15 Small Group Shore Excursions in Turkey Worth a Port Day

1.Ephesus: Small Group Tour for Cruise Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,100 reviews · 5 hours · from $29Our pick

Meet your English-speaking guide at Kusadasi Cruise Port for a five-hour small-group tour of the House of Virgin Mary, Ephesus, Selcuk, and the Temple of Artemis. Guides such as Tas, Nesli, Ahmet, and Melike tailor the pace, while lunch and a Turkish rug demonstration add local flavor.

“Ahmet our guide was outstanding, he was engaging, extremely knowledgeable and personable. I would strongly recommend anyone who wants to visit Ephesus to take this tour with Ahmet and his trusted Driver the Boss.”

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2.Ephesus Small Group – Semi Private Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 406 reviews · 4 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $27Top rated

Meet your guide at Kusadasi Port and ride in an air-conditioned Mercedes Sprinter to Ephesus, Mary’s House, and the Temple of Artemis. Guides such as Ahmet, Tas, Taylan, and Nage are praised for clear English and flexible pacing. Lunch and a carpet demonstration are included, but entrance fees cost extra.

“Our tour guide Ahmet was wonderful. He was knowledgeable and was prepared for everything. He reshuffled the schedule bc we were early and took us to the Ephesus before the crowd. there was several sites that was not on the itinerary which he stopped by and let us see. Lunch was wonderful in the carpet demonstration was very cool. I would definitely recommend it..”

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3.Small Group Ephesus Shore Excursion from Kusadasi Port

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $15Best value

Walk downhill through Ephesus with a Ministry-licensed English guide, seeing the Celsus Library, Great Theater, temples, and Trajan Fountain. A small group, air-conditioned vehicle, lunch, Temple of Artemis, carpet and ceramic displays, and leather shopping round out this 3 to 4-hour port excursion.

“While this tour itinerary was as advertised, there is no way that it could take 7 hours, even on a generous estimate. That is OK as we were cruise passengers and we didn't have 7 hours anyway, but just something to be aware of. The guide and the driver we had were excellent (sorry, I don't recall their names) and the luxury mini-van was indeed excellent transportation and practically brand new. The guide gave us a good overview of Turkey generally and was very informative for our tour through House of Mary and Ephesus. Due to heavy rain we only looked at the Temple of Artemis through the van window.…”

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4.Istanbul Shore Excursion: Small-Group Bosphorus Cruise and Istanbul Egyptian Bazaar

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 23 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90

From Istanbul’s Galataport, you’ll visit the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, browse spices and Turkish sweets, then cruise the Bosphorus past Dolmabahçe Palace, Rumeli Hisarı, and Beylerbeyi Palace. Guides including Ali and Seckin have led past departures. The group is capped at 15.

“Excellent tour to see the Bosphorus and Istanbul from a different perspective. Love the Egyptian Bazaar - smaller than the Grand Bazaar so easier to get around. Wonderful spices and Turkish Delight! Friendlt locals but not pushy!”

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5.Ephesus: Small Group Tour for Cruise Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 16 reviews · 5 hours · from $20

Meet your English-speaking guide at the Kusadasi cruise port for a five-hour tour of Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, and the Temple of Artemis. Expect an air-conditioned ride, a group of up to 15, optional Terrace Houses, and entrance fees paid separately.

“Ya cuz, our guide, was fabulous! Very knowledgeable. Took his time and didn’t rush us, gave us plenty of time for photos. Willing to do a bit if customization (we chose to skip the House of Mary due to crowds). Huge lunch do a really reasonable price in a super relaxed tavern.”

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6.Bodrum City Tour for Cruisers Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $75

Join a small group of up to 10 for a six-hour Bodrum shore tour with a local guide, air-conditioned transport, castle and museum time, hilltop views, and a Turkish carpet cooperative visit with lunch available.

“Everything was excelent. Guide was very informative. We visited Bodrum and also a small village where we enjoyed a lot.”

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7.Small Group EPHESUS Tour with Temple of Artemis

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $120

Spend 7 to 8 hours exploring Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, the Temple of Artemis, and Şirince with an English-speaking guide. Pickup, air-conditioned transport, and lunch are included. Groups are limited to 14 or 15 people, with optional Terrace Houses access for 170 ₺.

