Private Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch
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September 2026
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Who is going?
Adults
Age 13 and over
Children
Age 12 and under
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
4.8/5
Based on 46 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Private Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch worth booking?
Private Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch is a 7-hour experience in Kusadasi, Turkey, from $15 per person. It scores 75 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Strongly Recommended”, based on a 4.8/5 rating across 46 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 75 / 100
- Rating
- 4.8/5 (46)
- Duration
- 7 hours
- From
- $15 per person
Designed exclusively for cruise passengers visiting Kusadasi Cruise Port, this private Ephesus shore excursion combines history, culture, comfort, and flexibility in one unforgettable day. Explore the UNESCO World Herit
What you get
About this experience
Designed exclusively for cruise passengers visiting Kusadasi Cruise Port, this private Ephesus shore excursion combines history, culture, comfort, and flexibility in one unforgettable day. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world, with a licensed local guide who brings its fascinating history to life. Visit the sacred House of the Virgin Mary, one of Christianity's most important pilgrimage sites, before enjoying an authentic Turkish lunch at a carefully selected local restaurant. Enhance your experience with an optional Traditional Turkish Bath (Hammam), the perfect way to relax before returning to your cruise ship. With private transportation, flexible itinerary, personalized service, and a guaranteed on-time return to your ship, this tour is the perfect choice for travelers seeking the best Ephesus experience from Kusadasi.
What's included
Included
- Private Air-Conditioned Deluxe Vehicle
- Guided Visit to the House of the Virgin Mary
- Flexible Private Itinerary
- Free Time for Shopping (No Obligation to Purchase)
- Guaranteed On-Time Return to Your Cruise Ship
- Traditional Turkish Lunch at a Local Restaurant
- Licensed Professional English-Speaking Tour Guide
- Parking Fees, Fuel & Local Taxes
- Pick-up & Drop-off at Kusadasi Cruise Port
- Guided Visit to Ephesus Ancient City
- Personalized Private Experience
- Complimentary Bottled Water
- Fully customizable private itinerary tailored to your interests.
Not included
- Ephesus Ancient City Entrance Fee
- House of the Virgin Mary Entrace Fee
- Ephesus Terrace Houses Entrance Fee
- Entrance fees
What you'll see and do
Port Kusadasi Turkey
Meet your licensed local guide at Kusadasi Cruise Port. Your guide will be waiting outside the terminal exit holding a sign with your name. Guaranteed on-time return to your cruise ship.
30 minutes here
The House of the Virgin Mary
Visit one of Christianity's most sacred pilgrimage sites, believed to be the final home of the Virgin Mary. Surrounded by peaceful forests, this spiritual destination welcomes visitors from around the world, including several Popes.
60 minutes here · Admission not included
Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world. Walk through Marble Street, visit the Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre, Temple of Hadrian, ancient baths, fountains, and discover fascinating stories from your licensed local guide.
120 minutes here · Admission not included
Ephesus Terrace Houses
Optional visit. Discover the luxurious homes of wealthy Romans featuring beautiful mosaics, marble decorations, colorful frescoes, and one of the world's earliest underfloor heating systems.
30 minutes here · Admission not included
Anadolu Rug
Enjoy a complimentary Turkish lunch at a carefully selected local restaurant. After lunch, guests may optionally observe traditional Turkish carpet weaving, one of Turkey's oldest cultural arts. Shopping is never required.
60 minutes here
The Temple of Artemis
Visit the remains of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and learn about its remarkable history from your expert guide.
30 minutes here
Adasaray Hammam
Optional Turkish Bath experience. Relax with traditional sauna, steam room, scrub, foam massage and enjoy one of Turkey's oldest wellness traditions.
60 minutes here · Admission not included
Kusadasi Bazaar
Enjoy free time at Kusadasi Bazaar, where you can browse local shops offering Turkish delights, spices, ceramics, leather goods, jewelry, and handmade souvenirs.
30 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 20 minutes before departure.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- SeaDrop Travel
Know before you go
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 46 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
9 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
6 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Organization
4 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Food and drink
3 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Small groups
3 mentionsThe group size is repeatedly described as intimate rather than packed.
Pace and timing
2 mentionsSeveral reviewers comment on how the schedule is paced.
