Kusadasi

Originally a minor port, Kusadasi now serves as the gateway to Ephesus, one of the ancient world’s largest and most important archaeological and religious sites. Just a half hour drive from the port, Ephesus is where Christian preachers, including St. Paul and St. John, often visited. St. John addresses this city in his Book of Revelation and preached in the Theater of Ephesus. Even one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis, is located here.

The following Shore Excursions are available for this port on this cruise, and may be reserved beginning 180 days before the cruise begins.

The Glories of Ephesus
Tour Code: KSA-003
Duration: 6 1/2 hours
Retail Value: $129.00
Price: Free

Discover the glory of Ephesus during a scenic and informative full-day orientation tour of this remarkable ancient city.

Depart the pier for the drive to the House of the Virgin Mary, located 5 miles from Ephesus on Aladag Mountain. After discovering the house, the Archbishop of Izmir declared it a place of pilgrimage in 1892. On July 26, 1967, Pope Paul VI visited and prayed at this site. From here, you will proceed for a visit to Ephesus. One of the 12 cities of Ionia, it was a major departure point for trade routes into Asia Minor. Ephesus is renowned for its sacred ancient shrines, including a famous temple that is among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Upon arrival at Ephesus, you will visit the beautiful Celsus Library, built in the beginning of the 2nd century AD. You will also see the Grand Theater; one of Ephesus' most impressive buildings, and the site where St. Paul once preached. A visit will then be made to the Temple of Hadrian, located just across the way.

Lunch will be served in the garden of a local handicrafts center that is reminiscent of a typical Turkish village and employs traditional carpet-weaving techniques. After lunch, a stop will be made at the nearby Basilica of St. John before visiting the Ephesus Archeological Museum, which contains two wonderful marble statues of Artemis and 25,000 artifacts found in the ancient city.

Next, you will return to Kusadasi to watch a carpet-weaving demonstration; a now traditional Turkish experience. You will sip apple tea while watching a myriad of colors unfold before your eyes, and have an opportunity to purchase a carpet, if so desired. Afterward, you may opt to re-board the coach for the return drive to the pier, or be dropped off in Kusadasi for shopping and return to the ship on foot.

Please note: Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes for this tour, which involves approximately 2 hours of extensive walking. This tour is not recommended for guests with limited mobility or guests who utilize a wheelchair. At the end of the tour, guests will be dropped off in town, as the buses are not allowed to return them to the Cruise Ship Terminal parking lot. There will be a short walk from the drop-off point in town back to the Kusadasi Terminal Building.

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Terms & Conditions:

Free Unlimited Shore Excursions are for full fare guests only, capacity controlled and subject to availability. Requested excursions may not be available at time of booking. Supplement will apply on Regent Choice excursions (indicated by the above) and excludes Private Arrangements and all Adventures Ashore programs. In order to ensure quality guides and sufficient transportation, we must provide the tour operator with passenger counts at least 36 hours in advance. Therefore no refunds will be given within 36 hours of tour departure for cancellations or no-shows. Please pay special attention to scheduling and tour lengths when booking your shore excursions. In many cases, it is not possible to participate in more than one tour per day in a given port. Tours operate rain or shine. Tours require minimum participation levels to operate so please sign up as early as possible. Tours may be cancelled if minimum participation levels are not met. Prices, Itineraries and General Information shore excursion prices are subject to change to meet unexpected cost increases or currency fluctuations. Please consult the Destination Services Desk onboard for information. During local or national holidays, access to certain facilities (such as museums or archaeological sites) may be limited or denied. In such instances, adjustments will be made to minimize inconvenience to guests. Some tours have limited availability. Tours are generally available for reserving 180 days prior to the beginning of a cruise. Please sign up early to avoid disappointment. Regent Seven Seas Cruises reserves the right to require guests to complete a liability waiver for select shore excursions. For more information, please visit the Destination Services Desk onboard.