Following Paul – Greece/Italy

Day 1 – Athens – Kamena Vourla

• Arrival to Athens Airport
• Our guide will meet and assist group at airport
• Drive along the plains of Thebes (famous Sphinx)
• Lake Yliki and Kamena Vourla
• Enjoy sunset walk along the gulf of Kamena Vourla (from where St Paul sailed to Athens)
• Overnight and Dinner at hotel

Day 2 – Kamena Vourla, Arachova – Delphil, Kamena Vourla

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Mt Parnassus and visit the Holy Monastery of Jerusalem which architecture is inspired by the New Jerusalem (John 21:13).
• Short nature walks in the Cedars Forest to a Hermit’s cave
• Panoramic view of the Lonian Sea
• Delphi where we will visit the archaeological museum and the Gallion inscription on which the dating of the of Paul is based (Acts 18:12), The Sphinx of Thebes, Temple of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom
• Overnight and dinner at hotel

Day 3 – Kamena Vourla, Meteora, Kalambaka

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Meteora on of the Europe’s most beautiful landscapes with its six monasteries.
• Short nature walks in Agios Athanasios
• Panoramic view of the stone mushroom of the Agia Triada
• Visit the Western Monasteries (St Paul as the first Christian hermit)
• Evening tour of the illuminated cliffs of the Meteora
• Drive back to hotel for overnight and dinner

Day 4 – Kalambaka, Vergina – Veria, Thessaloniki

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Vergina the golden treasures of the ancient kings of Macedonia
• Veria – walk along the Barbouta river into the old Jewish quarter
• Visit the ancient synagogue and see the step where Paul spoke to the Verians (Acts 17)
• Drive along the Aegean coast to Thessaloniki
• Visit the Jewish quarter including the synagogue, the Ancient Jewish Bath House and the Modiano market (Acts 17, 1 Thessalonians 1)
• Drive back to hotel for overnight and dinner

Day 5 – Thessaloniki, Phillipi – Kavala – Thessaloniki

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive east to Phillipi and visit Paul’s Jail (Acts 16), the Christian Basilica, the Greco-Roman round theater.
• Visit the Lydia baptismal site at Zigakti river (Acts 16:15)
• Drive to Kavala for a panoramic view of Port of Neapolis first place where Paul put his feet in Europe (Acts 16, 7 -11)
• A short walk along Via Egnatia, where Paul walked on his way to Thessaloniki
• Dinner out in Ladadika at one of the Tavernas
• Drive back to hotel for overnight

Day 6 – Thessaloniki – Mt Olympus – Larrisa

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive across the Macedonian river’s delta to Mt Olympus
• Visit the panoramic village of Litochoro and proceed to Greece’s biggest nature reserve – Olympus including nature walk near Stavros, enjoy panoramic views of Mytikas, traditional place of Palace of Gods
• Visit Agios Dionysius – ancient monastery named after the first Athenian converted by Paul (Acts 17:34).
• Drive to Larrisa
• Overnight and Dinner at hotel

Day 7 – Larissa – Mt Metamorphosis- Athens

• Breakfast at hotel
• Tour of Larissa including the Ancient Roman Theatre and Byzantine Acropoli
• Drive up to Mt Metamorphosis and enjoy the panoramic view of the Gulf of Kamena Vourla
• A short walk will bring us to the Monastery commemorating Jesus Transfiguration
• Visit the monastic garden and the church with the famous description of Jesus Transfiguration
• Drive to Athens
• Overnight and dinner at hotel

Day 8 – Athens – Ancient Corinth – Athens

• Breakfast at hotel
• We begin with a visit to Acropolis and Mars Hill where Paul talked to the Athenians near the altar to the Unknown God (Acts 17) converting Dionysius and Damaris.
• We drive along the city sites from the King’s Palace to the first Olympic Stadium and enjoy some free time at the Plaka Market
• In the afternoon we drive along the Saronic gulf to the Corinthian Canal
• We will visit ancient Corinth and the Roman sites associated with Paul’s ministry: the Agora, the Bema, Temple of Apollo, Gallio Seat
• Overnight and dinner at hotel

