Ефес е древен град, разположен в Мала Азия, в днешна Турция. Той беше един от дванадесетте йонийски града. Намира се на Егейско море. Бил е важен религиозен, културен и търговски център. В момента руините му са важна туристическа атракция, посещават се предимно от круизни кораби, които спират на пристанището на Кушадасъ, разположено на 20 км. Това е голям град, който все още не е напълно разкопан, но това, което може да се види, дава известна представа за първоначалния му блясък.

​Ephesus Travel Guide е интернет търговска марка на Transbalkan Tours Лиценз №: A776. Нашата компания за качествени туристически услуги с 60 години опит в сектора. Ephesus Travel Guide има честта да обяви, че предлага частни туристически услуги до Ефес за българоговорящи туристи. Предлагаме качествени частни обиколки и частни обиколки от Кушадасъ. Нашите експертни български екскурзоводи с радост ще ви помогнат да планирате един незабравим ден.

Нашите частни обиколки са идеалният начин да изживеете историята на тези великолепни древни градове. Резервирайте вашата частна обиколка на Ефес и Памуккале с нас и спестете пари. Ние, от Ephesus Travel Guide, предлагаме най-добрите частни обиколки, но също така и най-високото обслужване на клиентите.

Ефес е един от най-добре запазените древни градове в света. През цялата си история Ефес е бил един от най-важните центрове в света, играещ важна роля в културния, артистичен и научен живот. Обиколката включва и посещение на Къщата на Дева Мария, която е мястото, където Девата е прекарала последните дни от живота си и която сега е място за поклонение на християни от цял свят.

Маршрут на обиколката на Ефес
Полудневна обиколка на Храма на Артемида, Ефес, Къщата на Мария - (4,5 часа)
Ще се срещнете с вашия официален екскурзовод на круизното пристанище Кушадасъ или във вашия хотел в Кушадасъ. След 25 минути път с кола през маслинови горички, прасковени овощни градини и памукови полета. Пристигане в Селчук, дом на Дома на Дева Мария и римския град Ефес. Първата ви спирка на тази завладяваща обиколка е Къщата на Дева Мария, християнско светилище в околностите на Ефес. Някои християни и мюсюлмани вярват, че Мария, майката на Исус, е била отведена в тази каменна къща от Свети Йоан след разпъването на Исус. Римокатолиците вярват, че тя е живяла там до възнесението си. Други християнски деноминации признават това място за нейно погребение.
Сега продължете към древния град Ефес, един от най-великите и най-добре запазени обекти от римската история в света. Някога Ефес е бил столица на Мала Азия и именно тук Свети Павел прекарва три години, преподавайки християнството. Обиколете древния град, посетете фонтана на Траян, храма на Адриан, библиотеката на Целз, мраморния път и римския театър, споменат в Деяния, глава 19.
* За туристи, които не желаят да посетят Къщата на Дева Мария. Посещението на Къщата на Дева Мария може да бъде заменено с базиликата Свети Йоан или Археологическия музей на Ефес.

Разходи за частна обиколка на Ефес от Кушадасъ (5-7 часа целодневна обиколка)

• Частен микробус с шофьор и водач за 2-6 души: 210 евро
• Частен микробус с шофьор и водач за 7-11 човека: 240 евро
• Частен микробус с шофьор и водач за 11-15 човека: 255 евро
• Частен автобус с шофьор и водач за 16-30 човека: 380 евро
• Частен автобус с шофьор и водач за 31-46 човека: 580 евро

*Ако сте съгласни да имате англоговорящ екскурзовод, можем да ви предложим минимална отстъпка от 30 евро. За разходи, моля свържете се с нас.

Цената включва
Услугите на отличен водач, владеещ български език.
Автомобил с климатик
Всички транспортни разходи.
Данъци, такси за обслужване
Такси за паркиране

Цената не включва:
Входни такси на обектите.

*Цените по-горе не са за цена на човек, те са общи суми, които се заплащат от вашата група.
​
*Не се изисква депозит за резервация. Заплащането на пътуването може да се извърши по време на обиколката в брой в евро, щатски долари или турски лири.

За повече информация относно нашите обиколки, моля свържете се с нас или ни изпратете съобщение в WhatsApp.

