From Kusadasi Port: Priene, Miletus, and Didyma Daily Tour

Discover the ancient cities of Priene, Miletus, and Didyma on a full-day tour from Kusadasi. Learn about the history of the Ionian cities and the development of the Aegean region.
Explore the ancient cities of Priene, Miletus, and Didyma on a full-day tour from Kusadasi. See the Temple of Apollo, the Temple of Athena, and the well-preserved theater and council chamber in Priene.

Start your day with a pick-up from Port or your hotel in Kusadasi and drive along the cotton fields and vineyards for about 40 minutes to arrive at your first site, Priene. Explore the ancient Hellenistic city, which has picturesque ruins including several columns of the Temple of Athena, much of the city walls, a well-preserved theater, and a council chamber (Bouleuterion).

After visiting this impressive site, stop for lunch at a local restaurant. Continue to Miletus, a prosperous and successful port city in ancient times. It is considered to have been the most powerful city of the twelve Ionian cities and is known to have greatly influenced the intellectual and philosophical development of the Aegean region.

The city encouraged erudition and founded several schools, attracting scientists, architects, philosophers, and geographers. The first coins were minted in this city, exact weight measures were established, and the Phoenician alphabet perfected.

From the results of excavations, it appears that Miletus was actually the Hittite settlement Millawanda and it was certainly a Mycenaean colony by the fourteenth century BC. Next, visit Didyma, a small village famous for its golden sandy beaches. See the Temple of Apollo, a superb example of architecture dating from the Graeco-Roman period, and a sign of the grandeur of this area, outstanding for culture and art.

This temple in Didyma was very important and divine like the one in Delphi in Greece. And most probably it was considered divine because of the existence of a fresh water spring upon which the Temple of Apollo was constructed. Even before the arrival of the Ionians, Didyma was a holy place and its oracle was much feared and much attended.

The Persian King Xerxes destroyed the temple in 480 BC and looted many of the statues and also removed its vast treasury which owed its magnitude to the generosity of Croesus, King of Lydia. Alexander the Great decided to rebuild the temple after his victory over the Persians, which had never been completely finished and was still uncompleted under the Romans, probably on account of its enormous dimension (120 meters long and 24 meters wide).

Christianity put an end to pagan rites and festivals and prevented the temple from being completed. Indeed, in one atrium of the temple a basilica was built. No matter if the temple is completed or not, what remains today is impressive and worth a visit.

To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.

This excursion you can cancel with no cost up to 24 hours before the start of the trip. If you cancel it after 24 hours or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity. Being late on pick-up or departure will be considered as not showing up.