Day 9 – Athens – Rome

• Breakfast at hotel
• Transfer to Athens Airport
• Depart to Rome
• Arrival at FCO Rome Airport
• *Rooms will be available from 2 pm.
• Rest of the day on your own
• Dinner at hotel

Day 10 –  ROME

• 07h15 Breakfast at the hotel.
• 08h15 Meeting at the hotel with our guide
• 09h00 Enjoy a fantastic walking tour through the most famous places of Rome: The Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheatre, here our guide will explain how the games where organized and enjoyed by all the population of the ancient Rome. The tour will continue inside the Roman Forum, stroll through the centre of the ancient Rome and enjoy your trip to the past with the information our guide will bring you. Our last stop will be the Mamertine Prison, where both Saint Paul and Saint Peter were kept prisoners.
• The tour finishes by visiting the crypt of St Maria in Via Lata Church, where St. Paul is said to have spent two years here whilst under house arrest awaiting his trial.
• 13h00 Free time for lunch.
• 14h00 In the afternoon, we will continue with our guided walking tour with Ulisse to visit some of the “must” of the Eternal city: Trevi Fountain, do not forget to toss a coin to return to Rome! The next stop will be the Pantheon, this temple was dedicated to all the gods and then was consecrated to Santa Maria della Rotonda. Our tour finishes at Piazza Navona, this oval square with the magnificent fountains.
• 17h00 End of tour and return to the hotel.
• 20h00 Dinner at hotel

Day 11– ROME / FLORENCE / ROME

• 07h00 Breakfast at the hotel.
• 07h30 Meeting with our driver outside the hotel to depart in the early morning from Rome to Florence.
• 11h30 Arriving at Florence meet our local guide and start our walking tour in the cradle of the Renaissance, also known as the city of Michelangelo. Walking tour through the city centre to admire the Bell Tower, Baptistery and Duomo that creates an extraordinary canvas set of white, green and pink marbles and represents the transition of Florence from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. External visit of the Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore, symbol of the wealth and power of Florence during the 13th and 14th centuries, with Brunelleschi’s Dome that contrasts with the silhouette of the Bell Tower designed and started by Giotto, the Baptistery, a Roman construction famous for its bronze doors. The visit continues at Piazza della Signoria and the Basilica of the Holy Cross (visit inside) which is located in one of the oldest squares in the city.
• 14h30 End of tour and free time for lunch and personal activities.
• 16h00 Meeting with our driver at meeting point scheduled to return to Roma.
• Overnight and Dinner at hotel in Rome

Day  12  – ROME

• 07h30 Breakfast at the hotel.
• 08h30 Meeting at the hotel with our guide
• 09h00 Arrival to the Vatican Museum entrance where our guide is waiting for us to start the inside the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest Roman Catholic church in the world, exhibiting its magnificence on a monumental scale, in the unsurpassed expression of the power and wealth of the Catholic Church. The most famous of all the statues of São Pedro, now protected by bulletproof glass, is in the first chapel of the south aisle: Michelangelo’s Pieta.
• 13h00 Free time for lunch.
• 14h00 In the afternoon, continue with a guided walking tour with Ulisse in the Roman Ghetto to finally reach San Paolo alla Regola Church*, where it is said the apostle stayed after his imprisonment in Jerusalem and his room was transformed into a chapel to whom is still indicated today.
• *According to what San Paolo alla Regola informed, the Superintendency has shortly ordered the restoration work in the church, and it is not possible to know whether the church will be closed on this day. In case of closure, the church will be visited only on the outside.
• 17h00 Return to hotel.
• 19h15 Meeting at the hotel with our assistant and our driver to reach our restaurant.
• 19h45 Arrival at Via Cavour to continue by walking to our restaurant.
• 20h00 Farewell Dinner and Show at Ristorante Terme del Colosseo,
• Menu: Fantasia di Antipasti (Starters); Ravioli cacio e pepe (Pasta with cheese and pepper) and Rigatoni all’amatriciana (Pasta with tomato sauce and cured pork cheek); Vitella “alla fornara” (Roasted veal); Due contorni di stagione (Two seasonal side dishes); Dessert
• Mineral Water, ¼ wine and coffee
• 22h30 Meeting with our driver at Via Cavour to return to the hotel.

Day 13 – ROME

• Transfer to airport in Rome for flight back home to USA
• *Fiumicino Airport