​Valid for Ancient city of Ephesus, Basilica of St. John, Terrace Houses in Ephesus, Archaelogical Museum of Ephesus, Ancient city of Aphrodisias, Temple of Didyma, Ancient city of Smyrna, Ancient City of Miletus, Ancient City of Priene, Ancient City of Sardis, Ancient City of Pergamon, Asklepion of Pergamon, Hierapolis (Pamukkale), Ancient city of Laodicea and many others.

The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism issued multi visit passes for the museums and sites located at the Aegean Region (Western Part) of Turkey. Museum Pass Aegean is available to foreign visitors and residents at museum and archeological site ticket offices. The cost is 1750 Turkish Liras. Payment can be made in TL cash and with visa or mastercard.

Museum Pass the Aegean will save travellers time and money. Travellers will not be waiting in lines to purchase tickets at the museums. Travellers can visit multiple museums and sites within a week time. Museum Pass the Aegean is valid for 7 days. Travellers can make great savings with good itinerary planing. 

Museum Pass Aegean costs 2200 Turkish Liras. (Approximately 73 Euros)

Museum Pass the Aegean will allow you free entrance to all museums and archeological sites operated by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism in the provinces of İzmir, Aydın and Muğla, which cover Ancient city of Ephesus, Basilica of St. John, Terrace Houses in Ephesus, Archaelogical Museum of Ephesus, Ancient city of Aphrodisias, Temple of Didyma, Ancient city of Smyrna, Ancient City of Miletus, Ancient City of Priene, Ancient City of Pergamon, Asklepion of Pergamon, Hierapolis (Pamukkale), Ancient city of Laodicea and many others.

* Note that House of Virgin Mary in Ephesus and Ancient City of Sardis, are not covered by Museum Pass Aegean.

Except Terrace Houses, there is no admission fee for children under 8 years old. For the proof of age, please bring passport copies with you. For Terrace Houses under 6 year old is free of charge.

​* If you are going to visit other sites besides Ephesus in Western Turkey. There is a Museum Pass which provides multi visits to many sites without waiting in lines and you can make great savings. Valid for Ancient city of Ephesus, Basilica of St. John, Terrace Houses in Ephesus, Archaelogical Museum of Ephesus, Ancient city of Aphrodisias, Temple of Didyma, Ancient city of Smyrna, Ancient City of Miletus, Ancient City of Priene, Ancient City of Sardis, Ancient City of Pergamon, Asklepion of Pergamon and many others. For more information visit the following link: Museum Pass the Aegean - Multi visit pass for West Turkey

Ephesus is open to visitors every day of the week, and visiting hours may vary depending on the summer and winter seasons. It is closed until noon on the first day of religious holidays.

Going from Izmir to Ephesus
Selcuk is the modern name for Ephesus. It is a small town having a population of 35 thousand. Selcuk is 62km south of Izmir. It is an hour drive from Izmir Airport. Havas have shuttles for flights. Selcuk is also accessible by train from Izmir Airport and Izmir downtown (Basmane).

Train travel is the most inexpensive way to travel from Izmir to Ephesus. Izmir Train Station is located in downtown Izmir and if you are a good walker Ephesus is within walking distance from Selcuk (Ephesus) Train Station, approximately 6km away. Train travel is not the most luxurious option but it is adventurous and enjoyable. The train rides through fertile farm lands and urban towns. It is an enjoyable way to see Turkish countryside and local life.
The same train also go to Denizli where Pamukkale (Hierapolis) is located.

The Train schedule between Izmir, Izmir Airport and Selcuk Town (Ephesus) is as follows:

Izmir to Ephesus Train
Izmir Basmane Train Station >> > Selcuk (Ephesus) Train Schedule

Ephesus to Izmir Train
Selcuk (Ephesus) > > > Izmir Basmane Train Station Train Schedule

Unfortunately, buying the TCDD (Turkish Railways) ticket online is not very convenient and also there is no need to pre purchase the train tickets. Travelers can obtain the train tickets at the train stations. Current cost of the tickets:
Izmir Basmane - Selcuk (Ephesus): 32tl per person (1.6 Euro)

Izmir to Ephesus with IZBAN
Addition to TCDD trains, Izmir Municipality Izban electric trains also connect Izmir downtown and Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport with Selcuk town (Ephesus). There are still no direct Izban trains to Selcuk town. Travellers has to switch trains at Tepekoy station. From Izmir downtown and Izmir Airport to Tepekoy from 6am until 12.00am every 20 minutes there is a Izban train. From Tepekoy to Selcuk is not very frequent, only 10 times a day. Current timetables of Izban trains between Tepekoy and Selcuk is as follows:

Going from Izmir to Ephesus by bus is also possible. There are buses between Izmir Otogar to Selcuk Bus Station. The buses run every hour. It would take approximately an hour drive from Izmir to Ephesus (Selcuk). Izmir Otogar is located outside Izmir City Center. Izmir Izban stations and TCDD station is located downtown. Therefore, we recommend taking a train instead of taking a bus.

