Inside a Turkish pottery workshopHand-painted Turkish potteryDecorated clay vases in a Turkish pottery workshopFountain of Trajan on Curetes Street, EphesusKusadasi and its bay from above

Private Ephesus Tour with a Hands-On Pottery Class

  • Duration4–5 hours
  • StartsFrom/to Kusadasi Cruise Port
  • TypePrivate, only your group
  • CancellationFree up to 24 h before
  • Payment50% deposit online, rest in cash on the day
  • ReturnBack to your ship on time, guaranteed

Tour at a glance

Duration
4–5 hours
Starts
From/to Kusadasi Cruise Port
Price
From $180 total for 2 guests (≈ $90 per person); price depends on group size
Included
Pottery and ceramic lesson, A licensed, professional local guide from our Kusadasi team, A private tour for your party only, Pick-up and drop-off at Kusadasi cruise port or your hotel
Entrance fees
Not included; paid in cash (USD or EUR) on the day, only for the sites you visit. Your guide brings skip-the-line tickets
Group size
1–15 guests online; larger groups on request
Children
Ages 0–4 travel free (max. 2 per booking); from age 5 the adult price applies
Cancellation
Free up to 24 h before
Payment
50% deposit online, rest in cash on the day

About this tour

Ruins in the morning, clay on your hands by midday. This private tour pairs Ephesus Ancient City with a hands-on pottery and ceramic lesson, and it keeps the walking light, which makes it a happy choice for families or anyone after a gentler day.

Your day

Find us beside the port's information desk as you come out, with a card showing your name. A drive of about twenty minutes brings you to Ephesus, UNESCO-listed and among the most complete Greco-Roman towns on earth. With your guide you see its temples, its library and the Roman theatre where St. Paul and St. John are said to have preached.

From the ruins we go to a pottery and ceramic workshop. You are welcomed with a complimentary Turkish coffee, tea or water, and the master artisan explains the history of the craft and how the pieces are made. Then it is your turn at the wheel: with the master's help you shape your own pot, and there is plenty of time for photos. Afterwards you can browse the gallery of handmade pottery and ceramics.

If you would like to see more local crafts, such as a rug-weaving school, just ask and we can add it. On the way back you pass Kusadasi town and the castle on Pigeon Island.

Good to know

Your pottery lesson comes with the tour price. Entrance fees for the sites on your route are settled in cash on the day, in US dollars or euros; skip-the-line tickets come with your guide. We time everything to your ship's departure and promise you will be back on board in time.

Places you visit

  • Ephesus Ancient City
  • Pottery & ceramic workshop with a hands-on pottery lesson
  • Local cooperative: Hand-Woven Rugs and Leather Outlets

Included

  • Pottery and ceramic lesson
  • A licensed, professional local guide from our Kusadasi team
  • A private tour for your party only
  • Pick-up and drop-off at Kusadasi cruise port or your hotel
  • Back at the ship on time, guaranteed
  • Air-conditioned minivan with a separate driver

Not included

  • Gratuities (recommended)
  • Entrance fees for the sites on your route, settled in cash (US dollars or euros) on the day; the skip-the-line tickets travel with your guide

Meeting point

Port exit gate, Kusadasi cruise terminal

Your guide waits at the cruise terminal exit holding a sign that says "PRIVATE & GROUP EPHESUS TOURS", 30–45 minutes after your ship docks. We confirm the exact meeting time and spot by email before your tour.

Good to know

  • Nobody else joins: your guide and vehicle are booked for your party only.
  • One price for the whole party: it does not go up per head within your group size.
  • We meet you at the cruise terminal exit gate, next to the information desk, 30–45 minutes after the ship is alongside, holding a sign that says "PRIVATE & GROUP EPHESUS TOURS".
  • Site tickets are not in the tour price. You pay them in cash (USD or EUR) on the day, only where you go in; your guide has skip-the-line tickets with them.
  • A 50% card deposit confirms the booking; you hand the other 50% to your guide in cash.
  • Up to two children aged 4 or under ride free on each booking; anyone 5 or older counts as an adult.
  • Expect old, uneven paving stones: flat shoes with grip are best, and from May a hat and water bottle too.
  • Your all-aboard time sets the plan for the whole day, and we get you back to the pier before it.

Price for your whole group

One price per private group, not per person. Children 0–4 travel free (max. 2 per booking).

GuestsGroup total
1–2 guests$180
3 guests$220
4–6 guests$250
7–9 guests$280
10–12 guests$300
13–15 guests$350
16+ guestsAsk for a quote

Questions

Is the price for each person?

No, it is one price for your whole party. As long as your group stays within the size you chose, nothing is added per person.

What exactly am I paying for?

A licensed guide for your party alone, the transport on the day (a private air-conditioned vehicle and driver for the Ephesus tours; tram and public transport in Istanbul) and our on-time return to your ship. The tour page lists what is in and what is not.

Do you include the entrance tickets?

No. Ticket prices change during the year, so they stay outside the tour price. Your guide carries skip-the-line tickets, and you pay for them in cash (USD or EUR) on the day, only for the places you enter.

Can the tickets go on my card?

No. Because your guide buys them for you, they are paid in cash (USD or EUR) on the tour day.

How do I reserve?

Reserve online up to 24 hours before the tour. A 50% deposit is charged to your card in USD; the remaining half is paid in cash to your guide on the day.

Can I cancel?

Yes. Cancel at least 24 hours before your tour and the whole deposit is refunded. If your ship cannot dock in port, you also get the full deposit back.

Where will we find our guide?

At the cruise terminal exit gate, next to the information desk, 30–45 minutes after your ship docks, look for a sign that says "PRIVATE & GROUP EPHESUS TOURS". Before the tour we email you the exact time and spot.

Why so early in the morning?

On days with several ships, the sites fill up fast. Meeting 30–45 minutes after docking puts you ahead of the crowds and the midday heat.

What if we run late at a site?

Your guide keeps an eye on the clock for you. The day is planned backwards from your ship’s all-aboard time, and we guarantee your return to the port in time.

Is the walking hard?

It is manageable at an easy pace. Ephesus is walked mostly downhill on old marble that is uneven in places, and the Terrace Houses have plenty of steps. Tell us about any mobility needs when you book and your guide will plan the pace and breaks.

How much do children pay?

Children up to 4 years old are free, up to two per booking. From the age of 5 they pay the adult price.

Do we stop for lunch?

Lunch is only included when the tour page says so. Otherwise your guide can suggest a local place on the way, and you pay the restaurant directly.

Who are you?

Ephesus Tour from Kusadasi is a brand of Iglesias Tour Turkey, a TÜRSAB-licensed travel agency (licence no. 10772) based in Kusadasi since 2010. Every guide we work with is a licensed professional guide.

Photos: Alexey Komarov, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0 · jpitha, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)

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