Ephesus, House of the Virgin Mary and Sirince Village

Your private Ephesus tour guide will welcome you at Kusadasi Port or your hotel. Then you will meet your private driver and get into a luxurious, air-conditioned, and comfortable vehicle. After a 20-minute drive, you will arrive at the House of the Virgin Mary, located in a beautiful nature park between Ephesus and Selcuk. The House of the Virgin Mary is believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. This peaceful and sacred site was later visited by Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II, who recognized it as an important place of pilgrimage. On November 29, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass here. Next, you will visit Ancient Ephesus. Your Ephesus tour guide will have the entrance tickets ready for you, so you can skip the lines and save time. Your Ephesus tour will start at the upper gate and finish at the lower gate of Ancient Ephesus. You will enjoy an extensive tour of this incredible ancient city, where you will see the Temples of Domitian, Trajan, and Hadrian, the huge Roman Baths, Harbor Street, Marble Street, the Gates of Mithridates and Mazues, the Commercial Agora, the Latrines, the Scholastica Baths, Curetes Street, the Pollio Fountain, the Memmius Monument, the Prytaneion, the Odeon, the State Agora, the Celsus Library, and the Great Theater, one of the largest ancient theaters in Turkey. You will have a traditional Turkish lunch at a peaceful, local restaurant away from the tourist crowds near Ephesus. After lunch, you will drive to the lovely and authentic Turkish village of Sirince, located on top of a mountain. You will enjoy walking through its narrow cobblestone streets, where local people sell homemade wine, olive oil, fresh fruit, and handmade crafts. Sirince Village is especially known for its homemade wines. You can also take a relaxing break at a traditional Turkish coffeehouse located in a former municipal school. Finally, you will visit the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, also known as the Artemision, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. At the end of the tour, your private guide and driver will take you back to Kusadasi Port or Izmir Port on time..