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Kusadasi / 3, 4 & 7 Day Cruises |
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Kusadasi, Turkey - Gateway to Ephesus
This busy port town is best known as the gateway to the magnificent ruins of Ephesus, one of the best preserved Greek / Roman cities in Asia Minor. Our tour takes you to this archaic treasure, with an option to see the site of the home where the Virgin Mary is believed to have spent her last days.
(KUS-01) Ephesus & the House of the Virgin Mary
By air-conditioned motor coach / foot
Duration: 3 ½ hours, minimum 20 participants
Begin your tour with a drive through the colorful and bustling town of Kusadasi and along the coastal highway to Mt. Koressos. Situated in a small valley, it is here where you will visit the humble chapel built on the site of the house where the Virgin Mary is reputed to have spent her last days. Despite many controversies, the Christian World still favours this belief and the site has been officially sanctioned by the Vatican for pilgrimage.
Continue on to the site of Ancient Ephesus and accompanied by your Turkish guide, walk through the Magnesian Gate - entrance to the ancient city of Ephesus.
Your guided walking tour will take you through one of the most magnificent excavated cities in the world. See the Odeon (concert hall), the Fountain of Trajan, the steam-heated Baths of Scolastika, the Temple of Hadrian and the Latrians, the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre of Ephesus - largest theater in antiquity with a capacity of 24,000 - St. Paul preached here.
Walk back to your motor coach along the Arcadian Way, where Mark Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in procession as newlyweds.
On the drive back to Kusadasi, just outside Ephesus - view the Basilica of St. John erected on the site of his grave in the 6th Century AD by the Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora. Just down the hill lies the site of the Temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Although now in ruins, for those people who saw it, it was not just a temple... it was the most beautiful structure on earth...
The temple was described by Philon of Byzantium as such: I have seen the walls and Hanging Gardens of ancient Babylon, the statue of Olympian Zeus, the Colossus of Rhodes, the mighty work of the high Pyramids and the tomb of Mausolus. But when I saw the temple at Ephesus rising to the clouds, all these other wonders were put in the shade.
Before returning to your Monarch Classic Cruises ship, enjoy free time in Kusadasi to visit the local bazaar for items such as carpets, jewellery, local souvenirs, leather goods and Turkish delights.
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PLEASE NOTE!
- Comfortable, non-slip shoes are recommended due to walking required visiting certain sites.
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(KUS-02) Ancient Ephesus
By air-conditioned motor coach / foot
Duration: 3 hours, minimum 20 participants
Drive through the colorful town of Kusadasi and along the coast through verdant countryside to reach Ephesus, famous in antiquity for its Temple of Artemis - one of the seven wonders of the ancient world - and later the home of St. John.
During the years of the Roman Empire, the Greek port of Ephesus became the greatest city in Asia Minor. Upon arrival at Ephesus, leave your motor coach and follow your guide, to enter this amazing ancient city through the Magnesian Gate. Here, discover innumerable monuments including the Forum, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the Thermal Baths of Scolastika and the Great Theatre of Antiquity built in the Greek era and reconstructed in the Roman period, which is still noted for its remarkable acoustics.
View the symbols all around and marvel at the fact that one is still able to read the inscriptions in the ancient Greek language.
Walk back to your motor coach along the Arcadian Way, where once Mark Antony and Cleopatra rode in procession.
On the drive back to Kusadasi, just outside Ephesus - view the Basilica of St. John erected on the site of his grave in the 6th Century AD by the Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora.
Just down the hill lies the site of the Temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Although now in ruins, for those people who saw it, it was not just a temple... it was the most beautiful structure on earth...
The temple was described by Philon of Byzantium as such: I have seen the walls and Hanging Gardens of ancient Babylon, the statue of Olympian Zeus, the Colossus of Rhodes, the mighty work of the high Pyramids and the tomb of Mausolus. But when I saw the temple at Ephesus rising to the clouds, all these other wonders were put in the shade.
Before returning to the ship, enjoy free time in Kusadasi to shop for every conceivable item, such as carpets, jewellery, local souvenirs, leather goods and Turkish delights. |
PLease Note:
- Due to some walking at certain sites, comfortable and non-slip shoes are recommended.
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