Transfer to the airport for morning flight to Izmir (1.5 hrs) whereupon we drive to Ephesus (45 min) for an afternoon guided walk through the ancient city. One of the most impressive Roman ruins and important ancient coastal cities, Ephesus attracted the world’s merchants, artists, and statesmen from across the Mediterranean for many centuries. Visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and walk through the vast ongoing excavation and restoration project featuring mosaics and wall paintings of the Yumac Houses vividly representing the lives of wealthy Ephesian residents from the first century BCE.
Rather than stay in a local hotel in the tourist hub of Selcuk, we drive 20 minutes into the hills to Şirince village, frequently visited by residents of Ephesus in ancient times as a cool mountain retreat. Check into your Nisanyan cottage, a beautiful Ottoman-style bungalow richly decorated in color and antique style, then wander the cobblestone streets amongst the charming residences, shops, and open air market selling homemade fruit wine, herbal soaps, honey, olive oil, and delicious natural local foods. Overnight in an Ottoman-style cottage of Nisanyan Evleri.