No Hidden Fees Private Ephesus, Terrace Houses, St. John Basilica

What an absolutely incredible and unforgettable experience! My wife and I are celebrating our honeymoon in Turkey, and we specifically planned two days in Selçuk to explore the biblical history of this remarkable region. We decided to book a private guided tour to ensure we could experience all the important historical and religious sites, and we couldn’t have asked for a better guide than Emre! Our tour included the House of the Virgin Mary, Ancient City of Ephesus, Terrace Houses, Basilica of St. John, and Temple of Artemis. We also made a fascinating stop at a traditional Turkish weaving center, where we learned about the incredible craftsmanship behind handmade wool and silk rugs. What truly made this experience exceptional was Emre. Not only is he an archaeologist, but he is also a theologian, and that combination of expertise made all the difference. His knowledge of ancient civilizations, archaeology, biblical history, and Christianity was simply outstanding. He didn’t just show us historical landmarks, he brought thousands of years of history to life, connecting the places we visited with the people, events, and stories that shaped Christianity. Walking through Ephesus and learning about the Apostle Paul, St. John, the Virgin Mary, and the early Christian church was an experience we will never forget. Emre’s passion for history and theology was evident throughout the entire tour. We probably took the took a little slower because of how important this visit was for us and we never felt rushed. As Christians, visiting these sacred and historically significant places was something we had been looking forward to for a long time. Emre made the experience even more meaningful than we could have imagined. We’ve been fortunate to experience some incredible tours throughout our travels, but this one will undoubtedly stand out as one of our favorites. If you’re a Christian, interested in the history of Christianity, or simply fascinated by ancient civilizations, we cannot recommend this private tour highly enough. And if you have the opportunity to request Emre as your guide, DO IT! His unique background as both an archaeologist and theologian makes him an extraordinary guide. Thank you, Emre, for making such an important part of our honeymoon truly unforgettable. We came to Selçuk hoping to experience biblical history, and we left with a much deeper appreciation and understanding of it. An absolute 10/10 experience and worth every penny!

Fusun was fantastic. We enjoyed Ephesus and learning about Turkey. Thank you!!

This was an awesome tour. Our guide Inan was the best! If you do this tour make sure to ask for him. He is very knowledgeable and made sure we knew and understood the ruins we visited. We included the Terrace Houses and would strongly recommend seeing them. Inan got all of our tickets for us and it was a very stress free tour. We had enough time that he recommended a traditional Turkish lunch and rug making demonstration. I had read many negative reviews about pushy salesmen at rug demonstrations and wasn’t sure we wanted to do that, but Inan took us to a place that we didn’t feel pressured. If we said No Thank You, they were not pushy at all. We really enjoyed the lunch, demonstrations of making the rugs, and seeing some beautiful finished rugs. I highly recommend this tour and Inan as your guide. He will take great care of you.

Well organised and very informative tour. The Terraced Houses are a must see and we had much more time to explore the city than on a previous coach tour. Fusun took great care of us and was extremely knowledgeable. We highly recommend this private tour.

Seeing the historical sites with a knowledgeable local guide made the experience so much richer. We learned the history, heard local perspectives, and enjoyed a tour tailored to our interests. Having a private guide and driver was absolutely worth it! Ask for Inan!

Our tour of Ephesus was the absolute highlight of our cruise to the Mediterranean. Our guide (Emre) was the absolute best guide we have ever had. Not only was he very personable, but his understanding of history, Biblical history, and archeology were unparalleled. He navigated us on our private tour seamlessly through a very crowded and hot day in Ephesus and made the entire experience enjoyable. I could not give him a higher recommendation. We will be back to this area again and next time, we will join our guide for a larger tour of Turkey.

Thank you Füsun for making our short visit to Türkiye an unforgettable experience. I felt that in our 7 hours in Kuşadasi we learned and experienced a large amount of current Turkish culture and traditions as well as the history of the country in this area. We enjoyed a lot of Turkish foods and learned and tried traditional rug making. Visiting Ephesus was definitely a highlight, our guide provided tons of interesting information about this ruins. We were able to freely choose what we wanted to partake in and Füsun, our guide, was overall a friendly, fun, and helpful person. Thank you!

Fusun was very fun and made sure we got to do everything we wanted to. Gave lots of great information. She was superrr nice and sweet!

Fusun was a lovely and amazing host. We did a private tour for our family of four off the cruise ship. Met immediately pff the ship. Very large and comfortable van, flexibility with our stops which could continue at any speed we wanted. Great sights. Friendly and knowleable and pleasant guide who addressed us and our teenagers equally. Lovely person.

