4 Day Ephesus Highlights Tour

Today you will explore the Ancient City of Ephesus. The once busy city was a hub for different types of people with them heading from all over to visit for scholarly pursuits, religious affairs or often trade. Today the city is a reminder of an ancient civilisation, where you enter the city you will see an out of place structure. This structure is the was busy harbour, now the coast is 7km away but the harbour can still be seen. As you enter the city you are greeted by a wide boulevard known as ‘Marble Street’, this road goes through the centre of the city with some of the key highlights being found either side. One of the highlights in the city is the Library of Celsus, once it was the leading place or those following scholarly pursuits to come, with thousands of books, scrolls and other literature. After the city was sacked by armies and struck by a natural disaster the library was destroyed, when the first archaeologists were cataloguing the city they decided to rebuild the facade to see how it would have looked finished.

As you walk the city you will see different types of buildings that each served their own purpose, some public some more of a private nature. You will see homes, public latrines, and even a brothel. Making your way through the city there will be building in the various state of repair, however, at intersections and turns, there can be seen archways and gate frames that can still be found.

During your day you will visit the Temple of Artemis, this Wonder of the Ancient World has fascinated architects as it uses a unique style for the time period. The temple was built from entirely marble with sculptures for the pillars and shafts. Today the temple is in ruins with only foundations left with many parts of the building around the land. The opulent nature of the temple has led to building parts and relics to be displayed in other countries around the world, predominantly the London British Museum,

The home of the Virgin Mary is, a humble home is a stark comparison to the large temple of the Greek Gods and Goddesses. The home is primarily made of 2 rooms, food preparation and eating area, with a living and sleeping space. Am alter is found in the main room for praying at. The one luxury was the private well that is found just outside the building.

IsaBey Mosque is a Seljuk era mosque designed and built for a regional leader it is built with two entrances with the required fountains at both sides, this allowed for people to partake in the required cleaning before prayer. Originally there were stunning domes and twin minarets, today one minaret is destroyed with the other missing the top section. The inside is a wide-open hall that would have allowed for almost any type of set up, making it an ideal space.

Overnight in Selcuk or Kusadasi

Today you will visit the breathtaking destination of Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis

You begin with a journey through the stunning countryside to the Pamukkale region, this journey takes approximately 3 hours, when you arrive you will enjoy a buffet lunch. The tour begins with time at the stunning Pamukkale stepped pools. Natural mineral-rich springs push water to the surface, over the generations the water has deposited some of the minerals creating the white rock formations that are said to look alike fluffy cotton, which is where it got the name Pamukkale or ‘Cotton Castle’. The water here is warm and the civilisations once thought that it had healing properties.

You will head to the ancient city of Hierapolis; this popular city has seen visitors throughout the ages. Today the ruins offer a look into the past with the open-air public baths still being used by tourists to relax. The ancient city was popular with visitors due to the mineral-rich waters of Pamukkale being close by, the waters were considered healing which led to people coming to try and be cured of their ailments. In the town there are two types of temples, one is the traditional temple to Apollo with only the foundations left today. The other is called the Plutonium found next to the Apollo temple this small cave, with a set of stairs leading down to where toxic gas is found. As people had died in the gas, those who passed through we considered to have done so by miracle or divine protection.

While some visitors came to heal their medical issues, some needed only time for their bodies to recover many who came here had illnesses that could not be cured during their era. For those that succumbed they were laid to rest in the cities Necropolis, where different classes were buried together but in very different styles ranging from simple graves to sarcophagus and mausoleums.

Overnight in Selcuk or Kusadasi.

Today you will enjoy a journey out to Sirince. This village is a wonderful fusion of Turkish and Greek culture. Originally a majority Greek settlement is now majority Turkish, this change in population followed the population exchange that came after an independence war. Local people kept the houses in place but have made them more comfortable with Turkish living inside.

This quaint village offers an amazing time to explore, heading along the narrow streets you will find local women who hand make items and produce, and sell them to those who wish to buy village made items from handicrafts to natural olive oil. Sirince is also famous for its grape and fruit wines that are famous across Turkey.

After your tour, you will be transferred to Izmir airport, Denizli Airport or Denizli Bus station. For other drop-offs destinations please contact us at time of booking.