7 Churches of Greece and Turkey

Day 1:  USA-ATHENS FLIGHT

• Fly to Athens and arrive in the late afternoon to Athens.
• Transfer to hotel.
• Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Athens

Day 2:  ATHENS

• Today we enjoy the day exploring Athens, its highlights and visiting the world-renowned Acropolis and the new Acropolis Museum. Athens, the capital of Greece, is one of the oldest cities in the world spanning a history of 3,400 years. Home of the great minds, philosophers and teachers of ancient times such as Plato, Socrates and Aristotle, Athens is the birthplace of democracy and the cradle of Western Civilization.
• A bus tour will guide us through the highlights of Athens; House of Parliament, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Presidential Palace, Panathenaic Stadium, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch, to lead us to the world-renowned Acropolis.
• We will walk through the architectural wonders of the Golden Age of Pericles; the Propylaia, the Parthenon and the Erechtheion.
• We walk to Areopagus or Mars Hill, the site where trials were heard before the Council of Elders and where St Paul delivered his speech to the Athenians.
• We visit the ancient Agora where Athenians gathered not only for commercial purposes but also for political and religious ones.
• Our visit is not complete without a tour of the New Acropolis Museum, which houses the findings of the Acropolis of Athens.
• Dinner and overnight Athens

Day 3:  ATHENS-CORINTH-ATHENS

• This morning, we will cross the Corinth Canal to the Peloponnese where we visit Ancient Corinth.
• We will continue our drive to Delphi.
• Drive through the coastal road to the Corinth Canal, which separates Peloponnese from the Greek mainland and connects the two Seas, the Ionian and the Aegean. Continue to Ancient Corinth, one of the most important trading cities of ancient Greece dating back to the 6th century B.C.
• Visiting the archaeological site, we will come across the Temple of Apollo, the agora, the sacred spring and the Peirene Fountain. The apostle Paul resided in Corinth for 18 months in A.D. 51–52. Here he wrote the First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians. We will visit the site of the Bema of St. Paul, where he preached.
• After the sight visit drive back to Athens for dinner and overnight at Athens

Day 4:  ATHENS-ISTANBUL

• After breakfast at the hotel departure for Athens Airport to catch your morning flight to Istanbul.
• Upon arrival we depart for Piere Loti for a photo opportunity.
• Later, we visit the Chora Church (now Museum), famous for its well-preserved frescos and mosaics.
• We’ll visit the Suleymaniye Mosque, masterpiece of famous architect Sinan, built during the reign of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent.
• Proceeding to the beautiful Golden Horn, the perfect introduction to the splendours of Christendom that crowned Istanbul’s cityscape. One such splendour is the Ecumenical Patriarchate, once one of the fourteen autocephalous churches within the communion of Orthodox Christianity.
• Our tour of the Orthodox world will continue with a visit to Balat and the Bulgarian Iron Church, completed in 1898, brought in from Europe by rail!
• From here we explore the wooden buildings at the base of the towering ramparts of the Old City, where the practitioners of three distinct religions lived together harmoniously in one single neighbourhood.
• Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 5:  ISTANBUL-CAPPADOCIA

• Transfer from your hotel to Istanbul Airport this morning and fly to Kayseri at 08.55 am.
• We then drive to Cappadocia.
• After refreshment/comfort stop, we visit the Fairy Chimneys, which is the name of the local geological formations, the best examples of which are found in Pasabag.
• Afterwards we visit the incredible underground city of Kaymakli, where early Christians survived by living secretly to keep their faith.
• Proceed to Soganli Village, one of the earliest settlements in Cappadocia.
• Afterwards, we continue towards Mustafapaşa (Sinassos), an ancient Greek town with spectacular old Greek houses and fine examples of late Greek architecture.
• Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Cappadocia.

