SKIP-THE-LINE: Private EPHESUS and Virgin Mary’s House Tour

Your guide will meet you at the Cruise Port, holding a sign with your name on it.

"Visit the House of the Virgin Mary, believed to be where Mary spent her final days, and the Basilica of St. John, where it is believed that the Evangelist St. John spent his last years in the Ephesus region and was buried on the southern slope of Ayasuluk Hill.

Discover the archaeological wonders of Ephesus, a city that beautifully blends historic preservation with visitor accessibility. Located on Turkey's southwest coast, Ephesus was a cultural and architectural hub for successive ancient civilizations. In 356 BC, the Greeks constructed the grand Artemesium—an Ionic temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis—recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. By the 2nd century BC, Ephesus had risen to become the fourth largest city in the eastern Roman Empire, famed for its magnificent Artemesium, the impressive Library of Celsus, and a renowned medical school.

The Temple of Artemis (Artemision), located in ancient Ionia at Ephesus in present-day Turkey, was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Built on a flat plain that eventually turned into a swamp, this magnificent Hellenistic structure was crafted entirely from marble and adorned with sculpted columns. Though little remains today, some of the most stunning artifacts from the temple are on display at the British Museum in London.

The earliest remains date back to the 6th century BC, when the temple was surrounded by 36 massive columns. It was later expanded under the rule of the Lydian King Croesus, with many of the surviving pieces from this era now housed in London. A new and even grander version of the temple was constructed in the 2nd century BC on the same site, featuring 121 columns each standing 17.5 meters tall. Sadly, the temple was destroyed by fire, rebuilt, and then ultimately demolished by earthquakes.