For travelers, who would travel with train from Izmir downtown or Izmir airport, we can meet them at Selcuk Train Station, after a private tour of Ephesus we can take them to their hotel in Kusadasi, Selcuk, Sirince Village or take them back to Selcuk train station. For private Ephesus Tours from selcuk train station, please contact us.

​* If you do not have a rental car and staying in Selcuk or coming to Selcuk with train. We offer private walking tours of Basilica of St. John, Temple of Artemis, Terrace Houses and the Ancient City of Ephesus. For more information, please contact us.

On his return journey from Corinth, Paul came to the city of Ephesus to fulfill his promise after a short visit, and he came back and Paul stayed in Ephesus about 2.5 years between 53-56AD.

During the excavations at Ephesus, more than 3,500 inscriptions have been found. Some of the most interesting are in a small cave on the slope of Bülbül Mountain (Nightingale Mountain).  According to a local legend, when St. John brought the Virgin Mary to Ephesus from Jerusalem, they had no place to stay.  John found this cave and hid Mary there for her safety.  It was not until some time later that John located a more suitable home for Mary higher up on the mountain, known as Panaya Capoulu.  In more recent years, the cave has been re-named “the Cave of St. Paul” due to the frescoes and inscriptions on the walls which refer to St. Paul. 

The cave has been a Christian sacred site since the 1st or 2nd century. The walls were decorated with frescoes and inscriptions and white-washed several times, then re-painted with new images. Discovered under plaster on the walls are important 5th-century frescoes, with inscriptions, depicting the Virgin Mary, St. Paul and St. Thecla (a female disciple of Paul). This is the only known depiction of St. Paul at Ephesus and the earliest known appearance in the world of Paul and Thecla together.

The cave was discovered by a group of priests in 1892, while looking for the tomb of the Virgin Mary. Under the layers of plaster on the corridor walls are Greek phrases such as “the hidden of Mother of God” and “Paul help your servant”-written in charcoal and chalk. To protect these delicate and ancient wall frescoes, the cave is not open to the public. Unfortunately this site can not be visited during the tours of Ephesus.

​The first Christian congregation in Ephesus was founded by St John the Apostle and expanded by St Paul. On his return journey from Corinth, Paul came to the city of Ephesus to fulfill his promise after a short visit, and he came back and stayed for about two and a half years between 53-56AD. Most likely St. Paul wrote the Corinthians No.1 letter in Ephesus at this time period. When Paul came to Ephesus, he preached the gospel in the synagogue of Ephesus and the hall of Tyrannus. Tyrannus was an owner of a lecture hall at Ephesus. All this information is  mentioned in the New Testament, in the book of Acts of the Apostles (19:9).  The Ephesus Church, leaded the Seven Churches in the Asia Minor (Western Turkey today).

What happened to Paul at Ephesus?
​By St. Paul’s efforts, in a short time, Ephesus became the third important city of Christianity after Jerusalem and Antioch. Christianity quickly gained popularity in Ephesus. The popularity of this new religion concerned some people in Ephesus. The silversmith Demetrius and others, who made a living by selling and making silver statues of Mother Goddess Artemis, were very upset. Demetrius and his colleagues provoked thousands of people and met them at the Ephesus theater and started a big riot in 56AD. The crowd was shouting "The Great Artemis of Ephesians". St Paul wanted to face the crowd, but the disciples didn't let him. Finally, the city clerk calmed down the crowd. Probably St. Paul was jailed in Ephesus for a while before he departed to North. 

It is obvious that Ephesus had an important role in Christianity.  Both St. John and St. Paul was in Ephesus but neither of them were in Ephesus at the same time. 

