Ephesus Day Trip from Istanbul
About this activity
Highlights
- Explore the ancient city of Ephesus
- Visit the Temple of Artemis ruins
- See the Library of Celsus
- Discover the Great Theatre
- Enjoy a traditional Turkish lunch
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Round-trip flight from Istanbul to Ephesus
- Guided tour of Ephesus archaeological site
- Lunch at a local restaurant
- Personal expenses and gratuities
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour operates on specific days; check availability before booking.
- Flights are subject to change; confirm flight times upon booking.
- Tour may be subject to weather conditions; plan accordingly.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes suitable for uneven terrain.
- Bring a hat and sunscreen to protect against the sun.
- Carry a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Stroller Accessible
- Easy Public Transport
- Infant Seats Available
Good to know
- The tour offers INCLUDED and EXCLUDED domestic flight ticket options. Please select your preferred option during the booking process.
- Please note that we do not have an assistant service for airport transfers. The driver will drop you off at the entrance gate of İstanbul airport. Please go to the check-in desk according to the instructions the provider will share in advance. When you arrive at the destination airport, the driver will be waiting for you with a sign with your name on it.
- Baggage allowance: 15 kg checked + 8 kg hand luggage. (if the “INCLUDED flight tickets” option is selected)
- For guests who choose the EXCLUDED flight tickets option, we will inform them which flights they need to purchase.
- Entry tıckets to hıstorıcal sıtes are Excluded. The tour guide wıll have Skip-The-Line tıckets
Traveler reviews
Tour of Ephesus Was Great!
We had a great time. The tour guide was wonderful and she really knew her stuff. However, didn’t really need to go to carpet factory and be pressured to make purchase. Time better spent elsewhere
Ephesus on a day trip from Istanbul
Ephesus is worth a visit for its historical significance. The day visit from Istanbul was well planned and seamless. The price covered round trip airfare from Istanbul to Izmir, round trip pick up from the hotel to the airport. The tour provider communicated with clear instructions and was responsive. My pickup from the hotel was early and the driver arrived on time. Our tour guide, Ogun was on time to pick us up from the airport in Izmir and the drive to Ephesus was pleasant. I enjoyed the visit to the ruins but less so the House of Mary. The later seems overrated.
Be prepared for an earlier start than that advertised!
This experience was booked on the basis that it starts at 06:00. The day before the experience (after cancellation is possible) I received a text stating that the pick up time was 04:30. This took me to the domestic terminal by 05:30 for a 7am flight. So before booking consider whether you’re ok with a much earlier time than stated. We were met at Izmir and had a short wait while other people in the experience arrived. The 50 minute drive to Ephesus was uneventful. There are obviously a lot of things outside the control of the operator; queues and crowd sizes. The itinerary was followed; the ‘house’ of the Virgin Mary (long queue) the main Ephesus site (no queue, but some areas were very busy) the temple of Artemis, lunch, carpet making demonstration. Return to airport at 16:30 for 17:55 return flight. Upon return to Istanbul - delay with taxi back. So, overall as described. A tiring day, mostly due to the lack of notice as to how early the start would be.
Ephesus
Amazing experience with Funda. She was very knowledgeable and helped us go back in time and see life in Ephesus.
To see Ephesus is amazing...
To see Ephesus is amazing as the site is pretty well preserved and they are working to restore more. This tour requires very early pickup in Istanbul. It is very well organized and we had a guide for just the two of us. Her name was Isik and she was very good. The amount of time we spent at the ruins was about 2 hours or maybe a bit longer. That is the highlight of the trip. There are other filler stops such as the Virgin Mary shrine and a local carpet store. It is along day for the amount of time at Ephesus. If you have time constraints then this is good trip to get you to Ephesus and back. I rated this 4/5 mostly because of the ratio of time at Ephesus vs the duration of the tour.