Top 15 Tours in Izmir

1.Ephesus Tour From Izmir

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 980 reviews · 6 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $114Our pick

Leave your Izmir hotel at 8am for Ephesus, about 60km away. Explore the Great Theatre, Library of Celsus, Hadrian’s Temple, Arcadian Way, and more with guides such as Alperen, Erman, and Ezgi. Lunch, transport, Ephesus admission, and the Temple of Artemis are included, with possible craft and shopping stops.

“Fantastic trip with a great guide, Alperin, who was so knowledgeable and animated and explained all the history so well. Highly recommend!”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Pamukkale Tour from Izmir

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 806 reviews · 10 to 12 hours (approx.) · from $133

Travel from Izmir to Pamukkale in a small group of up to 18 people, with hotel, airport, or cruise-port pickup. Explore the white travertine pools, ancient Hierapolis, and restored theater with an English-speaking guide such as Alperen, Erman, Ekim, or Selim. Lunch and entry fees are included, but allow 10 to 12 hours for the full day.

“This place is unique in the world. The Van that picked us up was on time and the guide was knowledgable of the place.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Ephesus Tour with Virgin Mary From Izmir All Inclusive

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 478 reviews · 7 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $133

Travel from Izmir in a small group of up to 18 people to visit the House of the Virgin Mary and ancient Ephesus. Guides such as Erman, Alpi, Tuğba, and Ekim bring the sites to life, while included transport, entry fees, and a Turkish buffet lunch keep the day simple.

“A perfect way to see the unbelievably well preserved city of Ephesus. Erman was a very friendly guide and had endless knowledge of all the history surrounding these sites. The ride was quick and comfortable and the lunch was very good as well. I highly recommend this tour when in Izmir!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Ephesus Tour with Temple of Artemis and Sirince Village From Izmir

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 239 reviews · 8 to 9 hours (approx.) · from $145

Travel from Izmir by air-conditioned vehicle to the House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, and Sirince Village. An English-speaking guide such as Nizam or Melike leads the day, with lunch, entrance fees, pickup, and wine tasting included. Expect a full day, walking on uneven marble, and possible shopping stops.

“This was Excellence at its finest, from pick up to drop off, I was blown away, on time pick up with a wonderful driver, then the tour guide, let me tell you, I’ve been all over the world, but I believe his name was Naseem, the Knowledge and information, the details of each location, geography, explanations, EXCELLENCE. The time pace at each stop, the kindness caring courteous respectful, there are No words, I would give this my Top 3 tours of my 20 plus years of travel, the food was extraordinary, I have No words, I would do this tour Again and again each time I visit turkey, you will…”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Ephesus and St. Mary’s House Day Trip from Izmir with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 210 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $155

Travel from Izmir in a small group of up to 15 people with an English-speaking guide. Visit St. John’s Basilica, Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, and the House of the Virgin Mary, with lunch included. Guides such as Zeynep, Ceyla, Nazım, and Çiğdem have earned strong praise, but shopping stops can reduce sightseeing time.

“100% recommend if you’re looking for a tour with the most knowledgable (and fun!) guide! I really can’t spell my guide’s name (so sorry!) from Neon Tours but she was the most professional guide I have ever had. Her personality really made this tour enjoyable, as she set a great tone and atmosphere for the group. Her English was fantastic and she knew so much about Ephesus. I feel like I learnt a semester’s worth of history thanks to her! The pace of the tour was perfect, and our lunch stop was very tasty. The guide and driver took the necessary precautions very seriously to ensure everyone remained safe and…”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Full Day Boat Trip around Cesme with BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 208 reviews · 11 hours · from $89

Leave Izmir by Volkswagen van for a full day on the Cesme coast. The boat stops at Aquarium Bay, Donkey Island, and several other coves for swimming and snorkeling, with fish or chicken, salad, and pasta served onboard. English-speaking support is available, and drivers such as Okan have earned praise for making the long transfer easy.

“It was a beautiful day on the water. The company was amenable to move the pick up closer to our hotel (note you are not picked up at your hotel but rather central meeting points), and it was a comfortable ride to Cesme. The boat started at 11 and ended close to 630. The water was cold but refreshing. There was live entertainment at one point and dance music throughout. We had 4 swimming stops, lasting 45 min to one hour each time. The rides in between the islands weren’t too long. I think it worked to split them up as most people wanted a break after close to an…”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Guided Pamukkale Full-Day Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 190 reviews · 12 hours · from $141

Travel from Izmir to Pamukkale by air-conditioned bus, with a guide, buffet lunch, and time to explore Hierapolis and the white travertine terraces. The trip includes hotel pickup, but entrance fees and drinks cost extra. Guides such as Merve, Mete, and Mert have received warm praise, while the long drive is the main drawback.

