Ephesus & Pergamum Tour from Istanbul

**Day 1 – Ephesus & House of the Virgin Mary** Today we will pick you up from your **hotel or Istanbul Airport** and take your flight from Istanbul to Izmir, which takes about **50 minutes**. Our guide will welcome you at **Izmir Airport**, and after about a 45-minute drive, our spectacular day will begin. We will start with an extensive tour of **Ephesus Ancient City**, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world. As we walk along the ancient streets, you will feel like a **Roman citizen** living here almost 2,000 years ago. You will see the impressive **Temple of Hadrian**, **Temple of Trajan**, **Temple of Domitian**, the huge **Roman Baths**, **Harbour Street**, **Marble Street**, **Commercial Agora**, **Curetes Street**, **Prytaneion**, **Odeon**, **Terrace Houses**, and the magnificent **Library of Celsus**. We will also visit the **Great Theater of Ephesus**, where thousands of people could watch performances and public events. After exploring Ephesus, we will visit the ruins of the **Temple of Artemis**, one of the **Seven Wonders of the Ancient World**. The temple was dedicated to **Artemis**, the main goddess of Ephesus. After lunch, we will drive up the mountain to the peaceful **House of the Virgin Mary**, located in a beautiful nature park between Ephesus and Selçuk. It is believed to be the **last residence of the Virgin Mary**, the mother of Jesus, and the site is considered sacred by both **Christians and Muslims**. Many pilgrims and visitors come here every year. At the end of the tour, we will drive to **Kusadasi** and transfer you to your hotel.

Day 2 – Pergamon Ancient City** This morning, we will pick you up from your hotel in **Kusadasi** and drive to **Pergamon Ancient City**. Pergamon was one of the most important cultural and political centers of the **ancient Greek and Roman world**. We will visit the famous **Pergamon Library**, which was one of the greatest libraries of the ancient world and was believed to contain around **200,000 volumes**. We will also see the magnificent **Great Altar of Zeus**, the **Temple of Trajan**, the **Royal Palaces**, and the impressive **Ancient Theater**, known for its very steep seating and spectacular view. During our visit, we will talk about the famous **Pergamon Library** and the development of **parchment**, which became an important writing material in the ancient world. After exploring the Acropolis, we will visit the **Red Basilica**, an impressive Roman building and one of the **Seven Churches of Revelation**. Then we will drive down to the valley to visit the ancient **Asclepion**, the famous sanctuary of **Asclepius**, the god of healing. This was an important ancient medical center where people came from different places seeking treatment. They used **sacred water**, music, theater, and other methods as part of their healing practices. After the tour, we will enjoy a **traditional Turkish lunch** at a local restaurant. Then we will drive to **Izmir Airport** for your flight back to Istanbul. Upon arrival in Istanbul, we will transfer you to your hotel.