air conditioned van and on board wifi. We had a great day with him.

 

I did blog about our tour on my cruise blog if you want more details and photos. No matter which tour company you pick, Ephesus is definitely not to be missed, from my perspective. It had such incredible history and I was thrilled that we were actually able to walk through a lot of the ruins instead of having to stay outside a rope everywhere you go. We paid extra to see the Terrace Houses and were glad we did. There are still frescoes and mosaics clearly visible and some in amazing condition. A glimpse into how affluent ancients once lived :)

 

We bought a booklet at Ephesus and we also carried Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports travel guide with us everywhere we went. We got a lot of the history and background that way. There was also the option of hiring a guide once you arrive at Ephesus. If we went again, we might consider doing that as they would likely know lots of interesting things that perhaps don't make the cut in a guide book.

 

Thanks. We have been to Ancient Ephesus before with a guide, so this time I thought Rick Steves might be all I need. But we would be adding the newly reopened Ephesus Museum so it might be nice to have a guide for that. Also our trip will take 7 hours, so I'm sure his price would be a lot higher -- and that would bring it (for 2 people) close to the cost of a private guided tour (I've got one that would be 150 Euro including entrance fees and parking fees).

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  • 2 weeks later...
The first time we were in Kusadasi we used EKOL for a private tour to Ephesus. It was a great tour which included visits to the House of the Virgin Mary, St. John's Basilica, and the Temple of Artemis.

 

We got back recently from a Med tour where we again stopped in Kusadasi. We wanted to see some other ruins that were further out (Didyma, Priene, and Miletus.) so we rented a car from Lion Car Rentals. I think it cost only 18E for the day, plus gas.

 

We had a fabulous day, but we got a little confused when driving back to Kusadasi--our GPS wasn't working, and we couldn't find the place to drop off the car! Of course we did eventually find it, but with only a half hour to spare before sailing. Kusadasi is a big city!

 

If you're interested in the details, here's a linkie to that port day in my blog.

 

I can't find the tour company you recommend when I do a search. Is there another name?? I did a GOOGLE search too :eek:

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  • 5 months later...
Someone on my roll call posted that we should not plan a private excursion in Kusadasi because RCI has been skipping the port and going to Crete instead. I don't know where she got this information but has anyone heard anything like this?

 

A lot of ships changed their plans regarding stops in Turkey following several bombings (mainly in or near Istanbul) and a failed military coup. Cruise critic news story here:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7134

 

If your ship is still scheduled to call at Ephesus as of now, it's rather less likely that they will change it unless there is some increased security risk. (I am supposing most lines have already made any changes based on the events of a month ago....)

 

Many private tours have guarantees that you will not be charged if your ship fails to dock. There's no reason not to go ahead and plan for a private excursion in that case -- no risk of any loss to you.

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  • 2 weeks later...

As of now our cruise is still scheduled to go to Kusadasi, but we are over a year away. I will go ahead and plan a tour there, but will also familiarize myself with the alternative ports just in case. As mentioned, I always make sure that the tours we book have a full refund policy in the event the ship does not make it to port - always a possibility on a cruise!

 

Thank you to all who recommended tour operators. I have bookmarked them. Once we return from our October TA cruise I plan to start making plans for 2017 and will contact the tour operators. I see that EKOL Travel also has some interesting tours in Athens, another port on our itinerary. While it looks like a relatively easy DIY port I also believe in using guides to maximize our time when time is limited. So, I will be checking them out for that, also.

Edited by Sunny AZ Girl
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