Observe the spectacular ruins in Ephesus, including an excavated complex of residential Terrace Houses that offer great insight into the daily lives of the inhabitants.

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a leisurely ride to Ephesus, which was once the second largest city in the Roman Empire. Starting at the Magnesia Gate, you will walk past a series of excavated ruins that reveal the beauty of this venerable World Heritage site.

You might see the classical Grand Theater where St. Paul preached, the Fountain of Trajan with its regal statue of the emperor and the Library of Celsus, a monument constructed as a mausoleum with a separate library for scrolls and codexes. One column of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, also remains.

Across from Hadrian’s Temple on the slopes of Bulbul Mountain lie the Terrace Houses. These residences for the affluent date to the 1st century B.C. and showcase the surprisingly sophisticated Ephesian way of life known in Latin as modus vivendi. They are adorned with mosaics and frescoes, had hot and cold water, and heating pipes running beneath the floors.

The Terrace Houses line streets that form a grid by intersecting each other at right angles. The ancient Greek architect Hippodamus of Miletus, who is considered the Father of European Urban Planning, designed the plan.

Back in Kusadasi, you might spend free time shopping or stay in town longer for an enlightening carpet lecture.

Explore a collection of revealing ancient sites that include the remains of temples and residences in the city of Ephesus and a house that may have been the Virgin Mary’s.

After departing from the pier, you will drive through the countryside to the House of the Virgin, which lies in a nature park. Believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary, the small stone building contains a bedroom, kitchen and an altar adorned with images of Mary.

Although archaeologists date the building to the 6th century, the foundations may be from the 1st century, the time of Mary. A sacred spring known as the Fountain of Our Lady runs under the house, and you will be welcome to drink from it. The spring is said to have healing powers.

Your next stop will be revered Ephesus, a World Heritage site that may well be the best-preserved ancient city in the region. After passing the Magnesia Gate, you will behold one renowned excavated site after another.

There is the Great Theater where St. Paul preached the Gospel, the Fountain of Trajan with its regal statue of the emperor and the Library of Celsus, a monument constructed as a mausoleum with a separate library for scrolls and codexes. One column of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, also remains.

Once you drive back to Kusadasi, you may return to the pier or stay in town for an enlightening carpet lecture or shopping.

Gain an understanding of the ancient world by exploring the ruins in Ephesus and then wander through the traditional village of Sirince and sample its renowned fruit wines.

After departing from the pier, you will drive inland to Ephesus, perhaps the best-preserved ancient city in the region. As you meander through the painstakingly excavated ruins of this World Heritage site, you will behold one spectacular building after another.

You can expect to see the Great Theater where St. Paul preached the Gospel, the Fountain of Trajan with its regal statue of the emperor and the Library of Celsus, a monument constructed as a mausoleum with a separate library for scrolls and codexes. The ruins present a rich picture of life in the ancient world.

Nearby, you will find Sirince, a hillside village surrounded by peach orchards, vineyards and olive groves. Most of the stone-and-stucco residences are painted white with red-tiled roofs, giving the village a wonderfully uniform and traditional appearance.

While meandering through the atmospheric streets, you will pause to sample some of the local fruit wine. The varieties include melon, pomegranate and kiwi, all of which are prized for their sweetness.

Back in Kusadasi, you will enjoy free time to shop for popular items such as gold jewelry and decorative ceramics. If you wish to buy a Turkish carpet, you might first attend a lecture on the subject to glean valuable information before making the purchase.

Walk through the excavated ruins in Ephesus, Turkey’s most celebrated archaeological site, and discover how the ruins bring the past vividly to life.

After departing from the pier, you will drive inland to Ephesus, perhaps the best-preserved ancient city in the region. As you meander through the painstakingly excavated ruins of this World Heritage site, you will behold one spectacular building after another.

You can expect to see the Great Theater where St. Paul spent three years in the 1st century preaching the Gospel. The theater can hold 25,000 spectators, so you can imagine the scene when the house was full for momentous events.

According to written history, a large Jewish community lived in Ephesus but no synagogue has yet been excavated. However, a Jewish lamp has been found, confirming the texts that described the Jewish residents.

The Library of Celsus is another architectural highlight. The monument was constructed as a mausoleum with a separate library for scrolls and codexes. It was named for the city’s Roman governor in the 2nd century.

One column of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, also remains. The first temple of its size to be built entirely of marble, it was considerably larger the Parthenon. The Roman author, philosopher and military commander Pliny the Elder wrote about the temple in detail, including its measurements and furnishings.

Delve into ancient history by visiting extraordinary attractions such as the House of the Virgin Mary, the remains of the Temple of Artemis and Ephesus Museum.

After departing from the pier, you will drive through the countryside to the House of the Virgin, which lies in a nature park. Believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary, the small stone building contains a bedroom, kitchen and an altar adorned with images of Mary. A sacred spring known as the Fountain of Our Lady runs under the house.

