Istanbul in a Day - Through Eternity Tours

An unforgettable journey in time to the ancient port city of Ephesus, one of the world’s most well-known and critical ancient cities. Flights, transport, tickets, lunch, and Expert TE Guide included!

Highlights

Temple of Artemis

Ancient Theater

Library of Celsus

Mosque of Isabey

House of the Virgin Mary

Hidden Gems

Newly excavated Byzantine Mansions
Beautiful floor mosaics
Well preserved frescoes

Tour Includes

Private Airport Transfers
Domestic Flight Tickets (20kg checked luggage + 8kg cabin luggage)
1 full day private tour with expert English speaking guide
Transportation in A/C vehicle
Museum fees
Lunch
TURSAB travel insurance

Tour does not include:

Local taxes & VAT
Tips to staff, items of personal nature
Drinks with meals (except drinks served with breakfast)
International arrival & departure flight tickets.
Entry Visa

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The city of Ephesus. Center of trade in the Mediterranean Sea, center of Greek and Roman culture in Asia Minor for centuries, center of Christianity from the time of St. Paul to the many years of the Byzantine Empire, and a sacred place where the Virgin Mary is believed to have spent her final days.

This incredible private day trip includes it all: your domestic flight to Izmir, transportation, entry tickets, lunch, and an Expert TE Guide to lead you through one of the most memorable experiences of your trip!

Wander the streets of the ancient city and explore at the remains of the Ancient Temple of Artemis, (considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world), visit the well preserved theater, take in the beauty of the famous Library of Celsus, and so many other fascinating parts of daily life, like the brothel, as your TE guide paints a vivid picture of the daily life of the residents two millennia ago.

Discover the history of St. Paul’s visit and the significance of his letters to the Ephesians for the young but growing Christian community. Visit the House of the Virgin Mary, a site visited by pilgrims throughout the centuries. When admiring the views of the Aegean Sea, looking out towards the Greek island of Samos, you can almost hear the voices of the ancients calling out from the past.

ITINERARY

What To Expect On Your Tour

Walk the streets of the city of Ephesus

The Mediterranean’s center of commerce on the coast of ancient Asia Minor and immerse yourself in its Greek, Roman and Byzantine past.

The port city of Ephesus was the gem of Asia Minor, with its long history going back almost three millennia. The town underwent multiple cycles of life and conquests, yet always retained its importance. Greeks, Persians, Romans, and Byzantines all played a role in the city’s fascinating history.

As you embark on your VIP Private Ephesus Experience, you will be accompanied by an Expert TE Guide who will be there with you, not just to tell you the history, but to accompany you back into the past in a way that only an expert and passionate guide can do.

The sites are so visually suggestive that, between your guide’s stories and the incredible surroundings, you will find yourself walking the streets of ancient merchants, artisans, philosophers, emperors, and saints.

Libraries, Theaters, and Brothels

A taste of ancient daily life

One of Ephesus’s most iconic images is the Library of Celsus’s façade. Built by Tiberius Julius Acquila, in the second century CE, in honor of his father, the Roman proconsul of Ephesus, Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus. This exquisite structure was intended not only as a library and memorial but also as Celsus’s burial place. His ornate sarcophagus was discovered in 1904! Your expert TE Guide will explain the building’s history. Important from the Roman period, when it was built, and also in early Christianity. The importance of culture is emphasized in the four statues set into the façade with their names inscribed below: Sophia (Wisdom), Ennoia (intelligence), Episteme (knowledge), and Arete (virtue).

Your explorations will bring you to another part of life on your private Ephesus Experience. Entertainment! A visit to the wonderfully preserved Theater will show you the importance of tragedy, comedy, and just enjoying time away from the work of the average day. Although built in the Hellenistic period, your expert TE guide will take you through the stages of its original construction and its Roman changes and expansions under multiple emperors. At its height, it could seat upwards of 24,000 spectators! But theater was not the only form of entertainment in the city. A visit to the brothel offers another slice of ancient life, complete with carved signs detailing their customs, which your guide will explain and bring this hidden world to light.

The Temple of Artemis

Explore the remains of the impressive temple and learn why it is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Greek and Roman historians have written of the marvelous ancient temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis in Ephesus. Although they may not have agreed on the architect (it was rebuilt multiple times), this impressive ancient site was famous from its beginnings in the sixth century BCE through late antiquity.

Your expert TE Guide will help rebuild this marvelous ruin with the fantastic stories and long history connected to it. They will paint vivid pictures of its past importance, highlight the unique statue of the divinity with its chest surrounded by many eggs, and explain its abrupt end, quite possibly at the hands of the new religious majority, the Christians.

A model of the Temple of Artemis at Miniatürk Park, Istanbul, Turkey.

Visit a newly excavated group of early Byzantine homes.

In 1960, excavations revealed a series of houses dating from the first to the seventh century CE—some with beautiful frescoes, some with lovely mosaics.

Explore these structures with your expert TE Guide and see another part of life in Ephesus: the homes of wealthy and middle-class citizens. From the imagery on their walls and floors, you gain a better sense of the population’s tastes over the centuries.

The Mosque of Isabey

Discover one of the areas oldest mosque dating to the fourteenth century.

The Mosque of Isabey, dating to 1375, is one of the oldest active mosques in Turkey and is unique for its Anatolian architecture.

Known for its asymmetrical design, beautiful courtyard, and recycled columns and marble from ancient buildings, the Mosque of Isabey is a fascinating place to visit.

Your expert TE guide will share the fascinating history of this wonderful gem and its recent restoration as you explore it.

The House of the Virgin Mary

Journey to the House of the Virgin Mary beautifully perched on a hill with views of the Aegean Sea.

Follow in the path of pilgrims, Christian and Muslim alike, to the House of the Virgin Mary. The story of this ancient edifice intertwines with writings from the visions of a German nun and mystic of the 18th/19th century, whose detailed descriptions were used for the rediscovery of the house. Even three recent Popes have visited the site and celebrated Mass. Some come for curiosity, some for faith, and others are still looking for help or healing. How did Mary get to Ephesus? Why was she there? How long did she live there? Your expert TE Guide will share the history, traditions, and many stories associated with this sacred place.

From the hills where the house is located, it is here that you end your journey in Ephesus. But first, one last beautiful view looking out over the Aegean Sea towards the Greek island of Samos. Your adventure is complete; it is time to return to the airport.

As you reflect on your day, it is incredible to consider all the centuries you just passed through and the many memories you will take home. The VIP Ephesus Day Trip truly is an unforgettable experience.