Izmir Travel Forum

Hi,

We are taking a cruise and will be arriving to Izmir at 9:00. We have only until 3:00 pm, and we would love to get to see the house of the Virgin Mary as well as the ancient city of Ephesus. We want to contact a guide to take us from Izmir to Ephesus and back. We are 5 people and would prefer a Spanish-speaking guide if possible.

I've been looking online for sites that offer this service, with no luck.

Thank you for your help.

I think you are going to struggle with this plan.
I am not sure how long it will take to get to Ephesus and back but Ephesus is a huge site and will probably take you 3 hours to do a whistle stop tour of the ruin.

That's what I thought originally, but the ship offers tours to Ephesus for the passengers, so that's why I changed my mind. We don't want to do the tour with the ship as we often feel they are overpriced, we would much prefer to do our own thing. But if some people from the ship are going to Ephesus, then we really want to find a way for us to get there as well.

Trip takes about an hour each way so hunt for some travel agents in Izmir and get some prices and try to book before you get there to get that guide. It is true, you won't have too much time, but a smaller party will be quicker and see more than a bigger group. Selcuk town is also a nice stop off before your trip back.
Look here for some
http://www.travelersdigest.com/izmir.htm

We are coming into Ephesus by cruise ship as well in May. I think land tours by cruise lines are over priced. A driver/tour guide will be more personal that a large bus tour. We have booked tours with Adelphia Tours. We have 8 people in air conditioned van with our own driver. We wanted an English speaking driver and they were able to accomodate us. They may have Spanish speaking drivers and guides as well.. info@adelphiatours.com
Hope this helps

There is a Turkish proverb " The one who takes a Turkish bath sweats" This means that you are taking a first class cruise through Med with a Greek cruise ship and find the otganized tour of the ship expencive.
I advice you to pay the ship's tour because:
1- It takes 25 kms from Kusadasi to Ephesus.
2- another 5 kms to the home of Mary.
3- to many tourist waits there to visit the holy place
4- Waiting will lost you too much time.
5- Better take the ship's tour. You will trip with other ship passengers. In case of delay the ship will wait you.
6- If you go there by your conditions you may miss the ship.

MY NOTA: If I was the minister of Turkish Tourism and Culture I would never let those cruise ships to stay at Kusadasi harbour only 6 hours. It is torture for all passengers.

Izmir-Selcuk (Ephesus) 75 km
Selcuk-Ephesus ruins 10 km
Ephesus- Home of Virgin Mary 5 kms
Total 100 kms
Sorry for my mistake I thought that you are arriving at Kusadasi.
Take the organized tour of the ship.