Continuing on, you will pass the ancient city of Ephesus and drive into the nearby village of Selcuk while the guide elaborates on their historical significance. Selcuk is home to the Ephesus Museum, whose collection includes many of the area’s prized artifacts.

Unlike archaeological museums that display items chronologically, the Ephesus Museum exhibits them by theme, so you can easily concentrate on specific areas of interest. There are rooms devoted to ancient coins, artifacts from the Terrace Houses and the Temple of Artemis.

The temple was rebuilt several times after being destroyed by an arsonist, damaged by invaders and torn down by a Christian mob. Its final version was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. You will see the temple’s lone surviving column and a few scattered remnants on the outskirts of Ephesus.

Once you drive back to Kusadasi, you may return to the pier or stay in town for an enlightening carpet lecture or shopping.

Experience country life in a village near Kusadasi, where you will mingle with the residents and help them harvest crops. You might discover how the villagers spend most days, earn livings and view the rest of the world. This frank, face-to-face conversation will offer great insight into country life, and you can expect the villagers to reciprocate and ask about your life. A meandering walk through the village will bring you to fields of fruits or vegetables, depending on the season. There, you will have the opportunity to join the villagers as they harvest the farm’s crops. What better way to experience rural life than to be a genuine part of it, sharing each moment as if you were a local? Chances are, you will work up an appetite, which will easily be appeased with a hearty Turkish breakfast, known as “kahvalti.” It typically includes cheeses, black and green olives, spicy sausages, fruit preserves and fresh-baked bread.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Mingle with the locals in a small village on the outskirts of Kusadasi.
• Learn about the farmers’ rural lifestyle and join them in a harvest, if you wish.
• Enjoy a hearty Turkish breakfast with country favorites such as sausage, cheeses and olives.

See some of the most sacred sites in ancient Turkey, including the house where the Virgin Mary supposedly lived and the basilica under which Saint John may be buried.

After departing from the pier, you will drive through the countryside to the House of the Virgin, which lies in a nature park. Believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary, the small stone building contains a bedroom, kitchen and an altar adorned with images of Mary.

Although archaeologists date the existing building to the 6th century, the foundations are much older, perhaps from the 1st century, the time of Mary. A sacred spring known as the Fountain of Our Lady runs under the house, and you will be welcome to drink from it.

You will next stop at the ruins of St. John’s Basilica. Built in the 6th century, the church stood over the spot where St. John is supposedly buried. Although a Mongol army destroyed the building and pillaged materials, part of the basilica has been restored to show its scope.

Similarly, you will view the ruins of the Temple of Artemis. Invaders also damaged it, as did an arsonist and a Christian mob. The final version of the renovated temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. All that remains is one column and a few scattered remnants.

Once you drive back to Kusadasi, you may return to the pier or stay in town for an enlightening carpet lecture or shopping.

OVERVIEW

Savor an extraordinarily inventive meal made with locally sourced ingredients in Caferli, a rural village at the edge of a vast agricultural area. Not long after driving past the coastal communities south of Kusadasi, you will turn inland and begin to see a number of farms and orchards. If you weren’t looking for it, Caferli would be easy to miss as its population is less than 100. Even so, this teeny village boasts a spectacular restaurant called Ciy, which sits in a photogenic setting shaded by olive trees. There, award-winning chef Dalma Ugurtas will prepare your meal using succulent meats from the surrounding area and fruits and vegetables that she has selected that day from the restaurant’s gardens. The exact menu will depend on what’s freshest and seasonal. Regardless, it will feature what Chef Ugurtas calls “regenerative Mediterranean cuisine,” in which traditional Turkish ingredients are prepared with innovative Western techniques.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a leisurely drive into the countryside while the guide describes the region’s history.
• Pass through idyllic farms and orchards on the way to the small village of Caferli.
• Savor an innovative dinner of “regenerative Mediterranean cuisine” at the restaurant Ciy.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Enjoy spectacular views of the countryside, stopping on occasion at key attractions such as the House of the Virgin Mary and the white-washed village of Sirince.

After departing from the pier, you will drive through the countryside to the House of the Virgin, which lies in a nature park. Believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary, the small stone building contains a bedroom, kitchen and an altar adorned with images of Mary.

Although archaeologists date the existing building to the 6th century, the foundations are much older, perhaps from the 1st century, the time of Mary.

Continuing on, you will pass the ancient city of Ephesus and drive through the village of Selcuk while the guide elaborates on their historical significance. Nearby, you will find Sirince, a hillside village surrounded by peach orchards, vineyards and olive groves.

Most of its stone-and-stucco residences are painted white with red-tiled roofs, giving the village a wonderfully uniform and traditional appearance. While meandering through the atmospheric streets, you will pause to sample some of the local fruit wine. The varieties include melon, pomegranate and kiwi, all of which are prized for their sweetness.

Back in Kusadasi, you will enjoy free time to shop for popular items such as gold jewelry and decorative ceramics. If you wish to buy a Turkish carpet, you might first attend a lecture on the subject to glean valuable information before making the purchase.