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Ephesus: 7 hour tour or 4 hour tour + shopping


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Hi,

 

We're trying to decide if we should take a 7 hour tour which will visit: Can you please give some advice?

- Temple of Artemis



- Ancient Ephesus

- Terrace Houses

- The Basilica of St. John



- The Virgin Mary's House

 

 

or a 4 hour tour which skip the last 2 sites, but give us some time to shopping and walk around the port area.

 

 

Are the last 2 a must-see for first time traveler?

 

 

Thanks,

April

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Hi,

 

 

We're trying to decide if we should take a 7 hour tour which will visit:Can you please give some advice?

- Temple of Artemis

- Ancient Ephesus



 

- Terrace Houses

 

 

- The Basilica of St. John

 

- The Virgin Mary's House

 

 

or a 4 hour tour which skip the last 2 sites, but give us some time to shopping and walk around the port area.

 

 

 

Are the last 2 a must-see for first time traveler?

 

 

Thanks,



April

 

 

 

I have only been to Ephasus, Basilica of St. John, and the House of the Virgin Mary. I am going back this summer and will re-visit Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary. I was not impressed by the Basilica of St. John (you do realize he is not buried there?). These boards have been very complementary on the Terrace Houses. I wouldn't mind seeing the Temple of Artemis.....maybe someday. Ephesus is great for achelogical and religious history. IMO the House of the Virgin Mary is a very spiritual place and I wouldn't miss it for anything. I am sure you will enjoy any of the sites you select.

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I think the answer largely depends on whether you are more of a sightseer or a shopper.

 

Personally, I'd opt for the longer tour. Kusadasi isn't really that much of a "charming" town -- it has largely been built up for tourists. I really enjoyed seeing the Basilica of St. John, but then there are few ancient ruins that don't intrigue me. :o

 

On the other hand, if you are a shopper, there are some interesting things to purchase and there are also some good restaurants in Kusadasi if you want to try some Turkish food.

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Hi,

 

We're trying to decide if we should take a 7 hour tour which will visit:Can you please give some advice?

- Temple of Artemis



- Ancient Ephesus

- Terrace Houses

- The Basilica of St. John



- The Virgin Mary's House

 

 

or a 4 hour tour which skip the last 2 sites, but give us some time to shopping and walk around the port area.

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

April

We were in Ephesus in July 2010 and did the 6 hour tour without the Terrace Houses. It was good, but we are going again in September and will do the Terrace Houses.

The Temple of Artemis is gone except for the foundation. Some told us the Virgin Mary's House is not much to see.

 

The Terrace Houses are the must not miss item.

Are the last 2 a must-see for first time traveler?

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As cruisemom says, only you can decide this based on your own interests. If shopping isn't a big thing for you, I'd certainly take the longer tour. We visited Ephesus (including the Terrace Houses) as well as the Mary House and the Temple of Artemis from Izmir, so there was no time for us to see the Basilica of St. John, but I wish we'd been able to. I can't imagine trading ruins or historical sites for shopping, but that's me. :)

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We were in Ephesus in July 2010 and did the 6 hour tour without the Terrace Houses. It was good, but we are going again in September and will do the Terrace Houses.

The Temple of Artemis is gone except for the foundation. Some told us the Virgin Mary's House is not much to see.

 

The Terrace Houses are the must not miss item.

Are the last 2 a must-see for first time traveler?

 

Did you book through the cruise ship or a private tour company. If private could you give me the name?

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Its tough to answer this type of question for another person. Personally, we would probably opt for the half day tour and skip the Basilica of St John and the Virgin Mary House. If you taking a private tour with a company like EKOL you might be able to arrange to make a quick stop at the Basilica (you only need a quick visit to see this place). As to the Virgin Mary House....this is a topic that can be debated for all time. The reality is that the facility is fairly new and was built on the old foundation. The other reality is that there is absolutely no proof that Mary ever lived at that location, but the Catholic Church found it advantageous to feed the tale since they wanted a presence in a Muslim country (they actually have some nuns working at the place). We have spoken to several local experts and the best answer we got was that most believe that Mary did live near Ephesus and that if she had lived near Ephesus the Virgin Mary House would have been an ideal location. Go figure. It is a major tourist destination and brings in revenue :)

 

Kusadasi has become a thriving major tourist city with a fun shopping area (right across the street from the port) and we always love to browse the shops. Just seeing our old favorite sign "Real Fake Watches" always makes me smile.

 

Hank

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Did you book through the cruise ship or a private tour company. If private could you give me the name?

Booked the Celebrity excursion.

 

Ephesian Modus Vivandi KD28

 

Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey

 

OVERVIEW: This tour offers a complete perspective about the Ancient City of Ephesus and the Roman way of living.HIGHLIGHTS: In Ephesus, see the Magnesia Gate, Odeon, Fountain of Trajan, Temple of Hadrian, Library of Celsius, Grand Theater, and the Arcadian Way. Explore the Terrace Houses known as "the houses of rich" and visit the Ephesus Archaeological Museum with its exhibits. Enjoy a Roman feast for lunch as well as a carpet presentation and time to shop.NOTES: Guests must be able to walk approx. 1.5 miles and and this tour is not recommended for guests with walking difficulties or using a wheelchair. Guests must walk across scaffolding with Plexiglas flooring at the Terrace Houses.

