Private Tour From Izmir To Ephesus, Artemission, Virgin Mary House Incl. Lunch

Inan was absolutely fantastic! His knowledge and enthusiasm made our day wonderful. The lunch and shopping opportunities were fabulous. We highly recommend this tour.

From start to finish we had a lovely day. The pick up was very clear and well organised. Our guide, (Selena) was friendly, very knowledgeable and extremely receptive to our wishes. Our driver even made an unexpected stop on the way back to enable us to buy gifts. Thank you both.

This was amazing! Our guide was so kind, friendly, and knowledgeable! The transportation was very clean and comfortable. This was quite honestly one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had in my life!

Such a historic site with the marble slab walkways and ancient ruins still standing. Close your eyes and you can imagine this beautiful place filled with the hustle and bustle of people walking down the streets. Ephesus is a must do in Turkey for any traveler and having Melih as our guide was what we needed to fully appreciate this experience. Melih modified the route and timing of the journey to allow the huge rain storm to pass us by. This gave us the opportunity to fully enjoy our excursion without having to navigate the already slippery terrain. I highly recommend this tour and if you can swing it, make it a private tour.

Good day in Ephesus. We were picked up from our hotel in Izmir by our guide and driver in a comfortable van. The ancient city of Ephesus is well preserved and impressive. Definitely worth the trip.

Great day either with Ozgur. The pick up from our hotel was smooth. There were three of us in a large van, so very comfortable. It was a private tour, so Ozgur was open to any suggestions, and we had good conversation throughout the day. Visiting Ephesus is an amazing experience. Don’t miss it if you are in Izmir.

This is a fantastic tour. Our guide was so awesome. His knowledge was indepth and so interesting and he took carew of everyting we needed and tailored the day to our needs. The food was delicious! We would absolutely recommend this tour.

Emre was such an amazing guide and made our experience for the day! We opted to take a day trip from Istanbul and were so happy that we did! We arranged our flights for the early morning and gave ourselves enough time afterward (though you might contact them if you haven't booked flights to see what they recommend as we were in the airport with hours to spare). We loved visiting the sites and Emre made sure that we saw the most important things and explaining why and their significance. If you are a Christian, this is an absolute pilgrimage and so worth going. Turkey is super underrated and I can't wait to go back. We had a lovely lunch at a local rug factor and I would genuinely be interested as they had decent prices in December but we just bought our flat and didn't know what we needed. I'm so happy that we did this day trip and it was such a good value for the guide and the driver. Ephesus was also something I will never forget! It was great learning about its history, what they are currently working on to unveil the site, and its importance in history.

Extremely informative guide , knowledgeable in history and the sites we visited. Well articulated and patient in answering questions and super friendly! The timing of the tour was just nice to not feel over crowded or too overwhelmed.

What a sensational day from start to finish. Pick up wad seemless from the cruise port in a late model VW van. Very cofy. Melih was a wonderful guide. Making sure we went where we wanted. His knowledge is fantastic. Our main thing was to visit Ephesis. We learned so much. We were not rushed and had plenty of time to explore. We aso bisted the Virgin mary house. We had options to go to leather, carpet and ceramic makers. We went to the carpet. So awesome. Absolutely no push to buy. The lunch was delicious. We got back to the ship with plenty of time to spare. Absolutely recommend this tour.

We had a wonderful day touring Ephesus. The tour guide was excellent and our experience viewing the ancient city was one we will not forget

This tour exceeded our expectations. Our guide Gürkan was a wealth of information and very knowledgeable. He is a wonderful conversationalist and always had an answer for any question. Even though we are familiar with the history, we learned much more. This tour was excellent from the pick-up till the end. Highly recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Our guide Emre Dasdemir and the Driver made sure we were able to see Virgins Marys house with out getting went since it was pouring when we got there!! They made the good decision of starting there so by the time we got to Ephesus the rain had subsided and we were able to do the walk in the city!! It was a perfect tour in spite the weather conditions… I would recommend this tour and of course the knowledgeable guide Emre!! Good job!!

This trip was an amazing experience! History buff's dream! Our guide Gem was very knowledgeable about local history and made our trip great. Exactly as described. The transport vehicle was clean and well kept and the driver was super friendly. Both Gem and our driver offered other local recommendations. Also included in this trip was a stop at a Turkish rug making co-op, which provided a one-of-a-kind experience to see the amazing craftsmanship and effort that go into the making of Turkish rugs. Note: Be prepared, they will try VERY hard to sell you a rug!

