Kusadasi Port to Ephesus, House of Virgin Mary, Sirince Village

t you at the exit gate of Kusadasi port on your meeting time.

After met with your private guide, you will drive to Selcuk town for visit the Ephesus Ancient City and surroundings. The drive duration is approximately 30 minutes.

Your first visit will be the last home of the Virgin Mary. Once you arrive there you will be thrilled by the natural beauty that surrounds the monument. The House of Virgin Mary is located on the Aladag Mountains 5 miles away from Ephesus. At the third Ecumenical Council on 431 AD in Ephesus, it was claimed that Mary came to Ephesus with St. John in 37 A.D. and lived there until her death in 48 A.D. After the discovery of the house, the Archbishop of Izmir declared there as a place of pilgrimage in 1892. On July 26, 1967, Pope Paul VI visited this place and prayed there.

Ephesus was one of the most important harbor cities in antique world and also it is mentioned in the book of Revelations as one of the seven churches. Also Celsus Library and theater in Ephesus are the other highlights. You will see and visit the Celsus Library, Temple of Hadrian, the fountain of Trajan, Grand Theater, Hercules Gate, Odeon, Ancient Toilets and many important historical buildings in this UNESCO-listed ancient city.

The terrace houses are located on the hill, opposite the Hadrian Temple. Also called as "the houses of rich", important for the reason give us information about family life during the Roman period. They were built according to the Hippodamian plan of the city in which roads transected each other at right angels.

This pretty old Orthodox village, 12 km away from Ephesus and 30 km from Kusadasi, was once Cirkince ("ugly"). Indeed its habitants gave this name on purpose as they did not want to be bothered by foreigners nor to share the beauty of their village. Still after years, visitors understood that the village was not ugly at all and called it Sirince ("pretty"). As the village is located on the top of a mountain, you will enjoy the impressive wine yards' and peach trees' views on his way. You will find wines made from apples, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, peaches, melons, watermelons, cherries and many other sorts of fruits.

You will drive back to Kusadasi and stop at the Gazi Begendi Park (Hill) for take photos of the Kusadasi Bay and your cruise ship.

This caravanserai was built by the Grand Vizier Okuz Mehmed Pasha to support maritime trade in the region. This historical building is opposite to Kusadasi cruise port. The distance is 130 meters between Kusadasi cruise port and caravanserai.

This small castle is picturesque Byzantine fortress stands on the causeway-connected Guvercin Adasi (Pigeon Island) and has recently been renovated. You can take panoramic photos of this castle from Gazi Begendi Park (Hill), and you can walk to this small castle after we dropped you to the port. The distance is 500 meters from Kusadasi cruise port.