Your adventure begins with a drive through the Turkish countryside to the House of Virgin Mary, where the mother of Jesus is reputed to have spent the last years of her life. An ecumenical mass will be conducted at this holy site during your visit. Then it's on to the Open-Air Museum of Ephesus, one of the most magnificent excavations in the world. You'll see the Odeon, the Fountain of Trajan, the steam baths of Scholastika, temple of Hadrian and the most famous structure, the Library of Celsus. Next you'll see the Grand Theater, where St. Paul preached, and the Church of Virgin Mary. You'll proceed to remains of St. John's Basilica, followed by a lunch at a local restaurant, which includes thick yogurt cheese with dill weed & garlic, shepherd's salad , a goat cheese platter, Jacob's green beans soaked in olive oil, a garbanzo bean paste with tahini, Jacob's pottage of lentil, leeks in olive oil, King David's lamb delight, and The Apostles' Favorite: an Aegean grilled fish with pomegranate sauce, complemented by local wine. Abigail's Fig Cake is a sweet finish. Following lunch, enjoy a native carpet weaving demonstration in Selcuk and on your return to explore Kusadasi, enjoy time to explore on your own till you decide to return to the ship by foot. This tour is provided by an operator that has been third-party certified to meet the Global Sustainable Tourism Council's Criteria for Tour Operators.