Leave Ephesus and after lunch at a local restaurant, visit the nearby House of Virgin Mary, said to be the last home of the Virgin Mary. See inside the tiny house, whose foundations may date from Marys time in the 1st century AD, as your guide explains why its believed to sit where her last residence stood.
Continue to Ephesus, the eastern Mediterraneans best-preserved classical city. An important hub of early Christianity and thriving Greco-Roman port, this spectacular place boasts streets, shops and temples that make it easy to imagine those who lived here 2,000 years ago.Hear the history of the city as you explore with your guide. View the remains of the nearby, immense Temple of Artemis, once an Ancient Wonder of the World, and wander the streets that formed Ephesuss heart. Marvel at the 25,000-seater Great Theatre, ogle the faade of the Library of Celsus, and see well-preserved shops and temples. On route, see captivating details such as the chariot wheel grooves and brothel signposts carved in the sidewalks.
During your 1-hour journey, stop at St Johns Basilica, an ornate church at the top of Ayasuluk Hill. See its tomb of St John, who is believed to have written his gospel on the hill.
Small-Group: Ephesus And The House Of Virgin Mary Day Trip From Istanbul
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Tour Information
Key Details
- Mobile Voucher Accepted
- Hotel pickup Available
- Duration: 15 Hrs
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Language:
English
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Departure Time :
05:30 AM
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Return Details :
Please note: You must contact your local service provider 24 hours prior to the tour to reconfirm your departure point and time
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Cancellation Policy : This activity is non-refundable Tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.
Overview
Rewind 2,000 years on this day trip to incredible Ephesus and the House of Virgin Mary from Istanbul, including round-trip flights. Fly to Izmir and drive to the eastern Mediterraneans finest preserved ancient city for an enthralling tour. Walk pavements once strutted by toga-clad Romans; admire the spectacular Great Theatre and Library of Celsus, and see shops, streets, temples and more. View the remnants of the Temple of Artemis and after a complimentary lunch, visit the stone-built house standing on the site many believe to be Marys last home.Numbers limited to 14 on this small-group tour.
Know More about this tour
Itinerary:
Leave Ephesus and after lunch at a local restaurant, visit the nearby House of Virgin Mary, said to be the last home of the Virgin Mary. See inside the tiny house, whose foundations may date from Mary’s time in the 1st century AD, as your guide explains why it’s believed to sit where her last residence stood.
Continue to Ephesus, the eastern Mediterranean’s best-preserved classical city. An important hub of early Christianity and thriving Greco-Roman port, this spectacular place boasts streets, shops and temples that make it easy to imagine those who lived here 2,000 years ago. Hear the history of the city as you explore with your guide. View the remains of the nearby, immense Temple of Artemis, once an Ancient Wonder of the World, and wander the streets that formed Ephesus’s heart. Marvel at the 25,000-seater Great Theatre, ogle the façade of the Library of Celsus, and see well-preserved shops and temples. On route, see captivating details such as the chariot wheel grooves and brothel signposts carved in the sidewalks.
During your 1-hour journey, stop at St John’s Basilica, an ornate church at the top of Ayasuluk Hill. See its tomb of St John, who is believed to have written his gospel on the hill.
Inclusions
- Local guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Lunch
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Round-trip flights from Istanbul to Izmir
Exclusions
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks, unless specified
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adults lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Confirmation for this tour will be received at time of booking
In the event of any museum closures, an alternative similar museum will be visited
Not recommended for children aged 4 and under
Children 18 years and under must be accompanied by an adult
Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Traveler Reviews
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I have been here several times. I bought friends this time and found out religion is a expensive business. Entrance fee is shameful compared to other historical sites and the costs to get there.
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Been on many tours, it's always the chemistry with the tour guide that makes or breaks the day. We were fortunate enough to have Elif handle our family. Courteous, knowledgeable, fun and knew when to leave us be and then pick up the pace again. showed and taught us many items and pointed out things we never would have seen. Top notch tour guide
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Elif was absolutely amazing from start to finish. She became more of a friend than a tour guide. A wonderful, and extremely knowledgeable tour guide who was there to assist in any way possible. This is a must do tour!
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We did 3 tours with Neon while we were in Istanbul. However, I am only reviewing this particular one as it was just wonderful. Our tour guide just had my husband and I and everything was catered to us and needs. I wish I could remember the guide's name as I give him top marks for knowledge, experience, communication, and enthusiasm. I made sure I made a wish in Mary's house... The location where we lunched was a private place where people learn to make rugs. We ate outside and enjoyed the scrumptious chicken. They grow their own olives, make marinated olives, oil and wine. We are still talking about this lunch and the atmosphere. We spent the night at the Ramada which was a decadent experience, then travelled by to Instanbul the next day. Top marks for this tour!!
