House of Virgin Mary and Ephesus Museum
Duration: 3 hours
Tour Code: ksa-002
Explore the ancient city of Ephesus and the surrounding area during this tour of the House of the Virgin Mary, and a visit to the Ephesus Archaeological Museum.
Depart the pier for the drive to the House of the Virgin Mary, located five 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, a visit will be made to the Ephesus Archaeological Museum. Upon arrival, you will view displays of interesting and valuable finds from Ephesus.
At the conclusion of the tour, you will re-board your coach for the return drive to Kusadasi. Time permitting, you may stop in town to explore the shops independently or return directly to the ship.
Please note: Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes for this tour, which involves a few small steps between the halls at the museum, and walking on uneven surfaces and cobblestone paths in some parts at the House of the Virgin Mary. This tour is wheelchair-accessible. 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. The Ephesus Archaeological Museum will be closed through the end of 2013 for renovations. It will be replaced with a visit to the St. John Basilica.