In the New Testament, there are 13 letters of St. Paul. During his house arrest in Rome in 61 AD, St. Paul mailed 3 letters to the city of Ephesus: Timothy No.1, Timothy No. 2 and Ephesians. Paul's letters tended to be written in response to certain crises. Ephesus Church, most probably was facing major difficulties and St. Paul was aware of these.
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Timothy was one of the disciples of St. Paul. St. Paul met with Timothy during his missionary journeys in Lystra. Afterwards Timothy joined Paul and Silas, and they travelled together to the city of Ephesus. After Paul had to leave the city of Ephesus. Timothy became the head of the Christian Community in Ephesus. He is considered to be the first bishop of Ephesus. Although not stated in the bible, according to some apocryphal gospels, Timothy was martyred in Ephesus in 97AD when he was 80 years old. Probably Timothy met with St. John the Apostle , although there is no mention of this in the New Testament.

• Aristarchus and Gaius: Gaius and Aristarchus were Paul's travel companions who were captured by the angry mob in the Great Theater at Ephesus.
• Timothy: A travel companion of Paul from Lystra. Paul wrote two letters to Timothy from Rome which are mentioned as Timothy 1 and Timothy 2. Timothy became the first Christian bishop of Ephesus.
• Luke the Evangelist: He is the author of the Third Gospel and Acts, and his writings have been historically verified. Luke was also a doctor. He was probably Greek and was born in Antioch. Paul speaks of Luke, the "the beloved physician"
• Silas: He traveled with Paul through Anatolia and Greece.
• Epaphras: The churches in Colossae, Hierapolis and Laodicea was founded by Epaphras. Paul calls him “the faithful minister” Epaphras was from Colossae. The believers learned from Epaphras, who learned from Paul during his days in Ephesus.
• Trofimus and Tychius: Both were Gentile Greeks and native of Ephesus. Accompanied Paul on his third missionary journey. Mentioned as "Asianoi", meaning the native of the Roman province of Asia.
• Priscilla and Aquila: A Jewish Christian married couple who were deported from Rome by Claudius Caesar. Paul stayed in Corinth with them. They lived, worked, and traveled with the Apostle Paul. Paul described them as his "fellow workers in Christ Jesus". Like St. Paul they were also tent makers. 
• Apollios: An Jewish Christian from Alexandria. Played an important role in the early development of the church of Ephesus. Apollos arrived Ephesus before Paul. Priscilla and Aquila, instructed Apollos the Christian baptism, since Apollos "knew only the baptism of John". 
• Tyrannus: He owned a lecture hall (school) in Ephesus, where Paul preached.  Probably one of Paul's early converts in Ephesus.​

We offer private biblical tours of Ephesus, focused on St. Paul and conducted by expert Ephesus tour guides. For more information, please contact us.

Documentary of Cave of St. Paul in Ephesus:

Miletus was located by the river Meandros where English word meandering also originated from. The length of the Meandros River is 550 km. Sourced from Denizli Province and has been silting up the bay where Miletus and Priene cities are located.

First settlement dates back to 1600 BC by Minoans and Mycenaeans. According to the legend, the city was founded by Neleus, son of King Codrus of Athens. The residents were Carians and Cretans who moved here from a city having the same name. Neleus came to settle with his men and killed the resident males, forcing the women to marry the newcomers. After this took place the women swore not to sit at the same table with their husbands and also not to call them by their names and this became a tradition for the next generations. The city is also mentioned in the Hittite inscriptions as Milawanda.

In the 11th century BC Ionians came to Miletus, and by 7th century BC Miletus was at its peak which was to last for more than two centuries. Miletus colonized over 90 cities such as Sinope, Amissos, Trapezos... located at the Black Sea shores of Anatolia.

With other cities of Ionia in 499 BC, Miletus rebelled against the Persians, who had captured, burned it to the ground and enslaved its surviving population. This last battle was that of Lade (Island of Lade) in 494 BC, just outside the harbor of Miletus where the Persian fleet of 600 warships defeated the Ionian force. The role of Miletus was significant in the defeat of the Persians at the Mycale battle in 479 BC. Shortly after the battle, Miletus joined the Delian Confederacy with a contribution larger than that of Ephesus. Miletus joined this alliance with 80 ships while Priene was joined with 12 ships. Upon an agreement between the Persian Satrap and Athens, Miletus and other Ionian cities of Anatolia came under the rule of the Persians again. At the end of the 5the century BC Miletus, was ruled by the Carian satraps. Captured by Alexander the Great after a siege in 334 BC. Miletus were among the cities who fought with Persians against Alexander's Army and defended their land. After being ruled by the Seleucid Dynasty in the following years, Miletus remained an important trade center in Roman times.

