Private Bespoke Ephesus Tour from Kusadasi (Skip the lines)

Out of all the incredible experiences we had throughout our Mediterranean trip, this was our FAVORITE day! ❤️🇹🇷 And so much of that was because of our wonderful guide, Azime. From the beginning, Azime was warm, engaging, knowledgeable and genuinely excited to share her country and culture with us. Most importantly, she connected so beautifully with our 8-year-old son, Phoenix. He absolutely LOVED her, and by the end of the day he had already declared Turkey his favorite day of the entire trip! We began at the House of the Virgin Mary, which was incredibly moving. Having the opportunity to place our hands beneath the holy spring water was a moment we will always remember. From there, we traveled to ancient Ephesus for a full tour, including the remarkable Terrace Houses. Walking through a city thousands of years old is incredible on its own, but having Azime explain how people actually lived there brought everything to life. Seeing the homes, streets, architecture and details that have survived for centuries gave us such an appreciation for this extraordinary place. After Ephesus, Azime took us to an authentic local Turkish restaurant, and the food was OUTSTANDING! We loved getting away from the typical tourist experience and enjoying wonderful local food. It made us feel like we were experiencing Turkey rather than simply sightseeing in it. Then came one of Phoenix’s absolute favorite parts—the pottery! We visited Azime’s family pottery shop, where Phoenix was able to sit at the wheel and actually spin his own pottery. They are creating a special piece for our family featuring our family design and a phoenix painted onto it that glows in the dark! It could not be a more perfect keepsake from a day that already meant so much to us. We finished by visiting an authentic rug-making complex, where we watched the fascinating process of pulling and spinning silk and learned how traditional Turkish silk and wool rugs are handwoven. Seeing the amount of time, skill and artistry that goes into creating these rugs completely changed the way we look at them. What a treat! What made this day so special was that it never felt like we were simply being taken from one tourist attraction to another. Azime gave us history, spirituality, incredible food, art, craftsmanship and genuine Turkish culture—all while making our family, especially Phoenix, feel so welcomed. When your 8-year-old finishes a Mediterranean cruise filled with incredible places and says THIS was his favorite day, you know someone did something right. Azime, thank you for giving our family a day we will truly never forget. We came away with beautiful memories, a very special piece of pottery, a much deeper appreciation for Turkey—and a little boy who absolutely adored you! ❤️🇹🇷 If you are coming to Kusadasi, book this experience. We could not recommend Azime more!

Sharon P.United States

Azime was just the most incredible guide. Not only did she make our day in Kusadasi and Ephesus amazing but her recommendations added even more to our day. We got to experience Turkish pottery and leather and rug making as well as a delicious lunch and fun shopping suggestions. She’s incredibly personable and knowledgeable and we’d use her again in a heartbeat. Just the best day!

Azime was a great local guide for the Ephesus area! She grew up In the area and was well versed in the region’s history. She worked with us to create a customized itinerary that included a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, a visit to a local pottery shop, and all the historical stops we were interested in. We had a comfortable van to travel between stops and Azime got us back to the ship with plenty of time to meet our embarkment time. She was a fun, friendly, knowledgeable guide and I would recommend her for anyone visiting the Ephesus region!

I can't say enough impressive things about Azime! She made our day in Ephesus and Kusadasi one of our most wonderful memories. She is personable, knowledgeable, organized, and just fun to be with!!! I would highly recommend a tour with Azime and would not hesitate to tour with her again~~

What an amazing day with Azime. She predicted the hot weather and crowds so we met her earlier and enjoyed a cool, crowd free morning in Ephesus. The she customized our tour to include stops specific to our tast and ended the day with a wonderful lunch stop. Our transportation was in a new luxury van with cold water throughout the short journey. Our best tour through the week in Europe. Turkey is a beautiful place to visit and Azime is an excellent guide.

Azim was the perfect guide! She communicated with me before the trip to assess our wants and needs, and came up with a perfect itinerary for us. She is so enjoyable to be around, like touring with a friend. Due to the heat , we did not want a long tour in ephesus , and she tailored it so that we enjoyed the highlights. She's smartly took us to Mary's house first before the lines grew long and this was a blessing. After ephesus , we went to the lovely village of Syrince for some local shopping and a wonderful local launch , followed by authentic Turkish coffee. Lots of good conversation throughout the day about life in Turkiye. Good advice re shopping for authentic merchant. Finally, we were interested in a Turkish bath after our tour and her recommendation was fabulous. She is a truly excellent guide who provided us with a most memorable day. I cannot recommend her highly enough!