Private Ephesus Full Day Tour From Izmir

Text: We had a fantastic tour of Ephesus with Tas. We were met at Izmir port and taken to our car by Tas, effortlessly. We went first to the House of Virgin Mary and then on to Ephesus Ancient City. Tas is very friendly, personable and knowledgeable. It was like a great day out with a friend. He took lots of photos for us and answered all of our questions. We had lunch in a restaurant, outside, with Tas joining us which was lovely. We ate lots of delicious traditional dishes. This was followed by a tour and demonstration of carpet weaving, which was very interesting. We would thoroughly recommend Tas to anyone.

Tas was an amazing guide a tailored the itinerary to meet our interests and was very knowledgeable on both the local area and history.

Tas was absolutely amazing! He is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and fun! My husband and I had a private tour and visited the home of the mother Mary, the ancient city of Ephesus, and the temple of Artemis. Afterwards, we had a lovely authentic Turkish lunch, with incredible hospitality. Tas provided a lot of historical information and even acted out some of the stories along the way! He also took incredible photos of us! When I made a last-minute decision to purchase bookmarks for my Bible study group, he made a quick phone call and within minutes, our driver pulled over to make the exchange. Best tour I’ve taken!

Tour guide TAS had exceptional knowledge about early Christian history, he does biblical tours as well

Tas gave us the perfect, private tour. Tas and Boss met us at our hotel after breakfast in Izmir and drove us to Ephesus. We had a wonderful guided tour and would definitely recommend Tas as your guide and Boss as your driver.

It was a great tour. Our tour guide Selim arranged all the timings for us. We recommend him! Epehsus city was beautiful. We stayed there and he explained all the history and we got the all answers. You should bring sunscreens also!

We had a truly flawless day exploring Ephesus and its surroundings, thanks to the impeccable coordination by Selin at OTTI Travel. The day began perfectly with a prompt pickup right at our ship in Izmir. Our driver, Ahmed, was fantastic—he navigated the roads with total professionalism in a large, impressively comfortable van that made the commute a breeze. Selin is a world-class guide whose deep knowledge of Ephesus brought the history to life, from the iconic Library of Celsus to the fascinating Terrace Houses. The ancient site was undoubtedly the highlight of our day; seeing the towering ruins against the backdrop of glorious weather and piercing blue skies was an unforgettable experience. Selin’s storytelling and insights ensured we saw the best of the city while truly appreciating its monumental scale. Beyond the ruins, the itinerary Selin curated was exceptional and well-paced. We enjoyed a delicious, authentic lunch in the serene garden of the Turkmen Carpet Weaving Center, which provided a wonderful opportunity to relax and appreciate local hospitality in a beautiful setting. It was the perfect midday break between our historical explorations and our afternoon visits to local artisans. Before departing for Izmir, we explored several local highlights that rounded out the day perfectly. We stopped at a local leather shop and a ceramics studio to see incredible artistry, as well as a shop specializing in Turkish delights and other delicious food items. If you are looking for a seamless, high-end, and deeply informative tour while in port, I cannot recommend Selin, Ahmed, and the OTTI Travel team highly enough.

We had a great day at Ephesus with our guide, Nesli. She was knowledgeable, clear, spoke excellent English, and was very pleasant to be with. The drive was interesting, lunch was tasty, and the tour of carpet-making was informative. A great day all around.

Our tour guide (Tas) was amazing. He speaks English with an American accent. He was punctual and picked us up from the cruise ship at 7:00 a.m. We got to Ephesus bright and early to beat all the other tours by half an hour. His guiding was illuminating and creative. He answered all of our questions. He took us off the beaten path to avoid crowds. He took photos for us. He was always mindful that we had two young children tagging along. Tas made Ephesus ours. Even though I had been to Ephesus twice before, I learned the most from Tas. I strongly recommend this private tour. You get what you pay for. We had the most enjoyable time.

WOWOW! What a tour!!! Asli very generously picked us up from the airport with our great driver, (who introduced himself as, "Boss"), and took us straight from Izmir to our day in Ephesus. On the way, she shared tons of details about the region, and was *so* accommodating to our needs—even flipping the schedule to let us have lunch upon arrival. Asli made sure to pack our time with as much information and history as she could, and she did so from a place of deep love and enthusiasm. Ephesus was hands down the most interesting place my husband and I have ever visited, and it was all thanks to Asli's vast knowledge and passion for the region. We are so lucky to now call Asli a friend of ours, and would recommend her tour to ANYONE!!! Please book this tour if you are visiting Izmir and Ephesus!!!