Emre was our tour guide and he did an excellent job. Very professional & detailed history on each place. We were very happy with lunch place also. Please pass on the message to whoever it implies. Thank you, Curio travel

Our tour guide Ekim was amazing (6 stars, one of the best I've had, more below) but the lunch brought it down by a star. Our guide had impeccable timing, read our group and was fantastic with the kids. We loved hanging out with him and our driver was great too. We went to Ephesus which is really crowded--we had to be dropped off at the top of the old city and then walk down and meet the driver with our guide below. He subtly asked if we wanted to get Turkish ice cream at the end (bonus points for asking me and NOT the kids) and went to the place who had delicious ice cream--and the family loved the whole magic show too. He and our driver timed it perfectly (this is more impressive than it sounds as the traffic line was probably a mile long) and then took us to check out pottery after one of the kids said she loved art. They gave us a demonstration of both making and painting the pottery and we purchased a serving bowl as a souvenir--expensive but worth it! The final experience was touring a rug workshop and an outdoor lunch. There were multiple ships in port that day so the location was busy but he had called ahead to let them know when we'd be there and they were completely unprepared. They were out of some of the food, we waited in the sun forever and they forgot to offer us any beverages at all. Our guide did an amazing job compensating, trying to set the table himself, helping us clear and telling us interesting information (seriously, phenomenal) but the lunch experience wasn't great. Also, I think this was supposed to be his break and he didn't get one at all while trying to salvage the lunch for us. Then we walked across the courtyard for a weaving demonstration. Once again, our guide tried to share information about the silk worm process, but the man demonstrating the process waited for a staff member, making the process slow once again. Throughout the tour, he did a great job of keeping us engaged and giving us information while also giving us time to talk amongst ourselves (it's a pretty long drive from Izmir to Ephesus). I would highly recommend him and if we were ever in the area again would be sure to specifically request him. While my group was kids, his attentiveness and detail would make him a great fit for any age of group. He was easy to find at the pick up spot and matched our pace. We didn't interact a ton with the driver but he also did a great job.

Great experience, wonderful and very informative and friendly guide, Beyza. Very Highly recommended.

I will start by saying that we were prepared to give this tour 5 stars. I spoke to the operations manager as to why I would not be able to, so that no one was caught off guard by our review. The day started out wonderfully with our guide Gem and our driver. Beautiful Mercedes SUV, by the way! We spent the majority of our time at the ancient city of Ephesus. Whether you are of the Christian faith, or fascinated with history, this was an amazing site. Make sure to have walking shoes and water! We were then taken to a Turkish rug shop where we got to see how Turkish rugs are made. You can purchase with no expectation.. but expect a price tag that goes with the craftsmanship! We then enjoyed a local lunch that was delicious. The last part of the tour was to see the Virgin Mary’s house. As a person of the Christian faith, I was looking forward to this. About 2 miles from the house, we were told that we would have to return to the boat as our cruise was leaving early. My husband and I were shocked and caught off guard, as no communication was sent to us from the cruise… and we were suspicious as to why they would reach out to a 3rd party tour company and not to their guests. We begged to quickly see the Virgin Mary’s house as I have no idea the next time I’ll be in Ephesus. We ran to the house, took a picture, and ran back to the van. I was disappointed, but at least I have the picture! My husband was then asked to sign a form that said we went against advice to go back to the boat when we were told. I let him sign it, as the reservation was under my name.. so legally my husband means nothing in their system. (yes, I was raised by an attorney!) I also had him add that the tour company was given information we never received from the cruise. Once we arrived to the port, there was no talk of the cruise leaving early. As you can imagine, I was furious, as this cut our tour short. The operations manager of this tour company was very kind and took my call. He said he was told by the MSC cruise director that there was a possible Israeli/Pakistan protest and wanted to give tour companies a heads up to bring their guests back early in case of traffic. Although still upset, I appreciated the manager for explaining this to me and ultimately for Gem and our driver getting us to the boat safely. I have sense spoken to the cruise. There is no documentation of this conversation with this tour company. So I felt 4 stars was fair for what could have been a 5 start review but there is definitely a missing puzzle piece in the communication. Should you take this tour, and we do recommend the tour for the itinerary, please make sure you have access to all of your cruise documents including contact information to check in with your cruise to verify embankment times.

Gulsah our guide was extremely helpful and knowledgeable from the moment we were collected from the port right up to dropping us back off. We were given the opportunity to choose the time spent at each attraction and everything was explained to us in great detail which made the experience a pleasure. Thank you Gulsah, we would recommend the tour and you personally to anyone!

Our guide was very knowledgeable and easy to understand and very accommodating. We enjoyed our time with him learning the history of this amazing place.