In the Hellenistic period, Miletus was one of the largest cities in Anatolia with a population of between 80,000 and 100,000. Highly prosperous, it founded many colonies and was the home of the 6th century BC philosophers Anaximander, Anaximenes, and Thales, the town planner Hippodamus and architect Isidorus. Miletus seems to have produced geniuses the way Aphrodisias produced sculptors. Anaximander known as the father of geography by drawing the first map of the world. Thales was the most important among them. He was considered to be one of the 7 geniuses of the Ancient World as well as Bias of Priene and Solon of Athens. In 585 BC by calculating the solar eclipse, he became very famous. He believed that the source of life and living creations is out of water. He also calculated the height of the pyramids. Furthermore, he managed this by checking up with help of the length of a person's shadow. In the day time when a person's shadow was equal to his height, he made the calculations with the Pyramids.

We offer private tours of Miletus and Didyma. In these private tours, besides Miletus we also stop at Ancient City of Priene or Domatia (Doganbey) Village. For more information, please contact us.

Sirince once was a Greek Orthodox village, 7 Miles away from Ancient city of Ephesus (current Selcuk town) and  20 miles away from Kusadasi. Sirince was once called Cirkince (ugly). The name is especially chosen to distract people from moving to the village.

How old is Sirince?
First foundation of the village dates back to the 1st century. Early christians of Ephesus escaped to the village to be protected from prosecutors. The village stayed as a Greek Orthodox Village until the exchange agreement between Republic of Turkey and Greece in 1924. During this exchange Greeks living in Turkey were exchanged with Turks living in Greece. This was a forced migration of both sides at the post war period of WW1. Turkish families mainly from Kavala region moved to the area. Greek families who moved from the village founded a new town named as "Nea Efesos'' (Νέα Έφεσος)

The official name change of the village was in the early years of the Republic of Turkey. Name of the village changed from Cirkince to Sirince. Until 20 years ago, the main industry of the village was agriculture. Because of its unique historical background, beauty. Since the village name was mentioned many times in novels and travel shows and documentaries, Sirince Village today is a very touristy site. 

​What is Sirince famous for?
Today the main industry is tourism. A lot of village homeowners converted their homes into restaurants, hotels and shops. Sirince Village, today is known with olives and peaches grown in july and fruit wines. Fruit wines are sweet wines, more like dessert wine. The most popular fruit wine from Sirince is black mulberry. 

Visitors can also find lots of herbal products such as lavender teas, sage, bay leaves, olive oil soap bars, olive oil lotions. Today the village is a perfect synthesis of Turkish-Greek culture. Visitors may enjoy taking pictures of old Greek homes. Most of them today are being restored and turned into small hotels. There are two abandoned Greek Orthodox Churches from the 19th century. 

On the weekends, Sirince becomes so crowded with Turkish visitors from big cities like Izmir and Aydin. Our recommendation is to visit this village during the weekdays. 

For the visitors there are many restaurants and small hotels.

Is Sirince worth visiting?
For travelers, traveling to Kusadasi, Selcuk and Izmir, we recommend to visit Sirince Village.
A visit to Sirince is highly recommended after visiting Ephesus on a day trip. But it is best to spend the night in Sirince. This hidden gem in Turkey really comes alive when the sun goes down.

For travelers who are overnighting in Sirince Village, we provide private Ephesus Tours from Sirince and also we offer private tours of Ephesus including visit to Sirince Village. If requested private airport transfers from Izmir Airport to Sirince Village.

For more information, contact us.

There are taxis available outside the Port of Kusadasi. It takes 25 minutes drive to go to the Ancient City of Ephesus and House of Virgin Mary from Kusadasi Port. There is no set fare for taxis. The prices are negotiable. The approximate cost is 80 Euro. it depends on whether you want the taxi to wait for you while you tour the site or not. 

It is almost as cheap to do a private guided tour of Ephesus. We offer reasonably priced private tours of Ephesus from Kusadasi Port and Kusadasi Hotels. The prices would be little more than a taxi, but you will be transported with a recent model AC Mercedes Vehicle and a fluent English speaking licensed private tour guide.

You can maximize your limited time with a professional Ephesus tour guide. Our team of expert Ephesus tour guides are specially selected, monitored and trained to maximize our clients experiences. There are lots of advantages of a private tours. You decide when and where you want to stop, what you want to see, and how long you want to visit the different sites. Also, you can time your visits to the key attractions, to avoid the massive crowds from the cruise ships.

