ITINERARY

• Dating back to 6th Century B.C, and also known as one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the world, is The Temple of Artemis. Built by the Lycian King, Kreisos, you will get to marvel at the large marble foundations still standing in the surrounding swamp lands. You can witness the craftsmanship with the stone carvings and wonder what an amazing sight this must have been in its day. A lot of the ruins are now housed in the London British Museum.
• Moving on from one wonder to the next, you will also get to visit the Ancient City of Ephesus. Although not listed as a wonder of the world, it truly is a magnificent sight. Once a thriving Roman city, dating back to 10th Century B.C., your tour guide will walk you through so you can take in some of the best preserved ruins of our time.
• Inside the Hadrian Temple above the door, a human figure, probably Medusa stands with ornaments of acanthus leaves. On both sides there are friezes depicting the story of the foundation of Ephesus
• You will also visit the Great Theater which in its day could hold up to 25,000 people and is still occasionally used for concerts today.
• the impressive Celsius Library that once used to house over 12,000 scrolls. Whilst at Ephesus you will also get to visit the Terrace Houses. These were the houses of the rich and famous of their time.
• The houses had heated flooring and their own private hamaam baths in them, making them as luxurious as any home you would live in today. The houses were decorated with ornate tiling and mosaic flooring that have been well excavated for you to enjoy.
• Not too far away from Ephesus, upon a hilltop offering fantastic panoramic views over the area, sits the House of the Virgin Mary. Said to be the house in which she spent the last of her years, it has now become quite the pilgrimage sight for people from all walks of life. It is rumored that John the Baptist was also here, as it is believed he was the one who brought Mary to this house to see out her years.
• Other saints are believed to have spent time in this area, with the Basilica of St John said to be built upon the remains of John the Apostle. The church was built back in 548 and was finished 17 years later in 565. Its architecture has been styled upon the Church of the Holy Apostles in Istanbul. For its time, it was known as one of the holiest churches of the region.
• Sitting above the Basilica of St John is the ruined Selcuk Ottoman Castle. As it is the highest point that overlooks all of Selcuk, the views are amazing. You will have a quick stop here to grab your photos of the amazing historical lands that lie beneath it.
• Last on our agenda is heading back to Kusadasi to take in the sunset from Pigeon Island. A true symbol of the town, the island juts out into the ocean and has an ancient Byzantine Castle sitting upon it. The castle has a museum inside, but taking the time out to just enjoy the views looking back over Kusadasi makes the last stop of the day well worth it.