This tour was SO MUCH BETTER than we expected! This company way undersold both the experience and their expertise in showing and explaining it! The experience: Ephesus is incredible: not the paltry few ruins we expected from too many sites, but an incredible array of streets, shops, amphitheaters, brothels, and the third largest library in the ancient world! Mary's house was sweet and moving, and lunch was superb. Their expertise: Taz and Berke are certified tour guides by the Turkish Ministry of Tourism, each with over 10 years experience and holding special passports that allow them to travel visa-free throughout the world as a type of "Turkish Ambassador" for tourism! Besides their university training, both helped excavate parts of Ephesus for multiple years with teams of archeologist, so this was actually a tour with a trained and experienced archeologist for this site!! The resources they gave us were also much appreciated and will be used in the future with other tours. Thanks, Taz. If we could give you more than 5-stars we would!

Wonderful tour to Ephesus and Virgin Mary House! I am surprised that this tour operator have only small number of reviews. I was hesitant also in the beginning to book because of that. But I have to say that I am glad that I took a chance! Of all the other tours I checked out before deciding to book this one, this tour was the most inclusive. So the admission and lunch is included. Not included are the drinks and tips. I asked to add Terrace Houses to the tour too, so we had to just pay the guide extra for those admission tickets after the tour. If you are interested to do that, I will recommend telling them ahead of time so that they can get the tickets for you so there is not time wasted waiting in line. We got pick up from our Izmir hotel at 9am. Since it was a private tour, we didn't need to make additional stops to pick up other guests. The drive there was around 1 hour, along the way our guide, Taz, gave us an overall history of all of Türkiye since he is licensed to be tour guide for all the regions. We were all impressed by his knowledge of his country and his educational background. It really made the whole experience so much better since the sites we visited were of so full of history. There was so much to absorb during this tour but we didn't feel rush at all during the whole time. Taz made the whole tour effortless down to taking us to best spots to stand to take pictures and to avoid the crowd. I won't go into details about the actual sites, it is best that I leave it to Taz. So definitely try to get him as your tour guide. After visiting the sites, we still have a little time to do some shopping at the museum store before heading to lunch. It was just 10 minutes at a local restaurant , Agora. It was delicious!

We had a great time in Ephesus , our guide Inan was very knowledgeable and good at explaining everything, we had an amazing day!!

Great communication with your operator since we booked the tour. We were picked up at the Izmir airport at 9:30 am and the super comfortable van and knowledgeable tour guide took us to a ceramics place, Mary’s house, the Ephesus ruins, leather store, carpet looping demo and lunch, and back to airport. Since it was a private tour, he was able to modify to our requests. Very pleased overall.

Ekim was a great guide - very knowledgeable and helpful and friendly. Transportation was very comfortable

Tour was helpful, comfortable and unhurried. The only regret was not seeing the Ephesus museum in Seljuk, as was not included in the tour. This is an essential stop in seeing the full picture and enjoyment of the site. Just leave an hour earlier in the tour and visit this museum!

We had a great time during this tour. First off, it is very reasonably priced considering it is private. Our tour guide Emma was great, knowledgeable, polite and an excellent communicator perfectly fluent in English. There is no wasted time during this tour. Emma tailored the entire day to our liking. We experienced what we considered the most important features of this tour in our own way. Emma’s introduction of topics included historical and cultural events that shaped this tour into a very memorable experience. The traditional lunch, included in the tour, deserves special mention. The food was simple, yet phenomenal, a feature of Mediterranean cuisine and Turkish culture. We thoroughly enjoyed the food and the company of Emma. Thank you

We had a great day with our tourguide Selenay. She was very punctual, which I appreciate greatly. She was very pleasant to talk too, very informative concerning the whole trip and told us many things about the things we saw during the trip.

We enjoyed our Ephesus tour with Jocat. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. We would highly recommend him!

It was wonderful and full of information. I just loved my tour! We are going to get back and will book with him again. Inan is full of knowledge!

Excellent service overall. The tour guide did an excellent job in providing historical background & was very informative ,knowledgeable, accommodating considering we had 17 people in our group. I would request him if I was to return again. I would highly recommend him for others seeking a tour guide.

Ali was a great guide, very nice and knowledgeable. The lunch included was very good. The only bad thing was at the rug store the worker got irritated when we told him we weren’t buying anything.

Absolutely incredible tour! I would recommend this to anyone. Our air condition van transport was a Mercedes-Benz Maybach limousine van. Our tour guide was absolutely perfect! It felt personal every detail was thought of.

