Wind Star at Kuşadası: One Yellow Taxi Ride or Two?

Wind Star is in Kuşadası on two Mondays in October 2026, 07:00 to 23:00. Compare one long yellow taxi ride with two shorter rides and a rest on board.

Wind Star comes into Kuşadası on two Mondays in October 2026 in the port schedule we follow, and both calls have the same hours: in at 07:00, out at 23:00. Sixteen hours in port raises a question most cruise passengers never have to answer. Do you want one long taxi ride, or two shorter ones with a rest on the ship in between?

Two Mondays, identical hours

We take these times from the port schedule we follow. Windstar can still change them, so compare with your own cruise documents. Plan to be back at the port at least 60 minutes before sailing, so by 22:00 here, unless the all-aboard time printed on board is earlier.

Two rides or one: picking the shape of your Monday

Both options cover the same ground: Ephesus, the Temple of Artemis, the House of the Virgin Mary and the hillside village of Şirince. The only difference is how many times you go out: once or twice. Either way, the driver meets you at the port exit, you agree the stop order together, and the driver waits while you visit.

Option A: two separate rides

The first ride covers the ancient sites while the morning is fresh. The second takes you to Şirince when the day starts to cool. In between, you have lunch on board and a few hours off your feet.

• Ride 1, about 07:45: pickup at the port exit, after allowing 15 to 30 minutes to leave the ship
• About 08:30 to 09:15: House of the Virgin Mary, in the hills about 15 minutes above Ephesus
• About 09:30 to 11:45: Ephesus, dropped at the upper gate, met at the lower gate
• About 12:00: Temple of Artemis, a 10 to 20 minute photo stop
• About 12:30: back at the port
• Ride 2, about 15:30: pickup for Şirince, roughly 35 to 40 minutes away
• About 16:10 to 17:40: stone houses, fruit-wine tasting shops, the Church of St John the Baptist
• About 18:20: back at the port, with the evening still free

Opening hours at Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary change by season. With a 07:00 arrival, check current opening hours first, and if the gates open later than you would reach them, simply ask for a later first pickup.

Option B: one long ride

All four stops in a row take about 7.5 to 8.5 hours, port to port. Start around 08:00 and you are back somewhere between 15:30 and 16:30, with the rest of the day and the whole evening ahead of you. The order runs House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus, Temple of Artemis, then Şirince for a late lunch before the drive back.

How to choose

• Two rides suit you if heat tires you, if you want lunch on the ship, or if someone in your party needs a proper rest. Şirince's steep lanes are easier on fresh legs.
• One ride suits you if you prefer a single pickup and lunch in the village, and want a free late afternoon in Kuşadası.
• Not sure? Pick the two-ride plan. If you feel like skipping Şirince after the rest, tell us and the second ride is simply not needed.

Tell us both legs when you book

For the two-ride plan, give us both pickup times in your booking message: the morning start and the afternoon return to the port exit. That way a driver is lined up for each leg, and you are not arranging the second ride from the deck at lunchtime.

Before the first pickup

• Pay the driver in cash; there is no card payment in the taxi.
• Not included: entrance fees (paid at each site, and they change with the season), food and drinks.
• Ephesus has very little shade and polished marble that can be slippery, so wear shoes with good grip and bring water and a hat.
• Send us the ship name, the Monday you are in port, your party size, and which plan you prefer: one ride, or two with their pickup times.

You can see how pickup works on our Wind Star page. If you only want the port to Ephesus and back, book it as a cruise port Ephesus taxi.

Whichever shape you choose, the basic ride is the port to Ephesus and back; the Temple of Artemis, the House of the Virgin Mary and Şirince cost extra. Put them in your booking message so the price is clear before the day.