Seven Churches of Revelation - 8 days
Private tour for individuals and groups
Accommodation in First Class Hotels
• Istanbul (2) • Troy – Assos – Pergamum (2) • Sardis –
Philadelphia – Pamukkale (1)
• Hierapolis - Laodicea - Ephesus - Kusadasi (1) • Izmir •
Istanbul (1)
Category:
Private, Comprehensive Biblical Tour, Roundtrip, Scenic Land
Journey, air return
Day 1: Arrive Istanbul
Arrive at Ataturk airport in Istanbul and transfer to our hotel.
Meet tour guide for welcome briefing.
Overnight: Istanbul Hotel (2 nights)
Day 2: Istanbul City Tour (B)
After breakfast, we will begin our full day sightseeing tour of
Istanbul. We will visit Topkapi Palace, stunning palace/museum
which was the imperial residence and the administrative center
of the Ottoman Empire for 400 hundred years. Later we will
explore the ancient Roman Hippodrome (center of the chariot
races) and proceed to the Hagia Sophia, ancient Byzantine church
which was converted to a mosque in 15th century. This is a
remarkable structure where you can see the Christian mosaics and
fine examples of Islamic calligraphy next to each other. We will
continue our Sultanahmet tour with the Blue Mosque which is
famous for its six minarets and beautiful blue Iznik tiles.
Finally we will stop at Grand Covered Bazaar and will have free
time to discover 4000 tiny shops in the passageways of the
world’s largest covered bazaar. You can enjoy local tastes in
one of the little snack shops where locals stop to refresh
before they continue drifting in the alleys of the bazaar.
Transfer to hotel.
Optional Tours: 1) Visit Harem and the Imperial Treasury in
Topkapi Palace. 2) ‘Istanbul by Night’ Dinner with belly
dancing.
Overnight: Istanbul Hotel
Day 3: Istanbul – Troy – Assos - Pergamum (B, D)
Breakfast at hotel and departure for Canakkale to visit Troy,
Homer’s legendary city in Iliad and Odyssey. We will see Troy's
legendary walls and replica of the famous wooden horse used
during the Trojan War. Later we will drive to Assos; in his
third journey, St. Paul traveled 35kms from Alexandria Troas to
Assos to meet St. Luke. We will continue to Pergamum for
overnight.
Overnight: Pergamum Hotel (2 nights)
Day 4: Pergamum – Thyatira - Pergamum (B, D)
After breakfast, we will tour Pergamum, the ancient city of
learning, arts and medicine. Pergamum church was a major center
of Christianity and one of the Seven Churches of Revelation
(Rev. 2:12-17). We will see the ruins of the magnificent
Acropolis, Altar of Zeus, Temple of Dionysus and the steepest
amphitheater of the ancient world. We will continue to Asklepion,
the early healing center where people with health problems used
to bath in the sacred springs and waited for Asklepios to appear
in their dreams with the cure of their illness. We will see
ruins of those healing springs, pass through the Sacred Way, and
reach the Temple of Telesphorus via the underground passageway.
We will continue to Thyatira, the fourth of the seven churches
addressed by John (Rev. 2:18–29). Here we will see the remains
of Basilica (public building) dating from the 5th century AD and
other ruins such as columns and arches from ancient cities.
After our tour we will return Pergamum for overnight.
Overnight: Pergamum Hotel
Day 5: Sardis – Philadelphia – Pamukkale (B, D)
After breakfast we will depart to Sardis, the capital of the
ancient Lydia, and one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor (Rev.
3:1-6). We will see the temple of Artemis, the ancient
gymnasium, ruins of the Byzantine church and the synagogue. This
early synagogue is accepted as the concrete evidence for the
continued existence of Jewish communities in Asia Minor. Then
we will continue to Philadelphia, the sixth church referred by
St. John (Rev. 3:7-13) in Revelation as the "New Jerusalem".
Later we will continue to Pamukkale, ancient spa center and the
unique natural site of white limestone terraces cascading down
the mountain slope. Overnight in Pamukkale.
Overnight: Pamukkale Hotel (1 night)
Day 6: Hierapolis - Laodicea - Ephesus - Kusadasi (B, D)
Early departure to visit the ‘Sacred City’ Hierapolis; it is a
World Heritage Site, and a "must-see" location with the largest
Necropolis (large cemetery of monumental tombs) in Anatolia,
temple of Apollo, Plutonian cave, and theater. Then we will
continue to Laodicea, another church of the Seven Churches of
Revelation (Rev. 3:14-20). Our journey will end in Ephesus,
important center of early Christianity and one of the best
preserved classical city of the Eastern Mediterranean dated back
to 2000 years BC. Ephesus was one of the seven cities addressed
in Revelation (2:1–7).We will walk along the sacred marble
street connecting the Great Theater with the library of Celsius.
We will see the Commercial Agora and walk along the marble
Curetes Street which has beautiful mosaics paved on sidewalks,
explore the gymnasium, visit temple of Hadrian, and lots of
other interesting monuments of the old Roman city. Later we will
drive to the hilltop where we visit the miraculously discovered
Virgin Mary’s House which is believed to have been the last home
of Mary. Finally we stop at the restoration of St. John’s
Basilica where according to legend, he was buried.
Overnight: Kusadasi Hotel (1 night)
Day 7: Kusadasi – Izmir (Smyrna) - Istanbul (B)
After breakfast we will drive to Izmir, ancient Smyrna, early
center for Jews and Christians. We will visit the Saint Polycarp
Church which is the oldest church in Izmir and represents
Smyrna's role as one of the Seven Churches of the Revelation
(Rev. 2:8-11). Later we will visit the ancient agora and proceed
to the airport for the flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival in
Istanbul we will be transferred to our hotel. We will have free
time in the afternoon in Grand Bazaar for last minute shopping.
Overnight: Istanbul Hotel (1 night)
Day 8: Istanbul – Departure (B)
Transfer to airport for flight back home. Thank you for visiting
Turkey!
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