Day Trips and Excursions from Kuşadası

The palm fringed stretches of the Aegean Sea in Kuşadası, Turkey, would appeal to any sea lover. However, its azure waters and golden sands are the threshold of inland delights. Ancient ruins, timeless villages, Mediterranean gastronomy and one of Turkey’s most photographed destinations lie within less than 2 hours from Kuşadası’s cruise port.

Book a day trip or tour from Kuşadası during your cruise or beach holiday. Discover the relics of Ephesus, Hierapolis, Miletos and Didyma. Walk in the steps of Jesus’s mother and John the Baptist. Step through cascading mineral springs caught in travertine pools. Create a day you’ll never forget in southwestern Turkey.

Ephesus

The world’s second-largest open-air museum is just a 25-minute drive from the cruise port of Kuşadası. Explore the ruins of Ephesus, a Greco-Roman town that features one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and the home of the Virgin Mary.

Wandering the remains of this city is a lesson on western civilization. The city was established more than 3,000 years ago and bears the marks left by ancient Hittites, Goths, Ottomans and much more. It was one of the cities of the Greek Ionian League before its conversion into the second-largest city of the Roman Empire.

Enter the Magnesia Gate and follow the marble roads to temples, fountains, statues and homes. Highlights of tours in Ephesus are the Temple of Artemis, a 24,000-seat theater, opulent terrace houses and the Library of Celsus. On longer tours, you’ll visit the senate building, the baths of Scholastica and the hospital. Don't miss the Ephesus Museum, which also houses artifacts, ranging from statues to mosaics.

Ephesus is located in modern Selçuk, which is often a highlight for shopping and gastronomy tours from Kuşadası. Selçuk’s leather goods have earned international renown, along with its rugs and ceramics. Workshop tours give you a chance to witness the intricate and painstaking work that goes into these coveted products.

Pamukkale

Pamukkale’s travertine shelves filled with turquoise mineral water have been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Pamukkale translates to “Cotton Castle,” and that appealing moniker seems to fit the fairy tale scene.

The area has lured visitors to its healing waters for eons. Visitors to the pools can step or sit right in the waters, just as people have done since ancient times. Day trips to the area usually include a stop at Cleopatra’s Pools, a private facility nearby. Here you can swim among what’s thought to be the submerged ruins of Apollo’s temple.

House of the Virgin Mary

Ephesus houses several very significant Biblical sites, the most enticing being the possible Home of the Virgin Mary. She is said to have traveled to Ephesus with John the Apostle after Christ’s crucifixion. The house where she spent the last decade of her life is a famous destination for pilgrims.

The tranquil site, nestled in a lush mountain setting, offers a unique spiritual experience with its humble, chapel-like structure. The nearby "Wall of Wishes" where visitors tie personal messages on pieces of cloth or paper, adds an interactive element to this holy place, symbolizing prayers offered to the Virgin Mary.

Artemis Temple

The Virgin Mary isn’t the only woman to draw the pious to Ephesus. Artemis, the daughter of Zeus, was the goddess of the hunt and was revered enough to earn a grand temple in her honor. The Artemis Temple saw more than its share of destruction. It was heavily damaged several times by fire and flood over its nearly 3,000 years.

As a testament to Artemis’s popularity, the building was reconstructed each time until its final destruction by the Goths. Despite the Goths’ best efforts, the imposing columns still stand sentry around the ruins of the central temple.

Hierapolis

Sitting next to Pamukkale is Hierapolis, Greek for “Holy City.” UNESCO now protects the ruined city that dates to the second century B.C.E. At Hierapolis, you can see traces of Roman occupation as well. Wander among sarcophagi, baths, temples and columns, and don’t miss the Roman theater that could seat up to 15,000 spectators.

Moreover, the Hierapolis Archaeology Museum, housed in the ancient Roman baths, offers a fascinating collection of artifacts revealing the city's rich historical and cultural tapestry.

Didyma

Sitting on Turkey’s west coast is Didyma, one of three Ionian archeological sites near Kuşadası. Here you’ll find the impressive Temple of Apollo, the fourth-largest in Ancient Greece. The imposing Medusa stone head, a striking element at the temple, offers a unique insight into the intricate artistry and mythology of the ancient world.

The temple contained an oracle that leaders like Diocleatian and Alexander the Great consulted. The remnants of a sacred road still connect Didyma to neighboring Miletos.

Miletos

The Ionian city of Miletos was a center of Greek power for nearly 1,500 years. The city’s immense theater was first built by the Greeks before the Romans added their touch centuries later. Spy Miletos’s stadium ruins, fortifications and gates, and the baths of Faustina. Its perch above the Meander River makes for a stunning photo op.

The Sacred Way, a historic road linking Miletos to Didyma, was a significant religious path in ancient times, still visible today. The city's well-preserved agora, a central public space used for assemblies and markets, offers a glimpse into the social and economic life of this influential Greek civilization.