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The cruse ships dock in Kusadasi very close to the main shopping area, so you may have time to visit the shops and do the tour. Personally, I would do the longer tour.

 

I have a friend who used to live in Kusadasi and visited a few times. I have never been anywhere, not even in Egypt, or other Arab countries where you are hassled to buy goods as much as they do in Kusadasi.

 

I have found the shopping experience in Kusadasi more of a chore than a pleasure.

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Hi,

 

We're trying to decide if we should take a 7 hour tour which will visit: Can you please give some advice?

- Temple of Artemis



- Ancient Ephesus

- Terrace Houses

- The Basilica of St. John



- The Virgin Mary's House

 

 

or a 4 hour tour which skip the last 2 sites, but give us some time to shopping and walk around the port area.

 

Are the last 2 a must-see for first time traveler?

 

 

Thanks,

April

 

I would do the second tour so you have time for shopping and to walk around.

 

Keith

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  • 2 weeks later...
The cruse ships dock in Kusadasi very close to the main shopping area, so you may have time to visit the shops and do the tour. Personally, I would do the longer tour.

 

I have a friend who used to live in Kusadasi and visited a few times. I have never been anywhere, not even in Egypt, or other Arab countries where you are hassled to buy goods as much as they do in Kusadasi.

 

I have found the shopping experience in Kusadasi more of a chore than a pleasure.

 

This is exactly why I am looking for a tour company that will not take us to any handicraft centers or carpet demos. Any recommendations are appreciated. Thank you.

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This is exactly why I am looking for a tour company that will not take us to any handicraft centers or carpet demos. Any recommendations are appreciated. Thank you.

 

EVERY tour in Greece, Turkey or the Middle East ALWAYS takes you to a carpet demo or handicraft thingy. For one, people are proud of their heritage and really think you neeeeed the carpet, secondly, people in these countries look out for their family. The shops they take you to belong to a relative or friend. There is hardly any getting round the sales pitch. Just smile and politely say no when somebody tries to sell you something you do not want.

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This is exactly why I am looking for a tour company that will not take us to any handicraft centers or carpet demos. Any recommendations are appreciated. Thank you.

 

Check out. http://www.ephesusshuttle.com/. We thought Ephesus Shuttle was fantastic. We decided what we wanted to see. We were not interested in carpet factories or shopping. Just the two of us and we had a driver and a guide. So much less expensive then the ship tour and we saw so much more. Definitely do the private tour, you will love it.

R

I don't agree with the above post. Every private tour we took was just that private. You decide where you are going. We are not shoppers and we simple told the tour guide we did not want to stop for shopping. Therefore, we never did. They can not make you shop!

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Hi, wondering if anyone knew if the Virgin Mary House has a dress code like Churches do, etc long pants,shoulders covered,etc.

 

thanks

 

I don't know if there is a formal dress code. I looked at my pictures and most women were in capris and men in long pants. A very few men and women in knee length shorts. I read somewhere before I went that because this a holy site, it best to be dressed as if you were going to church -- no tank tops or short shorts. Enjoy your trip.

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EVERY tour in Greece, Turkey or the Middle East ALWAYS takes you to a carpet demo or handicraft thingy. For one, people are proud of their heritage and really think you neeeeed the carpet, secondly, people in these countries look out for their family. The shops they take you to belong to a relative or friend. There is hardly any getting round the sales pitch. Just smile and politely say no when somebody tries to sell you something you do not want.

 

Not true actually - we have done lots of trips in Turkey & Greece & not been taken shopping. The only one we had recently was on a trip to Ephesus ; they wanted to take us to a carpet shop in Kusadasi at the end of the trip & as we have experienced this In the past, we just politely declined & headed back to the ship - no problem at all!

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I think the tours in Ephesus are worse than most about insisting on taking you to a "shopping opportunity" as part of your tour. I would no longer recommend Ekol Tours for this very reason. I've been very concerned about it, because I really do NOT like to take a private tour where my wishes are disregarded!

 

I've recently been in communication with a relatively new agency to Ephesus -- but I have used them twice for tours in Egypt (where these shopping stops can be a similar problem).

 

The owner was very clear that they will listen to what their customers want on a private tour, and that no shopping means no shopping!! I had a great experience with them in Egypt (you can read my detailed review at the link below) and I have every reason to think they'll be just as customer-focused in Turkey.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1297722

 

I'd be happy to provide contact info if anyone is interested in looking into their tours as a good alternative.

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Being a non-shopper the answer is easy for me, but that's me. What do you want to do?

