We did Ephesus from Kusadasi DIY. Unfortunately I left hubby to negotiate the price with the taxi driver while I was in the tourist information office.

We paid the same as we would have with the ship , however we were able to go at our own pace and we also visited St Mary's house. I'm sure we could have done it cheaper with a bit more negotiating, but then there were only the 2 of us and it would have been cheaper per person had there been four.

luci

Ephesus is a long way from Izmir for a DIY tour - about an hour to an hour and a half by road. But it is definitely worth it. You should try to be dropped at the top entrance and walk down to the bottom one. A taxi will do the job for say 10 YTL (a good price for him and not a rip off for you) .. which is better than the 'free transfer' offered which calls in at a carpet factory on the way!!

You might like to combine it with Mary's house or the St John's Basilica (ruins) and the Mosque nearby in Selçuk.

Have you considered hiring a car through a reasonable broker such as Holiday Autos?

Ephesus is definitely worth the visit, but do take water with you because the stalls are very expensive and there is no shade.