She was an amazing guide Very knowledgeable, professional and humorous

We had a truly exceptional experience touring Ephesus with Ephesus Shuttle! To begin with, communication was excellent. Their website clearly lays out various tour options so I was able to browse and get an idea of what I wanted. I then began an email correspondence to arrange a private tour for my group of four. Responses were quick and clear, and pricing was very reasonable. On the day we arrived in port, it could not have been easier to meet our guide. A map had been emailed to me describing exactly what to expect when we exited the cruise terminal. There was a helpful person standing by the "wall of names" and as soon as I had spotted mine, he immediately called over our guide, Fusun. She introduced herself, made sure we were good to go, and whisked us through the port area to meet our driver. Literally one of the least stressful port meet ups ever. Our private tour had a very comfortable large van all to ourselves, with a friendly and expert driver. Fusun sat facing us and as soon as we started the 20 minute drive to the ruins, she was educating us with maps and explanations. Not a moment was wasted, and she gave us a wonderful introduction to Turkey in addition to the information on Ephesus itself. Fusun possessed a wealth of knowledge and wonderful ability to share it in an engaging manner. She really was an incredible guide. Of course the main site was very hot and full of tourists, but we were expertly guided through it and never felt rushed or crowded. When we had seen our fill, our driver met us at the bottom of the ruins and off we went to the Basilica of St. John and the Temple of Artemis. These sites were delightfully deserted and we had them to ourselves. While there is not a lot left physically in either spot, Fusun made them come alive with her historical details. We came away from our visit not just having seen the tourist attractions, but also feeling like we could envision the area during the different times these ruins were part of a thriving culture. Everyone warned us that we would be "forced" to go to a rug shop. The opportunity was offered and I could see how it would be interesting to learn about the silkworms and the craft. However, we did not want to do that on this trip, and our no thank you was immediately respected. We were taken back to the drop off point exactly on time. The no hidden fees promise is true. We had the option to pay by card if we wanted, it would have just required a quick stop at their office. However, we had brought cash and just handed that over in the van, exactly the amount quoted. Of course, we did tip both our guide and our driver and they both deserved so much gratitude. We felt we had learned a lot and had a wonderful day, as well as made a friend in Turkey. We very much hope to go back for a longer visit and would definitely reach out to book more in-depth touring with the folks at Ephesus Shuttle.

I would highly recommend Ephesus Shuttle for your tours in Turkey. We booked directly with them and they were very responsive to all of our emails, questions, and planning We were very fortunate to get Cem as our tour guide of Ephesus, the Terrace Houses, and other historical sites we visited on our tour on June 25, 2026. Cem was very knowledgeable of the history of Ephesus, very friendly, and just an overall fantastic guide. If you are looking for a great tour of these historical sites I can't recommend Ephesus Shuttle and especially Cem. You won't be disappointed!!!!

Selda out tour guide and Vetsi our driver were both awesome. Selda was friendly and knowledgeable. Telling us stories and historical facts. She took us to Espeseus ruins, Terrace Houses, Mary’s House, rug and ceramic demonstration . Overall great day with great tour guide and safe and reliable driver. Thanks again Selda for showing us such a great day!

We booked a private tour and our guide Selda was amazing, the driver was safe and efficient. She was knowledgeable about the history of the ruins, culture and even advised us to try orange and pomegranate juice. She was passionate about sharing the culture of Turkiye with stops to see how rugs and pottery are made in the local town. She moved at our pace and ensured we visited the sites when there were fewer visitors so we could capture pictures without too many people. I would highly recommend Selda as you tour guide.

Our private tour was absolutely outstanding from start to finish. Our driver was safe, professional, and efficient, making the entire day smooth and stress-free. What truly made this experience exceptional, however, was our personal guide, Selda. She was incredibly knowledgeable, thorough, and brought every historical site to life with fascinating details and stories. Beyond her expertise, Selda was warm, friendly, and genuinely passionate about her beautiful country of Türkiye. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and it made us appreciate the rich history, culture, and people even more. Selda didn’t just guide us through the sites—she created an unforgettable experience that we will treasure for years to come. If you’re considering this tour, I highly recommend requesting Selda as your guide. She is an absolute gem and one of the best tour guides we’ve ever had. She truly turned a great tour into an extraordinary one. Five stars all the way!

