After a one hour drive, arrive in Ephesus, which was the Roman capital of Asia Minor, and home to over a quarter of a million people —from slave traders to saints— at its peak between 1 AD and 2 AD. 150 years of excavations at Ephesus have revealed the most complete Greco-Roman classical city on Earth. There are terraced Houses, containing handsome frescoes from the 2nd century CE, which extend up the hill. They once housed the wealthier and more prominent families of the city, who lavished the interiors with superbly preserved frescoes and mosaics. The decor and furnishings of the houses have provided some interesting informations about the life style of the Ephesian elite during the Roman and early Byzantine periods. Inevitably, the houses have been compared with similar buildings found in the parts of the Roman Empire, particularly with the 1C villas of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The consensus is that the Ephesians houses are in no way inferior to these. The next stop will be the Ephesus Archeology Museum. A large part of the museum’s excavations at Ephesus, St. Jean Church, Artemision, and Belevi Grave Memorial  consists of works brought from other nearby ruins. The House of Mother Mary is where Mary was brought to Ephesus by the Apostle John after the Resurrection of Christ and lived out her final resting days here in accordance to the Predominant Christian belief. This is based mainly on the traditional belief that John came to Ephesus combined with the biblical statement that Jesus consigned her to John’s care (John 19:26-27). Discover the Temple of Artemis (Diana), an outstanding temple built in honor of the Greek Goddess of hunting, wild nature, and fertility, deemed one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Hear about its significance and the tension between the Romans and Christians that settled in the area over the centuries from your private guide.