Gladiators of Ephesus – family tour

Who were the gladiators really? In Ephesus archaeologists found a cemetery of about 70 gladiators – their bones tell of training, diet, injuries and healing. On this tour children and parents experience Ephesus as a living city: we walk the marble streets, sit in the theatre, find the stadium and look at the fighters' gravestones and weapons in the museum. We fly early from Istanbul to Izmir and back in the evening.

Highlights

• Domestic flight Istanbul – Izmir and back, departing from IST or SAW
• Gladiator finds in the Ephesus Museum: gravestones, reliefs, equipment
• Great Theatre: sit where 25,000 people once cheered
• Stadium of Ephesus, scene of races and fights
• Roman daily life: latrines, fountains, streets, shops and the Terrace Houses
• Told for children, with breaks and time for questions

Full description

Children discover Ephesus best through stories. We tell how a gladiator lived, who watched and why a fight did not always end in death. In the city we show the public latrines where Romans chatted, the game boards scratched into the marble steps, and the theatre where animal hunts and fights took place.

In the Ephesus Museum in Selçuk we see the gladiators' gravestones with their names and victories, reliefs of fighters and many everyday objects. On request we visit the Terrace Houses with wall paintings of children's rooms and games. We set the pace by your children – with breaks for ice cream, shade and questions.

For you this means: you book everything in one step – flights, transfers and guiding – at one fixed total price.

What we see

We adapt order and selection to weekday, opening hours, weather and your wishes.

• 1 · Flight Istanbul – Izmir
  Early pick-up at your hotel, transfer to IST or SAW airport, flight to Izmir (ADB), drive to Selçuk.
• 2 · Ephesus: streets, latrines and theatre
  Curetes Street, game boards in the marble, public latrines, Library of Celsus, Great Theatre.
• 3 · Stadium
  Venue for chariot races, animal hunts and gladiator fights.
• 4 · Terrace Houses (optional)
  Homes of wealthy families with wall paintings, separate ticket.
• 5 · Ephesus Museum Selçuk
  Gladiator gravestones, reliefs, everyday objects and the Artemis statues.
• 6 · Flight back to Istanbul
  Drive to Izmir airport (ADB), evening flight, in Istanbul transfer back to your hotel.

Included

• Private, state-licensed tour guide in your language (Mehmet Humayunoğlu or an experienced colleague from his team)
• Domestic flight Istanbul (IST or SAW) – Izmir (ADB) and back
• Transfer hotel Istanbul – airport and back
• Vehicle with driver from and to Izmir airport (ADB) for the day programme
• Planning, coordination and time management of the day

Not included

• Entrance fees (Ephesus, Terrace Houses, Ephesus Museum)
• Lunch, drinks, ice cream
• Personal expenses, tips

Meeting point

We pick you up early in the morning at your hotel in Istanbul and bring you back there at the end of the tour. Departure airport is either Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW).

You will recognise me by the sign “MeinReiseleiter.de” and the visibly worn guide licence. We confirm meeting point and time with your booking.

Important information

German, English, Turkish, French, Italian, Spanish – 25 more languages on request.

• Names as in your passport – We issue the flight tickets in the names you enter in the booking form. Please write them exactly as in your ID or passport.
• Bring your ID – All travellers need their passport or national ID card for the domestic flight.
• Flight times – We confirm the exact flight times and your hotel pick-up time with the booking.
• With children – Please give the children's ages – we adapt the stories and pace. Pushchairs are of limited use on the paving in Ephesus; a baby carrier is better.
• MuseumPass Aegean – Valid among others for Ephesus and the Ephesus Museum. Can be added in the booking form; paid in full with the deposit and non-refundable. Children under 8 do not need a pass.
• Sun protection and water – Little shade in Ephesus; bring hats and plenty of water for the children.