​Yavuz was remarkably insightful, bringing the rich history of the region to life with fascinating context and deep knowledge. We covered a tremendous amount of ground without ever feeling rushed. Highlights of our day included exploring the stunning detail of the Terrace Houses, visiting the ruins of St. John’s Basilica, and stopping by a local pottery shop to see traditional craftsmanship firsthand. The logistics were completely seamless from start to finish. The van was clean and comfortable.

An amazing experience having a private tour to Ephesus. Our Tour Guide Al was very informative and kept us amused all day. Very knowledgeable and a Comedian. As it was my husband’s 60th Birthday he went above and beyond by organising a birthday cake when we stopped for lunch. Lunch was also amazing. Organic Co-op. Food was simple but truly tasty! Best tour of our trip.

Private tour was awesome, customized to fot our wants and needs. Wonderful day in Ephasus and Church of St John

Nejdet, with whom we couldn't have been more pleased, was our private guide for the day. Since we had a driver, as well, Nejdet was able to give his full attention to us, pointing out and explaining many of the different sights in the area as we drove to Ephesus. Both individuals were extremely kind and professional. Ephesus is not to be missed!! What a phenomenal Greek city that has an incredible history and connection to the Bible and the Apostle Paul's missionary journey there, which Nejdet spoke of in great detail. He was extremely knowledgeable and answered all our questions. It was amazing to see how advanced the civilization was at that time and how well-preserved it is now. The Terrace Houses are not to be missed! There are many steps to be climbed, but they are all new with landings for viewing and handrails throughout. You get a glimpse of how opulent living was then for those wealthy Romans....incredible!! While the restoration continues, the frescos and tile flooring are beautiful. St. John's Basilica was a short distance away, and we learned a lot there as well, given Nejdet's vast knowledge of this sight. It was moving to have been at the burial site of the Apostle John. Even though we didn't purchase one of the gorgeous Turkish rugs, we were taken to a showroom where we learned about the hand-weaving of wool and silk rugs and wall hangings. The process of extracting the silk from the worms was fascinating! We were safely and promptly returned to the ship on time, and we now have MANY wonderful memories of this special day.

Our tour guide, Yavuz, provided a lovely personalized tour of Ephesus, Virgin Mary's House, St. John Basilica, and more. He was a wealth of knowledge and  extremely helpful and professional.  We also stopped at a rug weaver who creates wonderful hand-made rugs. The quality and workmanship is exceptional.  We enjoyed the history, the sites and the personal touches. I highly recommend this tour.

Our tour guide Tez was amazing, very knowledgeable and extremely accommodating to our special mobility needs.

We were delighted with our private guide Aleyna. We highly recommend this company and Aleyna did an outstanding job!

Ceren was a wonderful guide, knowledgeable and kind. She provided a great balance between relevant knowledge and time to explore on our own. She made the experience unforgettable! Our driver was excellent and navigated the roads safely and smoothly.

Our tour was excellent! Great communication ahead of time, easy to find when we got off our cruise ship, comfortable transportation, and a knowledgeable guide who provided a wealth of information and allowed us to customize the tour so we saw everything we wanted to see. We had a wonderful day and would highly recommend!

Zeynep was brilliant! A wealth of knowledge. Very accommodating for every person in our group. She was my favorite tour guide out of the 5 we had on vacation

Guide was wonderful, very knowledgeable and friendly. Ride was smooth, food delicious. Did not feel rushed like some others.

This tour was exceptional! From start to finish, our tour guide Melih, was fantastic. He was extremely knowledgeable and his English was impeccable! He not only shared Greco/Roman history but also Christian history. We would take this tour again in a heartbeat!

Prompt communication with vendor from start/finish. Picked up in port, easily identified our driver & went on our tour of 2 people. Enjoyed that we could stay as long or little in each stop. We had advised on booking tour we didn’t want leather/rug stops & this was accepted. We still got asked 3 times during tour were we sure we didn’t want to do rug stop & did have to decline at each offer- no we hadn’t changed our mind! We got dropped back into town & took the short walk back to ship. Arrived back early which was fine by us. Our guide was friendly & knowledgeable. Would recommended for cruise ship stops.

We highly recommend this experience. Alex and the driver, Ibo, were fantastic. Alex was very knowledgeable, considerate and accommodating. We enjoyed every aspect of the tour. We were on a Viking Cruise and Alex greeted us just outside the cruise terminal and had us back in plenty of time.