Day 6:  CAPPADOCIA-KONYA

• Today we visit the Goreme Open Air Museum.
• We’ll stop at the Valley of the Birds and have some free time before continuing to Konya, viewing the Sultanhani Caravanserai enroute.
• On arrival at Konya, we will visit the Mevlana Museum.
• Check in, dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 7:  KONYA -PSIDIAN ANTIOCH -PAMUKKALE

• Iconium is the ancient name of modern-day Konya and home to the Whirling Dervishes, a mystic sect of Islam. There are no archaeological remains from the ancient city.
• We commence our drive to Lystra, a smaller city visited on one of St. Paul’s missionary journeys.
• After lunch, proceed to Psidian Antioch, where St. Paul opened Christianity to the world. This town’s history goes back to 280 BC! During Paul’s time the population here was a mixture of Jews, Romans and Greeks.
• Continue to Pamukkale for dinner and overnight at our hotel in the natural hot springs town of Pamukkale.

Day 8:  PAMUKKALE-COLOSSAE-HIERAPOLIS-LAODICEA-PAMUKKALE                 

• Drive to nearby Colossae for a brief stop to see the only remains of where a theatre auditorium once stood.
• We also visit Hierapolis, founded by legendary Pergamon King Telephos and named after his wife Hiera. Most likely the very large Jewish population of this city was an important factor in the rapid expansion of Christianity.
• During the Byzantine period the city became the seat of a diocese with a large Christian church dedicated to St. Philip who was martyred here in 80 AD and whose tomb was only very recently discovered. Highlights include the Roman Baths, the Temple of Apollo, the Cathedral and the famous white calcified limestone terraces.
• We visit Laodicea, viewing remains found on a flat-topped hill. Christianity came to the area during the time of St. Paul, brought by Epaphras of Colossae. Laodicea became the seat of Bishopric and hosted an important Ecumenical Council in the fourth century AD; it was named in ‘Revelation’ as one of the Seven Churches of the Revelation. Highlights are the water tower, stadium and the council chamber. Return to our hotel in Pamukkale for dinner, relaxing in the mineral pools and overnight.

Day 9:  PAMUKKALE-SARDIS-KUSADASI        

• This morning, we visit Philadelphia an important Christian centre during Byzantine times.
• We’ll see the Basilica before proceeding to Sardis, which holds a prominent place in mythology. Sardis was one of the Seven Churches of Revelation.
• Highlights include the 3rd century AD Synagogue, gymnasium, House of Bronzes, Temple of Artemis, and of course, the Church.
• Proceed to the beautiful port city of Kusadasi on the Mediterranean for dinner and overnight.

Day 10:  EPHESUS

• Enjoy an entire day at Ephesus, one of the Ancient Wonders of the World! Located just 15 kms from Kusadasi, we’ll spend plenty of time walking the ancient roads, exploring the temples, gymnasiums and the amphitheatre, in which the riot of ‘Acts 19’ took place.
• Of course, we’ll also visit the famous Library of Celcus.
• We will view the remains of the Temple of Artemis, and the Basilica of St. John the Evangelist.
• Return to our hotel in Kusadasi for dinner and overnight.

Day 11: KUSADASI-PATMOS-KUSADASI         

• Enjoy a privately chartered ferry boat as we set sail to the island of Patmos this morning.
• Enjoy a brief tour and visit the famous Grotto. It is here that St. John wrote his Gospel and the Book of Revelation.
• We will have lunch here before our return to Kusadasi. It takes around 4 hours to sail from Kusadasi to Patmos.
• In case of bad weather or rough seas a day trip to Didyma and Miletus will take place instead.
• Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 12:  KUSADASI-IZMIR-BERGAMA-IZMIR              

• After an early check out, depart to Izmir (ancient Smyrna) and visit the church of St. Polycarp.
• Proceed to ancient Thyatira, the home of Lydia (Acts 16), and another of the Seven Churches of Revelation.
• We will examine the remains of the church.
• This was one of the principal towns where Christianity spread quickly. Continue to Bergama to visit the Asclepion and Acropol, a famous healing centre, where methods of treatment included blood transfusions, music therapy and meditation.
• Enjoy dinner and overnight in Izmir.

Day 13:  IZMIR-ISTANBUL-USA       

• After an early breakfast at the hotel depart for Izmir airport to catch your flight to Istanbul.
• Upon arrival to Istanbul catch your flight to USA.