Start with morning pickup at your hotel in Izmir or at the Izmir Airport, then begin the 50-mile (80-km) trip to Ephesus in a private, climate-controlled vehicle. Upon arrival in Ephesus, make the first stop of the day at the UNESCO-listed ancient city of Ephesus.
Follow your guide to the site’s most important structures, including the Temple of Hadrian, the Hercules Gate, the Library of Celsus, and the enormous, open-air amphitheater. Take advantage of your day with a private guide to set a pace that’s good for your group, with plenty of time to see the things that interest you most.
Continue to Mt. Koressos to visit the House of the Virgin Mary, where Jesus’ mother is believed to have spent her final years in a simple stone hut, and see the small shrine and prayer wall that draw Catholic pilgrims from around the world.
Pause for a lunch or Turkish cuisine, then make your way to the Temple of Artemis, where chipped pillars are the only remnant of a Wonder of the Ancient World. The last stop of the day is the Basilica of Saint John, built by Justinian I over the site where the apostle and evangelist is believed to have been buried. This full-day tour concludes with a return trip to Izmir, and drop-off at your accommodations or the Izmir Airport.
