Kusadasi

[Over from NZ]

Unfortunately the ship is only in port from 7am to 2pm. Am thinking by the time we get off there's half an hour gone and we would want to be back no later than 1.30pm to be safe. So it's only 6 hours. Have got a list of ideas of what we wanted to do.. but being realistic on the time-frames.. think we should just nail 2-3 if we can. Or maybe that's not even realistic. We've got a 21 day cruise and most of the excursions are history focused.. ruins, churches etc. We were going to go to Ephesus. Wouldn't mind looking at Pigeon Island and the castle.. and also keen on the market (we're there during the Wednesday clothing market for genuine fakes haha). Sorry about the long story. How much time realistically should you allow for each of those 3 things? Maybe we need to pick just 1 or 2. As much as Ephesus is recommended.. maybe this is the one port where we just do the touristy thing and go to the market and look around the town. I guess what I'm asking is could we make it to Ephesus really early, then enough time to have a good look at the market(s) and make it back to the ship? TIA. 

[John Bull]

Ephesus is about 30 minutes from Kusadasi and opens at 8am, so you can go there straight off the ship. And temperature-wise and crowd-wise that's a good time to go. 

But unless you book a personal tour or use a taxi, you'll not be in control of when you leave.

A taxi will drop you at the entrance where you should be able to pick up a guide or a guidebook, not sure f there are audio-guides. Driver will then wait for you at the other end of the site. But be aware that there's virtually no written info at the site so without a guide you'll not know what you're looking at.

 

On your way back from Ephesus you can decide on the market or Pigeon Island - I don't believe you'll have time for both, mebbe not even for one of them.

Time available and weather might dictate which of the two you should aim for.

 

JB 🙂

[ninjacat123]

4 hours ago, John Bull said:

Ephesus is about 30 minutes from Kusadasi and opens at 8am, so you can go there straight off the ship. And temperature-wise and crowd-wise that's a good time to go. 

But unless you book a personal tour or use a taxi, you'll not be in control of when you leave.

A taxi will drop you at the entrance where you should be able to pick up a guide or a guidebook, not sure f there are audio-guides. Driver will then wait for you at the other end of the site. But be aware that there's virtually no written info at the site so without a guide you'll not know what you're looking at.

 

On your way back from Ephesus you can decide on the market or Pigeon Island - I don't believe you'll have time for both, mebbe not even for one of them.

Time available and weather might dictate which of the two you should aim for.

 

JB 🙂

We are planning a cruise that ports in Kusadesi on October 22.  Would you know if this would be a busy tourist time? Weather-wise, pleasant or hot?  TIA!

[Hlitner]

16 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

We are planning a cruise that ports in Kusadesi on October 22.  Would you know if this would be a busy tourist time? Weather-wise, pleasant or hot?  TIA!

Is should be a good time of year, temperature wise. as one would not expect the very hot temps you get in July-Aug.  As to tourist time, Kusadasi (prior to COVID) would get over 1000 ships per year.  As long as the ships were coming, the touristy part of town (near the port) was busy.  At the end of the cruise season (in late Fall) we have been told that business slows down.

 

One other piece of advice about this Port (we have been there 5 times).  There are several excellent private tour companies in Kusadasi.  Rather than being stuck on a large cruise line excursion (usually groups of over 50) we suggest booking private excursions through one of the local companies  The company we used (twice) is Ekol Tours and they were excellent (especially when we used them to get our own private guide/driver).  But I hesitate to recommend them now since we have not been back since the COVID shutdown and things may have changed.   But on our 4th visit to the region we decided to use them and requested a private guide for just the two of us.  We told them we wanted a guide who have a lot of personal knowledge of the area (we had already heard the usual tour talks) and got an amazing guide (who has since moved to Russia) along with a new van and driver (who also spoke English.   That personal tour actually cost us less than most of the large group cruise line tours but with our own guide we were spared the usual excursion garbage where they take you to a "jewelry factor,' "pottery factory,' etc.  We just spent most of the day in ruins and learned a lot more than on our previous visits (our guide was friends with the curator of the Ephesus ruins).

