Travel
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Ephesus, Turkey
Any recommendations on things to see? We only have one day so I am trying to prioitize.
Re: Ephesus, Turkey
I really like Ephesus... not too big (as compared to Istanbul) but some cool stuff. Even if your not into ruins, the Library ruins are quite impressive, and in my opinion, worth the trip.
Slightly further out (in the hills) is the house where Mary spent her final years. I'm not hugely religious, but it's probably one of the most spiritual places I've ever been. I was there in Jul, so Turkey was hot and crowded, but the house in the hills was cool and peaceful. Really a neat spot, IMO.
We hired a guide through Ekol Travel (http://www.ekoltravel.com/)
We did shore excursion tour #4 plus the Terrace houses (just DH&I), it included
Private Ephesus + House of Virgin Mary + The Temple of Artemis + St. John Basilica
Cancer sucks.
We hired a guide through Meander Travel and had a half day tour of Ephesus with the Terrace Houses. I highly recommend the Terrace Houses if you have time. They were amazing!
This exactly what we did. The Terrace houses were the best part so definitely add that, it's $15 each extra. If you are coming on a cruise then the above also leaves plenty of time to shop in the port which has a large market area.
Also based on cruise critic advice we skipped the rug making BS part of the tour cause we were not interested and it's just a tourist trap anyways.
Thanks ladies. Maybe I a just reading too fast or something but did the tour you take go to the Library and all that?
Yes, I am not interested in the rug making either. Sounds like a total joke.
Yes, it is in the middle of the ruins site.
Photos go. Mary's house, Ephesus ruins (terrace houses and library), basilica, temple of Artemis, lunch (wasn't included in our tour, but was under $20 including tip and drinks and the food was wonderful) back at the port.
We went to the one pottery place, we were the only ones there, no hard sell like the rug places. I was looking for something for my mum.
Cancer sucks.
My husband and I were there for our honeymoon on a cruise in July... the ruins are great and I echo the house of Mary as well, even though I am not Catholic. The wall of tears (might have been called the wall of prayers?) which was at that location was also really moving.
I noticed a lot of people indicated to skip the rug presentation, which I STRONGLY recommend skipping as well. They are very high pressure sales people and once their short presentation was over, we had 20 guys flock into a closed room swarm all over us... It was intense.
However, if your port is Kusadasi, I also want to suggest that you be really careful in the shops around the port too. There was some great shopping, but everyone was REALLY pushy. The waiters on our cruise said the men used to grab people by the arm and pull you into their shops... So just be a little careful. We didn't have that experience, but everything was very high pressure sales. AND, barter, barter, barter.
If you have some extra time, there is a small beach in Kusadasi right where the ships dock and it's gorgeous. Nice place to take some pictures and just relax for a while...
I agree about everyone being really pushy at the market in the port... it reminded me of Chinatown NYC back in its hay day and how they are really pushy selling their knockoffs... just don't be timid.. be strong and don't hesitate to haggle and walk away cause there are 90 other stands selling the same thing!