A private tour will give you more flexibility in choosing your itinerary which is useful if you want to explore the ancient city of Ephesus. Private Ephesus tours are also usually custom tours, where the guests decide where they wish to visit.

We believe that your Ephesus tour guide will be one of the most important parts of your cruise. That is why we only use local experts who have a history of working with our clients and whom we know personally. They speak perfect English and are experts on Ephesus. We are extremely demanding in choosing our Ephesus tour guides and are confident that your Ephesus tour guide will be one of the most memorable aspects of your cruise.

We believe that the private tour will be the safest way to travel as your Ephesus tour guide will accompany you all the time. They will take care of everything about your Ephesus tour. 

For more information, please contact us.

The House of the Virgin Mary is located 9 kilometers from Selcuk on Mount Bülbül. It is believed that 4 or 6 years after Jesus' crucifixion, St. John brought Virgin Mary to Ephesus. In 1891 the Lazarist priests discovered that this is the house where Virgin Mary spent her last days, after the dream of the German nun Katherina Emerich. This cross and dome-shaped structure was later restored. After the visit of Pope Paul VI in 1967 to the house, the site is considered sacred by Christians and Muslims. Every year on August 15th. The Assumption ceremonies are held on this day and attract many devoted visitors.

2023 entrance fee for House of Virgin Mary is 200 Turkish Liras per person. 200 Turkish Liras is approximately 10.5 US$ or 10 Euros. Credit Card (Visa and Mastercard payments are accepted. )
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Opening Hours for House of Virgin Mary:
November-February: 08.00-17.00
March-October: 08.00-18.00

Holy Mass is held every day, from Monday to Saturday at 5:15 pm (November to March) and 6:15 pm (April to October). The Sunday Mass is held at 10:30 am (in English). 

We provide private tours of House of Virgin Mary and Ephesus. 
For more information please visit the following link: Private Tours of Ephesus or contact us

​Pamukkale by Train from/to Izmir Airport, Izmir City Center and Selcuk (Ephesus).
​Izmir to Pamukkale via Ephesus.

Train is the cheapest way to travel from Izmir Airport and Izmir City Center and Selcuk (Ephesus) to Pamukkale though not the fastest way to travel. Trains run between İzmir (Basmane station), İzmir’s Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB), Selçuk (Ephesus), and Denizli (Pamukkale).

Turkish Railways (TCDD) operates a train from Izmir Basmane Train Station and Izmir Airport (ADB) and Selcuk (Ephesus) to Pamukkale 6 times a day. Tickets cost approximately 5 Euros. The journey takes approximately 3.5  hours from Selcuk, 4.5 hours from Izmir Airport and 5 Hours from Izmir City Center.

Q1 - I wish to ask about the tour from Izmir city Centre to Pamukkale via Ephesus. When the guide picks you up at Selcuk, does he take our suitcases as well, and keep them until we go back to the station? How much is this tour please? We wish to travel in April 2022. Thank you.
> As I understand, you would like to take the train from Izmir Train Station to Selcuk (Ephesus) Train Station. After the tour of Ephesus. We will drop you back to Selcuk (Ephesus) Train Station for your journey to Denizli (Pamukkale)

The tour will be conducted with a MPV. Your luggages will be kept in the vehicle during your private tour of Ephesus. There will be a separate driver and a tour guide. While you will be touring with the tour guide, our driver will keep an eye on your belongings.

Cost of private tour of Ephesus starting and ending at Selcuk Train Station: 100 Euro (Total to be paid for your party of 2)

* Above rate is NOT a per person rate. It is total to be paid for your group.

Rates Cover:

• Services of an excellent English speaking tour Guide 
• A/C MPV
• All transportation costs.
• Tax, service charges.
• Pick up and drop off from/to Selcuk Train Station.
• Parking fees to the sites.

Rates Do Not Cover:

• Entrance fees to the sites.

​Smyrna is the ancient name of Izmir which the third largest city of Modern Turkey. Located 600km south of Istanbul, the largest city of Modern Turkey. The ancient name Smyrna was believed to be the name of an Amazon woman warrior like many other cities in the Aegean coastline.

For some historians, Phyrigian King Tantalos and his family were the legendary founders of the city. The daughter of Tantalos; Niobe had 7 sons and 7 daughters. Leto who had only 2 children got embarrassed by Niobe. The twins of Leto; Artemis and Apollo killed 14 children of Niobe. Niobe was so upset that she want over to Mt. Spylos and turned into a stone.

