Gangway
Sail-in · 0 km
Off the ship and through the terminal: about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the berth.
Kuşadası cruise portEphesus shore excursions from Kusadasi and Izmir ports
From the pier to the pillars of Ephesus, and back before all-aboard.
Ships dock in Kuşadası, about 20 to 25 minutes from Ephesus, or in İzmir, about an hour to an hour and a quarter by road. We meet you at the terminal exit, walk Ephesus with a licensed guide and bring you back before all-aboard.
- Guaranteed pick-up and drop-back
- Fast-pass entry
- No payment now
- Licensed agency, TÜRSAB No. 15746
From €33 per person
Groups of 8+: 8 people = €264 in total. Smaller groups: private quote.
Tickets at the Ministry price · nothing paid in advance
Plan my port day
A real person replies within 24 hours, usually the same day.
Your port day, waymark by waymark
Terminal exit
First light · about a minute
Your guide waits outside the exit with your name on a sign. No shuttle, no hunting for a stand.
Meeting your guideThe road south
Morning · about 18 to 20 km
Past the edge of town and through the olive hills: about 20 to 25 minutes.
Kuşadası port to EphesusUpper Gate
Day · Ephesus
Fast-pass entry, then the marble streets downhill to the Library of Celsus and the Great Theater.
The toursAll-aboard
Dusk · with time to spare
Guaranteed pick-up and drop-back. We plan the day backward from the time on your ship's daily program.
Back on board on time
Private tours from the pier
Every tour is private: your party, your guide, your vehicle. Pick by the hours your ship spends in port, then by what you came to see.
Hours in port:
The Pier-to-Pillar Classic
- From Kuşadası cruise pier
- 4 to 5 hours
- Calls of 6 hours or more
Ephesus from the Upper Gate down to the Library of Celsus and the Great Theater, then the last column of the Temple of Artemis.
From €33 pp, groups of 8+
Ephesus and the Seven Houses
- From Kuşadası cruise pier
- 5.5 to 6.5 hours
- Calls of 8 hours or more
The classic walk plus the seven roofed Roman homes of the Terrace Houses, with their frescoes and mosaic floors.
From €33 pp, groups of 8+
Paul, John and Mary
- From Kuşadası cruise pier
- 6 to 7 hours
- Calls of 9 hours or more
The theater of Acts 19, the House of the Virgin Mary on the mountain and the tomb of St. John in Selçuk.
From €33 pp, groups of 8+
Ephesus and Şirince Village
- From Kuşadası cruise pier
- 6 to 7 hours
- Calls of 9 hours or more
Ephesus in the morning, then the winding road up to Şirince, a hill village of whitewashed houses above Selçuk.
From €33 pp, groups of 8+
Ephesus, the Museum and Selçuk
- From Kuşadası cruise pier
- 6 to 7 hours
- Calls of 9 hours or more
The ruins, then the finds: the Ephesus Museum, the Basilica of St. John and the Isa Bey Mosque in Selçuk.
From €33 pp, groups of 8+
Your Own Port Day
- Kuşadası or İzmir
- Planned to your ship
- Any call length
Send us your ship times and your list. We plan the day backward from all-aboard and tell you honestly what fits.
From €33 pp, groups of 8+
Ephesus from İzmir Port
- From İzmir Alsancak port
- 7 to 8 hours
- Calls of 9 hours or more
When your ship docks in İzmir instead of Kuşadası: pick-up at Alsancak, the longer drive south, Ephesus and back.
Private quote
Ephesus from Samos
- Ferry to Kuşadası
- 4 to 5 hours
- Morning ferry, evening ferry
Cross from Samos on the morning ferry; we meet you at the Kuşadası passenger quay and bring you back for the return sailing.
