10 Best Small-Group Tours in Ephesus

1.Small Group Tour for Cruise Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,100 reviews · 5 hours · from $29Our pick

From Kusadasi Cruise Port, you’ll travel by air-conditioned Mercedes van with an English-speaking guide such as Tas, Nesli, Ahmet, or Melike. See the House of Virgin Mary, Ephesus, and the Temple of Artemis, then enjoy Turkish lunch and a carpet-weaving demonstration. The five-hour route is built for cruise passengers and small groups.

“This was a great tour and the guide was excellent- friendly and helpful. Her knowledge was also very good and she was easy to understand. Very happy with our experience in Ephesus.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Ephesus Cruiser Private or Small Group Tour, Ticket and Lunch Opt

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 490 reviews · 4 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $14Best value

You’ll visit Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, Selcuk, and the Virgin Mary’s House in 4 to 6 hours with a private vehicle, guide, bottled water, and lunch. Guides such as Nafia, Gul, Eda, and Öznur are praised for flexible pacing and clear explanations. Entrance fees are extra, and optional craft-shop stops may require firm boundaries.

“First of all Nafia...she is AMAZING!!! She picked us up on time, she was organized, had us beat the crowds, she is super knowledgeable, and made the whole experience feel like we were out with a friend! Nafia is a BOSS!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Pamukkale Small Group Tour From Kusadasi or Selcuk Hotels

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 393 reviews · 9 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $72

Travel from your Kusadasi or Selcuk hotel to Pamukkale in a fully air-conditioned vehicle with a licensed English-speaking guide. Walk barefoot across the white travertines, explore Hierapolis Theater, Odeon, Roman Baths, and the archaeology museum, then return after lunch. Entrance fees and Cleopatra’s Pool cost extra.

“Our tour guide was excellent, provided lots of historical insights into Turkey and Pamukkale. It was a long day, but was worth it as Pamukkale is really a unique place.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Pamukkale Small Group Tour From Kusadasi or Selcuk

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 220 reviews · 9 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $83

Travel from Kusadasi or Selcuk to Pamukkale and ancient Hierapolis in an air-conditioned vehicle with guide Melis or another licensed guide. You get hotel transfers, lunch, the Roman theater, thermal terraces, and the archaeology museum. Plan for a long day, extra entrance costs, and a group that may be larger than expected.

“It was an amazing experience guide was very good.. knowledgeable ..comfortable ride we thoroughly enjoyed Thank you..”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Ephesus and Artemis Skip-the-line Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 113 reviews · from $29

Meet your guide at Kusadasi Cruise Terminal or a listed hotel, then ride 20 minutes to Ephesus for a two-hour guided walk past the Library of Celsus, Grand Theater, and marble streets. Finish at the Temple of Artemis before returning to port. Groups reach 16 people, with private tours available.

“Awesome! It was just 4 of us. Our guide, Rosie, was perfect. Let us do our thing. Very inexpensive compared to other group tours.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.From Kusadasi/Selcuk: Highlights of Ephesus Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 64 reviews · 7 - 8 hours · from $100

Travel in a group of no more than 12 with an English or Spanish-speaking guide such as Nizam, Gul, Vedat, or Nazim. See the House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus, Artemis Temple, and Sirince, with lunch and entry fees included.

“It was a nice day seeing Ephesus (about 2 hours and it could have been more) and other key locations as explained in the tour description. Lunch was also a very nice meal. Do bring plenty of water, if you come during the hot season, as well as a hat/(s)umbrella; you'll need it! Our guide Mel(ike) was fun and knowledgeable, and the van comfortable. We spent too much time in two 'touristic selling points' (it was nice to be there but too long)... I wished we'd had time for a quick visit to the nearby St. John's Basilica and Mosque, but there's only so much you can do in a…”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.From Kusadasi: Full Day Private or Small Group Ephesus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 50 reviews · from $23

From Kusadasi Cruise Pier, take a five-hour private or small-group tour through Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, Isa Bey Mosque, and the Temple of Artemis. Your licensed English- or Spanish-speaking guide can adjust the pace and focus. Guides such as Ali and Alex are praised for clear explanations and friendly service.

“We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to Furkan Karagun, our private tour guide, for the outstanding experience we had in Ephesus, Turkey. His in-depth knowledge of the sites we visited and thoughtful consideration of our preferences were impressive. The special surprise (birthday song & cake) he arranged for my husband, Joseph, at Firca quartz ceramic was a delightful gesture. We also commend the owner of Firca and his family for their warm hospitality, respect, and excellent customer service skills. Furthermore, we thank our private tour driver, Necip, for his safe and comfortable transportation throughout the trip. We praise Furkan and his team for creating a memorable exper...”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Ephesus & House of Mary Small Group Tour w/Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 28 reviews · from $26

Spend seven hours visiting Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, the Temple of Artemis, and nearby sights from Kusadasi. An English-speaking guide leads the tour, with air-conditioned transport and lunch included. The $26 price is appealing, but Ephesus and House of Mary entrance fees are extra.

“First of all, nothing was written about the cost of entry to Maria's House. The additional cost of 30 euros for two people is a lot. The rest I rate very good first of all a good guide. Lunch was not sensational either.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Ephesus Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 26 reviews · 6 hours · from $117

Travel from Kusadasi or Selcuk to the House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus, and the Temple of Artemis in a small air-conditioned minibus. Your English-speaking guide leads a two-hour walk through Ephesus, explains its monuments and legends, and leaves time for lunch, local shopping, and photos.

“We had the perfect tour guide! Sahnay really “read” our group of 9. He was very knowledgeable and he taught us so much about Turkey as well as the sights we were seeing. I highly recommend this tour and guide”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Small Group Tour for Cruise Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 16 reviews · 5 hours · from $20

Meet your English-speaking guide at the Kusadasi cruise-port exit for a five-hour tour of Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, and the Temple of Artemis. Guides such as Nina, Kaya, Ya Cuz, and Serdar have earned praise for clear history talks and flexible pacing. Transport, driver, and guide are included, but entrance fees and lunch are extra.

“Our guide, Serdar, did an excellent job of explaining the history and cultural significance of the area. I would highly recommend this tour.”

Check availability →Read our full review