Izmir Airport to Şirince and the House of the Virgin Mary

The House of the Virgin Mary stands on a hill above Selçuk, and Şirince is a hill village known for fruit wine, 8 km inland. Both sit close to Ephesus, so they fit into the same trip, but they work on different timetables: the House keeps fixed hours and a Mass schedule, while Şirince is an open village that is best enjoyed early on a weekday. This guide covers the road from ADB, the public options, and what to know before you go.

Izmir Airport to Şirince and the House: Options at a Glance

Drive times come from routing data without traffic. Allow more at weekends and in high season. Fares for public transport can change, so check the operator before you travel.

Distances and Drive Times

Locally, Selçuk to the House of the Virgin Mary is about 7 km, and Selçuk to Şirince is 8 km, about 20 minutes by dolmuş. The two sights lie in different directions from Selçuk, so visiting both takes a little planning (see the suggested day below).

Option 1: Private Transfer

Our driver tracks your flight and waits just outside the arrivals exit. After you have landed, the driver sends the exact meeting point and a short video on WhatsApp, so you do not need to look for anyone. Drivers speak English. The price is per vehicle, not per person, and there is no extra charge for traffic or flight delays. A Mercedes Vito takes up to 6 passengers with luggage, a V-Class VIP is available for smaller groups, and a Sprinter suits larger parties. Child seats are available on request.

Our published price to the Selçuk area starts from €60 per vehicle. Şirince and the House of the Virgin Mary are a short drive beyond Selçuk, and the exact price for your address is shown before you pay. Details and a booking form are on the Izmir Airport to Selçuk page, and you can compare other routes on the transfer prices page.

Name your hotel or guesthouse when you book. Şirince has a pedestrian centre, and cars stop at its edge, so you may walk the last few minutes with your bags on the old lanes. A driver who waits at the House or in Şirince while you visit is not part of our standard service. If you want that, ask us on WhatsApp before booking and we will tell you what is possible.

Option 2: Taxi

Official taxis wait outside arrivals around the clock, with no night rate. The airport taxi office publishes a list for the south, and it includes an "Ephesus / Şirince" entry at ≈€71 (₺3,950). The meter must be running on every trip, and you may pay either the meter amount or the list price. For a destination that is not on the list, such as the House of the Virgin Mary, ask the driver what the price covers before you set off. To Selçuk centre the meter works out at about €61–70 (₺3,400–3,900), plus the motorway toll. Our Izmir Airport taxi prices guide explains how the airport taxi office works. Card payment in taxis becomes mandatory on 16 November 2026, so carry some lira until then.

Option 3: Havaş Bus, Then a Local Ride

Havaş runs one line south from the arrivals exits of both terminals. It stops at Selçuk, outside the State Hospital emergency entrance, then continues to Kuşadası bus terminal and Davutlar Junction. The fare listed for the line is ≈€11 (₺600), and departures run through the day, from 02:00 to 23:30. Because the stop is a hospital entrance rather than a hotel door, you still need a taxi or dolmuş for the final stretch. Keep your passport handy, as intercity buses record ID details, and check havas.net before you travel. The full timetable is in our Izmir Airport to Kuşadası and Ephesus guide.

Option 4: İZBAN Train and the Tepeköy Shuttle

There is no through train to Selçuk. You ride the İZBAN commuter line from the airport station to Tepeköy, then change to the Tepeköy to Selçuk shuttle. Published timetables suggest about 65 to 90 minutes door to door and around 14 shuttle departures a day, but the connection decides your day, so check the timetable before you plan around it. İZBAN takes the İzmirim Kart, not bank cards. With large suitcases and a change, this route suits only light packers. Our İzmirim Kart guide explains the card.

The House of the Virgin Mary

The House (Meryem Ana Evi) stands on Bülbüldağı, a hill about 7 km from Selçuk, and tradition places the last years of the Virgin Mary here. It stands inside Meryemana Nature Park, which is run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (DKMP) rather than the culture ministry. This matters for your ticket: the MüzeKart and the Museum Pass are not valid here.

