After hotel pickup, board your early morning flight from Istanbul to Izmir.
Upon arrival, your local guide meets you and takes you to the House of the Virgin Mary, a Christian and Muslim shrine near Ephesus. Legend says that Saint John brought the Virgin Mary to this stone house where she lived her last days. It has been a Christian pilgrimage site since the fifth century, and you can see a wishing wall where thousands of visitors have left prayers.
Continue to Ephesus, once one of the ancient world's greatest cities. It ranked only behind Rome in importance and size during the Roman period (1st century BC). Learn about the importance of key sites including the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Imagine life for the ancient Greeks and Romans as you see the Library of Celsus, the Odeon, Marble Street, Hadrian Temple and the Great Theater.
Stop for a lunch that features delicious Turkish dishes. Afterward, visit the archaeological museum and Basilica of St John before transferring back to Izmir airport for your return flight to Istanbul.
In Istanbul, you are transferred from the airport to your hotel to end your journey.
