Ephesus Full Day Tour

Ancient City of Ephesus - Ephesus was an ancient Greek city in Asia Minor, located near the mouth of the Menderes River in what is now western Turkey, south of Smyrna (modern-day Izmir). It was one of the most significant Ionian cities and became the region’s leading seaport, known for its immense wealth. The Greek city was situated near an old worship center dedicated to a native nature goddess, later identified with the Greek Artemis. Around 550 B.C., a large temple was constructed, with contributions from Croesus, who had captured the city.

State Agora - Located on the southern side of the Basilica, the State Agora was built during the Roman Period in the first century B.C. Unlike commercial agoras, this one was used for governmental business and meetings. Excavations in the northeast corner of the Agora revealed numerous graves from the 7th-6th centuries B.C., a stone-paved road, and an archaic terra cotta sarcophagus.

The Odeion - Shaped like a small theater, the Odeion featured a stage building, seating areas, and an orchestra section. It served a dual purpose: as a Bouleuterion for Senate meetings and as an Odeum for concerts. Constructed in the 2nd century A.D. by Publius Vedius Antonius and his wife Flavia Paiana, it could accommodate 1,500 spectators. The stage building had three doors leading to the podium, which was one meter higher than the orchestra. The two-story stage building was adorned with columns, and parts of the seating and podium have been restored. The Odeon was originally covered with a wooden roof.

Curetes Street - One of the three main streets in Ephesus, Curetes Street stretches from the Hercules Gate to the Celsus Library. Named after the priests known as Curetes, whose names were inscribed in the Prytaneion, the street was lined with fountains, monuments, statues, and shops. The shops on the south side were two-storied. Ephesus experienced many earthquakes, which damaged structures including Curetes Street. The columns were restored with new ones, but after a 4th-century earthquake, they were replaced with columns from other buildings in the city, resulting in visible design differences. The street’s current appearance dates back to the 4th century.

Bibliotheque de Celsus - The Celsus Library is one of Ephesus’s most beautiful structures. Built in 117 A.D., it served as a monumental tomb for Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, the governor of the province of Asia, commissioned by his son Galius Julius Aquila. Celsus’s grave was beneath the ground floor, across from the entrance, with a statue of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, above it. The library housed over 12,000 scrolls in wall niches, with double walls behind the bookcases to protect against temperature and humidity extremes. It was the third richest library in ancient times, after those in Alexandria and Pergamum.

Meryemana (The Virgin Mary’s House) - The House of the Virgin Mary is located atop the “Bulbul” mountain, 9 km from Ephesus. This shrine, hidden in lush greenery, is believed to be where Mary spent her final days. She may have come to the area with Saint John, who spent several years there spreading Christianity. Mary preferred this secluded spot over living in a crowded area.

The Temple of Artemis - Known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis was built in Ephesus on a flat area that eventually became a swamp. Today, visitors can see the ruins of the temple’s foundations, originally a magnificent marble structure with sculpted columns. The most beautiful remnants are now displayed in the British Museum in London. The oldest remains date back to the 6th century B.C. The temple was surrounded by 36 massive columns and was later expanded by the Lydian King Croesus in the 6th century B.C. Most exhibits in the British Museum belong to this period.

Pamukkale Full Day Tour

Pamukkale - Located in southwestern Turkey, Pamukkale is known for its hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by flowing water. The area features 17 thermal springs with temperatures ranging from 35°C (95°F) to 100°C (212°F), making some pools unsuitable for swimming. Avoid the hottest springs!

Pamukkale Thermal Pools - Pamukkale, meaning “cotton castle” in Turkish, is a natural site in Denizli, southwestern Turkey, famous for its carbonate mineral deposits left by flowing water.

Hierapolis & Pamukkale - Hierapolis, an ancient city atop Pamukkale, is a World Heritage site with a mix of Pagan, Roman, Jewish, and early Christian influences. The hot springs have been used as a spa since the 2nd century, attracting people seeking to soothe ailments and often retire and die. The extensive ruins include a large necropolis filled with sarcophagi. The baths, made from large stone blocks, feature various open and closed areas linked together. Constructed in the 2nd century, little is known about the city’s origins. Many statues were moved to museums worldwide, and a museum was built onsite in 1970.

Pamukkale Tiyatrosu - The Roman Theatre, built in two stages, was initially destroyed by an earthquake and later rebuilt into the mountain slope. The stage, decorative panels, and VIP seating areas are still visible. The theatre could hold 12,000-15,000 people and is divided by eight vertical passageways and nine aisles. Ongoing excavations continue to uncover new relics and statues depicting mythological figures.

Hierapolis Arkeoloji Muzesi - Once a Roman bath, the Archaeological Museum near the Antique Pool atop Pamukkale’s travertines is a must-visit for those interested in Roman archaeology, especially after exploring the ruins of Hierapolis and the Roman theater.

Cleopatra Pools - Above Pamukkale’s white travertine pools lies a spectacular spot fed by the same hot springs. Here, you can bathe in the same waters Cleopatra once swam in! A modern spa facility allows you to enjoy these historic healing waters. Unlike the white water of the lower pools, Cleopatra’s Antique Pool features clear, warm water. Once topped by a Roman Temple to Apollo with a roof supported by Doric columns, you can imagine Cleopatra’s experience in its glory days.

Pergamon Full Day Tour

The Acropolis - The Acropolis, meaning “Upper Town,” contains Pergamon’s most important remains. Built on a hill, it is a unique example of an ancient cut-mountain town due to the lack of a natural plateau. The upper town is divided into three main parts: the highest and most protected area housed the kings’ palaces, temples, water reservoirs, wells, cisterns, and fountains for the royal family and aristocrats. The city walls, built during the reign of Eumenes II, are well-preserved, indicating the safety of living in the upper town. Visitors can explore the Trajan Temple, the Zeus Altar (known as Satan’s Seat by early Christians), the largest temple, the kings’ palaces, the world’s steepest theater with a 10,000-seat capacity facing the Asclepium, and the Heroon, where heroes were buried. This area served as the administrative center of the Pergamon kingdom.

The Asklepion - Built in the 4th century B.C., the Asklepion Temple in Pergamon was a renowned medical center, comparable to Epidaurus and Kos. Dedicated to the God of Health, Asklepios, it was an important medical center during the Roman Era, featuring a galleried yard, a theater with a 3,500-seat capacity, a cult hall for Emperor Hadrianus, and the circular Asklepios Temple. Known as “The Place Death Was Not Allowed To Enter,” it featured a serpentine column symbolizing pharmacy. The southern part included three small Hellenistic temples, sleeping rooms, a holy spring, and pools. Treatments included resting sleeps, water sounds, mud, healing and hunger therapies, musical therapy, and more.

Red Basilica (Kizil Avlu) - Bergama’s Red Hall (Kızıl Avlu) or Red Basilica was built in the 2nd century A.D. for worship of the Egyptian gods Serapis, Isis, and Harpocrates. Originally faced with marble and surrounded by a colonnade, the building looked very different in Roman times. A stream ran beneath it in stone channels, used for ritual bathing and ablutions.

• Private transportation
• Lunch
• In-vehicle air conditioning
• Parking fees

• Gratuities
• Entrance fees