• Hours: the official site lists 08:00 to 18:00. Winter hours are reported to be shorter, about 08:00 to 17:00, so check hzmeryemanaevi.com before you go.
• Mass: held daily at 07:15, and at 10:30 on Sundays and feast days. If you come for the service, plan around it, because the chapel is in use.
• 15 August: the Assumption is the peak day of the year, with large crowds and long queues. Pick another date if you can.
• Fee: guides updated in September 2026 quote around ₺700 per person at the time of writing, and some give a little more. Parking is extra. Bring lira and check the price at the gate.
• Getting there: no regular bus goes up the hill. The usual way is a taxi from Selçuk, and a transfer driver can take you directly from the airport.

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons, and weekday mornings are quieter than weekends.

Şirince

Şirince is a hill village 8 km from Selçuk. It was a Greek village until the 1924 population exchange, and settlers from Thessaloniki later revived its winemaking. It is known for fruit wines such as blackberry, mulberry, peach, apple, quince and sour cherry, as well as some grape wines. The village is free to enter. Cars stop at the edge of the pedestrian centre, so wear comfortable shoes for the steep, cobbled lanes.

• Dolmuş from Selçuk: minibuses leave from the area of the Selçuk bus station, about every 20 to 30 minutes in the daytime, and the ride takes about 20 minutes. One source gave a fare of about ₺40 in 2025, so expect a little more now and carry cash. Ask locally for the times, especially for the last return in the evening.
• Taxi: a taxi from Selçuk is the alternative if the dolmuş has just left. Agree the price, or the waiting time for the return, before you set off.
• Best time: weekday mornings. Weekends and coach-tour hours get crowded.

A Suggested Day

1. Land and drive to Selçuk. Plan on about an hour from the arrivals exit once your driver has met you.
2. The House of the Virgin Mary first. It closes by 18:00 (earlier in winter) and the taxi ride up from Selçuk is short. For the 07:15 Mass, sleep in Selçuk the night before.
3. Şirince afterwards. The village has no closing time, so it suits late afternoon, but it is busiest at midday at weekends.
4. Ephesus on another morning. The gates open early and the marble streets have little shade. Foreign visitors pay 40 euros in 2026, rising to 45 euros from 1 April 2027. Our Izmir Airport to Kuşadası and Ephesus guide covers the ruins, so we do not repeat that here.

Hours on muze.gov.tr showed summer times on 22 October 2026. Winter hours are usually shorter, so check muze.gov.tr before you go.

Day Trip or Overnight?

A same-day visit is possible if your flight lands in the morning, because the House closes by 18:00 and Şirince can wait until the afternoon. After an afternoon landing, sleep in Selçuk or Şirince and start fresh. For a late arrival, see arriving in Izmir at night. Selçuk is the practical base if you also want Ephesus on foot or by a short taxi, and Şirince is quieter in the evening after the day visitors leave.

On the way back, allow 3 hours before an international departure and 2 hours before a domestic one, as the airport advises. For a private return, book it together with your arrival, and your driver meets you at your hotel at the agreed time.

Practical Tips

• Cash: carry lira for the House entry, parking, the dolmuş and village purchases.
• Dress and shoes: the House is a place of worship, so dress for a chapel. Wear shoes for uneven stone.
• Prices: the Ministry of Culture and Tourism raises its museum tariff on 1 April 2027, so the Ephesus figure here applies until 31 March 2027.
• Booking: the price is per vehicle and shown before you pay. You can also see all Izmir Airport transfer options.
• Meeting: see meeting your driver at Izmir Airport for what happens after landing.

Sources — checked on 22 October 2026: House of the Virgin Mary, hours and Mass times · Ephesus, Ministry of Culture and Tourism · 2027 museum tariff (republished ministry decisions) · Havaş · Airport taxi price list · Meryemana Nature Park management (DKMP) · House of the Virgin Mary entry fee guide · İZBAN airport to Selçuk · Selçuk to Şirince dolmuş · Şirince village and wines
Euro amounts at €1 = ₺55.6.

Related guides: Izmir Airport to Kuşadası and Ephesus · Izmir Airport taxi prices · Izmir Airport bus and train · Izmir Airport to Pamukkale · Izmir Airport to Pergamon (Bergama) · Arriving in Izmir at night

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