 

Hank

[John Bull]

17 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

We are planning a cruise that ports in Kusadesi on October 22.  Would you know if this would be a busy tourist time? Weather-wise, pleasant or hot?  TIA!

 

It's out-of-season in the eastern Med., but I can't be specific about Kusadasi.

I couldn't find an official cruise ship schedule for Kusadasi.

Independent websites are less reliable than port websites, but I checked a couple which showed Celestyal Olympia, Mein Schiff 5, and Oceania Nautica in port on 22 October - they're small and medium size ships (if your ship isn't one of these, it would demonstrate how unreliable independent websites are 😉). So in theory not too busy in the port, but of course cruisers aren't the only visitors to Kusadasi & especially Ephesus. And it's a saturday, there might be a weekend boost to visitors

https://www.whatsinport.com/Kusadasi.htm

https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/kusadasi-port-623?tab=schedule&month=2022-10#schedule

 

It won't be too hot in mid-October, but that's when the climate changes from pleasant end-of-summer to sometimes-cold & often-wet beginning-of-autumn.

That was brought home to us quite vividly a few years back. We sailed out of Istanbul to Israel in early October. Weather was glorious in Istanbul, pool deck was packed on the sea-day past Anatolia.

Good weather until a week later as we returned past Anatolia, when it was cold, windy & wet, and the decks were empty. Istanbul was unpleasantly cold.

All of which is the long-winded way of saying at that time of year the weather is in the lap of the gods.

 

JB 🙂

[cruisemom42]

Kusadasi is about 5 and a half hours by car from Istanbul, and I haven't found it to be subject to the same rainy/gray weather as Istanbul in the fall/winter.  May get the rare rainy day, of course, but in general it should be nice. (I have been to Kusadasi on cruises and land trips in October and November. Loved it in late November in Ephesus -- have a photo looking down the main street in the ruins toward the library -- not a soul in sight. And a lovely bright blue sky without no clouds.)

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Kusadasi is about 5 and a half hours by car from Istanbul, and I haven't found it to be subject to the same rainy/gray weather as Istanbul in the fall/winter. 

 

That rain was the day we passed about 50 miles off Kusadasi.

But since Death Valley had flash-floods last week .................... 😉

 

JB 🙂

[travelingman]

Question please.  We will be on the Celestyal Crystal in Nov. 2022 and have a free excursion to Ephesus called "Ancient Ephesus through the ages Hellenistic and Roman".  It seems basically a tour of Ephesus plus the usual "time for shopping for carpets, jewellery, leather and other souvenirs at the end of our tour."  It mentions "We will be able to see .... the Houses of Koressus, where the wealthy families of Ancient Ephesus lived."

It doesn't say visit, just able to see.  Has anyone done this tour and can comment on whether it is just see from a distant or visit them?

Trying to decide whether to do this free tour or take a private that will include visiting the terrace houses.

 

Thank you.

Stan

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, travelingman said:

Question please.  We will be on the Celestyal Crystal in Nov. 2022 and have a free excursion to Ephesus called "Ancient Ephesus through the ages Hellenistic and Roman".  It seems basically a tour of Ephesus plus the usual "time for shopping for carpets, jewellery, leather and other souvenirs at the end of our tour."  It mentions "We will be able to see .... the Houses of Koressus, where the wealthy families of Ancient Ephesus lived."

It doesn't say visit, just able to see.  Has anyone done this tour and can comment on whether it is just see from a distant or visit them?

Trying to decide whether to do this free tour or take a private that will include visiting the terrace houses.

 

Thank you.

Stan

 

It's always a bit risky trying to interpret wording like that. However, given that the Terrace Houses are fully enclosed in a modern roofed building to protect them (and the archaeologists working on them), I am not sure that you could actually "see" them without going inside the building (which would imply a visit).

