Once capital of the Roman province of Asia, Ephesus is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world. Your driver collects you from your hotel or the Kuşadası cruise port, takes you first up to the House of the Virgin Mary on Mount Koressos, then drops you at the upper gate of Ephesus and waits at the lower one; you finish the day with the Temple of Artemis, Ayasuluk Hill and the vineyard village of Şirince.
The quiet House of the Virgin Mary, the marble streets and Library of Celsus at Ephesus, the mosaics of the Terrace Houses, the Temple of Artemis and the wine village of Şirince: Ephesus by private car, without walking back uphill. Suggested duration 8 hours; pickup from hotels in Selcuk, Kusadasi, Ozdere and the rest of the region. Prices start at €300 per vehicle, paid to the driver on the day.
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Ephesus is a slope about three kilometres long between its two entrances. Visitors who have to return to their car park either walk the hill twice or leave the city half seen; with a private car you enter at the upper gate, walk downhill all the way along Curetes Street and step into the car waiting at the lower gate.
The programme covers the House of the Virgin Mary, ancient Ephesus with the optional Terrace Houses, the Temple of Artemis and the Basilica of St John in Selçuk, and the village of Şirince. The Ephesus Museum can be added, and we arrange the order of stops around cruise-ship crowds.
Pickup from Selçuk, Kuşadası, Özdere and central İzmir is with the eight-hour package; from Çeşme, Urla and Bodrum with the twelve-hour package. The price is per vehicle, not per person.
Stops are shown in a typical order; your driver waits at every stop.
Above Ephesus, among the pine forests of Mount Koressos (Bülbül Dağı), this small stone building is, by tradition, where the Virgin Mary spent her last years. Found in the late 19th century and visited by several popes, it is a place of pilgrimage where Muslims pray as well as Christians. The wishing wall and the springs believed to be healing lie just below the house.
Entering at the upper gate, you pass the State Agora, the Odeon and the Temple of Hadrian and walk down Curetes Street. At its end rises the façade of the Library of Celsus, built in the 2nd century AD and thought to have held 12,000 scrolls. The Marble Road then leads to the 25,000-seat Great Theatre, where St Paul's preaching sparked the riot of the silversmiths.
These multi-storey Roman houses of wealthy Ephesians on the slope above Curetes Street are now under a protective roof. Wall frescoes, mosaic floors and marble panelling give one of the most vivid pictures of daily life in an ancient city. They have a separate ticket and the visit takes about 45 minutes.
One of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, the Temple of Artemis was burned by Herostratus in 356 BC and rebuilt. Today a single column standing in a reedy plain marks the site of a building once far larger than the Parthenon in Athens – often with a stork's nest on top.
On Ayasuluk Hill above Selçuk stand the ruins of the basilica Emperor Justinian built over the tomb of St John in the 6th century, and a Byzantine fortress. Below lies the İsa Bey Mosque of 1375, and from the hill you see the column of the Artemision and the plain of Ephesus.
Eight kilometres east of Selçuk, on a hillside of olive groves and vineyards, Şirince is known for its whitewashed stone-and-timber houses, narrow lanes and fruit wines. A Greek village until the population exchange of 1923, it has an old church to see, handmade olive-oil soaps to browse and gardens for a glass of wine or coffee.
Times are an example; your driver adapts the day to traffic, season and your wishes.
Ephesus grew as a harbour city founded by Ionian settlers in the 10th century BC on the bay where the Little Meander (Kaystros) met the sea. Its heart was the cult of Artemis, heir to Anatolia's ancient mother-goddess tradition; the huge temple built with the support of the Lydian king Croesus was counted among the wonders of the ancient world.
Under Rome, Ephesus became capital of the province of Asia and one of the largest cities of the Mediterranean, with a population estimated at up to 200,000. St Paul lived here for about three years, and tradition holds that St John died in Ephesus. In AD 431 the Council of Ephesus proclaimed Mary “Mother of God”.