“The trip to Pomukkale was excellent. The guide was really good I believe his name was max well knowledgeable about the Turkish history.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Pamukkale Guided Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 143 reviews · 12 hours · from $142

Travel from Izmir to Pamukkale by coach, with a live English, Spanish, or French-speaking guide. Explore Hierapolis, walk the white travertines, enjoy free time by the thermal pools, and eat lunch at a local restaurant. Guides such as Alperen, Ekim, Erman, and Ayşenur have earned especially strong praise for their history talks and friendly service.

“Everything perfect, great guide (Alpie), great driver and great location. I’ll suggest to remove the marble workshop from the itinerary.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Ephesus Guided Day Trip with Transfer & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 124 reviews · 8 hours · from $141

Spend eight hours exploring Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, and the House of the Virgin Mary from Izmir or İzmir Airport. A professional English or Spanish-speaking guide leads the way, with hotel transfers, an open-buffet lunch, and air-conditioned transport included. Guides such as Mert, Merve, Muharrem, and Ozzie have earned especially strong praise for their storytelling.

“The guide Merve is an excellent guide. The trip was long but she took care of everything. The lunch was ok but not very good . The place was too crowded. Overall experience was very good .”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Islands and Bays Boat Trip with BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 117 reviews · 8 hours · from $71

Join Çeşme Poseidon for an eight-hour boat day from Cesme or Alacati. You’ll visit Aquarium Bay, Donkey Island, and two weather-selected stops, with swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, a BBQ lunch, reserved sun loungers, and onboard music. Hotel pickup is optional, and Ramazan is one of the helpful crew members praised for arranging seating and gear.

“Entire experience was great. The driver picked us at the hotel, he was very friendly and helpful. The boat trip was very well organised, food was great, we stopped at a few bays with a crystal clear water, amazing places. There is also a bar on the boat (they have credit card) with many different beverages with fair prices. I totally recommend the experience for anyone who wants a nice day iut on the sea and have some fun on the boat.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Full Day Pamukkale and Hierapolis Tour from Izmir

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 113 reviews · 13 hours (approx.) · from $156

Travel from Izmir to Pamukkale in an air-conditioned vehicle, then explore Hierapolis, the white travertine terraces, and warm thermal pools. A guide such as Merve or Adil explains the ruins before free time for independent exploring. Lunch, entrance fees, and pickup are included, while Cleopatra’s Pool costs extra.

“Awesome guides, professional service very posh restaurant for lunch. Met a lot of nice people on the tour from different countries. Well worth it!”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Ephesus and House of Virgin Mary Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 109 reviews · 11 hours · from $125

Travel from Izmir with a live English- or Spanish-speaking guide to the House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, St. John’s Church, Isa Bey Mosque, and Sirince. Expect a full day with marble ruins, a Turkish lunch, wine tasting, and possible shopping stops for carpets, leather, olive oil, and sweets.

“It was absolutely amazing! It was one of the best days of my life. I had so much fun. Our guide was THE BEST! Don't even think twice, just go!”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Ephesus Full-Day Tour from Kusadasi or Selcuk

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 80 reviews · 8 hours · from $112

Spend a full day exploring Ephesus with an English or Spanish-speaking guide, visiting the House of Virgin Mary, Library of Celsus, Temple of Artemis, and Sirince village. Groups are limited to 14 people. Lunch, entry fees, hotel pickup, and transport are included, while Terrace Houses, drinks, and personal purchases cost extra.

“Nazim, the tour guide has best historical knowledge and sense of humor i ever met. Id extremely recommend him for ehpesus tour. You will never regret”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Budget-Friendly Ephesus Tour from Izmir

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 57 reviews · 9 hours · from $41

Travel from Alsancak to Ephesus in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide such as Alperen or Erman. Walk the Library of Celsus and Great Theatre, then visit the House of Virgin Mary and Temple of Artemis. Entrance fees and lunch cost extra.

“From Sofia and Simon: We were very happy with today’s tour to Ephesus and truly enjoyed the whole experience. Our guide Erman was excellent — very knowledgeable and easy to listen to. He shared a lot of interesting information about the ancient city of Ephesus, as well as about the history of Turkey and the land that was once called Anatolia. The tour itself was very well organized. Besides visiting the ancient city of Ephesus, we also went to a beautiful Turkish ceramics shop. The quality of the ceramics is excellent, and there is a huge variety to choose from. If someone is thinking about buying Turkish ceramics, we would…”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Mary’s House Tour with Tickets + Lunch For Cruisers

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 40 reviews · from $77

From Kusadasi Port, visit Mary’s House, ancient Ephesus, and the Temple of Artemis with an English-speaking guide. A small group of up to 12 rides in an air-conditioned minibus, with entrance tickets, lunch, and port return included. Guides such as Bulca and Barb bring plenty of historical detail, while Fatima has driven some departures.

“The tour was excellent,perfect organized.Are guider was wonderful,I think her name is Bulca,and driver lady Fatima.Same day we saw house of Virgin Mary,city Ephesus and place where made unbelievable carpets.Everything was incredible.I learn a lot and enjoy in the trip and lunch.10 stars for this tour👍”

Check availability →Read our full review