“The Celsus Library was breathtaking. It was very well maintained and out tour guide was humorous and informative. The house of the Virgin Mary and learning the history was wonderful to. Have to say we were impressed with this tour and would recommend to others.”

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8.Small Group Istanbul Full-Day Shore Excursion: Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and Grand Bazaar

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $248

Spend eight hours with an English-speaking guide exploring Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar and Topkapi Palace. The group is limited to eight, lunch is included, and cruise passengers receive port pickup and a guaranteed on-time return.

“We had an amazing time on this tour. Our guide Burak was very knowledgeable and was able to answer any questions we had. The meal was enjoyable and nice chance to relax between visiting different sites.”

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9.Half Day Ephesus Small Group Shore Tour from Kusadasi Port

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $24

Meet your licensed guide at Kusadasi Port at 7:30 am for a four-and-a-half-hour small-group tour to Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, and Selcuk’s traditional carpet-weaving village. A luxury minivan, port transfers, and guide are included, but Ephesus admission is extra.

“They must wear tennis because the floor is slippery. The archaeological site is extremely interesting and I recommend getting to the site early.Auto-translated”

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10.Istanbul : Private & Small Group Shore Excursions with TRAM

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 6 reviews · 7 hours · from $71

Meet your English-speaking guide at Galata Port, ride the tram to Sultanahmet, and explore the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, and Grand Bazaar. The guide named in one account was Serkan. Sunday and Tuesday closures change the final stops.

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11.Small Group(MAX 12)EPHESUS&HOUSE OF VIRGIN MARRY TOUR FORCRUISERS

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 4 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $23

From Kusadasi port, your English-speaking guide and private driver take you to Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, and Meryemana. The schedule can shift around your ship’s timing, with air-conditioned transport, optional local lunch, and time for Selçuk shops.

“Since it’s my first time in Turkey, all I can say is fabulous amazing solo trip I ever had. It’s easy to communicate with Yesim. Everything went perfect during the day and night. Went for a total of 10 days trip to cappadocia, Antalya, pamukale, kusadasi and lastly istanbul. Yesim is such a friendly person where you can get along with. Trust me you won’t regret anything . You would love it eventually . Thank you Yesim, her husband and her team that guided me through out the journey. Never failed to make me comfortable. I had so much fun. Will visit again some other time :)”

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12.Ephesus Small Group Tour For Cruise Guests

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 5 reviews · 6 hours · from $29

Meet your guide at Kusadasi Port for a six-hour visit to Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, and the Temple of Artemis. Guide Kutay has been praised for clear historical detail, while Spanish-speaking service may be available. Lunch, transport, and entry fees are included.

“El guía Kutay ha sido muy explicativo, nos ha contado detalles de la historia de Efeso. Un tour muy completo para conocer la mística de esta ciudad. Lo recomiendo 100%, el vehículo contaba con aire acondicionado, la recogida fue puntual y todo siguio lo planificado. Muchas gracias!”

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13.Small Group Ephesus Shore Excursion from Kusadasi Port

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $20

From Kusadasi Port, a guide and small group of up to 12 people visit Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, and the House of the Virgin Mary, then see traditional carpets made in Selcuk. Guide Deniz is associated with the experience.

“We enjoyed every moment of our tour today! Deniz is such a knowledgeable and accommodating guide. I learned so much about Ephesus and Turkey. I highly recommend him and his company!”

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14.Small Group Cruise Shore Excursion – Old City Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $119

Meet Mustafa or another licensed English-speaking guide at Galataport for a five-hour Old City tour by private vehicle. Visit the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace area, Grand Bazaar, and Hippodrome in a group of no more than 10, with optional Hagia Sophia admission.

““I had an unforgettable experience with Sunny Travel on this tour starting from Galataport and exploring the historic Grand Bazaar and Sultanahmet. Mustafa, was incredibly knowledgeable and made the experience truly special. The tour perfectly highlighted the rich historical essence of the Grand Bazaar and Sultanahmet. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Istanbul!”

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15.Ephesus TOUR For Cruise Guests – Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 4 hours 5 minutes (approx.) · from $165

Meet your certified guide at the Kusadasi port or hotel, then explore Ephesus, the Terrace Houses area, and the House of the Virgin Mary in a new air-conditioned vehicle. The group is limited to 13, with prepaid admission arranged to help you avoid ticket lines.

“This was a great tour. The guide was very friendly and knowledgeable.”

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