Wow! This was an amazing tour led by Elif and her driver Mehmet! Despite the downpour of rain for a few hours, Elif was experienced to keep us dry with other activiites during the downpour. Then we had hours at Ephesus in the dryness. We loved every minute of our tour and Elif was like a family friend in her approach to everything. Some of my family are history buffs and there were alot of questions! This was a 10 out of 10 tour!!! Thank you Elif and Mehmet!

We really enjoyed our trip to Ephesus. Our guide was very knowledgable and helpful and we were able to tailor the trip to our particular interests.

Tour guide and drivers were fantastic !! We had a nice trip to Izmir and Ephesus !! beautiful and comfortable cars !! We will come back again for sure !!

Our tour guide Nur was absolutely amazing. She was friendly, showed us the best souvenir shops and had the best locations for our photos. Her positive energy definitely enhanced the experience of our trip. Additional the local lunch tasted so good. An amazing cultural experience!

Truly one of the best highlights in Türkiye. Our tour guide, Nur was phenomenal and friendly. She was extremely helpful. I would also recommend adding the local lunch if you enjoy the turkish cuisine. Overall, anyone who is thinking of booking for a small private group, go for it!

Nur was a very friendly and welcoming tour guide. She was also very informative about the history of Ephesus and even about facts beyond that. Would definitely recommend!

What an amazing tour from Elif! A amazing tour through Izimir. If you need a local tour guide with historical and local knowledge is perfect! Thank you again !! I highly recommend.

Great tour. Our guide GG and the driver Engin were awesome. Explained us everything and gave a nice lunch. Really enjoyed the tour and we recommend to everyone.

Our Guide, Ahmet - and our Driver Engin were fantastic. Ahmet spoke very good English, and provided a lot of historical context as we drove from Izmir to Ephesus. Engin was masterful climbing the tight roads up the mountain to go to "Mary's House". We left the hotel early (0700), which helped get us ahead of the cruise bus excursions... After Mary's House, we went to Ephesus proper. The excavations are amazing, as Ahmet said it is only 25% complete. A sprawling compound, once a port city. What a historical site it is!! Very glad we went there. Finally, we went to the Temple of Artemis, where Pagan god worship, a distant Mosque where muslims worship, and St. Lukes Basilica where Christians worship - all in a tight view. Very unique in the world. The only thing we did not particularly enjoy was the "ending" we were encouraged to go to a cultural facility for lunch - it seemed a lot of "pressure" to purchase goods from the salesmen there.... it took a lot of time, and would have rather spent more time having lunch and finalizing our tour with robust discussion, but the sales workers really put a lot of pressure on all of us to purchase jewels or hand woven rugs.

Highly recommend seeing Ephesus and surrounds with this company, in a small group rather than a big group tour (yuck!). Everything was smooth, the price was right and there were no hidden costs. Our guide Gocke was incredibly knowledgeable and lovely which made the day so enjoyable. I would recommend going as early as possible to beat the crowds and the sun.

We had an overall very good trip with Elif, our guide, and Ibrahim, our driver. Both were kind, courteous and friendly. Elif's knowledge of Ephesus and other sites around Izmir were great and enjoyed learning about her family, her education and interest in English. At pickup, she had a sign with my name on it at the Airport when we left the arrivals hall. We would have given her 5-stars, except for lunch we went to what was obviously a "tourist-trap" and sat down for a slightly lengthy presentation on how Turkish rugs are made, followed by a sales pitch for Turkish rugs and random jewelry. That left a bad taste unfortunately since before lunch I specifically told her that we didn't want to eat at any "touristy" style place. You'd think if you are paying for a private tour, you would get to customize the tour (within reason).

We had an amazing time and our tour guide Elif was very knowledgeable and fun! We learned a lot and saw a lot. I would definitely recommend a tour through these guys!

Ozgur was a fountain of historical and etymological knowledge. His warm engaging style and attentiveness to our tastes made our day trip with him memorable. Overall it was a very educational experience and stimulated me to read more about the history of the region.

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about history and the site of Ephesus. He answered any question we had. His passion for history was infectious. As well, he was extremely personable.

Thanks to our extraordinary guide Mel and chauffeur Engin, we spent a fabulous day exploring Ephesus. The planning was very flexible and adaptable to our desires. Mel is very knowledgeable about everything. Great experience!

