Viking Saturn Kusadasi calls: Ephesus by private car, Nov to March

Published 4 October 2026

Viking Saturn covers almost the whole off-season in Kusadasi, from mid-November to early March, with one notable gap: there is no December call. The published schedule (checked in October 2026) lists nine visits, and arrival and departure times have not been announced yet for any of them. Below is how to turn one of those days into a private-car trip to Ephesus and the places around it.

Viking Saturn’s nine calls at a glance

• November 2026, four calls six days apart: Thursday 12, Wednesday 18, Tuesday 24 and Monday 30 November.
• January 2027, two calls: Friday 8 and Tuesday 12 January.
• February 2027, two Saturdays: 20 and 27 February.
• March 2027, one call: Tuesday 9 March.

Tuesday is the most frequent day, with three calls. On four of the nine dates one other ship is in port as well: MSC Fantasia on 12 November, Celestyal Discovery on 24 November and again on 9 March, and Seven Seas Navigator on 12 January. There is never a third ship, so even the shared days should be manageable.

Choosing your extras by month

November. Autumn is milder than summer, so this is the block where adding the House of the Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis to Ephesus makes the most sense. On the two shared days, consider going to the House of the Virgin Mary first and reaching Ephesus a little later.

January and February. The coldest, shortest days of Saturn’s run. Rain is possible, and entrance tickets are not included, so buy Ephesus and Terrace Houses tickets in advance on our museum tickets page. Put Ephesus first and keep the rest flexible.

March. A single call, shared with one other ship. Spring is milder than mid-winter, which makes this a sensible date for a fuller programme if the stay is long enough.

What fits in how many hours

Until the schedule shows times, plan with these scenarios:

• About 6 hours in port: Ephesus and, at most, one short extra such as the Temple of Artemis. Sirince does not fit.
• About 8.5 hours: Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Temple of Artemis. Sirince is still too much.
• About 11 hours: all four, Sirince included, at an unhurried pace.

Two buffers belong in every plan: some time at the start to get off the ship, and at least 60 minutes at the end between your return to the port and the published departure. Saturn’s daily programme will also list an all-aboard time, normally before departure.

A full four-stop day (hypothetical 10:00 to 19:00)

Purely an example. If a call ran from 10:00 to 19:00, a late morning start like this would work:

• 10:30 Meet the driver at the cruise port exit.
• 11:00 Ephesus, entering at the upper gate. Roughly 2 to 2.5 hours.
• 13:15 Up the mountain to the House of the Virgin Mary; about 45 minutes there.
• 14:40 Temple of Artemis, a 15 to 20 minute stop.
• 15:20 Up the hill road to Sirince for about an hour.
• about 17:00 Back at the port, two hours before departure.

On a winter call with an afternoon start, check closing times first: shorter winter hours may rule out the House of the Virgin Mary late in the day, while Sirince, a village rather than a ticketed site, is the easier last stop.

Four places, seen from a winter deck

Ephesus. Highlights on the way down include the latrines, the Temple of Hadrian, the Great Theatre and Harbour Street, also called the Arcadian Way. Marble can be slippery after rain.

House of the Virgin Mary. A small stone house among trees on Mount Koressos, visited by Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. Expect it to feel cooler than the ruins, and wear something warm in January.

Temple of Artemis. Little more than one standing column today, so treat it as a short stop for the story. The view to Ayasuluk Hill is part of the point.

Sirince. Stone and timber houses on steep, cobbled lanes. Fruit wine, olive oil and handmade soap are the classic purchases; check your ship’s rules before carrying wine on board.

Practical tips for Saturn passengers

• Uneven stone at Ephesus means roughly 1.5 to 2 km of careful walking; good soles matter more than anything else in winter.
• If anyone in your group has limited mobility, tell us when booking. Mary’s House has a short path from the car park.

How to book

Book the Kusadasi–Ephesus private transfer once you know your date. Your driver waits at the cruise port exit, stays with the car during your visits and drives you back to the port. Up to 8 passengers share one vehicle, only your group. Name your extra stops when booking and we confirm the plan with you before the day. Entrance tickets are not included. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before; cash or card.

Planning the visit? See our Ephesus walking guide and when to visit Ephesus.