Kusadasi and Harbor (photo from Wikipedia)
Links to Port Pages
Kusadasi, Turkey
Updated 16 February 2015
Kusadasi will be another two stop return port from our last cruise. We visited Ephesus last year and will go back to the site on our second stop. Ephesus and the Terrace Houses are so amazing that you need another visit to really see everything there, as there is much more than the Celsus Library!
For our first stop we've decided to go into town and wander through the local shops and cafes. We only saw the cruise port area, briefly, last year. We believe once you get out of the cruise terminal area, and store owners who follow you down the path trying to get you to buy by insulting you, we may find some interesting shops and sites. On the next leg of our trip we will visit Ephesus with David and Lynn.
 |
 |
Celsus Library at Ephesus (photo by R Klug, May 2014) |
Magnesia Site (photo from Kusadasi Tours - Magnesia) |
What we plan to do:
17 June 2015 - Relax and explore the local area of Kusadasi.
21 June 2015 - Silver Shore Collection – Ephesus & Terrace Houses with an Expert Archaeologist -
Explore the archaeological treasures of Ephesus and its unique terrace houses during a scenic and informative full-day Silver Shore Collection visit to this ancient city with lunch.
Depart the pier for the visit to the Ephesus and meet your expert guide.
Ephesus After Istanbul's Sultanahmet area, the ruins of Ephesus are the most-visited landmarks in all of Turkey. The city ranks among the world's most beautiful classical cities, on par with Rome and Athens in scope, quality and feel. In ancient times, Ephesus hosted St. Paul, St. John and the Virgin Mary. Ephesus was an important Greek trading city of Ionia. Later, it became Rome's provincial capital and was home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The massive foundation of the Temple of Diana can still be seen here today after 3,000 years. In the 60s A.D., when the city supposedly had a population of nearly 150,000, St. Paul lived here for three years and wrote one of his most famous epistles, the Letter to the Ephesians.
Walking Tour Your guided walking tour commences at the Magnesium Gate, and proceeds downhill at a leisurely pace through Ephesus' marble streets. Along the way, your guide points out historically-significant sites, including the gymnasium, Temple of Hadrian, Upper Agora, Roman Baths, and more.
Terrace Houses Next, continue on to the recently-renovated Terrace Houses, which are the focus of this tour. Built during the reign of Augustus on the slopes of Bulbul Mountain, they were inhabited by wealthy Ephesians until the 7th century A.D., according to evidence from excavations. The houses on the upper slopes are reached via steps, and constructed so that the roof of one house forms the terrace of the house above it. All were peristyle, featuring a pool in the centre, with the rooms arranged around the pool. There was running water to the houses, either from a fountain or along the side. These restored houses are finely-decorated with marble floors, and walls adorned with exquisite mosaics and frescoes.
Celsus Library Your last stop is the exquisite Celsus Library. Built in 135 B.C. by a son in homage to his father, this magnificent library is lavishly decorated with facades, columns and sculptures. The library once housed 12,000 scrolls of papyrus manuscripts, making it one of the largest in the ancient world and second only to the library in Alexandria, Egypt.
Greek Theatre Just a short walk away is the spectacular Greek Theatre. Originally built in the 3rd century by the Greeks, the theatre was later expanded to its present capacity of 24,000. From this theatre, which has a row of seats 100 feet (30 metres) above the orchestra, St. Paul preached to the Ephesians, imploring them to give up their worship of Artemis and embrace the Christian faith.
St. John's Basilica Your last stop is at the nearby Basilica of St. John, one of the most significant religious monuments of its time. Built in the 6th century to replace the small basilica at the site of St. John's Tomb, the church signifies a major move from the ancient Roman cults to Christianity. Much of the basilica was constructed using materials from the famous Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Following your visit, re-board your coach for the short drive to a local restaurant to relax and enjoy lunch before making the return drive to Kusadasi. Upon arrival, you may opt to be taken directly to the ship, or remain in town for a carpet demonstration, shopping and return to the pier at your leisure.