Our tour guide, Ash, was very articulate and knowledgeable about Izmir and Ephasis. She was from the area and gave a personal perspective of not only the history, but the culture and how that influences life today. Our first stop was the Virgin Mother’s home which was not only very spiritual, but also wonderfully wooded and serene. I did not expect the connection with nature. The next stop was the ancient city of Ephasis. I cannot adequately describe the majesty or historical significance of the ruins from this ancient city. You could almost go back in time to feel the vibrancy. Ash gave us a good overview of the historical points, but also did not overwhelm us with non-stop talking like some guides. She would wait for us to ask questions so she would know what aspects of the ruins we were interested in learning about. Next we had lunch and a carpet weaving demonstration. They tried to sell us a carpet but understood that we were not interested. The pressure to buy was not very high. Finally we went to the Apostle John’s home which was in the city. Ash was an amazing tour guide who not only gave us a tour of historical sites, but gave us the insights to be transformed back in time with her on our journey.

The private tour was incredible. Mel is a well-prepared and friendly tour guide. We have to come back soon. The transportation van was very nice also and the driver was always on time.

Perfect tour , very detailed and informing. Nagi , our guide was expert in the history of Efesus. The visit in the house of Vigrin Mary was astonished. The story behind about its finding is magical. Also the visit to Basilica of Saint Jonh is a place that any Cristian should not miss. Nagi thank you for your lovely company and all the information that you shared with us.

Amazing trip, super nice guide, who gave us many information and made sure that we understood everything, was a beautiful day that was absolutely worth the money. Tasty lunch on top

I loved all about that my experience. Just have one day in Izmir, so we needed a tour our measure. We were picked up at the airport and taken to Ephesus in a comfortable vehicle. We visited the museum, the Temple of Diana, and the Ephesus Museum. The guide was very thorough, much more than I expected. I'm interested in learning about cultures beyond tourism, and what was offered exceeded my expectations. I went with Tas, our guide, and was very educational and had extensive knowledge of mythology, history, archaeology, and art. The best.

Elef was an excellent tour guide with great insights about the ancient city and a lovely sense of humor to keep our teens engaged. She and the driver Eingin make the perfect team and created a very comfortable and well paced tour for us.

The experience was incredible. Nage was an exceptional guide who helped us with everything. We even made a mistake and booked for the wrong date, but she immediately assisted us in changing it. Her attitude was fantastic; she’s incredibly knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. The tour itself, along with the experience of working with leather and carpets, was fascinating. The kindness of everyone involved truly enhanced the experience. Of course the help and kindness of Engin was great too

The tour was amazing, we could see, learn and re-create the evolution of Ephesus throughout the time. Special thanks to Nagi for her great knowledge and explanations and Engin the driver for being always ready to take us to the main places.

We had a really great time at Ephesus. Our tour guide Ahmet Aypek was very friendly and informative. Taxi transfer was very smooth and comfortable. Ephesus and surrounding sights are well worth a visit. Thank you

We had a wonderful trip with Nagi as our guide . She is a pleasant person and we quickly became friends . Her knowledge about Ephesus is comprehensive and she took pains to answer all our questions . It was a fun day . Our driver Engin was punctual , friendly and very professional

The tour guide Nagi was very courteous and extremely knowledgeable. She explained all the sites in great detail. The driver Engin was also very friendly.

We were met at the port and drove nicely towards Ephesus, stopping at the House of the Virgin Mary. I can see the appeal but they’ve cheapened it by clearly painting a face on a wall in an attempt to make it look like a relic. Ephesus is a great site and as we’d explained my daughter is interested in archeology I would have expected to get a lot more detail than we got. We were a little pushed around as if the guide wanted to get her day over with. We explained that we were happy to miss lunch so she fitted in the quick museum tour. We totally missed the terrace houses as she simply explained they needed to be booked in advance (Nobody was waiting). The temple of Artemis is not really there, but we wanted to go. Very little information was given and we were given five minutes by the guide after a look at her watch. St John’s was on the list, but apparently we didn’t have time. This was a surprise as we were then driven straight to a carpet joint and pretty much held captive for an hour. Now, I made it clear this was about seeing the history, on arriving I also made it clear that I know how silk carpets are made. Inevitably I was then given a firm presentation of how this wasn’t a sales pitch, whilst being shown how carpets are made. This was followed by a drink and lunch (Remember we had said no food and I didn’t fancy eating what was given *large understatement) as we were presented with twenty carpets and their prices. Leaving wasn’t an easy option folks. Having finally escaped carpets we were thrust into the jewellery section. Unbelievable ! All in all, not the best guide, not a lot of knowledge, didn’t see the whole sites, was pushed for time for no reason (We finished 2 hours early and even after an hour of my life was stolen by people not trying to sell things, we still left 1 hour early,), and spent my time not eating horrible food whilst getting a hard sell. If you want to take people to your associates to make commission, put it in your advertisement, remove the bits you choose to miss to make time. I’ve been on a lot of tours in multiple countries and this was by far the worst. I get the other feedback from people, but not good at all folks, a real let down. Can’t and simply won’t recommend. Driver was good though, safe and smooth. He got the tip 🥳

