Ephesus, Turkey ⋆ Get Out and Travel

Ephesus, Turkey

We are so lucky that we have been able to visit Turkey. Our family is truly blown away by the beauty of this country. The beautiful landscapes and inviting people are awesome. Ephesus Deluxe is our guide for the sites on this tour. Dennis is professional and prompt in all of our interactions during the booking process. Definitely choose a tour of Ephesus which includes an upgrade to the Terrace Houses.

Pick Up And Virgin Mary’s House

Our driver and tour guide meet our group of eight at the port. We are given an excellent introduction to their country as we drive to our destinations. We get to visit The Virgin Mary’s house first. They do this so that we will arrive before all of the large groups. Their knowledge proves perfect as we are walking to the mini-bus as the first large tour buses arrive. Mary’s House is surreal. Informational postings are throughout the site to explain the history. This is the home where Apostle John takes her to live after Jesus’ death. The majority of the structure has been rebuilt, but the foundation and lower one to two feet of the walls are original.

Another feature of this site is the prayer / wishing wall. This area allows visitors to affix a piece of paper with a written prayer, thought, or wish onto a wall. Note that the pieces of paper are scheduled to be burned on a routine basis to allow more visitors to access this experience. There is also an area adjacent where visitors can light candles.

Terrace Houses

After Mary’s House, our next stop is the Terrace Houses. The walkway / road through this area is original stone / marble. These stones are very slick in places and uneven, as a result, we suggest that you wear sturdy flat shoes. The Terrace Houses were built by the Romans and date back to between 1 B.C. and 7 A.D. We recommend to upgrade tour / ticket to visit inside the Terrace Houses. The history and cultural innovation is amazing. These complex structures include marble walls, mosaic floors, and hot water for bathing! The majority of the houses had yet to be excavated at the time of our visit. Historians estimate that it could take an additional 200 years to uncover everything.

Terrace House mosaic floor

Library of Celsus

Just down from the Terrace Houses, is the Library of Celsus. The front steps and pillars of the library remain and the excavation of this site is ongoing at the time of our visit. This location is beautiful!

So Much To See

Walking down the roadway among the Terrace Houses and through Ephesus, there are interesting remnants of statues and frescoes. You can touch most everything. Below is an example;

The Goddess Nike in the background

The Rug Factory

Part of our tour (and from what we know about ALL tours in Turkey) in this area includes a stop at a small rug manufacturer. It is our understanding that this is a requirement by the government tourism agency. We are somewhat apprehensive, but I can assure you that there is minimal pressure to purchase. It is quite educational to see the rugs being made. You will gain an appreciation for the amount of time and effort required to produce the beautiful rugs. The tour does include a sales presentation which includes multiple sizes and price points. Free shipping to your home is part of any purchase. Our tour and tour company include a delicious lunch which ends with Raki for the adults!

Hand made rug

St John’s Basilica

Our last stop in Turkey features the remains of St. John’s Basilica, the Tomb of St. John, and the actual baptismal pool. While touring the site, we notice examples of writings on the walls. Most impressive to us though was the actual tomb of St. John.