Traveler reviews
46 verified traveler reviews for Private Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Fantastic Efesus with Aydin
It was a wonderful experience. Our guide, Aydin, is truly the best of the best. He gave us many options that allowed us to make the best decisions, and he was very patient and understanding. It is clear that he is very knowledgeable, which is why he was able to answer all of our questions and accommodate all of our requests. The tour was fantastic thanks to the excellent service Aydin provided.
Response from the operator: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dear Guest, Thank you very much for your fantastic 5-star review and for choosing Sea Drop Travel for your Private Ephesus Tour from Kusadasi. We are especially happy to hear your wonderful comments about our guide Aydın Sönmez. His knowledge, patience, and ability to give our guests different options so they can enjoy the tour at their own pace are exactly the kind of personalized service we aim to provide. It was our pleasure to help you discover the magnificent Ephesus Ancient City and the House of the Virgin Mary while experiencing the history and culture of this beautiful region of Türkiye. For guests searching for Ephesus tours from Kusadasi Cruise Port, our goal is always to provide a comfortable, informative, flexible, and memorable Private Ephesus Tour with professional licensed local guides. Thank you again for recommending Aydın and Sea Drop Travel. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back to Kusadasi and Ephesus again in the future. Warm regards, Salman Kurt & Sea Drop Travel Team Kusadasi, Türkiye 🇹🇷 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
via Tripadvisor
Blessed experience in Ephesus!!! Best tour guide person ever
Aydin Sonmez ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An unforgettable experience in Ephesus — we truly thank God for putting him in our path! There are some people you meet while traveling who become part of the memory itself, and he was absolutely one of them. We genuinely feel that God placed him in our path that day. He went above and beyond — truly doing everything possible to make sure we could experience what was most meaningful to us. One of our biggest wishes was to attend Mass at the House of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus, and thanks to his kindness, flexibility, and dedication, he made it happen. It became one of the most beautiful and meaningful moments of our entire trip, and we will always be grateful to him for that. His knowledge of Ephesus, its history, culture, and local life is extraordinary. Beyond the historical sites, he gave us amazing local recommendations and showed us places and details we would never have discovered on our own. We were two girls traveling together, and from the first moment we felt completely safe, protected, and cared for. He treated us with such genuine kindness and respect, was incredibly patient with everything we wanted to do, and even became our photographer throughout the day, making sure we had beautiful memories to take home. Our driver was also an absolute sweetheart — kind, professional, attentive, and wonderful to us. Together, they made the entire experience feel less like a tour and more like spending the day with people who genuinely cared about us. We absolutely loved them. ❤️ Thank God for allowing our paths to cross. We arrived wanting to discover Ephesus and left with beautiful memories, a very special experience of faith, and enormous gratitude for the people who made it possible. I would recommend him without hesitation, and I can genuinely say that I would organize a future trip around having him guide us again. If you are visiting Ephesus, especially if you want an experience that is personal, meaningful, safe, and unforgettable, he is the guide you want.
Response from the operator: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dear Guest, Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for this wonderful 5-star review and for choosing Sea Drop Travel for your Private Ephesus Tour. We are truly delighted to hear that your visit to Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary was such a blessed and unforgettable experience. Your beautiful words about our professional guide Aydın Sönmez mean so much to us. His knowledge, kindness, patience, and passion for the history of Ephesus are qualities we are very proud of. Our goal with every Private Ephesus Tour from Kusadasi is to give our guests much more than sightseeing — we want them to leave Türkiye with wonderful memories and a genuine connection to the history and culture of this extraordinary region. Thank you again for trusting Aydın Sönmez and Sea Drop Travel with your day. We hope to welcome you back one day for another unforgettable Ephesus and Kusadasi tour. Warm regards, Salman Kurt & Sea Drop Travel Team Kusadasi, Türkiye 🇹🇷 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
via Tripadvisor
Tour from Kusadasi
Our guide Sevda was pleasant and easy to understand. The lunch was tasty. The driver was careful. Sevda personalized our tour a little bit more, which were very happy with. An excellent tour and a wonderful guide.
