Ephesus, Turkey

Our visit to Turkey on the cruise is a stop at the port resort of Kusadasi on Tuesday morning from 7 a.m. until 12 noon. You may choose to stay in town and shop or perhaps spend the morning at one of the local beaches, such as Ladies Beach.

Or you can opt for one of two optional excursions to the Ancient city of Ephesus. Both excursions are the same, except one also includes a stop at a small chapel and the House of the Virgin Mary known as the house where Virgin Mary resided after the crucifixion and spent her last days. Although the site is controversial, the Vatican has sanctioned this site for pilgrimage.

A tour guide will lead us on a walking tour at the site of Ancient Ephesus which begins at the entrance through the Magnesian Gate. Here you will also see the Odeon (concert hall), the Fountain of Trajan, the steam-heated Baths of Scolastika, the Temple of Hadrian and the Latrians, and the famed Library of Celsus.

We will also visit the Great Theatre of Ephesus where St. Paul is believed by many to have preached. It is the largest theater in antiquity having a capacity of 24,000 and noted for its remarkable acoustics. From the theatre we will walk along the Arcadian Way where Mark Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in a procession as newlyweds.

On the drive back to Kusadasi, we will stop at the Basilica of St. John which was erected over his grave in the 6th century AD by the Emporer Justinian. Just downhill lies the site of the ruins of the Temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

The temple was described by Philon of Byzantium: “I have seen the walls and Hanging Gardens of ancient Babylon, the statue of Olympian Zeus, the Colossus of Rhodes, the mighty work of the high Pyramids and the tomb of Mausolus. But when I saw the temple at Ephesus rising to the clouds, all these other wonders were put in the shade.”

Here's a tip: pronounce the town's name "koo-SHAH-dah-suh" if you want to sound like you know what you're doing. That's the correct Turkish pronunciation. (The clueless pronounce it "KOOS-uh-DASS-see.") It means "Bird Island:" kuş = bird, ada(sı) = island.