Customer reviews page:62

Based on its TA rating, we booked a half day tour with this company which went off without a hitch, meeting all of our expectations. Our guide was the charming Selda Akyigit, whose English was very good. She did her best to move us away from the crowds at various points at Ephesus and gave clear explanations of the many wonderful exhibits there (Terrace Houses, Celsus Library, etc.). We also went to the Temple of Artemis, although there is not a lot to see there any more. The drive was pleasant; the vehicle --- a van --- perfect. Although not interested, we were taken for a carpet demonstration (and sales pitch). We tried to make it clear that we would definitely not be interested in buying anything, but we couldn't seem to avoid this. As it turns out, we had a fascinating demo as to how these carpets are made and how silk is woven (truly amazing). Our host was very charming and managed to sublimate any "disappointment" he may have had at our lack of purchasing interest. We drank some yummy apple tie and snacked on some local goodies. All in all, a very enjoyable half day. Would not hesitate to recommend this tour, and would definitely suggest Selda as a guide. And before I forget --- Ephesus is truly remarkable --- it should not be missed.

Gonca Kizilhan was our guide and we enjoyed the entire day. Very knowledgeable and made our tour special. She is able to get you ahead of the bus loads of people coming to the sites. Saw alot of the countryside we otherwise would not have seen in a very comfortable setting. The lunch outdoors was good and a nice way to experience this part of Turkey.

Last year (2011) we used this travel agency to book shore excursions while in Turkey (we were on a cruise). Their service was great. They had a sign with our name right after clearing customs, we easily located them. It was a private tour, which made things much less complicated. The guides were all professional, knowledgeable and personable. The went well beyond their duty to make our excurions exciting and fun. We are going back to Turkey later on this year and once again we will use their services. I highly recommend them. Their website is ephesusbreeze.com, give them a try, you will not regret it.

We were very pleased with our tour to Ephesus and the Terrace Houses - for sure, include this in your tour!! We were concerned because we requested it only about 5 days before we left for our cruise. They responded very quickly and we confirmed the reservation. We also appreciated that we were able to pay after the trip, so we did not have to worry about paying then no one showing up.Our guide Melissa (Melis) was wonderful! She was a licensed guide with 4 years of training, so friendly and such a good sense of humor. If we ever return to Turkey, we would definitely use their services, and for sure, we would request Melissa!

If you arrive in Ephesus via cruise, definitely skip any excursions offered by your cruise line and book a private tour with Ephesus Tours. Not only is it MUCH cheaper, it's more comfortable, private, and you can go at your own pace. My family and I took a full day tour just last week. Our guide, Selda, was excellent- friendly, knowledgeable, and very funny! She is from the region and knows and loves it very much. She met us right by the pier with the driver. There the van was waiting- a very comfortable Mercedes that felt more like a limo than a van.We visited the Ephesus ruins first- fantastic. The terrace houses are optional but I highly recommend them, especially if you're interested in art. Next up was visiting the turkish rug makers. Seeing the process of making the carpets- everything from harvesting the silk to seeing the different methods of knotting- was fascinating. There was definitely some pressure to make purchases afterwards, but honestly the rugs are such amazing works of art and the deals are quite good, so we didn't mind. My parents ended up purchasing two. This was followed by a very tasty lunch in the courtyard. Alcoholic drinks cost extra, but make sure to try some of the turkish wine and beer, if not here, at least at some point during your visit. Both were surprisingly very good. And make sure you get some olive oil as well!We then visited the house of the virgin mary. It's actually a church built on the foundations of the house, not the actual house itself. Maybe the experience would be more inspiring or impressive to someone religious, but to me the actual site was pretty ho-hum. But the views during the drive there are spectacular, and that alone makes the trip worthwhile. This was followed by a visit to the Temple of Artemis- one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Unfortunately only a single, (poorly) reconstructed column remains, but the grounds are lovely. You don't need to spend more than 10 minutes here. And beware of the very pushy souvenir sellers. The last stop was a ceramics/pottery shop, but the name of the store escapes me. We watched one of the craftsman make a jug on a pottery wheel, and some ladies hand painting various pieces. The work was undeniably beautiful, but prices were very high. The staff was friendly, and offered some delicious apple tea, but there was definitely pressure to make purchases, but seeing as the cheapest little trinket we found was over 20 euros, AND we had just bought two rugs, we declined. It's this pressure to buy things was the reason for four stars instead of five. But overall, everything was great. We had a wonderful time in Turkey with Selda, and would definitely recommend this tour!

My wife and I recently returned from a 10 day cruise. Based on ratings of this site, we decided to book a private tour of Ephesus instead of opting for the cruise option. It was a great decision on our part. In booking the tour, all questions were answered promptly, and we were provided all the needed information. We met our guide at the dock. I would highly recommend Selda Akyigit. She is a lovely young women who is proud of her Country and goes out of her way to educate you about Turkey. She also is very knowledgeable about all the historic sites including Ephesus, the Terrace Houses, and the House of the Virgin Mary. She also took us to the Turkman carpet shop for lunch and a demonstration. Finally, the half day event was topped off with a visit to a leather factory and fashion show of their products.The van was comfortable, the driver was careful and always timely with pick-ups. It was a wonderful experience to get to know your tour guide instead of being with a pack of 30 following one with her sign held high.

My husband and I booked a half-day private tour with Goncha. She was amazing and created an incredibly memorable day for us! Our driver (who's nickname was Sky-high) was great too! Filiz is knowledgeable, interesting, and such fun to spend the day with. Her english is excellent and her knowledge of Ephesus, Kusadasi and Turkey in general is exceptional. This tour company was extremely professional right from the beginning, with excellent information and service. We would highly recommend this company and especially Gonca! Thank you Filiz for making our day so special. We will definitely be back to Turkey!

In my opinion, this is the only way to see Ephesus. Our driver, Ekrem, and guide Haluk were just wonderful. Haluk was extremely knowledgeable about the history of Ephesus and really gave us unique tour of the city, pointing out things that most people would probably just walk right by without thinking twice. He also took us to Isabey Mosque, Sirince Village, the Temple of Artemis & a place that served a delicious Ottoman lunch. Would totally recommend this tour company to anyone visiting Turkey -- well worth the money!!!

There were three of us on the private tour of Ephesus. We had a 2-day old Mercedes van and were very comfortable. The Ephesus tour was made special by our tourguide, Selda Akyigit. She spoke excellent English and was very knowledgeable about Ephesus and its story. We visited the Turkman carpet shop at the end of the tour and, of course I had to buy a small carpet, although it was strictly my choice. We also had a very nice lunch there as part of the tour. We also saw the Virgin Mary's House and the Temple of Artemis. Overall a super experience. I highly recommend this tour and especially Selda.

This tour experience far surpassed any of the excursions we booked during our cruise to the Mediterranean. Miss Yesildag was extremely knowledgeable about all of the sights we had asked to see, most especially Ephesus. Her English was perfect and her leadership placed us at all the sights before the mass of bus tours from the cruise ships were able to overpower the sight. There were three of us on the tour permitting personal attention to the specific information of interest to each of us. The cost was very competitive. We were able to eat at a restaurant normally frequented by everyday Turkish people rather than the usual tourist fare of the excursions. Our Kusadasi/Ephesus tour was one of the highlights of our two weeks. Thank you Müge!!