Our tour guide Alayna was excellent She was very organized and very knowledgeable I would strongly recommneded

This was an amazing experience! Ozlem was our guide for our Ephesus tour and she did an amazing job! She was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. She was also great to talk to and get to know more about typical life in Turkey. I would definitely recommend getting this private tour and Ozlem as a guide if you plan to come to Ephesus. Also be sure to bring a hat, water, and sunscreen as it is quite warm and there is not much shade cover.

Great experience .Selini (hope I got the right spelling of her name) is very good,accommodating and knowledgeable.Gives us very helpful advice to enjoy our trip .The vehicle is very comfortable ,Our driver is very good , I highly recommend this tour especially Selini as the guide 👍👍

This is one of my most memorable holiday especially it’s my first time to visit Türkiye. We booked for a private tour to visit the House of Virgin Mary and Ephesus just the two of us with my friend and we were picked up in our Izmir hotel by this very welcoming and knowledgeable tour guide Selenay in a very comfortable car. She gave us full of information on our way and on site. Lunch is included in our tour and we enjoyed our Traditional Turkish food. She gave us free time to explore on our own and takes pictures. We were given a choice to pass the Leather Factory outlet and we decided to drop by and we never regret it. My only regret is, I should have bought more after we arrived at the hotel. They have a good quality Turkish Leather in an affordable price. Our driver drop us off in Konak as we decided to continue our shopping and exploring Izmir. Our driver is very good in his driving and very kind to open the lights inside the car while we are enjoying posing and taking photos. I highly recommend this tour and the Company provider to my family and friends.

Fantastic tour! Perfect for those with limited time in Izmir! We were picked up at the hotel, drove directly to Ephesus, and afterwards enjoyed a wonderful lunch. 5 stars!!!!

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable, friendly and easy going. We went to historical sites , had a fabulous Turkish lunch and he made this experience fun and easy.

The trip was pretty amazing, very comfortable and well organized. We got lucky and end up having a sort of a private tour, since we were alone in a group. So it was very flexible and catered to our desires. The trip left lots of memories and we learned some interesting facts about Türkiye!

This was one of the best tour guides and experience we've ever had. For the price and service, I would say it was FIRST CLASS. The vehicle was a limo type van, very clean and equipped with everything! The tour guide and driver were simply amazing. Tour guide extremely knowledgeable and friendly. He was on time to pick us up at the hotel, he added a few extra stops at a carpet store and pottery store as it was a rainy day. The ephesus stop, he took us from monument to monument explaining everything. I would highly recommend if you want a good experience from a local tour guide that is very affordable for the experience.

Yavuz, our tour guide exceeded our expectations of a private tour with all his knowledge, professionalism and great attitude. The lunch served was excellent and van that took us around was very comfortable.

We all had a wonderful time. Our guide Iskender (Alex) and driver Ferit were terrific and friendly. Iskender was very knowledgeable and gave us great insights. We loved that fact that the tour was private, it gave us the opportunity to spend as much or as little time in a specific location as we wanted. We all recommend this tour company and Iskender!

I think the tour should be called half day tour to Virgin Mary and Ephesus and half day tour to their affiliated shopping shops. I don’t think it’s worth it at all. I felt we were not given enough time to go around ancient Ephesus.. I’ve noticed in Ephesus, we saw other tour groups taking their time to go around the area. There’s no doubt the tour guide was knowledgeable but we felt we didn’t cover a lot of areas that we wanted to see. Instead, they spend more time in taking us to different shops (ceramics, carpets and leather) and since we already refused to purchase anything to the first two shops and realizing what we had to deal with just to get out of the shop, we requested to go home instead but they still insisted and drove us to the last shop which was the leather shop. Since it was just me and my mother in the tour, we had no choice. I ended up buying a 350 US dollars Knock off Burberry leather jacket (which was the cheapest one we can find in the store) so I can get out of the leather shop since the owner/ manager was demanding us do a purchase. They made us feel intimidated that we cannot get back to our tour van where they kept our luggages if we won’t even purchase one item from the store. After the leather shop, the tour guide left us and the driver took us back to our hotel. So be warned, if u want to go shopping, this is the best tour for you, if you want history, just expect less so you won’t get disappointed like we did

The guide was very helpfull and kind with us, specially with my parents, they do not speak english, so he was very pacient, and the words that he knows in spanish he used them to boost the trip experience for my parents, the lunch was a big lunch and good, in two words great experience.

<p>The guide Melih was excellent. He is very knowledgeable and explained every detail. It was a great tour. I recommend this tour</p>