Seven Seas Prestige Saturdays in Kusadasi: Ephesus by car

Published 4 October 2026

Seven Seas Prestige comes to Kusadasi on two Saturdays, and on both it has familiar neighbours. The published schedule (checked in October 2026) shows Saturday 7 August and Saturday 25 September 2027. Celestyal Discovery and Wind Surf are listed in port on both dates, which makes each of them a busy day.

The two Saturdays

7 August 2027. Also listed: Celestyal Discovery, Wind Surf and Ritz-Carlton Ilma. Four ships, at the height of summer.

25 September 2027. Also listed: Star Legend, Celestyal Discovery, Wind Surf and World Traveller. Five ships, at the start of autumn.

Arrival and departure times have not been announced yet for either call. When they appear, treat them as a guide; the all-aboard time in the ship’s daily programme is the one that counts, and it is usually earlier than departure.

Sizing the day

Plan by the hours you end up with, and work back so you are at the port at least 60 minutes before departure:

• Up to about 6 hours: Ephesus, with the Temple of Artemis only if the timing is easy.
• About 6–7 hours: Ephesus and one of Mary’s House or Artemis. In August, choose Mary’s House for the shade.
• About 7–8.5 hours: Ephesus, Mary’s House and Artemis; leave Sirince for another trip.
• 9 hours or more: all four.
• 12 hours or more: all four at an unhurried pace, with the Terrace Houses and a long lunch in Sirince.

An unhurried Saturday (hypothetical)

Suppose, only as an illustration, that the ship arrives at 08:00 and leaves at 20:00. These are not published times.

1. 08:30 — driver waiting at the cruise port exit. On a five-ship morning, give yourself time to get ashore.
2. 09:00–12:00 — Ephesus from the upper gate, including the Terrace Houses, while the morning is still cooler.
3. 12:20–13:05 — House of the Virgin Mary, under the trees in the hottest part of the day.
4. 13:30–13:50 — Temple of Artemis.
5. 14:10–15:40 — Sirince: lunch, a wine-tasting shop, the lanes.
6. About 16:20 — back at the port, hours before the example departure.

With a shorter real window, remove Sirince and the Terrace Houses first.

August versus September at the sites

Ephesus. In early August, midday is often well above 30 °C and the site has little shade; the walk is roughly 1.5–2 km on uneven marble. By late September it is milder, and the long view down Curetes Street to the Library of Celsus is easier to enjoy.

House of the Virgin Mary. A modest stone house in the woods of Mount Koressos, where many Christians believe Mary lived her last years. Pope Benedict XVI came in 2006. Cooler air is the bonus in August.

Temple of Artemis. The Artemision was one of the Seven Wonders; today a single re-erected column stands in a low field. Look across to the Isa Bey Mosque and the Basilica of St John.

Sirince. Until the 1920s a Greek village; now a place for fruit wines, olive oil and soap. If you buy wine, check your ship’s rules about alcohol on board.

Weekend crowds

With four or five ships on each of these Saturdays, expect many groups at Ephesus in the morning. With a private car you choose the order when you book: an early Ephesus start if your ship arrives first, or Mary’s House first if it arrives after the others. Tell us your preference and we build the plan around it.

Book for your Saturday

Reserve the Kusadasi–Ephesus private transfer for 7 August or 25 September. We meet you at the cruise port exit; the driver waits while you visit and brings you back to the ship. One vehicle takes up to 8 passengers. Name your extra stops when you book, and we confirm the plan with you before the day. Entrance tickets are not included. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Tickets are not included; buy Ephesus and Terrace Houses tickets in advance on our museum tickets page. Planning the visit? See our Ephesus walking guide and when to visit Ephesus.