Excursion Ephesus & terrace houses with an expert archaeologist tour at Kusadasi

Explore the archaeological treasures of Ephesus and its unique terrace houses during a scenic and informative full-day visit to this ancient city with lunch.

Depart the pier for the visit to the Ephesus for a special visit with an Archaeologist that will take you through the site and also explain how the Terrace Houses excavation was found and uncovered to its beauty today. There is a still ongoing excavation that you will be able to watch inside as the Archaeologist will explain what they are doing.

Ephesus  

After Istanbul's Sultanahmet area, the ruins of Ephesus are the most-visited landmarks in all of Turkey. The city ranks among the world's most beautiful classical cities, on par with Rome and Athens in scope, quality and feel. In ancient times, Ephesus hosted St. Paul, St. John and the Virgin Mary. Ephesus was an important Greek trading city of Ionia. Later, it became Rome's provincial capital and was home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The massive foundation of the Temple of Diana can still be seen here today after 3,000 years. In the 60s A.D., when the city supposedly had a population of nearly 150,000, St. Paul lived here for three years and wrote one of his most famous epistles, the Letter to the Ephesians.

Walking Tour

Your guided walking tour commences at the Magnesium Gate, and proceeds downhill at a leisurely pace through Ephesus' marble streets. Along the way, your guide points out historically-significant sites, including the gymnasium, Temple of Hadrian, Upper Agora, Roman Baths, and more.

Terrace Houses

Next, continue on to the recently-renovated Terrace Houses, which are the focus of this tour. Built during the reign of Augustus on the slopes of Bulbul Mountain, they were inhabited by wealthy Ephesians until the 7th century A.D., according to evidence from excavations. The houses on the upper slopes are reached via steps, and constructed so that the roof of one house forms the terrace of the house above it. All were peristyle, featuring a pool in the centre, with the rooms arranged around the pool. There was running water to the houses, either from a fountain or along the side. These restored houses are finely-decorated with marble floors, and walls adorned with exquisite mosaics and frescoes.

Celsus Library

Your last stop is the exquisite Celsus Library. Built in 135 B.C. by a son in homage to his father, this magnificent library is lavishly decorated with facades, columns and sculptures. The library once housed 12,000 scrolls of papyrus manuscripts, making it one of the largest in the ancient world and second only to the library in Alexandria, Egypt.

Greek Theatre

Just a short walk away is the spectacular Greek Theatre. Originally built in the 3rd century by the Greeks, the theatre was later expanded to its present capacity of 24,000. From this theatre, which has a row of seats 100 feet (30 metres) above the orchestra, St. Paul preached to the Ephesians, imploring them to give up their worship of Artemis and embrace the Christian faith.

Church of Mary

Then, you will visit a new ongoing excavation site of the Church of Mary inside Ephesus. The church is located in the south stoa of the Olympian next to the harbour of Ephesus. This is a very important church for Christianity because it was the first one devoted to the Virgin Mary. The Council of Ephesus and the Synod declared that church as the center of Christianity in 449 A.D.

Ephesus Archaeological Museum

Your last stop is at the Ephesus Archaeological Museum, which showcases two wonderful statues of Artemis and 25,000 artefacts unearthed in this historic ancient city.  

Following your visit, re-board your coach for the short drive to a local restaurant to relax and enjoy lunch before making the return drive to Kusadasi. Upon arrival, you may opt to return direclty to the ship or remain in town at your leisure.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion may include: Ephesus, Magnesium Gate, Gymnasium, Temple of Hadrian, Upper Agora, Roman Baths, Celsus Library, Greek Theatre, Terrace Houses, Church of Mary, Ephesus Archaeological Museum

Note

Please note: This tour involves extensive walking for approximately 1.62 miles (about 2.6 kilometres), with many steps (over 200) in the terrace houses section of Ephesus and is not recommended for guests with limited mobility and guests who utilise a wheelchair. Guests are advised to wear lightweight, comfortable clothing with flat, closed-toe and non-slip walking shoes, and bring hat and sun protection from the ship.Order of sites visited may vary. Space is very limited; we suggest you book in advance to avoid disappointment.  If tour departure is in the afternoon, lunch will take place at the beginning of the tour, before touring the Terrace Houses.