We had a wonderful tour of Ephesus with the help of our guide Nagi who is both professional and friendly. Our tour covered not only the famed site with the magnificently preserved ancient library and grand theatre but also the visit of pottery studio and heirloom carpet weaving gallery, both of which are inseparable part of Turkish culture. It is a day well spent.

The views were amazing and our tour guide was wonderful! We were able to appreciate all the history and culture with the ancient ruins tours and the weaving school. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a day trip from Istanbul!

Mrs. Nur was very helpful. She explained about everything in detail and gave us time to explore the places. She was not pushy or salesly on the leather/carpet places. Food was good too!

We had a great time today. Our guide, Nagi, gave us a comprehensive narrative of the history of Ephesus, the house of Virgin Mary and St. John Basilica. She was very knowledgeable about the history and kept us informed of the cultures and way of life during the Roman Empire. The views gave us a glimpse of the past. Overall, it was an excellent tour.

We had an incredible one-day tour of Ephesus, and it exceeded all our expectations! Our guide, Nur, was outstanding—knowledgeable, engaging, and passionate about sharing the history of this amazing region. The tour started with a visit to the House of the Virgin Mary, a serene and spiritual site. We then explored the ancient ruins of Ephesus, which were absolutely breathtaking. Walking through the well-preserved streets, seeing the Library of Celsus and the Grand Theater, really made history come alive. Next, we visited the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, followed by a delicious lunch featuring authentic Turkish cuisine. The food was fresh, flavorful, and a great way to experience local culture. To top off the day, we had the opportunity to witness traditional carpet weaving, where skilled artisans demonstrated their intricate craft. It was fascinating to see the effort and detail that goes into each handmade piece. Overall, this tour was well-organized, informative, and enjoyable. Nur made the experience even more special with her insights and storytelling. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Ephesus—you won’t be disappointed! Would definitely book again! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had a full day tour of Ephesus with a local guide and it was fantastic! Everything was taken care of I was picked up at the airport, toured the ancient site of Ephesus, visited the archaeological museum, and the church of St. John and then stopped by an authentic carpet making factory for lunch. 5 stars to the local guide!

The trip was educational and very informative. Nora was a great guide with so much information to share. We appreciate that her tour was customized to our interest.

We had a great visit of Ephesus with our guide Nur. She is very knowledgeable and made the visit very interesting, sharing a mix of historical and cultural facts. One of my favourite spot was the library.

Nur was our tour guide for our food tour. We went to an amazing hotel, had a hands on food demonstration and a wonderful feast. Nur was fun, engaging, warm and friendly. She's a wonderful guide.

We booked a private tour as the cruise we were on was not offering a similar deal. We were not disappointed. Our very knowledgable guide took us to Ephesus, Mary's House, and a ceramics shop for Turkish coffee. The experience in Izmir was truly magical.

We spent a beautiful sunny day with our tour guide, Ulas. We were promptly picked up at the agreed upon time. Ulas was super friendly and very knowledgeable not only about local history, but also general world history which added so much to our understanding of Ephesus and Turkey. Our ride to and from Ephesus was smooth and felt very personalized. Ulas did a fantastic job explaining all of the sites and explaining the significance. We were then taken to this small co-op for lunch which was farm to table and delicious. At the same site we took a tour to see how rugs are woven and even got to see how silk is produced! On our way back to Izmir, we stopped at a leather shop which was also an interesting experience. Overall - this was a great all day experience and we highly recommend it!

We went with Nur, and she was an expert on the Izmir region. We had a great time at Ephesus as well as visits to several small stores to see the local produce. Try to book ahead & get her time.