Daily Excursions

Meeting with your Private Professional Licensed Guide at Kusadasi Cruise Port with your name board, and visit one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, Ephesus, Virgin Mary House, and pretty Sirince Village.

THREE POPES VISITED MARY'S HOUSE
Paul VI kept his word, and after a triumphal entry to Istanbul, he came to pay his respects to the Virgin Mary in Ephesus on 26 July 1967. He entered the shrine, escorted by the crowd. He prayed for a long time before the altar and lit the sculpted lamp he had brought. In memory of Sister Marie de Mandat-Grancey, he gave the superior of the sisters of Charity who live there a gold chalice for their oratory. Pope John Paul II also visited the Virgin Mary on 30 November 1979 after an official visit to Ankara.

Although the pilgrimage of these two Popes does not constitute official recognition of the Virgin Mary House as the place where Mary lived and died, they did at least make known to the whole world, through the press and television, the shrine's existence. Lastly, Pope Benedictus XVI visited Turkey in November 2006. Turkey welcomed Pope Benedict with great honor.

The House of the Virgin Mary is where she is believed to have spent her last years. It is recorded that St. John brought the Virgin Mary to Ephesus after the death of Christ and that a small house was built for her on Bulbuldagi Mount. On 26 July 1967, Pope Paul VI visited The House of the Virgin Mary and declared it one of the pilgrimage centers for Christianity.

Ephesus: a religious center of early Christianity in ancient times, Apostol Paul and Apostol John stayed and preached in Ephesus! On our days, one can see the extensive ruins, including the The Odeon, State Agora, The Prytaneion, Domitian Square, Hercules Gate, The Fountain of Trajan-one of the finest monuments in Ephesus, Temple of Hadrian, walk through the Curetes Street, Celsius Library-was the third largest library with the capacity of 12,000 scrolls, The Gymnasium, The Grand Theatre-most magnificent structure in Ephesus, The Arcadian Way..and much more monuments remained preserved till our days, constantly reminding us the great history of this ancient city.

Sirince Village: Only a 15-minute drive from Ephesus, you reach a pretty old Turkish - Orthodox Sirince Village located on the top of a mountain, where you enjoy the impressive wine yards, fruit trees, olive groves, tangerine, and fig lands, and the rocky cliffs covered with pine forest. The village has a synthesis of Turkish-Greek culture. The town has a nicely restored Orthodox church. You will be welcomed by the local women on the narrow streets with cobblestone pavements and selling handcrafts, kilims and rugs, olive oil, and other organic products. Drive back to Kusadasi Cruise Port.