Our experience in KusadasiEphesus,Turkey was beyond what I imagined thanks to Viator, Otti Travel and our guide Begum.
Knowing this would probably be a once in a lifetime visit, I hoped I was making the right choice in booking a tour separate from the cruise ship we arrived on. In many, many years of traveling, this was hands down, the best tour I've ever been on.
From the moment we were greeted portside, I knew I had made the right choice.
Our tour guide was professional and spoke excellent English. She not only had a vast knowledge of her city and countryside, but also of world history.
Ephesus was amazing to say the least. She took her time in explaining the different excavation areas and of course, showed us many things that on our own, we would have missed.
We also toured a pottery factory and a rug co-op with a demonstration of rug making right from the start showing how they collect the silk from the cocoons and spin it. Of course they do go to great lengths showing the rugs, hoping they will make a sell....and if I was starting fresh with a room to decorate, I would have seriously considered buying! The rugs are so beautiful, they need to be the star of the room.
Included in the tour was a luncheon served in their garden, some of the best food we had the entire trip.
Sadly, current events in her country have kept tourist away which from all we observed is ridiculous! Our cruise line had cancelled our last stop, Istanbul, and returned us to Athens where we started, however we flew to Istanbul on our own and we felt completely safe there.
I would encourage everyone considering Turkey as a vacation destination to just GO.
The people are super friendly, and it's a sincere friendly.
A little advice here, take an umbrella! And water of course. We were there in early September and the sun was brutal!!!

Tour guide was amazing, she took the time to explain the sites and was very friendly and accommodating. Tour was provided in a very comfortable van and the bus driver allowed us to stop for pictures. The food was absolutely excellent and she even offered to show us a carpet presentation, which was worth it! I highly recommend this tour!!