Daily Pergamon Tour from Selcuk – Acropolis, Asklepion & Red Basilica

Pergamon Day Trip from Selcuk: Acropolis, Asklepion and the Red Basilica

Our daily Pergamon tour from Selcuk takes you north to modern Bergama, home of one of the most influential cities of the Hellenistic world and one of the Seven Churches of Asia named in the Book of Revelation. This guided day tour pairs a comfortable hotel pickup with a full exploration of the upper and lower city, a lunch break and a relaxed return, making it an easy daily excursion for travellers based around Ephesus.

Shore Excursion for Cruise Passengers in Kuşadası

This Pergamon 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 Pergamon 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.

• Acropolis of Pergamon with its dramatic hillside theatre, often described as the steepest in the ancient world
• Altar of Zeus, the monument linked to the phrase 'Throne of Satan' in Revelation
• Temple of Trajan and its gleaming marble columns above the valley
• Library of Pergamon, once a rival to Alexandria with an estimated 200,000 volumes
• Asklepion, a renowned healing sanctuary of the classical era
• Red Basilica, the vast brick church also known as St. John's Church

Pergamon flourished under the Attalid kings, who turned their hilltop capital into a showcase of art and learning. Its library grew so large that, according to tradition, the scarcity of papyrus pushed local scribes to perfect parchment, a writing material that takes its very name from the city. The theatre cut into the slope could seat thousands of spectators, while the terrace of the Altar of Zeus once carried the famous sculpted frieze of gods battling giants. The Temple of Trajan, rebuilt in white marble in the Roman period, still frames sweeping views of the plain below.

Down in the lower town, the Asklepion was a place where patients came for treatment through rest, water, diet and dream interpretation, and it is closely associated with the physician Galen. The Red Basilica, raised from a Roman temple built for Egyptian deities, is one of the largest ancient structures still standing in the region and carries strong early Christian associations. On this Pergamon day trip a professional English-speaking guide explains each site, entrance fees for the visits in the programme are covered and lunch is included. Wear sturdy shoes and bring sun protection, as the acropolis is exposed and involves some walking on uneven stone.