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This your was everything I had hoped for. As a Christian I have wanted to see Ephesus and understand the more. I got the perfect guide, Harman. Everything worked like clockwork from the time the picked me up at the hotel at 4am (I was a tad late as I had read the reviews:-() They keep time! The only nightmare for me was the air ticket. I called several days and even on the penultimate day, I had not received my ticket. However they made me forgive everything with the professionalism and time keeping. That you very much Neon tours! Than you, Harman, you're the best guide!!!
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We were picked up at our hotel at 4am and returned about 8:30pm. Throughout the entire 16 1/2 hour day, we only spent about 1 hour at Ephesus and were given no free time at all inside the city. We were taken to a rug shop so that they could show us how rugs are made but then they tried to sell you. The icing on the cake was next being brought to a leather shop to ensure a lights out fashion show with again more sales efforts to get us to buy their leather products. We signed up for a tour of Ephesus not a sales trip. Finally, the tour guide was terrible. Extremely strong accent, hard to understand and she didn’t have her facts correct about history but she passed along her superstitions and her opinions. Although the one hour in Ephesus was amazing, largely the day was a waste.
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Our trip to Istanbul was amazing, but we really wanted to see Ephesus while in Turkey. Viator made this possible. They arranged an early morning picked up from our Istanbul hotel and put us on a Turkish Airline flight to Izmir (Turkey’s 3rd largest city). Our guide and driver met us at the Izmir airport and drove us the short distance to Ephesus. Our tour included four major stops. The first stop was the Ephesus House of Virgin Mary and Saint John (Jesus put his mother in John’s care while dying on the cross). The second stop was the ancient city of Ephesus. The ruins of this Greek city included: the Odeon (Senate), Hadrian’s Temple, Mosaic sidewalk, Library of Celsus, and the Theater. The theater has held several modern concerts including: Pavarotti, Sting, Elton John, and Ray Charles. The third stop was lunch and a short carpet making demonstration at Turkmen Carpet. The last stop was the Basilica of Saint John. Throughout our visit we were kept informed and entertained by our very knowledgeable and awesome guide Ceyla Ergon. She was great! At the end of the day, we were put on a return flight and taken back to our hotel. Everything was super professional and we highly recommend it.
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Our trip to Istanbul was amazing, but we really wanted to see Ephesus while in Turkey. Viator made this possible. They arranged an early morning picked up from our Istanbul hotel and put us on a Turkish Airline flight to Izmir (Turkey’s 3rd largest city). Our guide and driver met us at the Izmir airport and drove us the short distance to Ephesus. Our tour included four major stops. The first stop was the Ephesus House of Virgin Mary and Saint John (Jesus put his mother in John’s care while dying on the cross). The second stop was the ancient city of Ephesus. The ruins of this Greek city included: the Odeon (Senate), Hadrian’s Temple, Mosaic sidewalk, Library of Celsus, and the Theater. The theater has held several modern concerts including: Pavarotti, Sting, Elton John, and Ray Charles. The third stop was lunch and a short carpet making demonstration at Turkmen Carpet. The last stop was the Basilica of Saint John. Throughout our visit we were kept informed and entertained by our very knowledgeable and awesome guide Ceyla Ergon. She was great! At the end of the day, we were put on a return flight and taken back to our hotel. Everything was super professional and we highly recommend it.
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I spent a few days in Istanbul and due to logistical reasons could not stay in Izmir for a day or two. This one day alternative allowed me the opportunity to also visit the ancient city of Ephesus. It is a long day because I had to leave my room at 4:15 for the 6:30 flight and was only back at 22:30. Efesus did not disappoint. I am so glad I could do this. The Neon company can improve on their communication skills. I had a few anxious moments when I did not know where to wait for my driver and was milling around for abt 15 mins.
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Houve um problema de comunicação para iniciarmos o passeio. No e-mail 4am no WhatsApp 4:30, motorista chegou 3:45. Achei o passeio meio corrido. Chegamos no aeroporto 3:30pm voo para iniciava embarque as 6pm. Acho que podíamos ter ficado uma hora a mais em Éfeso para aproveitarmos com um pouco de calma. Almoço foi bom. Casa da Virgem tb corrido. Isso que conseguimos 15 minutos a mais para um café com cigarro. Para latinos trata-se de um lugar que poderíamos passar um certo tempo.
