The House of the Virgin Mary near Ephesus
· efesotours team, Kusadasi
What is the House of the Virgin Mary?
The House of the Virgin Mary is a Catholic chapel on a mountain near ancient Ephesus, in Turkey. It is a pilgrimage site visited by popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI. In 2026 the ticket costs 15 euros or 17 dollars and the visit is combined with Ephesus on the same day.
If you arrive by cruise at the port of Kusadasi you can fit it into the same day as the ancient city, and that is exactly how we visit it: a single itinerary linking the archaeological site and the chapel, with a Spanish-speaking guide as the group standard (English-speaking guides subject to availability) and a return coordinated with your ship.
Why is it a Catholic pilgrimage site?
The House of the Virgin Mary receives a steady flow of Catholic pilgrims, and its significance was cemented by the visits of three popes: Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
For the visitor, that changes the tone of the stop. It is not just another ruin on the archaeological circuit but a sanctuary in active use, and it is best approached that way: our guides give the context on the drive up the mountain and you walk through the chapel at your own pace.
How much does the House of the Virgin Mary ticket cost in 2026?
In 2026 the ticket costs 15 euros or 17 dollars per person. To size up the full day’s budget, here is what the tickets cost at the sites usually combined with the chapel:
| Site | Ticket in euros | Ticket in dollars |
|---|---|---|
| House of the Virgin Mary | 15 € | 17 dollars |
| Ephesus, with the Experience Museum included | 40 € | 46 dollars |
| Basilica of St John | 6 € | 7 dollars |
| Temple of Artemis | Free | Free |
Tickets are paid separately from the tour price. If your plan is Ephesus plus the House of the Virgin Mary, the tickets to pay are the Ephesus one (40 euros or 46 dollars) and the chapel one (15 euros or 17 dollars).
Can you visit the House of the Virgin Mary and Ephesus on the same day?
Yes, and that is exactly how we visit it from the port. Our Ephesus tour with the House of the Virgin Mary links both sites in a single day with a professional guide. The ancient city takes around 2 hours of guided walking, with the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre as the central stops, and the chapel joins the same circuit.
The deciding factor is your port call, measured in usable time: subtract about 45 minutes to disembark and gather, plus a one-hour margin before sailing. With 8 hours or more in port, any combination works. Between 6.5 and 8 hours the essential Ephesus program fits, but the chapel has to wait for another occasion. With less than 6 hours no group tour gets back in time and we suggest the Private Ephesus Express. You can plan your day with your ship’s exact schedule before deciding.
How do you get there from the port of Kusadasi?
The port of Kusadasi is a short walk from the town center, and our meeting point is the Ada Pier Lounge, inside the Cruise Plaza; you receive exact directions on WhatsApp when your booking is confirmed. From there, the ancient city of Ephesus is about 20 kilometers away, some 25 minutes by vehicle, and the chapel sits on the mountain in the same area, so the transfer between the two points is part of the tour route itself.
The return is coordinated with your cruise: you are back at the port at least one hour before your ship sails, and if the ship does not arrive in Kusadasi we refund 100% of the deposit.
Which tour includes the House of the Virgin Mary?
There are two formats. The group tour costs 39 euros or 45 dollars per person, with a deposit of 9 euros or 10 dollars and the balance paid on tour day. The private tour of Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary and the Basilica of St John costs 390 euros or 449 dollars per group of up to 15 people, with a deposit of 39 euros or 45 dollars, and adds the basilica in Selçuk, whose ticket costs 6 euros or 7 dollars.
In both cases cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the tour starts. You can secure your place with the deposit on our booking page and pay the rest in Kusadasi.
What is worth knowing before you go?
In practice you do not need Turkish lira for this day: tourist businesses accept euros and dollars, and both our tours and the tickets have prices in both currencies. Bring the ticket money separately from the tour payment, because they are separate items: the deposit secures your place, the tour balance is paid on the day of the visit and the site tickets are paid on top of that.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the House of the Virgin Mary?
On a mountain near ancient Ephesus, in Turkey. You reach it by vehicle and the visit is combined with the ancient city on the same day, a common format for shore excursions from the port of Kusadasi.
How much does the House of the Virgin Mary ticket cost in 2026?
In 2026 the ticket costs 15 euros or 17 dollars per person and is paid separately from the tour price.
Which popes visited the House of the Virgin Mary?
Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI. The visits of these three popes established the chapel as a Catholic pilgrimage destination.
Can you visit the House of the Virgin Mary and Ephesus on the same day?
Yes. Our tour combines both sites in a single day with a professional guide, departing from and returning to the port of Kusadasi. Group departures run with a Spanish-speaking guide as standard; on private tours your guide speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese, as you choose.
How much does a tour that includes the House of the Virgin Mary cost?
The group tour costs 39 euros or 45 dollars per person; the private tour, which adds the Basilica of St John, costs 390 euros or 449 dollars per group of up to 15. Tickets are paid separately.
Will I make it back to my ship after the visit?
Yes. We plan the tour around your cruise schedule and you are back at the port at least one hour before sailing. For combinations with the House of the Virgin Mary an 8-hour port call or longer works best, because the usable time starts about 45 minutes after docking and ends one hour before sailing.