Terrific day. Our knowledgeable guide, Alex, was wonderful. Enjoyed spending our day with him. Ephesus is a must see, and he gave us so much information when we were there. We also toured the Terrace Houses, which were incredible. Would highly recommend doing this tour!

We had an absolutely wonderful time on our tour! Emre was an amazing guide. He was so knowledgeable and passionate about Ephesus. He took his time to explain everything in detail, which truly brought the ancient world to life for us. We learned so much and appreciated his patience and insight. The tour was small, intimate, and personal, which made it even more special. My husband, our two daughters, and I loved every second of it. Highly recommend this tour!

Too much free time as a private tour. We expected more in-depth explanation about the place with the guide. We end up walking by our self almost half of the tour. The options is about $120 person and I feel like better just to get a taxi to go there by ourselves.

We would certainly recommend this trip. Picked up right outside the ship by Taz and taken straight to our car for the day. Taz was great and very knowledgeable and professional providing a perfect balance, expertly explaining all aspects of the tour whist also allowing us some free time to soak up the experience on our own. At no point did we feel rushed which only added to the whole experience. A five star service and we would definitely recommend you book this trip if you’re looking to visit Ephesus.

Private tour. We had Gem "Cem" as our guide. Very informative, knew his history and was extremely interesting. He went the extra mile and I would definitely suggest him to anyone who wants to see and learn the true history and culture of the people.

Fusun was an excellent guide. She took us through Ephesus, the terrace houses, St. John Basicilica and Temple of Artemis with excellent explanations. She also took us to a pottery demonstration. She was able to answer any questions we had. It was great being on a private tour which allowed us to go at our own pace without having to wait for other people.

Our tour was excellent with Cenk! We were able to see the most important sites on a perfect Fall day, exactly what we wanted. Cenk gave us a wealth of Ephesus history and clearly loves his country. His English was excellent and we enjoyed hearing about his life as well as his extensive historical knowledge of Ephesus. We shared many laughs on our fun tour. This was a fascinating and "must see" experience on our cruise!

It was fantastic Gurkan, our guide was amazing He was very friendly and extremely knowledgable and bought Ephesus alive. I would highly recommend this tour

Our guide was exactly what I wanted. Patient, funny and informative. We thoroughly enjoyed talking to him and comparing other archeological sites we have visited. Highly recommend him! The best way to visit..a personal guide!!

We traveled to Kusadasi with a cruise ship but wanted a more personalized tour of Ephesus that would also include the Terrace Houses. I highly recommend this tour and our tour guide, Tez, was excellent. The entire site is amazing and the Terrace Houses are not to be missed.

Excellent. We could chose to see whatever we wanted. No hidden cost. No carpet weaving sales. Informative guide. Be aware Ephesus is very hilly and rocky.

What an amazing tour, even though I had been to Ephesus before I had not seen the Terrace houses. I booked for that and let me tell you it was amazing the tour was perfect! A must do when in this area and our guide Daghan was incredible his knowledge was amazing I leaned so much I didn't know when though I had been before. He's definitely a gem! Would love to tour with him and this company again when we come back. VERY HAPPY!!!

Sel was our guide and there are not enough stars to give her. Her knowledge and ability to share her enthusiasm for the Ephesus ruins was incredible. The Terrace houses, the water system and so much more literally came alive as she shared her mastery of life in that time and place. And there really were no hidden costs.

Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable and fun. We skipped the lines of cruise ship groups. Perfect for the two of us. Would highly recommend. Top tip....go early, it gets busy!

Fantastic tour! Knowledgeable, clear speaking wonderful guide! She made sure we saw all the things we requested and kept things very interesting and informative for us all. Highly recommend this company and this tour,

Great private trip with my husband to Ancient Ephesus, Terrace houses and St John’s Basilica. Guide was very friendly and attentive. Provided suggestions for lunch as well

It was exactly what we wanted to do. Visit 3 highlights with excellent information. No detours to rug or gem shops and just 1/2 day. Would highly recommend. Tour guide was amazing!!

Guide Aleyna was great, only 2 of us on this tour. Very knowledgeable took our time loved the terrace houses and the virtual reality show at the end.

We only had a few hours in port, but Goncha our guide made our experience fun and memorable. She was knowledgeable and enthusiastic and we thoroughly enjoyed our tour. Ephesus was an amazing experience and we loved our tour and guide.

Tour guide was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Made the trip easy and fun. Gave us great ideas for future trips. Tour guide was flexible and tailored our tour to exactly what our family wanted to experience.