 

My first trip to Ephesus was thru the cruise line - ugly. Way too short and way too many people. So this last year I used Ephesus Shuttle and highly recommend them. The tour selected was for Ephesus, the Terrace Houses and Temple of Artemis (already been to House of Mary, and while I enjoyed it wanted to spend more time at Ephesus). The guide was fantastic, a small group, and the price was good.

 

The only problem, and it's my own fault as I opened up the excursion to anyone interested in my roll call, we ended up at one of the carpet factories. At the end of the tour the guide asked if we'd be interested. All it took was for one person to say they wanted to go, and off we were. However, if we'd said no it wouldn't have happened and the guide wasn't pressuring the side trip.

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I don't know if there is a formal dress code. I looked at my pictures and most women were in capris and men in long pants. A very few men and women in knee length shorts. I read somewhere before I went that because this a holy site, it best to be dressed as if you were going to church -- no tank tops or short shorts. Enjoy your trip.

 

Thanks for the info. I wanted to make sure before I start packing. Our cruise is coming up fast.

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I think the tours in Ephesus are worse than most about insisting on taking you to a "shopping opportunity" as part of your tour. I would no longer recommend Ekol Tours for this very reason. I've been very concerned about it, because I really do NOT like to take a private tour where my wishes are disregarded!

 

I've recently been in communication with a relatively new agency to Ephesus -- but I have used them twice for tours in Egypt (where these shopping stops can be a similar problem).

 

The owner was very clear that they will listen to what their customers want on a private tour, and that no shopping means no shopping!! I had a great experience with them in Egypt (you can read my detailed review at the link below) and I have every reason to think they'll be just as customer-focused in Turkey.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1297722

 

I'd be happy to provide contact info if anyone is interested in looking into their tours as a good alternative.

 

Hello Cruisemom! I would be interested in knowing the name of tour company that you were so pleased with. I am sure others would support a company that did not give us attitude if we said no demo tours. It is my first trip to Turkey and I feel anxious about high pressure sales pitches, since all I want is a good tour. Thank you.

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Hello Cruisemom! I would be interested in knowing the name of tour company that you were so pleased with. I am sure others would support a company that did not give us attitude if we said no demo tours. It is my first trip to Turkey and I feel anxious about high pressure sales pitches, since all I want is a good tour. Thank you.

 

I hear you on that! With me, it's not so much anxiety about the sales pitches, it's just annoyance. I'd rather spend the time I booked with a private tour doing an actual tour, not shopping!

 

At any rate, the company was previously called Egypt Private Excursions, but now they've expanded their successful operations into Turkey as well under the name Turkey Ports of Call. They offer tours in all the major ports in Turkey. The website (still very new, so if there are a few glitches, they will soon be fixed) is: http://turkeyportsofcall.com/

 

As I said earlier, I haven't taken a tour with them in Turkey, but it is the same owner as I've used twice in Egypt, and they are very customer-focused. You just have to communicate what you want out of your day and if it's possible, they will make it happen. At least, that was my experience with their tours in Alexandria and in Cairo. And never was there a forced shopping opportunity... ;)

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I hear you on that! With me, it's not so much anxiety about the sales pitches, it's just annoyance. I'd rather spend the time I booked with a private tour doing an actual tour, not shopping!

 

At any rate, the company was previously called Egypt Private Excursions, but now they've expanded their successful operations into Turkey as well under the name Turkey Ports of Call. They offer tours in all the major ports in Turkey. The website (still very new, so if there are a few glitches, they will soon be fixed) is: http://turkeyportsofcall.com/

 

As I said earlier, I haven't taken a tour with them in Turkey, but it is the same owner as I've used twice in Egypt, and they are very customer-focused. You just have to communicate what you want out of your day and if it's possible, they will make it happen. At least, that was my experience with their tours in Alexandria and in Cairo. And never was there a forced shopping opportunity... ;)

 

Thank you for the recommendation. I have checked out their website and it seems fine. I only viewed their offerings, but found no glitches.

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We used Taner from Kagan Kosagan's guide service for Kusadasi & Ephesus: http://www.tourguidesinturkey.com/

 

One of the unexpected highlights was being taken to the beach and discovering a bridal party there. We learned of a Turkish custom of paying anyone who got in the way of the couple's car to get out of the way. The bride & groom permitted us to take photos. Here is one!

IMG_0651.jpg.146a379333016603ee9c3351d0bc41fd.jpg

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We used Taner from Kagan Kosagan's guide service for Kusadasi & Ephesus: http://www.tourguidesinturkey.com/

 

One of the unexpected highlights was being taken to the beach and discovering a bridal party there. We learned of a Turkish custom of paying anyone who got in the way of the couple's car to get out of the way. The bride & groom permitted us to take photos. Here is one!

 

Hi TLMAalum

I apologize for going off topic here but I noticed you used Anemos Boat with Captain Stalith on for your trip back from Ammoudi Bay to Old Port in Santorini and wondering how that worked out for you. If you can email me at dolfans0704@gmail.com to provide me with feedback, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks! :)

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