Tantalos was very much liked by the gods. One day he invited them to a feast. To check their power he had his son Pelops cooked and served to the gods. Demeter who was upset with loss of her daughter; Persephone was the only one who ate. After this event the gods punished Tantalos and sent him to Hades. His punishment was to be thirsty in the middle of a lake. While he tried to drink water, the lake became dry. Gods gave Pelops his life back. After a while Pelops sacked from Spylos and founded Pelopenessos.

First settlement of the area goes back to 3rd millennium BC in Bayrakli today. It was an Aiolian settlement during the 10th century BC migrations from Greece. Later it became an Ionian city. The Ionian refugees took the control while the Ailoian inhabitants were away for celebrations of a feast. Aiolians of Smyrna were welcomed by other Aiolian cities. The city was attacked and ruined by Alyattes of Lydia and was under the Lydian rule till the Persians came to the area in 546 BC. In 334 BC Alexander defeated the Persians in the Battle of Granikos near today's Canakkale. Alexander stayed in the city for a few days. While he was hunting in Mt. Pagos, he fell a sleep and in his dream, saw 2 goddesses saying him to move the city to where he is now. Like before the founders of the all ancient cities, inhabitants consulted to an Apollo Temple. They went to Claros for approval. According to Strabon the new city was built by Antigonos and Lysimachos following him. Lysimachos named the city of his daughter "Eurydike". However, this name did not last long. Strabon also mentioned that Smyrna was the most beautiful among the cities. Homer, the author of the earliest and finest epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey lived in Smyrna in the 8th century BC. He made his living as a court singer and storyteller.. According to Strabon there was a temple constructed after the death of Homeros, named as "Homerion".

Today from the remains of Ancient Smyrna, travelers can only see the remains of the Roman Agora. Agora was built after the earthquake in 178AD by the Roman Emperror Marcus Aerelius and was dedicated to his wife Faustina. It was one of the largest agoras of the Roman World. Romans named Agora as Forum. The basement of the Agora is quite impressive. The basement was used as shops and their storages. There is also a cistern which was able to provide water for 7.000 people. Grafittis in Ancient Greek can be seen by the travelers.

​Smyrna is among the 7 churches of Asia Minor mentioned in the book of Revelations. It is the second church mentioned in the Book of Revelation after Ephesus. Among the 7 churches, Like Philadelphia Smyrna was among the two churches which was not criticized of their faith. In the letter to Smyrna. The message speaks of false Jews and impending persecution, but encourages perseverance which will be rewarded.

The strong allegiance to Rome plus a large Jewish population which was actively hostile to the Christians made it exceptionally difficult to live as a Christian in Smyrna. The most famous martyrdom of the early church fathers was of the elderly Polycarp, the 'twelfth martyr in Smyrna', St. Polycarp was one of the diciples of John the Apostle. He is considered to be the first bishop of S,yrna. In 155AD St. Polycarp refused to acknowledge Caesar as Lord, was placed upon a pyre to be burned at the ancient theater of Smyrna by the Romans. First he was thrown to the lions. But since the lions were full, they did not eat him. Afterwards the Roman prosecutors tried to burn St. Polycarp, but that did not work out too. Last he was killed by a Roman soldier.

Smyrna, the physically persecuted church. The Christian community in Smyrna was considered as a poor community and without prestige and political power. While in contrast richly adorned temples to the pagan deities. There is no Christian commonwealth; they were a tiny minority in the community devoted to a multitude of gods. The Contrast between the city and the church is marked. The Church in Smyrna had suffered but had been faithful. Physically the church in Smyrna suffered from persecution from the Jews, and they were poor, they had few luxuries and possessions, yet spiritually they were rich in the sight of Christ. Jesus sees their affliction, he knows about it, this must be of comfort to this persecuted church. The Jewish community outside the church spoke of evil of the Christian community. John promised the Christians as a result of faithfulness even unto death, they would receive a crown of life.
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In the ancient times Smyrna was famous with its wine called "Pramnos". This wine was mixed with cheese, flour and honey. They used honey to sweeten the wine and added water before drinking. Drinking wine without adding water considered as a barbaric behavior. Pramnos wine of Smyrna was mentioned by Homer.