Response from the operator: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dear Guest, Thank you very much for your wonderful 5-star review and for choosing Sea Drop Travel for your Private Ephesus Tour from Kusadasi. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your day with our guide Sevda, found her explanations pleasant and easy to understand, enjoyed the delicious lunch, and felt comfortable with our careful professional driver. It was our pleasure to help you discover the highlights of this beautiful region, including the magnificent Ephesus Ancient City, House of the Virgin Mary, and Temple of Artemis. Our goal with every Ephesus tour from Kusadasi is to provide our guests with a comfortable, informative, safe, and memorable private experience. Thank you again for recommending us. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back to Kusadasi and Ephesus, Türkiye in the future. Warm regards, Salman Kurt & Sea Drop Travel Team Kusadasi, Türkiye 🇹🇷 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
via Tripadvisor
A Wonderful Day in Ephesus
Sevda was an excellent guide. We had a private tour and she explained everything very well , took us to all the important places and took very good care of us. Highly recommend!
Response from the operator: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dear Sherree, Thank you so much for your wonderful review and for choosing Sea Drop Travel for your Private Ephesus Tour and House of the Virgin Mary Tour. We are delighted to hear that you had such a wonderful day with Sevda Erdem. She truly enjoys sharing the history of Ephesus with our guests, and we are very happy that you appreciated her knowledge, explanations, personal attention, and care throughout your private tour. For travelers visiting Türkiye, especially guests arriving at Kusadasi Cruise Port, our goal is to provide comfortable and memorable Ephesus tours from Kusadasi, combining the magnificent Ancient City of Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, local culture, and genuine Turkish hospitality. Thank you again for your kind recommendation. It was a pleasure welcoming you, and we hope to see you again on another Kusadasi tour in the future. Warm regards, Salman Kurt Director | Sea Drop Travel – Kusadasi Ephesus Tours ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
via Tripadvisor
Amazing day!!!!
I honestly don’t know where to begin. Our guide Ayden deserves a round of applause so I’ll start there! He kept in touch with us so well it was impossible to not feel configurable before even meeting him! We were booked for the best of Ephesus with the Turkish bath house. He customized our trip when we met up and we planned it with him. Took things out, added things and took our time going around. He timed every stop to perfection. We got to each stop and they weren’t crowded at all. When we left each stop the buses were all coming in! He was so informative at each stop and along the way!! We were so blessed to have such an amazing man teach us about his country! He took us to a restaurant that was phenomenal. He bargained the prices for us on things. He lives in a beautiful place and shared so much with us! This definitely was one of our highlights on a 10 day Mediterranean vacation. He even gave us gifts to go home with to share with our family. Just an ask around great day! If you’re thinking about doing this don’t think anymore. And definitely add the Turkish bath house! The Bali massage was amazing! Thank you Ayden for a perfect day and for sharing your wealth of knowledge on your beautiful country! Lisa and Gus
Response from the operator: Thank you so much for your wonderful 5-star review and for sharing your amazing experience with us! We are delighted to hear that you had such a memorable day exploring Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary. A special thank you for your kind words about your guide, Aydın. We are very happy to know that his communication, knowledge, and personal attention made you feel comfortable even before your tour began. At Sea Drop Travel, our goal is to make every Private Ephesus Tour from Kusadasi personal, comfortable, and memorable, especially for cruise guests looking for a well-organized Kusadasi shore excursion. It was truly a pleasure welcoming you to beautiful Kusadasi and sharing the history and culture of Ephesus with you. Thank you again for choosing Sea Drop Travel. We hope to welcome you back to Türkiye for another wonderful experience in the future! Warm regards, Salman Kurt & Sea Drop Travel Team Kusadasi, Türkiye
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 7 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $15 to $25
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 16
- Verdict
- Strongly Recommended
Why this scores 75
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Private Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Kusadasi.
How much does Private Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch cost?
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Prices start at $15 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Kusadasi usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Private Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch take?
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Plan for about 7 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Kusadasi is not rushed.
Is Private Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 75 out of 100, which we label "Strongly Recommended". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.8/5 across 46 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Kusadasi, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Private Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Private Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 7-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Private Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch?
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Around 16 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Kusadasi can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Kusadasi and add a light layer if any part of the 7-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Private Ephesus & House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Kusadasi within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Kusadasi?
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On Outty we rank every Kusadasi experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include FOR CRUISERS: Ephesus & Virgin Mary Tour with ENTRY TICKET+LUNCH, Ephesus Temple of Artemis and House of Mary Private Half Day Tour, Ephesus and Temple of Artemis Private Tour from Kusadasi Port. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Kusadasi?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Kusadasi?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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