 

I do agree that they should not be missed. I suppose it's unlikely that you could get clarification from someone in the shore excursion department of Celestyal?

[Markanddonna]

We booked a tour with very limited time with EKOL tours. They have been great communicators and understand our time restrictions. IMHO, skip the House of the Virgin Mary (not substantiated by either history or archaeologists) and concentrate on the main site of Ephesus. You will have time. 

[Hlitner]

 

On 8/11/2022 at 7:39 PM, travelingman said:

Question please.  We will be on the Celestyal Crystal in Nov. 2022 and have a free excursion to Ephesus called "Ancient Ephesus through the ages Hellenistic and Roman".  It seems basically a tour of Ephesus plus the usual "time for shopping for carpets, jewellery, leather and other souvenirs at the end of our tour."  It mentions "We will be able to see .... the Houses of Koressus, where the wealthy families of Ancient Ephesus lived."

It doesn't say visit, just able to see.  Has anyone done this tour and can comment on whether it is just see from a distant or visit them?

Trying to decide whether to do this free tour or take a private that will include visiting the terrace houses.

 

Thank you.

Stan

I agree with Cruisemom that you will not be able to see the Houses of Koressus (also known as the Terrace Houses) without actually entering that part of the ruins (you must climb up steps to see the Terrace Houses below).  Unless things have changed, the normal admission ticket to Ephesus does not include the Terrace Houses which is an additional 5 Euro fee (and worth the money).  When we were last at the ruins we noticed that some tours took the time to take their charges in the Terrace House area while others bypassed that part of the site.  In fact, we heard some very upset folks, who were on a cruise line excursion, that bypassed the Terrace Houses (likely to have more time to take them to a carpet factory).  

 

This is the kind of question where the best answer can only come from your cruise line.  Unfortunately, that might mean waiting until you are aboard and can ask the question at the tour desk.  You might try calling or e-mailing the cruise line but those kind of issues are often not resolved prior to being on a ship.   We have previously noticed some tours that stop at the Terrace House area and give folks the time to go through that part of the ruins, while others might just wander around outside (you are still in ruins).   Inside the Terrace House area (which is covered) the tour guides are not allowed to talk (although I have wondered if they can still use the wireless headphones issued to some tours).   The last time we were at the ruins we actually hired our own guide, and he did not even go inside the Terrace House area as he would not have been much help.  

 

Hank

 

 

[Over from NZ]

Thank you for all the guidance. Am thinking Ephesus at 8am with private tour. Do you think it's worth seeing the castle next to it at Selcuk? 

[Hlitner]

We are not big fans of Selcuk (it has become another touristy town) and the Castle is only memorable (for me) for the views.  If it is part of your tour then certainly enjoy the visit.  If arranging your own private tour then you might want to make it a very short visit.  We have stopped in Selcuk (when we had our own rental car) to grab a bite to eat (and use bathrooms).

 

I am curious to see other posts on this subject as there are likely be be some folks who disagree with our assessment.    

 

I will add one other comment which is only intended for folks who would be in Kusadasi on a Tuesday.  About a 1 hour drive from Kusadasi is the city of Tire that has a large weekly bazaar/market on Tuesday's.  Tire is not a tourist town (I think we were the only tourists to visit when we happened upon the place) and their bazaar is truly genuine.  It is also a very conservative Muslim community which adds to the real Turkish atmosphere (as opposed to the tourist atmosphere in Kusadasi).  

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

7 hours ago, Hlitner said:

I am curious to see other posts on this subject as there are likely be be some folks who disagree with our assessment. 

 

IMHO, the only worthwhile thing in Selcuk is the Ephesus museum. 

[marazul]

Skip the castle and have a more comprehensive tour in Ephesus.  And of course, if you have a private tour say "no shopping!"

