Published on Apr, 2024
This was our first trip to Turkey, and we are so happy we got the chance to visit Kusadasi! We booked our private guided tour through Viator, operated by Guided Istanbul Tours and led by the lovely Ceyla. She was so extremely knowledgeable about the area, having an archeological background and true appreciation of the history. We started the tour by visiting the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, followed by a trip to Meryemana (the Virgin Mary's House), believed to be where she lived her final days. These were fairly quick stops, but Ceyla hit the major highlights and gave us plenty of historical information. We then stopped by Lotus Ceramics Garden where we met a local owner and his family who have been making Turkish pottery for generations. We learned all about the process and saw so many absolutely stunning pieces (there was zero pressure to buy anything, but they were very helpful to package and ship for free if desired). The proprietor and his family were so friendly and offered us some amazing Turkish coffee and Turkish delight during our visit. Next, we took an in-depth tour of the Ancient City of Ephesus where Ceyla again provided so many interesting historical facts and led us through key parts of the city, including the Temple of Hadrian and the astounding Library of Celsus. There are no words to describe the beauty of the city and just how vast it was, especially for its time. Afterwards, Ceyla took us to one of her favorite local restaurants where we had some of the freshest, most delicious vegetable and meat plates we've ever had...so happy we had worked up an appetite from touring Ephesus! Finally, we went by one of the local Turkish carpet schools connected to the Ministry of Education. The manager took so much time showing us the intricacies of weaving the rugs and explaining the complete process...it was so interesting! We did get caught up at the end with a bit of a sales pitch, but it's understandable considering the months (sometimes years) the ladies spend hand-weaving the carpets. It wasn't a high-pressure sales pitch, so I would still recommend taking the time to stop by and learn/see the whole process. All in all, we had an amazing time on our approx. 8-hr tour of Kusadasi and would LOVE to visit Turkey sometime in the near future for a longer stay!
