DISCOVERY of EPHESUS 09 / THE HOUSE OF V.MARY & EPHESUS ANCIENT CITY AND SIRINCE VILLAGE / BIBLICAL HISTORY AND BEAUTIFUL  VISTAS

You will start your tour today with the visit the Shrine of the Virgin Mary where she supposedly her later days .

Located on the top of the "Bulbul" mountain 7 km ahead of Ephesus, the shrine of Virgin Mary enjoys a marvelous atmosphere hidden in the green. It is the place where Mary may have spent her last days. Indeed, she may have come in the area together with Saint John, who spent several years in the area to spread Christianity. Mary preferred this remote place rather than living in crowded place.

The house of Virgin Mary is a typical Roman architectural example, entirely made of stones. In the 4th century AD, a church, combining her house and grave, has been built. The original two-stored house, which consisted of an anteroom (where today candles are proposed), bedroom and praying room (Christian church area) and a room with fireplace (chapel for Muslims). A front kitchen fell into ruins and has been restored in 1940's. Today, only the central part and a room on the right of the altar are open to visitors. From there one can understand that this building looks more like a church than a house. Another interesting place is the "Water of Mary", a source to be found at the exit of the church area and where rather salt water, with curative properties, can be drunk by all.

After the visit of the House of V.Mary drive to the ancient city of Ephesus.

The important places to see in Ephesus ancient city ;

Odeon,Bouleterion,Fountains,Temples,Brothels,Library,Agoras,Grand Theater, Roman Baths and Gyms

Ephesus (Turkish Efes) was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selcuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era. In the Roman period, Ephesus had a population of more than 250,000 in the 1st century BC, which also made it one of the largest cities in the Mediterranean world. The city was famed for the Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Emperor Constantine I rebuilt much of the city and erected new public baths. Following the Edict of Thessalonica from emperor Theodosius I, the temple was destroyed in 401 AD by a mob led by St. John Chrysostom. The town was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614 AD. The city's importance as a commercial center declined as the harbor was slowly silted up by the Cayster River. Ephesus was one of the seven churches of Asia that are cited in the Book of Revelation. The Gospel of John may have been written here. The city was the site of several 5th century Christian Councils, see Council of Ephesus. It is also the site of a large gladiators' graveyard.

Then drive to Sirince Village ; It is a beautiful hill town only 8 km east of Selcuk, near Ephesus, in the Aegean hinterland south of İzmir It's famous for its olive oil, fruit wines, other natural products, and its atmospheric boutique hotels. A dozen small restaurants cater to day-trippers, hotel guests, and locals alike.

In the 19th century ,it was a Greek town with 1800 houses,famous for its fig production,especially for export.Population Exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1923 ,result of the departure of the Greeks were settled by emigrants from the village.There are two Greek churges in the quarter.In Şirince no house blocks the vıew of the other.

Some say the Orthodox Christian Greeks who lived here during the Ottoman Empire were famed for the excellence of their wine. The Muslim Turks who moved here from Thessaloniki in 1924 re-started wine-making using local fruits, including apple, apricot, banana, blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, mulberry (black, and white), mandarin orange, melon, orange, peach, quince, sour (Morello) cherry and strawberry. You can taste the results and judge for yourself when you visit. They sell red, white and rosé, dry and sweet. A few local producers have switched from the local vines, which in fact produce table grapes, to Turkey's better wine grapes such as Narince.

DURATIONS :

İZMİR          :  8 hours

KUSADASI :   6 hours

ÇESME       :   9 hours

THE GUIDE MAY CHANGE THE ROUTE FOR THE VENUES

THE CAPACITY OF THE TOUR MAXIMUM 12 PAX