Edited August 30, 2022 by marazul

[jy_cruisefan]

On our recent Cruise stop in Kusadasi aboard the Regal Princess, we arranged in advance to book Yucel (Kusadasi Taxi Port) for our transportation directly from the cruise port to the Ancient city of Ephesus, about a 30 minute drive from the port. Let me say that this was a fantastic decision, as we thoroughly enjoyed a wonderful 1/2 day with this kind and and helpful gentleman. I had contacted Yucel directly from his website a few months prior to our journey. We communicated multiple times through What's App, and he responded promptly and efficiently to all of my requests. Yucel was waiting at the port for us when we arrived, with a sign that had our name on it. Yucel's vehicle was extremely clean and well maintained. On our way to Ephesus, Yucel provided us with information on the area as well as how and where to meet him after our visit. He also showed us videos of other attractions in the area, if we wanted to visit them as well. You could feel his passion and love for his city. We highly recommend him if you want to avoid the crowded ship sponsored tours. Upon arrival in Ephesus, he brought directly to the ticket office and entrance. As this was a busy time of year there were multiple guided tours occurring onsite, so you could easily listen in if you wanted any explanation of the sites.  After our tour, he was waiting for us at the exit, and drove us directly back to the port as we had requested. He offers transportation to multiple local attractions if desired.
Kusadasi is definitely a hidden gem, and a wonderful place to visit. The only regret is that we did not have more time there. We will definitely contact Yucel, when we return, and visit some of the other wonderful places.

[CRUIS4ME]

We booked Levant  Solmaz and our group ended up being ten.  He was excellent…absolutely knowledgeable and took us through Ephesus as we have never done before to include the Terrace Houses.    We didn’t have to stop at the rug place, but I asked to do so as we wanted a carpet and were pleased with that stop as we knew what we wanted and could communicate that without having to hear the spiel.   

[bennybear]

22 hours ago, CRUIS4ME said:

We booked Levant  Solmaz and our group ended up being ten.  He was excellent…absolutely knowledgeable and took us through Ephesus as we have never done before to include the Terrace Houses.    We didn’t have to stop at the rug place, but I asked to do so as we wanted a carpet and were pleased with that stop as we knew what we wanted and could communicate that without having to hear the spiel.   

We had a a wonderful tour with him as well to the ancient cities of Priene,  Miletus and Didyma.  

[HarpHarp]

I've got a quick question for our experts. We ar supposed to be in Kusadasi in about a month, but hubby is injured & walking with a cane or walker. 
Any ideas what the bet sights may be or what we should avoid?

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, HarpHarp said:

I've got a quick question for our experts. We ar supposed to be in Kusadasi in about a month, but hubby is injured & walking with a cane or walker. 
Any ideas what the bet sights may be or what we should avoid?

WOW!  This is tough.  Just about everything at this port involves walking (sometimes a lot of walking).  Just thinking out loud, but you might want to think about some kind of wheelchair or scooter that can enable you both to visit places like Ephesus.  Certainly, consider posting this issue on the CC "Disabled Cruise Travel" board (under Special Interest Cruising) to get some feedback from folks familiar with how to deal with mobility challenges.    Also beware that visiting the Terrace Houses (an extra site within the ruins of Ephesus) involves many steps (up and down).

 

Hank

[wineoclock]

6 hours ago, HarpHarp said:

I've got a quick question for our experts. We ar supposed to be in Kusadasi in about a month, but hubby is injured & walking with a cane or walker. 
Any ideas what the bet sights may be or what we should avoid?

I’m limited mobility & use a walking stick. It was difficult but I managed it by having a private guide (can’t remember which company tho) but I’d told them in advance. I wouldn’t have been able to manage in a group & id have held everyone up. 

[bab10]

On 9/18/2022 at 12:43 PM, bennybear said:

We had a a wonderful tour with him as well to the ancient cities of Priene,  Miletus and Didyma.  

We also used him for Ephesus for a group of 8. We thought he was great!

 

Barbara