EPHESUS AND PAMUKKALE TOUR BY FLIGHT FROM ISTANBUL

TOUR ITINERARY

DAY 1 : EPHESUS

After approximately 1 hour early morning Istanbul-Izmir flight, you will be transferred to Ephesus, the best preserved ancient city of Roman period which used to contain one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Temple of Artemis.

Transfer to Ataturk Airport
Flight from Istanbul to Izmir (approximately 1 hour)
Transfer and check in to your hotel in Kusadasi (or Selcuk)
Full day tour of Ephesus and House of Virgin Mary, including transfers, entrance fees, guide.
Lunch during the tour is included.

Where you visit:

Ephesus - Enter through the Magnesia Gate and begin a slow, downhill walk with your guide into the ruins of this Roman provincial capital. Your route takes you past the Odeum, the Celsus Library, the Temple of Hadrian, the Fountain of Trajan and the Great Theater. The Theater had seating for 25,000, was the site where St. Paul preached to the Ephesians, and is used today for a local spring festival.
House of the Virgin Mary - The Vatican has recognized this small house in the Solmissos Mountains as the final resting place of the Virgin Mary. A small shrine dedicated to St. Mary was found when the ruins of the house were first discovered.
 

Besides being a popular summer resort, Kusadasi is also a major base for visiting many neighborhood ancient sights.

What you see along the way: From Kusadasi, you travel north to St. John’s Basilica, passing the Byzantine fortress at Selcuk and the ruins of the Temple of Artemis. Continue to Ephesus Open Museum then up to the House of Virgin Mary located in Bulbul Mountain. After the visit head for the upper gate of Ephesus. By the end of touring Ephesus, return to Kusadasi.
Special notes: Ephesus requires walking long distances over uneven surfaces

Transfer back to hotel.
Dinner at your hotel included.

Hotel accommodation in Kusadasi (or Selcuk). Private rooms with air condition and bath/WC.

Possible hotels are Atinc Hotel or Polat Beach Hotel in Kusadasi, Cenka Hotel in Selcuk. If they are not available similar quality and location hotels will be reserved. Hotel Upgrade is possible upon request.
 

DAY 2 : PAMUKKALE

Hot spring pools of Pamukkale are created by nature in thousands of years

Breakfast at hotel included
Pamukkale & Hierapolis tour including transfers, entrance fees, guide.
Lunch during the tour is included.
(Visiting the amazing white colored travertines, hot spring pools and water terraces have been created by nature in millions of years on the mountain slopes of Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis which has the biggest ancient Necropolis of Turkey with 1200 gravestones)
Transfer to airport after the tour
Evening flight to Istanbul.
End of our service with your arrival to Ataturk airport in Istanbul

Extra transfer to your hotel in Istanbul, 30 Euro for 1-3 pax



 

TOUR PRICE

Tour Price:
410 Euro per person in single room (1 pax)
380 Euro per person in double room (2 pax)
360 Euro per person in triple room (3 pax)

% 7 winter discount from November 01-March 31, except Christmas period (December 23-January 03)

Ask for group discount for participants over 7 pax

Above tour prices include:
All taxes.
Accommodation in private rooms at 3 star or equal quality special class hotels
(Hotel upgrade possible, if requested)
Mentioned guided day tours with lunch.
Entrance fees for museums
All mentioned meals above in the itinerary
2 way transportation by plane from/to Istanbul
All connecting transfers in between the tour period, as mentioned

Possible add-ons :
Airport hotel transfers for your international flights in Istanbul- 30 Euro for 1-3 pax
3* Hotel accommodation in Istanbul before or after the tour: 50 Euro single, 30 Euro double, 25 Euro triple pp.
Istanbul tours: Istanbul Daily City Tours (Private or Group Tours)
Extra 3 * hotel in Kusadasi or Selcuk: 45 Euro single, 25 Euro double pp, 20 Euro triple p
 
