Religious & Biblical Tours - 11 day tour
St Pauls Second Journey

Day 1 ISTANBUL

Arrive at Istanbul airport and proceed to the "Old City" for a full day tour including the Blue Mosque, famous for its blue tiles and unique with its six minarets,  built in the name of Sultan Ahmet I. Next  admire the Hippodrome of Constantinople where horse and chariot races used to take place. Then visit the St. Sophia Museum which is one of the greatest religious and architectural marvels of all times. Finally visit the famous Topkapi Palace museum, built as the home of the Ottoman sultans and see the World famous Imperial Chinese porcelain sections . Proceed to and visit the Grand Bazaar.  Transfer onto the hotel for dinner and overnight. (Lunch, Dinner)

 

Day 2 ISTANBUL - ADANA - ANTAKYA

Transfer to the airport for an early morning flight to Adana, ancient Cilicia,. Arrive and and drive straight to Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul. During St. Paul's time,  Tarsus was a university city surpassing Athens and Alexandria. Cicero was a governor here in 51-50 BC and the romantic meeting between Cleopatra and Mark Anthonius took place in Tarsus. Highlights here will be St. Paul's well, the recently excavated ancient main street and Cleopatra’s Gate. Continue to Antakya for dinner and overnight.

 

Day 3 ANTAKYA - KONYA

After breakfast, we begin our drive to Konya or ancient Iconium which became an important Christian city following St. Paul's preaching. A Phyrigian legend says that Konya was the first city to be founded after the flood. St. Paul and Barnabas came here in 47 AD and their preaching was accompanied by many miracles. St. Paul made two more stops here on his second and third journeys.  Today's Konya is quite new but, the center of the city is very old. A visit to the existing Catholic Church in the town centre may be arranged. Dinner and overnight. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 

Day 4 KONYA - PAMUKKALE

Early morning drive to Psidian Antioch (Yalvac) where St. Paul opened Christianity to the world. Yalvac's history goes back to 280 BC. During St. Paul's time, the population was a mixture of Jews, Romans and Greeks.  There are propylaea of the acropolis with a number of carved stones, a small theatre, a prehistoric altar to Cybele in the Agustus Forum, aqueducts and the remains of a beautiful Byzantine church. Drive to Pamukkale for dinner and overnight. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 

Day 5 PAMUKKALE - KUSADASI

Depart the hotel early in the morning and visit Hierapolis, founded by the Pergamon King Telephos and named after his wife Hiera. Most likely, the very large Jewish element in this city was an important factor in the rapid expansion of Christianity. During the Byzantine period,  the city became the seat of diocese with a large Christian Church dedicated to St. Philip,  who was martyred here in 80 AD. Highlights include the Roman Baths, the Temple of Apollo and the Theatre and the calcified terraces. Then drive to Kusadasi for dinner and overnight. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 

Day 6 KUSADASI - IZMIR

Starting early morning, our tour today includes four sights. The first visit is to  the famous city of Ephesus. Beginning with the Basilica of St. John "the Evangelist" who came here with Mary , the mother of Jesus,  and who wrote his Gospel in Ephesus. Ephesus is in a very good state of preservation. St. Paul's preachings in the area resulted with the uproar of the Guild of Silversmiths and eventually the whole population of Ephesus. Highlights include the Library of Celcius, the Temple of Hadrian, the Fountain of Trajan, the Brothel and the theatre. See also the House of Virgin Mary located close by, where she is reputed to have spent her last years and died. Transfer to Izmir  and the hotel for dinner and overnight. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 

Day 7 IZMIR - BERGAMA - CANAKKALE

Depart from the hotel and drive to and see the church of St. Polycarp .  Drive on to see the hauntingly beautiful Pergamon. Among the impressive structures of this city, dating from 399 BC, see the Trajaneum, Altar of Zeus, Temple of Dionysus, Theatre and the 200,000 volume library which was surpassed only by that found in Alexandria at the time. Dinner and overnight in Canakkale. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 

Day 8 CANAKKALE - KAVALA

Proceed to Troy. Referred to in Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey", Troy has in fact nine cities superimposed one upon another. Troy VI pertains to the famous Trojan War of Homer where the legendary heroes included Agamemnon, Achilles, Ulysses, and Nestor on the Greek side and Priam, Hector, and Paris on the Trojan side. Cross the second strategic waterway, the Dardanelles and proceed to the Greek - Turkish borders and enter into Greece. Drive to Kavala (Biblical Neapolis) and check in for dinner and overnight. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 

Day 9 KAVALA - THESSALONIKI - VERIA - ATHENS

Visit Philippi. See the remains of the two Basilicas, the Via Egnatia, the Agora and see St. Paul’s prison. You will also see Lydia’s Baptismal site.  Completing the tour, depart and continue along the coast to Thessaloniki. See the sights of the city including the Via Egnatia, the Rotunda, the White Tower and the Church of St. Demetrios.  Depart and drive south to Veria. See this mountain town and the spot from where St. Paul preached the gospel.  Continue along the coast  to Athens. Check in the hotel for dinner and overnight. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 

Day 10 ATHENS - CITY TOUR

Athens tour. See Syntagma Square (Constitution Square), the House of Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, guarded by the Evzones in their traditional costume. See the Athens Academy and the University. Visit the Pan Athenaic Olympic stadium, where the first Olympic Games of the modern era were held in 1896. See the archaeological site of the Temple of the Olympian Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch. Visit the world famous site of the Acropolis and see the Propylaea, the Parthenon. Down from the Acropolis is Areopagos, where St. Paul preached the gospel to the Athenians. Dinner and overnight in Athen Hotel. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 

Day 11 ATHENS - CORINTH TOUR - DEPARTURE

In the morning depart on half-day tour to Corinth. (After that Paul left Athens and went to Corinth) Drive west, along the coastal highway and stop to see the amazing sight of the Corinth Canal, which separates the Aegean and the Ionian seas.  Continue to and visit Ancient Corinth. See the Bema where St Paul preached the gospel to the Corinthians, the Temple of Apollo, remains of the Agora and Pyrene Fountain.  Completing the tour, return to Athens and transfer to the Airport. (Breakfast)