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DIY Ephesus and Terrace Houses- Kusadasi

The group tours from Kusadasi to Ephesus don't seem to spend to give you much time at the Terrace Houses in Ephesus and a customized private tour is too expensive.
Has anyone just taken a bus, taxi or shuttle from the port at Kusadasi to/from Ephesus and done the tour themselves?
I'd want to be dropped off at the top and then picked up at the bottom entrance of Ephesus
Any recommendations of a taxi or shuttle company or a tour that covers both places? (yes, I know that the terrace houses are an additional entrance fee at Ephesus, which is fine, but we want to take our time there and not be rushed by a group tour.)

Posted by
7595 posts

Can't help you on a tour, we did the Terrace Houses our last time at Ephesus and it is definitely worth the extra cost. We were on a guided tour and not rushed.

Posted by
2111 posts

Derek,
The Terrace Houses are great, and likely more restoration has been done since we visited.
BUT, it seems I recall, the number of people who can visit at any one time is limited, so before taking a taxi there on your own, I would advise making sure you have your timed ticket reserved.

Posted by
712 posts

We arrived by ship and had a private tour for four of us for the day. There was a driver and a tour guide.
They gave us time to see what we wanted and even got to stop for lunch at a nice restaurant.
They guide was very knowledgeable.
The Company was Ephesusporttours.
The email address I have for them is:
ephesusporttours@hotmail.com

Posted by
14 posts

Thank you for the tour information. We will dock in Kusadasi and want to see as much of Ephesus as our one day in port allows. This is just what I was looking for. So much more inclusive than the offerings from the ship and we can tailor it to our desires and time frame.

Any problems getting back to your ship on-time?

Posted by
2020 posts

We visited for the day while on a cruise. We took a taxi and did the site on our own, no tour or guide involved. The cabs closest to the ship wanted outrageous prices, but the prices declined the farther from the ship we walked. We bought a booklet of the site for around $5, not because we especially wanted it but as a deterrent to the next 100 hawkers who tried to sell us one. I just got tired of saying no thanks and held it prominently in my hand. The driver dropped us and picked us up at the designated time/ place and we felt we had ample time for a meaningful visit. Our visit included the Terrace Houses but I do not recall a timed entry ticket. We were there in late September or early October. We also had a nice meal by the dock when we returned. Be sure to clearly arrange your price before getting into the cab. We certainly did,but at the end he wanted nearly twice the amount we had agreed upon. We refused, a discussion ensued, cab drivers nearby began watching and we started getting nervous. Luckily our driver’s attempt to cheat us was so pathetic...it truly was as obvious to him as it was to us...that we just started to laugh, handed him the real amount and walked away. No problem. In nearly 50 years of travel, this was only the second rip off by a driver we’d experienced so I will continue to believe that the vast majority are honest and we just pulled a fluke.