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PAYMENT AND RESERVATION

EPHESUS

Library of Celcus	Temple of Hadrian	Antic Theater

During both the Hellenistic and Roman periods Ephesus was the most important port and cultural center of the eastern world. The remains of the city are still spellbinding today. Of all the ancient cities of Turkey, Ephesus is the best preserved and most visited in all ages and is as popular as it was in ancient times. This is due to the miraculous discovery of the House of the Virgin Mary. The city had splendid buildings and was dedicated to the Goddess Artemis, whose temple was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The main monuments that we will see during the visit of this fascinating city are: the street of Arcadiane, the majestic theatre, marble road, library of Celsus, market place street of the Curettes, baths of Scholastic state agora, prytaneion, odeon. The town of Seljuk, is dominated by a Byzantine citadel close to the basilica of St. John built in the 5th century, on the site of tomb of the Apostle. Seljuk has also an exceptionally fine archaeological museum.

The Artemis Temple was destroyed in 356BC, and when Alexander the Great passed through in 334 BC he offered to pay for the cost of a new construction, provided it was dedicated to him. The Ephesus people declined, and rebuilt it with great success.

When the Romans made Ephesus their provincial capital, it became a busy town with great commercial, trading and political importance, and a population that grew to around 250,000. A significant Christian community grew, and the city was visited by St John the Evangelist in the 1st century, then by St Paul, who was there between 51-53 AD and wrote some of his epistles. It was also the venue of two Ecumenical Councils.

But the success of Roman Ephesus began to dwindle, mainly because of problems connected to the harbour, which was the main source of trade. The Cayster River was pushing silt up the harbour and despite attempts to dredge it and rebuild the harbour, the sea was pushed back to Pamucak, 4km away, and therefore Ephesus lost its source of wealth. By the 6th century, the city was unliveable and was shifted near to St John’s Basilica, and by 1090 it was taken over by the Turks.
 

Outer view  of the St Mary's House	Statue of Mary	Basilica of St John

The resolutions of the council of 431 held that the Virgin Mary came to Ephesos. According to them, she came here together with Saint John, four to six years after the death of Christ. After the proclamation of Pope Paul VI in 1967, Pope John Paul II came to Ephesos and declared the House of Mary to be a place of pilgrimage for Christians. The house on the top of Mount Bulbuldag is believed to be the last home of the Virgin Mary. It is a world-famous place of pilgrimage. The structure is a church that dates to the seventh century, and was restored in 1951. The church was supposedly built on top of the house in which the Virgin Mary lived. The structure is cruciform, and has a domed roof. The nave and its apse are accessible from the vestibule. The House of Mary is a place of pilgrimage not only for Christians, but also for Muslims. Muslims use the room to the south, which is believed to be the bedroom of the Virgin Mary, as a prayer chapel. Translations of the Quranic suras that mention Mary are on display here.

This house, where the Virgin Mary is supposed to have lived during her last days, and to have died with Johanna at her side, is situated 7 km south of the antique city of Ephesus in Izmir. The German Nun Katharina Emmerich (1774-1824) described the surroundings of the house from a dream she had.
 

Bathing in pools is no more allowed	Ancient graves	Agora entrance of the ancient city

Pamukkale (Hierapolis) is one of the most enchanting and remarkable sights in the whole of Turkey with the great dazzling white plateau, almost 400 feet high, rising in a curtain of stalagmites and shallow pools, giving one into another on hundreds of different levels, and ancient city of Hierapolis located on this plateau. The great baths were constructed in the second century and are so well-preserved that they now serve as a museum. The impressive and recently restored theatre, the Martyrium of St. Philip the Apostle of the 5th century – a colonnaded street erected by Domitian, a monumental gate of the same period, another bath stretching on for over a Mile, the necropolis with a fascinating variety of tombs and sarcophagus are the famous monuments of this antique city.

Source: Ministry of tourism and Culture

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