Ephesus Turkey Tours - Top 8 Tips for Visiting Ephesus Ruins

"Ephesus Turkey Tours - tips that will help you enjoy Ephesus ruins and history."

When you visit Kusadasi Turkey as a Mediterranean cruise guest, visiting the Ephesus ruins should be your number one priority.

If you're still not sure why seeing Ephesus is so important, make sure you read our article Why Taking an Ephesus Shore Excursion is a Must.

And the best way to experience this magnificent place is to book one of the Ephesus tours, either through your cruise ship or even better privately online (they are way more affordable and there is larger selection).

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Ephesus Turkey Tours - Tip 1

This is not one of the days I recommend doing independent sightseeing. Period!

Having an experienced professional tour guide with you at the Ephesus site, due to their immense knowledge, will prove to be the best investment in your Kusadasi day.

Here's our top recommendations for Epheus Turkey tours and they are divided into a few categories. They are all with a reputable provider Viator.

1. Half day Ephesus Turkey tours:

• Half Day Group Tour to Ephesus from Kusadasi Port - affordable tour that includes five stops in and around Ephesus. A great way to see everything in only half a day.

• Ephesus Tour from Kusadasi - this tour includes a bit longer stay at Ephesus itself, a visit to Virgin Mary's house as well as a buffet lunch in Selcuk. A great value for money :)

• 5-Hour Small Group Excursion to Ephesus from Kusadasi - with over 120 five-star reviews, this is one of the best sellers on Viator. Offers more than people expected. 

2. Full day Ephesus Turkey tours

• Small Group: Full Day Ancient Ephesus Tour With House of Virgin Mary from Kusadasi - visit the burial site of John the Apostle in St John's Basilica, as well as other top locations in and around Ephesus.

• Guided Full-Day Ephesus Small-Group Tour - every comment people leave mentions the fantastic professional and knowledgeable guides on this tour.

• Full Day Small Group Ephesus Tour from Kusadasi - this tour exceedes even the expectations of those who don't normally go on tours.

3. Private Ephesus Turkey Tours

• Private Ephesus Tour - exclusive and tailor cut to suit your needs, this tour gives you full immersion into the history of this ancient city.

• Private Ephesus Tour - this tour takes you to three major stops: Ephesus itself, the house of Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis. The tour guide really makes you feel pampered.

• Biblical Ephesus Tour for Cruisers from Kusadasi - this tour focuses on Christian sites in and around Ephesus. Previous cruisers thought it was absolutely terrific!

You can find out more about different ways of getting from Kusadasi to Ephesus in our article Travel to Ephesus.

Ephesus Turkey Tours - Tip #2

 If you don’t go with one of the Ephesus Turkey tours and decide to visit the ancient city of Ephesus on your own, do make sure you have Turkish lira on you before you reach the entrance into the site.

They will not take US$ or € for the entrance fee. You can use your credit card though.

Ephesus Turkey Tours - Tip #3

Take all your credit cards with you as you leave the ship.

Do not plan to “come back to the ship and then go out again to do your shopping”.

Many Ephesus Turkey tours finish off with a complimentary Turkish rug or leather demonstration before returning to the ship and this will be a good time to do your Kusadasi shopping right there and then.

Streets of Ephesus, as crowded as they would be in any modern day city

Ephesus Turkey Tours - Tip #4

Take a bottle of water with you as you leave the ship for one of your Ephesus Turkey tours.

Chances are you will pay more at the entrance to the Ephesus ruins and you won't have time to buy it in town before you leave for your tour.

Ephesus Turkey Tour Tip #5

Have a hat, an umbrella, a fan or anything else that could protect you from the sun in Ephesus. There, heat can be excruciating, without any shade in sight for hundreds of meters.

Ephesus Turkey Tours Tip #6

Wear flat shoes that don’t slip, preferably sneakers. The marble streets of Ephesus are very smooth and slippery. People do fall there, don’t be one of them!

Ephesus Tours TIP #7

Don’t buy coins offered by the merchants around the site of Ephesus. They are not original Roman coins, and even if they were, you would get in big trouble for taking them out of the country. They are National Treasures.

Ephesus Turkey Tours Tip #8

Buy your souvenirs downtown, not around the site of Ephesus, the price will be double there and the selection is just incomaparable.

If the tour doesn't involve shopping upon the arrival to town, ask your tour guide to take you shopping. No tour guide will ever tell you no!