Viking Mars at Kusadasi: a quiet spring day for Ephesus by car

Published 4 October 2026

Viking Mars has an unusual advantage in Kusadasi: on one of its two days, nobody else is listed in port. The published schedule (checked in October 2026) shows Wednesday 28 April 2027 with no other ships, and Tuesday 4 May 2027 with only Celestyal Discovery alongside. Both calls are in spring, the most comfortable season for walking the ruins.

The calendar in brief

• Two calls, six days apart, at the turn of April and May 2027.
• Weekdays: a Wednesday and a Tuesday.
• Times: arrival and departure have not been announced yet. Check again nearer the date, and on board use the ship’s daily programme for the all-aboard time.
• Company in port: none on 28 April; one other ship on 4 May. Neither is a busy day.

That last point shapes everything below. On a quiet port day you lose less time getting out of the harbour, and you can use the classic order without fighting a morning rush.

Choosing your stops by time in port

Until the times appear, match the plan to the length of the call. Always count back so you are at the port at least 60 minutes before departure.

Example: an eight-hour spring call

The times here are invented for illustration only: arrival 07:30, departure 15:30.

1. 08:00 — your driver is waiting at the cruise port exit.
2. 08:25 — upper gate of Ephesus. Walk down Curetes Street past the Temple of Hadrian and the latrines to the Library of Celsus.
3. 10:45 — leave from the lower gate after the Great Theatre and a look along Harbour Street.
4. 11:05–11:50 — House of the Virgin Mary.
5. 12:15–12:35 — Temple of Artemis.
6. About 13:10 — back at the port, more than two hours before the example departure.

That margin is generous on purpose. If you want the Terrace Houses inside Ephesus, add about 45–60 minutes there and the day still works. Sirince does not belong in an eight-hour call; keep it for a longer one.

What spring changes at each site

Ephesus. Late April and early May are mild, but the site still has very little shade, so a hat and water are worth carrying. Starting at the upper gate means the 1.5–2 km route runs mostly downhill.

Terrace Houses. A covered excavation of Roman homes with wall paintings and mosaics, on a separate ticket. On a quiet port day this is a good place to spend the time you save.

House of the Virgin Mary. A small stone house in woodland on Nightingale Mountain, visited by three popes. Spring mornings up here can be fresh; outside there are water taps and a wall where visitors tie written wishes.

Temple of Artemis. Expect one column in a field, not a temple. Come for the story and the view of Ayasuluk Hill with the Basilica of St John.

Sirince. Only for a call of nine hours or more: steep cobbled lanes, old stone and timber houses, the restored Church of St John the Baptist.

Practical notes for these two dates

• On 28 April you may well find the sites calmer than usual for a cruise day; it is a good date for a slower pace and longer photo stops.
• On 4 May, with one other ship listed, a normal early start is enough. No need to reverse the order.
• Spring weather can turn; a light rain layer takes little space.
• If anyone in your party walks with difficulty, tell us when booking. Mary’s House has only a short path from the car park.

Reserving the car

Our Kusadasi–Ephesus private transfer is a round trip from the ship: meeting at the cruise port exit, a driver who waits throughout, and a vehicle for up to 8 passengers. Tell us your extra stops when you book and we confirm the plan with you before the day. Entrance tickets are not included. You can cancel free of charge 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.