Archaeological & Biblical Ephesus Tour
Ephesus in depth with the Terrace Houses and the Temple of Artemis — for those who love the dig as much as the Book.
Private thematic tour
In the Footsteps of Paul Tour
Two years and three months of the Apostle's life, walked in a day — Acts 19 verse by verse, on the stones where each verse happened.
TÜRSAB licence No. 15746No prepayment to enquireFree cancellationSkip-the-line entrance included
- Price
- from $37per person · entrance tickets paid separately
- Duration
- 5 hours
- Starts
- Morning start, agreed with you when you book
- Meeting point
- Your hotel, cruise port or airport — see map
- Group size
- Private — 1 to 12 travelers, your party only
- Languages
- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German
- Walking
- Moderate — one long, wonderful downhill walk
- Cancellation
- Free — no prepayment, no fee
Book My Tour
See the Itinerary
TÜRSAB licence No. 15746No prepayment to enquireFree cancellationSkip-the-line entrance included
Tour overview
The nineteenth chapter of Acts, on location
No chapter of the New Testament is easier to walk than Acts 19. The synagogue where Paul began; the lecture hall of Tyrannus where he taught daily for two years "so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus"; the magic books burned in public at a price of fifty thousand pieces of silver; the workshops of Demetrius; and the theater where a whole city chanted against him for two hours — every scene has an address in Ephesus, and this tour visits them in the order Luke wrote them.
This is our most focused pilgrimage day, made for travelers who know their Acts and want to feel it under their feet. Your guide carries the text; at each station we read the verses, place them against the stones and inscriptions, and talk honestly about what archaeology can and cannot confirm.
Highlights
- Acts 19 read aloud, scene by scene, at its own locations
- The synagogue evidence — the menorah carvings and the Jewish quarter question
- The hall of Tyrannus and Paul's daily teaching route
- The Commercial Agora and the workshops of the silversmiths
- Two full hours around the Grand Theater and the riot
Step by step
Your day, hour by hour
Pickup at your hotel or ship
Your guide hands you the day's only prop: the text of Acts 19. Everything else is already waiting in the marble.
The upper city — setting the scene
From the Odeon and the state agora, the political Ephesus that the town clerk of Acts 19:35 served — and the "lawful assembly" he invoked.
Curetes Street — the daily route
The avenue Paul walked between lodging, synagogue and lecture hall; the shrines and shops his message threatened; the crosses later carved in triumph.
Hall of Tyrannus & the Agora
The commercial heart where the hall stood and the silversmiths worked — where "the word of God grew mightily and prevailed" and where the trouble began.
The Grand Theater
The climax: Acts 19:23–41 read in the very bowl that roared "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" Time to sit, read, and let the place speak — the day peaks where the chapter does.
Lunch & local artisan visit
The day closes with a relaxed lunch — whatever is local and fresh, cooked by local chefs and cooks — and a friendly look at the handcrafts of today's local artisans, the agora's heirs. No pressure, only welcome.
What you will see
Photographs from this tour
Every photograph below is a place on this itinerary, taken on our own days out. Tap any one to enlarge it.
No surprises
What's included
Included
- Private licensed tour guide (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French or German)
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver
- Hotel, cruise port or airport pickup and drop-off
- Skip-the-line priority entrance — your guide holds the tickets, you never queue
- Lunch — whatever is local and fresh, cooked by local chefs and cooks
- Parking fees and fuel
- All taxes, official expenses and required insurance
Not included
- Entrance fees to the sites (see our up-to-date entrance fees page)
- Personal drinks
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
- Gratuities (optional, always appreciated)
Where the day starts
Meeting point and pickup
This is a door-to-door private tour: your guide and driver come to you. The pin below is Kusadasi Cruise Port, where most of our days begin — hotel, Izmir port and Izmir airport pickups are all included at no extra cost, and the exact spot and time are confirmed in writing before your date.
Your hotel, cruise port or airport Open in Google Maps Ask us about a different pickup
A real advantage of booking with us
Skip the line — we hold your tickets
The single biggest waste of a day at Ephesus is the queue. Book any tour with us and you never stand in one: your guide has the tickets in hand and walks you straight through the priority entrance.
Skip the line
Your guide holds your tickets before you arrive. You do not queue at the box office, and you do not queue again at the turnstile.
Fast pass at the busy sites
At Ephesus in cruise season the ticket queue alone can run 30–45 minutes in full sun. Our guests walk past it.
Priority entrance
As a TÜRSAB-licensed agency we hold priority ticketing access at the sites we visit, which is what makes the fast entry possible.
Everywhere we operate
The same applies on every Gezginol tour anywhere in Türkiye — Ephesus, Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale and beyond, not only the tours on this site.
The queue is what we remove, not the ticket price: we add nothing on top of it. You pay exactly what the Ministry of Culture and Tourism charges at the gate, your guide simply buys it for you, so you never handle a ticket desk.
Cruise guests welcome
We meet guests from every major cruise line
If your ship calls at Kusadasi or Izmir, chances are we have waited at that gangway before — name card in hand, day planned backwards from your all-aboard time.
Guaranteed pickup at the gangway and back on board in good time — for every ship on this list.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this tour good for a church group or Bible study circle?
It was practically designed by them. Pastors regularly use our theater pause for a short teaching or devotion — the day is private, so the microphone is yours.
We have already done a general Ephesus tour. Is this repetitive?
You will walk some of the same marble with entirely different eyes. General tours mention Paul in passing; this day is built on him. Guests who return for it tell us it felt like a different city.
How long did the Apostle Paul stay in Ephesus?
Longer than in any other city on his journeys. Acts 19 gives the arithmetic: three months arguing in the synagogue, then two years teaching daily in the hall of Tyrannus, and Paul himself refers to a three-year stay in his farewell to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:31). That is roughly AD 52 to 55, during the third missionary journey.
What did Paul actually do in Ephesus?
He preached in the synagogue until opposition closed it to him, then taught daily in a rented lecture hall "so that all which dwelt in Asia heard the word" (Acts 19:10). He baptised disciples who had known only John's baptism, healed, saw a public burning of magic books worth fifty thousand pieces of silver, and finally triggered the silversmiths' riot that filled the theater. He also wrote 1 Corinthians from here.
Is the footsteps of Paul tour running in 2026 and 2027?
Yes, year-round, and we are already taking bookings for both seasons. Ephesus is open every day of the year; spring and autumn are the kindest for walking, high summer needs an early start, and winter is quiet, green and often beautifully empty.
Do you run footsteps of Paul tours beyond Ephesus?
We do. Miletus, where Paul summoned the Ephesian elders for his farewell (Acts 20), is an easy day from here; Laodicea, Hierapolis and Colossae of the prison letters make another; and the full seven churches circuit takes three days. Many pilgrims combine Turkey with Greece for the whole Pauline map — tell us what you have in mind and we will plan the Turkish half honestly.
Is this tour manageable for seniors?
Yes, with one caveat we would rather state plainly: it is a single long downhill walk on uneven ancient marble, about two kilometers. There is shade, there are benches, the pace is entirely yours, and our vehicle meets you at the bottom gate. Guests who use a stick manage it comfortably; anyone who cannot manage uneven ground should ask us about the tailor-made day instead.
Ready for the In the Footsteps of Paul Tour?
Every tour is private and tailored to your pace. Send us your date — a local expert replies within 24 hours.
TÜRSAB licence No. 15746No prepayment to enquireFree cancellationSkip-the-line entrance included
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