Day Trip from Bodrum to Ephesus, Final Itinerary - Calling Murat and Others
Jul 29th, 2009, 06:33 AM
#1
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Day Trip from Bodrum to Ephesus, Final Itinerary - Calling Murat and Others
Hi all. We are staying in Bodrum for a few days and are planning to do a day trip to Ephesus. Our hotel recommended a private tour that costs approx. $260 - $300 per person which appears very expensive to us (the cost varies depending on whether we see the cave of Seven Sleepers and the Temple of Artemis and have lunch at Sirince and see the restored traditional village houses).
Before we finalized our itinerary, I had read that there are bus tours from Bodrum to Ephesus for 35 euros per person but I have since learned they only depart on Wednesdays and Saturdays which doesn't work for our time schedule. In any case, the hotel suggested we might not like the bus tour anyway because it has alot of shopping stops and we may not spend as much time as we would like in Ephesus and may not see the House of Virgin Mary. Can anyone comment on this? Are there other group tours available more regularly? We would like to do this trip on a Monday or Tuesday.
It's funny because we considered doing the more traditional route to Ephesus with a sleepover in Kusadasi. We decided against all the moving around, changing hotels, getting private transfers from Izmer to Kusadasi, from Kusadasi to Ephesus, and from Ephesus to Bodrum. Perhaps that was a mistake but our flights and hotels are now booked. If we really CAN'T find a suitable group tour to Ephesus, I could inquire about changing one of our flights . . . perhaps we would also add a day in Cappodocia as many have suggested here . . . (we are staying in the Museum Hotel) but it would be a real hassle at this point and my travel agent might kill me . . .
Any thoughts anyone? Here is our itinerary for context:
Arrive Istanbul, Rest
Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul
Fly to Cappodocia on 7:35AM Flight, Group Tour of Cappodocia
Cappodocia, Group Tour
Depart Cappadocia afternoon flight at 4:30 to Bodrum via Istanbul
Bodrum
Day Trip to Ephesus
Bodrum
Rent Car, Drive to Fethiye in morning or evening, Sleep in Oludeniz
Fethiye, Drive Butterfly Valley
Fethiye, 12 Island Boat Tour or Selkirk Fishing Village
Fethiye, Flight from Dalaman to Istanbul at 9:30PM
Fly Home
We are also thinking about doing a day trip to Kas from Fethiye.
Thank you all!
P.S. I really need to stop looking at this forum because I am going to second guess our plans until the day of departure! We are two single American women in our mid 40's.
.
Before we finalized our itinerary, I had read that there are bus tours from Bodrum to Ephesus for 35 euros per person but I have since learned they only depart on Wednesdays and Saturdays which doesn't work for our time schedule. In any case, the hotel suggested we might not like the bus tour anyway because it has alot of shopping stops and we may not spend as much time as we would like in Ephesus and may not see the House of Virgin Mary. Can anyone comment on this? Are there other group tours available more regularly? We would like to do this trip on a Monday or Tuesday.
It's funny because we considered doing the more traditional route to Ephesus with a sleepover in Kusadasi. We decided against all the moving around, changing hotels, getting private transfers from Izmer to Kusadasi, from Kusadasi to Ephesus, and from Ephesus to Bodrum. Perhaps that was a mistake but our flights and hotels are now booked. If we really CAN'T find a suitable group tour to Ephesus, I could inquire about changing one of our flights . . . perhaps we would also add a day in Cappodocia as many have suggested here . . . (we are staying in the Museum Hotel) but it would be a real hassle at this point and my travel agent might kill me . . .
Any thoughts anyone? Here is our itinerary for context:
Arrive Istanbul, Rest
Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul
Fly to Cappodocia on 7:35AM Flight, Group Tour of Cappodocia
Cappodocia, Group Tour
Depart Cappadocia afternoon flight at 4:30 to Bodrum via Istanbul
Bodrum
Day Trip to Ephesus
Bodrum
Rent Car, Drive to Fethiye in morning or evening, Sleep in Oludeniz
Fethiye, Drive Butterfly Valley
Fethiye, 12 Island Boat Tour or Selkirk Fishing Village
Fethiye, Flight from Dalaman to Istanbul at 9:30PM
Fly Home
We are also thinking about doing a day trip to Kas from Fethiye.
Thank you all!
P.S. I really need to stop looking at this forum because I am going to second guess our plans until the day of departure! We are two single American women in our mid 40's.
.
Jul 29th, 2009, 08:15 AM
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Ephesus is about 80 miles away. Hire a taxi for the day which should be fairly cheap. Check a number of taxis for an average price and if asked, don't pay too much up front (maybe 25%) as you want the driver waiting there for you when you leave Ephesus.
All hotel tours are expensive.
I found Ephesus very open and very hot. Take a hat or whatever.
All hotel tours are expensive.
I found Ephesus very open and very hot. Take a hat or whatever.
Jul 29th, 2009, 12:24 PM
#4
Went to Ephesus from Kusadasi about 10 years ago... we hired a guide and driver based on a recommendation from our hotel. I don't know what it cost but I'm sure it wasn't exhorbitant or we wouldn't have gone that route.
Yes, you can hire a tour guide outside of Ephesus but they may not go with you onto Mary's house, etc. You'd need to check into that.
Yes, you can hire a tour guide outside of Ephesus but they may not go with you onto Mary's house, etc. You'd need to check into that.
Aug 10th, 2009, 03:12 PM
#6
If it is not too late,
-rent a car. you should get something reasonable for $100. The petrol will be about another $50.
The road is good and easy. If you leave early in the morning, you can visit everywhere in Selcuk, the museum, etc. and maybe even have time to take the 12 k side road at Bafa town to sea the ruins of Herakleia by the lake, before you get back to Bodrum.
The route through Kusadasi may take a bit longer because of traffic. Check map and possibly take Soke-Selcuk route.
There are enough guides at either entrance to Ephesus.
you do not need a guide for Virgin Mary's retreat. in fact, if you are not very devout, you may even give it a miss.
Do take hat sunglasses and lots of water (for yourself and for the cats in Ephesus) (you may even pick some cat food from a supermarket in Bodrum for the Efes cats)
-rent a car. you should get something reasonable for $100. The petrol will be about another $50.
The road is good and easy. If you leave early in the morning, you can visit everywhere in Selcuk, the museum, etc. and maybe even have time to take the 12 k side road at Bafa town to sea the ruins of Herakleia by the lake, before you get back to Bodrum.
The route through Kusadasi may take a bit longer because of traffic. Check map and possibly take Soke-Selcuk route.
There are enough guides at either entrance to Ephesus.
you do not need a guide for Virgin Mary's retreat. in fact, if you are not very devout, you may even give it a miss.
Do take hat sunglasses and lots of water (for yourself and for the cats in Ephesus) (you may even pick some cat food from a supermarket in Bodrum for the Efes cats)
