In the Steps of St. Paul & Seven Churches - 12 days
Private
tour for groups of min 6 guests
Accommodation in First Class Hotels
• Istanbul (2) • Antakya (1) • Cappadocia
(2)
• Konya (1)
• Pamukkale (1) - Kusadasi (2) •Canakkale (1) •
Istanbul (1)
Category:
Private
Group, Comprehensive Biblical Tour, Roundtrip, Scenic Land/Air
Journey
Day 1: Arrive Istanbul (D)
Our representative will greet you
upon your arrival in Istanbul. Transfer to your hotel, welcome
briefing
and dinner.
Overnight:
Istanbul
Day 2: Istanbul (B, D)
Your day begins with a guided tour
exploring one the most famous churches of Byzantine
which is the
Chora
Church
with magnificent mosaics depicting the Biblical scenes
in a chronological order. Then we’ll proceed to the old
city to visit Topkapi Palace (main residence of Ottoman
sultans), ancient Roman Hippodrome (center of the
chariot races) and then to the Hagia Sophia, the
Byzantine church which was converted to a mosque in 15th
century. We will continue our Sultanahmet tour with the
Blue Mosque famous with its ceramic tiles. Dinner and
overnight in
Istanbul.
Day 3: Antioch
(B, D)
Morning flight to Adana and begin a full day tour visiting hilltop Crusader
castles and the
port
of Alexandretta
(now called Iskenderun); then continue to Antakya, site of ancient Antioch (Acts 6:5;
11:19-30; 13:1-3; 15:1-2 & 22-35.) Here we visit the
cave church which
is widely believed to have been dug
by the Apostle Peter himself as a place for the early
Christian community of Antioch to meet, and thus to be
the very first Christian church.
We’ll also visit a world-class
museum
of Roman
mosaics (if not closed for restoration in 2009).
Overnight: Antakya
Day 4: Tarsus, St Paul’s Well, Cillician Gates, Cappadocia (B,D)
Today begin the day visiting the
birthplace of St.Paul,
Tarsus
(Acts 9:11,30; 11:25; 21:39; 22:3.) We’ll visit St.
Paul's Well which is in a courtyard long believed to be
the site of St. Paul's house layers; you’ll have chance
to drink water from the well that is believed to have
healing powers. Then drive through the beautiful
Taurus Mountains
to the Anatolian Plateau. Continue to
Cappadocia
which is famous for its unique landscapes, underground
cities as well as cave-churches carved by Orthodox monks
between 900 and 1200 AD. En route we visit to the 13th
century Seljuk Caravan Inn of Agzikarahan. Overnight
Cappadocia.
Day 5:
Cappadocia
(B, D)
After breakfast, we will begin our
Cappadocia tour. We will walk through the
volcanic valleys to view the spectacular fairy chimneys
and unique landscape,
visit the rock-carved churches and chapels containing
remarkable frescoes in Goreme Open Air Museum, visit
famous pottery center Avanos and
the underground city of Derinkuyu or Kaymakli where
thousands of early Christians lived concealed from
persecutors in eight story complexes of subterranean
dwellings. Finally we’ll stop by the Byzantine monastic
complex of Zelve before returning to our hotel.
Overnight Cappadocia.
Day 6: Cappadocia- Iconium (B, D)
Enjoy a morning drive to
Konya
(Iconium of the Bible), city where Mevlana Rumi is
buried, founder of the most well-known Sufi order,
Mevleviye. In Konya, we
will visit the
Mevlana
Museum.
Then continue to another Biblical town of
Asia minor
to see the Lystra nearby . Dinner and overnight in Konya.
Day 7: Konya,
Antioch
in Psidia,
Laodicea, Pamukkale (B, D)
Today we drive to Pamukkale;
ancient spa center and the unique natural site of white
limestone terraces cascading down the mountain slope.
On
the way we visit Antioch-of-Pisidia,
this was a major Roman colony visited by
St. Paul on his first missionary
journey. Departure to Laodicea, early center of
Christianity and one of the Seven Churches of
Revelation. (Rev. 3:14-22; Col.2:1; 4:13-16.) Then we
arrive Pamukkale where we will visit the ‘Sacred
City’
Hierapolis. It
was famed for its sacred
hot springs, whose vapors were
associated with Pluto, god of the underworld. The city
also had a significant Jewish community and was
mentioned by Paul in his Letter to Colossians. After
tour we’ll have chance to enjoy a leisurely bath in the
warm mineral water of our hotel's pool. Overnight
Pamukkale.
Day 8: Pamukkale, Philadelphia, Sardis, Kusadasi via
Smyrna (Izmir) (B, D)
Today we’ll visit Philadelphia;
ancient Philadelphia was the sixth of the Seven Churches
of Revelation (Rev. 3:7-13) and then we continue to
Sardis, another church of Asia Minor where you can see a
roman era Synagogue and a very well preserved gymnasium
. Then we will proceed to Izmir
(Smyrna), the third largest city of Turkey and
arrive at
Kusadası hotel. Dinner and overnight Kusadasi.
Day 9:
Kusadasi,
Ephesus, Miletus,
Izmir
(B,
D)
After breakfast drive to
Miletus one of St. Paul's stops on his
Third Missionary Journey. Then drive to Ephesus, home of
St. Paul between 54 and 57 AD, to explore the glorious
Greco-Roman and Christian remains (Ephesians: Rev 1:11;
2:1-7; Acts 18:19-28; 19:1- 4.) Tour the nearby Virgin
Mary's cottage on a hilltop. Finally we stop at the
restoration of St. John's Basilica, where
he was first buried. For evening we continue to
Izmir
(Smyrna, Rev 2:8-11)
Homer's birthplace on the Aegean
Coast.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 10: Pergamum, Thyatira, Alexandria
Troas, Troy,
Canakkale (B,D)
First drive north to Akhisar
(Thyatira) mentioned in the book of Revelation by St. John, see the ruins of the early Christian
basilica, a colonnaded road and a large church. Then
continue on to acropolis of ancient
Pergamum. Afternoon visit to
Alexandria Troas which is another important spot to
where St.Paul walked from
Ephesus. Continuing north we
arrive Troy
to visit the legendary walls and a replica of the famous
wooden horse where Greek and Trojan heroes fought for
the honor of Helen. Overnight in Canakkale.
Day 11: Nicea- Istanbul (B, D)
After breakfast begin last journey
along the sea of Marmara to
Bursa
and Nicea to visit the St Sophia Church of City where
the 1st and 2nd councils were held. For a taste of
Turkish night life, join our farewell dinner in a local
restaurant. Overnight
Istanbul.
Day 12: Istanbul
– Departure (B)
Transfer to airport for flight back
home.
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