Ephesus
Ephesus is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean, just outside Selçuk and 20 km from Kuşadası. You can reach it on a half-day trip from Kuşadası, a shore excursion from the cruise port, or a long day from Izmir, Bodrum, Marmaris or even Istanbul by plane. Below we compare the options side by side.
Written by Emre Gürhan, Kuşadası · Updated 19 October 2026
Ephesus is 20 km from Kuşadası, 80 km from Izmir, 174 km from Bodrum and 205 km from Marmaris by road. From Kuşadası a half-day tour starts from about US$29; from Bodrum and Marmaris full-day group tours start from about US$52. The Ephesus entrance ticket for foreign visitors is €40 in 2026, and the Terrace Houses cost €15 extra.
Each row is a real tour you can book on Klook. Prices are “from” prices per person on Klook and can change; the final price is shown at checkout.
Ephesus Tour from Kuşadası
Pickup in Kuşadası, including the cruise port
Ephesus + House of the Virgin Mary Combo Tour
Hotel pickup in Kuşadası
Ephesus Full-Day Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers
Meeting at Kuşadası port
4,9(18) · Klook
Ephesus Day Tour from Izmir with Lunch
Centrally located Izmir hotels
4,5(46) · Klook
Ephesus Day Trip from Bodrum
Bodrum centre, Gümbet, Bitez
Ephesus Day Trip from Marmaris
Marmaris hotels
Ephesus Day Tour from Istanbul by Plane
Istanbul hotels; flight to Izmir
3,8(4) · Klook
Ratings are shown as they appear on Klook.
The Ephesus entrance ticket for foreign visitors is €40 per person in 2026 and includes the Digital Experience Museum. The Terrace Houses — Roman homes with original mosaics and frescoes inside the site — need a separate €15 ticket.
The House of the Virgin Mary is managed separately from the ancient city. Published prices for it differ from source to source, so check the current fee when you arrive.
Most tours do not include entrance tickets. The Izmir day tour is an exception: it includes Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis, but not the Terrace Houses. Compare what is included before you compare prices.
A guided walk along the main route — Curetes Street, the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre — takes around two to three hours. Add about an hour if you visit the Terrace Houses.
Most tours start at the upper gate and walk down to the lower gate, which is easier in the heat, and the driver collects you at the bottom.
Bring water, a hat, sunscreen and comfortable shoes with good grip: the site is large and open with very little shade, and the original marble paving is slippery.
If your tour also visits the House of the Virgin Mary, modest dress is expected inside the chapel (shoulders and knees covered).
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. In summer go as early as possible: midday heat on the open marble is intense.
Ephesus is busiest when cruise ships are in Kuşadası, as most shore excursions arrive in the morning. Half-day tours with a later start time can help you avoid the biggest groups.
From Bodrum (about 2.5 hours each way by coach) and Marmaris, a full-day tour works, but you spend more time on the road than at the site. If Ephesus is a priority, a night or two in Kuşadası or Selçuk gives you a far more relaxed visit.
The Istanbul tour flies you to Izmir and back in one day. Note that the domestic flights are not included in the tour price — you buy them separately — and the day starts with a 04:30 pickup.
€40 per foreign visitor, including the Digital Experience Museum. The Terrace Houses need a separate €15 ticket.
About 20 km by road — roughly 30 minutes. That is why Kuşadası is the most convenient base and why half-day tours work so well.
Yes. Group tours pick up in Bodrum centre, Gümbet and Bitez between 06:15 and 06:45 and return around 19:30; Ephesus is about 174 km from Bodrum.
Yes, a one-day tour by plane via Izmir. Pickup is at 04:30 and you are back between 20:30 and 21:00. The domestic flights are not included in the tour price.
About 63 km by road. The Izmir day tour picks up from central Izmir hotels between 07:30 and 07:45.
For most visitors, yes: they are covered, well-preserved Roman homes with original mosaics and frescoes, and they add about an hour to your visit.