From €33 pp, groups of 8+
What you will see, in the order of the day
- Tomb of St. Luke
- State Agora
- Odeon
- Prytaneion
- Domitian Square
- Hercules Gate
- Fountain of Trajan
- Curetes Street
- Temple of Hadrian
- Latrines and Baths of Scholastica
- Terrace Houses
- Library of Celsus
- Commercial Agora
- Marble Street
- Great Theater
- Harbor Street
- Church of Mary
- Cave of the Seven Sleepers
- Stadium of Ephesus
- Temple of Artemis
- Ephesus Museum
- Selçuk aqueduct
- Isa Bey Mosque
- Basilica of St. John
- Ayasuluk Fortress
- House of the Virgin Mary
- Şirince
- Belevi Mausoleum
- Pigeon Island
- Kuşadası caravanserai
- Kuşadası near the pier
- All attractions
What fits your call in Kuşadası
Count from the time the gangway opens to all-aboard, as printed in your ship's daily program. Our durations run door to door, terminal to terminal.
| Time in port | What fits | Tour |
|---|---|---|
| 5 hours or less | Ephesus alone, or a short custom plan | Your Own Port Day |
| 6 to 7 hours | Ephesus top to bottom and the Temple of Artemis | The Pier-to-Pillar Classic |
| 8 hours | Add the Terrace Houses | Ephesus and the Seven Houses |
| 9 hours or more | Add the House of Mary and St. John, Şirince, or the museum | Paul, John and Mary · Şirince · Selçuk |
Ephesus was a port. The sea walked away.
Ships once tied up at the end of a marble avenue that ran from the harbor to the Great Theater. The river that fed the city also filled its harbor with silt, century after century, until the coast stood kilometers to the west. Today the cruise ships berth in Kuşadası instead, and the old harbor is a green plain.
Stand at the top of the theater and you can still see the line of Harbor Street running toward that plain. We show it to every guest, because it explains Ephesus better than any column.
Read the story of the lost port of Ephesus · Harbor Street (Arcadiane)
Which port is yours?
Kuşadası cruise port
Most shipsThe closest port to Ephesus: 8 berths right against the old town, about 20 to 25 minutes from the ruins.
İzmir Alsancak port
Some itinerariesA city-center port farther north. Ephesus works on a long call; we quote these days privately.
The Samos ferry
From the Greek islandsDay-trippers from Samos land at the Kuşadası passenger quay. Bring your passport.
Which port is closest to Ephesus? Kuşadası vs İzmir, compared
What you pay, and to whom
To us, on the day, in euros
From €33 per person for groups of 8 or more. Private tour; smaller groups get a private quote. A group of 8 pays 8 × €33 = €264 in total.
- A licensed, Ministry-certified guide for your party only
- A private, air-conditioned vehicle sized to your group, with driver
- Fuel, parking and road tolls
- Travel insurance for the tour
- All taxes
- Skip-the-line entry: we buy your tickets in advance at the official price, with no mark-up
At the gate, at the Ministry price
Entrance tickets are paid separately at the official Ministry price; we buy them for you with no mark-up. The fast pass itself costs nothing extra. See the current entrance fees and how the fast pass works.
Optional
- Lunch (optional; vegetarian, vegan and halal are easy, kosher needs can be discussed when you book)
- Drinks and personal spending
- Tips (never expected, always appreciated)
Before you book: the short answers
How far is Ephesus from the Kusadasi cruise port?
About 18 to 20 km by road, about 20 to 25 minutes in a private vehicle. Most guided tours start at the Upper Gate and walk the city downhill, so the drive ends where the walk begins.
Will we be back on the ship in time?
Yes. Guaranteed pick-up and drop-back: we plan the day backward from your all-aboard time and put a buffer in front of it. Read how we get you back on board.
What does a tour cost?
From €33 per person for groups of 8 or more. Private tour; smaller groups get a private quote. A group of 8 pays 8 × €33 = €264 in total. Entrance tickets are paid separately at the official Ministry price; we buy them for you with no mark-up. The Ephesus ticket is €40 for foreign visitors (Ministry price, checked 2026-10-26). Tours from İzmir port are priced privately.
Do we pay anything in advance?
No prepayment. Nothing is paid to reserve a tour. Because nothing is paid in advance, cancelling or changing is free. Just tell us as soon as your plans change. If your ship skips the port, you owe nothing.
Is the Temple of Artemis included?
Yes. The last standing column of the Temple of Artemis is on open ground beside the Selçuk road, and its entrance is included in our tours.
Can someone with limited mobility come?
Yes, with the right route. A wheelchair user can enter at the Lower Gate and return to the Lower Gate, seeing the lower city. The Terrace Houses have no step-free access. Tell us when you write and we plan around it.
Last checked by the Pier & Pillar team, Gezginol Tours (TÜRSAB No. 15746).