Daily Didyma, Miletus & Priene Tour from Kusadasi – Temple of Apollo

Didyma, Miletus and Priene Day Trip – Three Great Ionian Sites in One Day

The daily Didyma, Miletus and Priene tour from Kusadasi uncovers a trio of ancient sites that many visitors to the Aegean never reach: an oracle sanctuary of Apollo, a powerful trading city that gave the world its first philosophers, and a hillside town admired by Alexander the Great. Hotel pickup, an air-conditioned coach, lunch, entrance fees and an English-speaking guide are all included, making this daily excursion an easy and rewarding outing.

Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers in Kuşadası

This Didyma, Miletus & Priene Tour also works as a shore excursion from the Kuşadası cruise port — a popular choice for passengers who have one day ashore. As a private excursion it is fully flexible — pickup is right at the pier, the pace follows your group, and we make sure you are back on board well before departure. Tell us how many hours your ship stays in port and we will confirm that the full programme fits comfortably. Simply share your cruise itinerary and the date you are in Kuşadası, and we will reserve your places.

Day Trip to Kuşadası from the Greek Islands (Samos and Patmos)

Guests staying on Samos or Patmos can enjoy the Didyma, Miletus & Priene Tour as a day trip from the Greek islands to Turkey — from Samos the ferry takes 45 minutes; from Patmos the ferry takes about 3 hours, so the excursion can be planned between the morning and evening sailings. Pickup is at the Kuşadası ferry terminal, and the tour is timed so you can catch the return ferry comfortably. For longer itineraries we check the ferry timetable first and confirm that the full programme fits your day. Please bring your passport and check the Turkish entry requirements for your nationality before travelling.

• Temple of Apollo at Didyma: 118 by 60 metres, once ringed by 128 decorated columns
• Miletus: one of the richest Greek cities, with nearly 90 colonies
• Theatre of Miletus: where St. Paul bade farewell to the elders of Ephesus
• Baths of Faustina, the Harbour Monument and the 15th-century Ilyas Bey Mosque at Miletus
• Priene: a carefully planned city founded around 350 BC
• Temple of Athena and Bouleuterion at Priene, with the theatre and city walls

Didyma was never a town but a sacred sanctuary, one of the three great oracle centres of the ancient world, dedicated to Apollo, god of prophecy. Its temple is slightly larger than a football pitch, and some of its columns rose to nearly 20 metres, which is why words rarely do it justice. Miletus, the next stop of this day tour, was for centuries Anatolia's leading port and a centre of science and philosophy, home to Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes and Hecataeus, and to Hippodamus, the planner credited with the grid street layout. Tradition also links the flaming tripod of the Olympic symbol to the lighthouse of its main harbour.

Priene, the final visit, enjoys one of the finest settings of any ancient city. Ruled in turn by Ionians, Lydians and Persians, it came under Alexander the Great, who favoured it above other places in Asia Minor, and later passed to Pergamon, Rome and Byzantium before earthquakes and malaria emptied it. Its Temple of Athena, council house, fish market, theatre and walls are remarkably well preserved. As a Priene and Miletus day trip, expect a full day of walking on uneven ground; comfortable shoes and a sun hat are recommended.