​The name Smyrna may also have been taken from the ancient Greek word for myrrh, which was the chief export of the city in ancient times. Myrrh is a gum-resin extracted from a tree. Myrrh resin was used as a perfume, incense, medicine and embalming body. Myrrh is mentioned in the New Testament as one of the three gifts that the Wise Men "from the East" presented to the Christ Child. Myrrh was also present at Jesus' death and burial. Jesus was offered wine and myrrh at his crucifixion. According to John's Gospel, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea brought a 100-pound mixture of myrrh and aloes to wrap Jesus' body The Gospel of Matthew relates that as Jesus went to the cross, he was given vinegar to drink mingled with myrrh. The Romans often added the myrrh to wine to prevent it from vinegarizing (turning sour), which also provided a narcotic to deaden pain.

We offer private biblical tours of the 7 Churches of Asia Minor including a visit to Ancient Smyrna. For more information, contact us.

Hundreds of thousands of voyagers pass through the Kusadasi Cruise Port terminal, the most popular cruise port in Turkey serving tourists travelling on Mediterranean cruises. It is also the leader in receiving tourists on board luxury liners arriving in Turkey from all over the world. The Terminal has undergone an extensive renovation in the past years. It has cafeterias, shops, taxis and public transport, and all the services necessary to make your arrival and departure from Turkey pleasant. The terminal is directly linked with downtown Kusadasi and is within a 20 minutes minutes’ drive away from the ancient city of Ephesus. 

Kusadasi Cruise Port’s passenger terminal serves tens of thousands of tourists every year. All the world’s leading cruise ship companies choose Kusadasi Cruise Port as a port of call. We are convinced it is also the most beautiful port of entry. At the moment, the Kusadasi Cruise Port passenger terminal is able to handle ships of up to 3500 passengers on an ongoing basis, quickly and efficiently. Kusadasi Cruise Port is the most popular cruise port in Turkey in terms of servicing passenger and tourist ships. 

The Cruise Ships that will be calling to Kusadasi Cruise Port in 2020:

• Celestyal Olympia and Celestyal Crystal of Celestyal Cruises
• Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, Silver Moon, Silver Spirit of Silversea Cruises​
• Marina, Riviera, Sirena, Nautica of Oceania Cruises
• Wind Star, Star Legend and Star Pride of Windstar Cruises
• Marella Celebration and Marella Explorer of Marella Cruises / TUI Cruises
• Star Flyer of Star Clippers
• Azamara Journey of Azamara Cruises
• Seven Seas Voyager, Seven Seas Mariner, Seven Seas Splendor of Regent Cruises
• Zuiderdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Veendam of Holland America Line
• Vision of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
• Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Star,  Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Spirit of Norwegian Cruise Line
• Viking Jupiter, Viking Sea of Viking Cruises
• Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Ovation, Seabourn Encore of Seabourn Cruise Lines
• Amera and Artania of Phoenix Reisen

We offer private tours of Ephesus and surrounding area from Kusadasi Cruise Port, for more information, please contact us.

This weekend we had a day trip to Ancient City of Priene and Doganbey Village with my wife, Doganbey village takes approximately 1 hour drive from Kusadasi. Doganbey is a former Greek village located by the ancient Mykale Mountains across the Greek Island of Samos, the birth place of famous mathematician Phytogoras. In 1924 there was an exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey. Turks living in Greece were exchanged with the Greeks living in Turkey. This is one of the rare exchange villages. Former Greek name was 'Domatia''. Approximately 300 houses were located in this village. After this exchange in 1924 the village was hit by an earthquake in 1959 and abondoned. The villagers founded a new settlement and named as ''Yeni Doganbey" meaning the ''New Doganbey''. Today the villages stone homes are restored by their new owners from big Turkish cities who can afford to restore the ruined homes.

Visitors can enjoy seeing typical Greek homes from 19th century and can walk on the cobble stone streets. The streets and majority of the homes are restored and in very good condition. A picturesque town. We were impressed with beauty of the homes and cleanliness of the streets and great views of the Aegean sea and fresh air. There are no shops or anywhere to stay or eat. The village today is like an open air museum. The village is so quite in the winter, it was like visiting a ghost town. Majority of the home owners come to the village to spend their summers.

The visit to the village of Doganbey can be combined with Ancient City of Priene and you may lunch at a fish restaurant located at the coastal village of Karina. For custom private tours feel free to contact us.


Pictures of Doganbey Village