Over time the silt carried by the river filled the harbour, and today the sea lies kilometres away; the city lost its importance and moved to Ayasuluk Hill, modern Selçuk. Austrian excavations, running since 1895, brought Ephesus back to light, and in 2015 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Prices are per vehicle and include fuel, motorway and bridge tolls, parking and the driver. Guide, meals and hotel are added as options.
| Duration | FirstClass Van (1–6) | Vip Sprinter (1–16) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 hours | €300 | €420 |
| 8 hours | €400 | €560 |
| 12 hours | €600 | €780 |
| 24 hours · 1 night | €720 | €820 |
| 36 hours · 1 night | €1060 | €1450 |
| 48 hours · 2 nights | €1560 | €1980 |
| Add-on | Price | How it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed guide required | €200 | Per day, whatever the group size |
| Lunch | €15 | Per person, for each lunch in the package |
| Dinner | €15 | Per person, for each dinner in the package |
| Hotel accommodation | €60 | Per person per night (sharing a double room) |
Example – 2 persons, 8 hours, FirstClass Van: Private vehicle & driver + Licensed guide + Lunch = €400 + €200 + €30 = €630
Can be added as options: Lunch, Dinner, Hotel accommodation.
Distances are approximate road kilometres to the main sight (one way). We also pick up from hotels and addresses not listed – just enter yours in the form.
| Area | Distance | Suggested package | Airport transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selcuk | ≈ 4 km | 8 hours | Selcuk transfer |
| Kusadasi | ≈ 20 km | 8 hours | Kusadasi transfer |
| Ozdere | ≈ 40 km | 8 hours | Ozdere transfer |
| Izmir City Center | ≈ 80 km | 8 hours | Izmir City Center transfer |
| Urla | ≈ 115 km | 12 hours | Urla transfer |
| Cesme | ≈ 150 km | 12 hours | Cesme transfer |
| Bodrum Center | ≈ 170 km | 12 hours | Bodrum Center transfer |
| Yalikavak | ≈ 185 km | 12 hours | Yalikavak transfer |
Ideal for lovers of history and archaeology, faith travellers, cruise passengers and families. You walk about 3 km at Ephesus, mostly downhill; for guests with limited mobility we can enter at the lower gate for a short route to the theatre and the library.
Our tours in Izmir, Ephesus & Kusadasi are accompanied by a licensed tourist guide; the guide fee is added to the price automatically. In Turkey, only licensed tourist guides may give explanations at museums and archaeological sites (Tourist Guiding Profession Law No. 6326).
No other passengers and no waiting for anyone – the car is yours all day.
The order and length of stops are flexible, with no compulsory shopping stops.
The price is fixed at booking and paid to the driver on the day.
Vixride is a TÜRSAB-licensed travel agency (licence 14798); vehicles and drivers are insured.
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In Turkey only licensed tourist guides may give explanations in museums and archaeological sites; your driver does not guide inside Ephesus. Whether a guide is required in this region, and the fee, are shown in the booking form – if required, the fee is added automatically.
There are about 3 km between the two entrances of Ephesus. Your driver drops you at the upper gate and waits at the lower one, so you walk the whole city downhill and never have to walk back – a big difference, especially in summer heat.
Yes. We meet you at the port exit and bring you back with a safe margin before your ship's all-aboard time. Just note the departure time in your booking.
Yes; the drive from Bodrum to Selçuk is about 170 km, two and a half hours. That is why departures from Bodrum, Çeşme and Urla need the 12-hour package; the programme stays the same.
Definitely. The Roman homes decorated with frescoes and mosaics are among the most impressive parts of Ephesus, and being under a roof they are a cool break in the heat. The visit takes about 45 minutes and has its own ticket.
The tour price is per vehicle: the package costs the same whether one or six people travel in the van. Only lunch, dinner and hotel accommodation are charged per person. The guide fee is per day and does not depend on the group size.
Nothing is charged online at booking; you pay the driver on the day of the tour in cash (EUR, USD, GBP, TRY) or by card. Free cancellation and date changes; please let us know at least 24 hours in advance.
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