We'd love to see Ephesus on our trip to Greece this summer. We're planning on spending some time on either Lesvos or Rhodes (potentially both--any comments on preferences?) flying from Athens. We'd like to see Ephesus as well, but are not sure how to approach getting there... I know ferries to Samos from either place can be scare even in the summer and I'm wondering if there's another way to approach getting there from either island?

Ferries from Vathi, Samos to Kusadasi, Turkey are twice daily in the summer months, at 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM. This is by far the easiest route into Turkey to Ephesus.

Lesvos to Vathi, Samos is a 7.5 hour trip. Last year there was one ferry each day.

I can't find evidence of a ferry from either Rhodes or Kos to Samos for last summer. Perhaps someone with more knowledge of the Dodecanese islands can shed some light on that.

If you were to fly from Athens to Lesvos, then take the ferry south to Samos to see Ephesus, you could continue south to Rhodes by going overland in Turkey by bus or plane from Izmir to either Marmaris or Bodrum, and then take a ferry from one of these Turkish port towns to Rhodes.

It's possible that www.skyexpress.gr will have flights from Rhodes to Samos this summer.