Med Cruise: Kuşadası/Ephesus
In this third post of a multi-part series, Bethany explores Kuşadası and Ephesus, Turkey on her Mediterranean Cruise on Crystal.
I am exploring parts of the Mediterranean on my inaugural cruise on Crystal. The 7-night cruise on Crystal Symphony kicks off in Istanbul, Turkey and wraps up in Venice, Italy. Join me as I explore the many wonderful ports in Turkey, Greece, Croatia, and Italy along the way!
Crystal Mediterranean Cruise Full Itinerary
Below is the full itinerary for the trip. This post includes details about my time in Kuşadası, Turkey. Looking for info on other stops? Check out the ‘Links’ section at the end of this post!
- Pre-Cruise – September 6-8: Istanbul, Turkey
- Cruise Day 1 – September 9: At Sea
- Cruise Day 2 – September 10: Kuşadası, Turkey
- Cruise Day 3 – September 11: At Sea
- Cruise Day 4 – September 12: Katakolon, Greece
- Cruise Day 5 – September 13: Corfu, Greece
- Cruise Day 6 – September 14: Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Post-Cruise – September 15: Venice, Italy
Cruise Day 2: Kuşadası & Ephesus
I woke up the morning of September 10 to some stunning views of Kuşadası (pronounced “KOOSH-ah-dah-sah” by the locals). The view from my living room window was pretty nice, so I stepped out to the promenade deck to snap a few pics before breakfast. The promenade deck wraps completely around the deck I was on (deck 7), and my suite was just one suite away from doors that led out to the promenade deck. So it was very easy for me to step out and enjoy the views whenever I wanted to – almost like having my own veranda!
Ephesus Archaeological Museum
After a wonderful breakfast onboard in The Marketplace, I headed out on my first excursion of the cruise. The morning excursion had two stops. The first stop was at the Ephesus Archaeological Museum. We had a local guide for the entire excursion, and we also met up with a famed archaeologist once at the museum. He actually recovered several of the pieces in the museum! It was wonderful to hear his stories as he led us through the museum. The first part of the museum contained several large statues that have been recovered at the Ephesus site throughout the years.
We then got to spend some time in a room where they had many smaller artifacts on display. Here I got to see various items such as medical tools, coins, and other religious and decorative items.
Then we headed to the outside courtyard area of the museum, where more of the larger pieces are displayed. In addition to several more statues, we also got to see several sarcophagi, which are large coffins carved in stone. In one of the pictures below, our archaeologist guide proudly tells the story of how he personally discovered this particular sarcophagus.
Back inside the museum, we got to examine several more pieces that have been recovered from the Ephesus site.
We also had a third guide through some of the museum. This friendly cat ushered us through the last parts of the museum! In Turkey (and indeed the other locations I visited on this cruise), cats roam free through most of the cities and towns. Keep your eyes peeled for more cat pics throughout this journey!
Ephesus Ancient City
After visiting the museum, we got to explore Ephesus in depth. They have uncovered quite a bit here already, and it is still an active dig site. It was founded in the 10th century BC and was once a bustling port city. Our initial views once in the site were of the large theater, an open-air facility that had an estimated seating capacity of 25,000 people. We then began our exploration, and our guide led us through the site.
As we walked through the ancient city we walked through the two agoras, or main shopping and business areas. There were two agoras – one for commerce and one for state business. Along the way I marveled at the gorgeous architecture and artifacts. There was also evidence of the active dig site, with several areas closed off and covered with tents for the archaeologists to work in.
This is a very popular destination in this area, and today is no exception! There was a very large crowd with us as we navigated through the agoras. The walkway is sloped and is covered with relatively slick marble slabs, so navigating was a bit tricky! It is also completely in the open, with no shade to protect from the blazing hot sun. Luckily, I had a hat and some moisture-wicking clothing on so that helped.
Ephesus Main Sites
Two of the main sites here are the Library of Celsus (left picture below) and the theater (right picture below). The library was originally built around 125 in memory of Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus. He paid for the construction himself. He is buried in a sarcophagus beneath it. This current version of the facade has been carefully rebuilt with original pieces recovered here at the site. The theater was originally used for entertainment and plays, but eventually also had gladiator combats as well.
Ephesus Terrace Houses
An interesting area in Ephesus is the Terrace Houses. These were luxury Roman villas built on a slope opposite from the Hadrian Temple. There are six houses here, built on three terraces. These date back to 10 BC. This is also an active archaeological site, and they continue to recover many fascinating parts of these houses. It was fascinating to walk in and around the houses and see the various items that have already been recovered. There is a lot of colorful, decorative tile and painting within the houses. Like modern times, new occupants would often recover the walls with their preferred styles and colors, and in several areas you can see multiple layers of wall coverings! This was a wonderful way to wrap up the morning excursion in Ephesus.
Afternoon Break
After a long and hot morning exploring Ephesus, we headed back to the ship to rest and relax a bit. After lunch I headed back out to the main town area by the port to do some shopping. I then went back to the ship for a cool scoop of mango gelato by the pool. I also had a light snack at The Bistro and got ready for the evening excursion, where I was headed back to Ephesus for an evening concert.
Classical Concert at Ephesus
The evening excursion was, in a word, magical! A very small group of about 30 passengers headed back to Ephesus for a private classical concert. We arrived at the site just as the sun was setting, and the lights throughout the site came on to showcase all of the fabulous architecture I had explored earlier in the day. The concert venue was in front of the Celsus Library, which was stunning in the lights of the night.
A beautiful seating area was laid out in front of the Celsus Library for us. Each table of four had a wonderful assortment of cold snacks. We were also served delicious wine. A tray of hot snacks was brought out once we started settling in. Everything was delicious and gorgeous. I even spotted several more of my cat friends throughout the evening…apparently cats are classical music fans as well!
After the wonderful concert ended, we then walked back through the site to the bus. The lights continued to set a fantastic mood as an absolutely amazing evening at Ephesus came to a close.
White Night
Once back on the ship, it was time for White Night. The main atrium area is festively decorated and the band is rocking! It was a bit of a jolt to the system to go from the tranquil classical concert at Ephesus to this once back on board, but I had a wonderful time. I sipped on one of the signature white cocktails and then took a turn on the dance floor for a while.
Conclusion
This was a very full but wonderful day! Exploring Ephesus during the day with an archaeologist was a great way to learn more about the site and the history. I also enjoyed some free time in the afternoon wandering through the large bazaar area by the port, soaking in all of the sights, sounds, and smells of the area. But the evening concert at Ephesus was definitely the true highlight of the day. It was such a beautiful and intimate experience.
Links
Check the main page for this cruise to read more about my adventures:
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