Cruise excursion · The definitive day
Grand Private Ephesus Tour: Virgin Mary, St. John, Artemis & Sirince
If you have one long day in Kusadasi and want to leave nothing on the table, this is the itinerary: every major site of the region, plus Sirince at the end, lunch included.
- Approx. 7 hours, lunch included
- Starbucks at Kuşadası cruise plaza
Why cruise guests choose us
Why Cruise Guests Recommend Us
We are not the cheapest Ephesus tour, we are the calmest and most reliable one. Everything below is standard on every private tour, never an upsell.
- Pay after the tourNo deposit, no prepayment. You settle up at the end, in cash or by card.
- Private tour onlyJust your party, your guide, and your vehicle. Never a shared coach group.
- No compulsory shoppingNo carpet or jewellery stops. Your hours ashore stay at Ephesus.
- Licensed local guidesMinistry-licensed guides who live here, not a script read from a card.
- Easy port meeting pointMeet at the Starbucks in the port plaza, a two-minute walk from the gangway.
- Return-to-ship priorityThe day is timed to your ship, with a comfortable buffer before all aboard.
The short answer
The Grand Private Ephesus Tour is a 7-hour shore excursion from Kusadasi Cruise Port covering five stops: Ephesus Ancient City, the House of the Virgin Mary, the Basilica of St. John, the Temple of Artemis and Sirince village. From USD 107 per person with USD 65 of entrance fees and a traditional Turkish lunch included (2026 rates), on-time return guaranteed.
Overview
About this tour
Every major site of the region, the ancient city, the House of the Virgin Mary, the Basilica of St. John, the Temple of Artemis, plus the reward at the end: Sirince, a pretty old Greek village in the hills, for wine, lace and slow lanes before you sail. Five stops in seven hours sounds ambitious; the geography makes it graceful. Nothing on this route is more than 35 minutes from anything else, so almost all of your day is spent at sites rather than on roads. Your guide sequences the day around crowd flow: Ephesus early and downhill from the upper gate, the quiet sites through mid-day with a traditional Turkish lunch along the way, and Sirince last, when the village is at its most relaxed and only 30 minutes from your ship.
Who this tour is for
Guests with a long port call who want the definitive version of the day and are ready to give the region their full hours ashore. It suits first-time visitors determined to see everything, and mixed groups whose interests span Roman history, Christian pilgrimage and simple village pleasure: this route contains all three, in proportion.
Itinerary
Step by step
Times depend on your ship's arrival or your preferred start. Tell us in the booking form and we time everything around it.
- 01
Meet at Starbucks, Kuşadası port plaza
Your guide waits with a small named sign, at the time you choose.
- 02
Ephesus Ancient City, walked downhill
The morning belongs to Ephesus: 20 minutes from the port, about two hours downhill from the upper gate.
- 03
House of the Virgin Mary
Up Mount Koressos to the hillside shrine.
- 04
Lunch, then Temple of Artemis and Basilica of St. John
A traditional Turkish lunch along the way, included in the rate, then the Seven Wonders site and Justinian's basilica above Selcuk.
- 05
Sirince village
An hour to wander and taste in the old Greek hill village.
- 06
Return to Kuşadası port
A 30-minute drive back, with a comfortable margin.
The handoff, illustrated
How we meet you
Skip the exit-gate scramble. Walk through the shopping plaza, find your guide by name at Starbucks, then step into the private vehicle waiting outside.
The walk, illustrated
Upper Gate in, Lower Gate out
Your private vehicle drops you at the top of Ephesus Ancient City and collects you at the bottom. About 1.5 kilometres of downhill walking, no climbing back.
Guest photos
Shared with us by our guests.
Photographs our guests sent back after their tours, published with their permission. Un-staged and un-retouched: this is what the day actually looks like.
The Celsus facade in the first morning light, before the plaza fills. 
The Grand Theatre from the upper rim, a group on the stage far below. 
Lunch in a garden near the ruins, the guide at the table. 
An almost empty Celsus square, the reward of an early start.
What's included
- Licensed professional tour guide exclusively for your party
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with separate professional driver
- All entrance fees (USD 65 per person, pre-paid by your guide)
- Traditional Turkish lunch, at a restaurant near the sites or a village table in Sirince
- Parking fees and local taxes
- Guaranteed on-time return to your ship
Not included
- Terrace Houses entrance (optional add-on)
- Tips for guide and driver (optional)
Price by group size
Smaller groups, lower per-person price
Every tour is private, you're not joining a bus group. Tiers below reflect the per-person cost as the private group grows.
| Group size | Per person | Private vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2–4 guests | $149 | 6-seat A/C van |
| 5–8 guests | $130 | 12-seat A/C minibus |
| 9–12 guests | $121 | 16-seat A/C minibus |
| 13–20 guests | $114 | 31-seat A/C midibus |
| 21–29 guests | $107 | 35-seat A/C coach |
| 30-44 guests | Special rate on request | |
Rates are per person and include USD 65 entrance fees, pre-paid by your guide. No hidden costs.
Pay only at the end · Cash or card · No deposit required · Rates reviewed July 2026
Common questions
About this specific tour.
Still unsure? WhatsApp +90 532 324 2489, we usually reply within 10 minutes during port hours.
Why book direct
A day this full depends on coordination, guide, driver, five sites, one deadline, and direct booking puts the coordinating team one message away from you. Same-day confirmation, no deposit, no reseller margin, and a fixed meeting point: a named sign at Starbucks inside the port shopping plaza, at the hour you choose.
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Pay after your tour
Ready to book Grand Ephesus, Five Stops?
From $107/person · Approx. 7 hours, lunch included · No deposit, pay at the end of the tour.