Tour Itinerary

Day 01 Arrive Istanbul Airport

Your tour guide will meet you after the customs and baggage claim. Meet and transfer to the hotel for dinner and overnight. (D)

Day 02 Istanbul

Full day tour in Istanbul. Visit the St Chora Church, Hippodrome Square, St. Sophia Church, and the important Istanbul Archaeological Museum containing the Gezer Calender, the Titus Inscriptions, City Walls from Babylon, and other important items. Dinner at the hotel. (B,D)

Day 03 Istanbul Airport - Fly Adana - Antioch

Transfer to Istanbul Airport for morning flight to Adana. Meet and transfer to Antioch , the place where the followers of Jesus were first called Christians. Here you will visit the Church of St. Peter, a grotto discovered by the Crusaders and reputed to be the cave church where early Christians met in secret. At the Mosaic Museum in Antioch you will see an unusually rich collection of mosaics from this area. Following your visit at the museum, you will go to the Seleucia Pieria, the ancient port town of Antioch from which Paul and Barnabas set out on their first journey and where Paul returned afterwards. Finally, you will check into the hotel in Antioch for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

Day 04 Antioch - Tarsus – Cappadocia

After breakfast you will have an early departure from Antioch as you drive to Tarsus , the city where the Apostle Paul was born. You will visit the Church of St. Paul as well as the recently excavated remains of the Roman Tarsus in the town center. You will take a short walk to the site known as the Well of St. Paul . In the afternoon you will continue with a drive to Cappadocia , for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

Day 05 Cappadocia

After breakfast you will have a full day of sightseeing in Cappadocia . You will visit Göreme where you will see remains of several hundred early churches, with rooms hollowed out of the cones of volcanic ash. Some of them are decorated with scratched frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible. You will drive through the Zelve valley on your way to Kaymaklý, an underground city which was an early Christian center that extended downward in the earth for at least eight floors and housed several thousand people in the eighth and ninth centuries. You’ll continue to Uçhisar, another of these early Christian communities, before returning to your hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

Day 06 Cappadocia – Konya

After breakfast you will have an early departure to drive to Iconium where Paul and Barnabas used the synagogue as their forum to address the local people. They angered the authorities there and were warned in time to escape being attacked. You will continue to Derbe where Paul visited twice. The Bible states that Paul and Barnabas spoke in Derbe and won many converts. You will then visit the area of ancient Lystra also twice visted by Paul. It was here Paul healed a lame man and later was raised after being battered with stones. Here also Paul met Timothy who later accompanied him on some of his travels. You will visit the Shrine of Mevlana before going to the hotel in Konya (ancient Iconium) for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

Day 07 Konya – Psidian Antioch – Antalya

After breakfast you will depart and drive to Yalvac, ancient Antioch of Pisidia. Paul visited this town on his first missionary journey and it is here that he addressed the congregation in the synagogue on the Sabbath with his first recorded sermon. You will visit the excavations here and then continue to Antalya with a very scenic drive through the lakes and the rocky mountains. Dinner and overnight will be at the hotel in Antalya. (B,D)

Day 08 Antalya

After breakfast you will begin with a visit to Perga, an ancient city even when Paul visited there. He and Barnabas went through Perga on their way from and to Antioch on their first journey. You will visit the Perga Theater, the Agora Stadium, and the columned streets. You will also visit Aspendos, one of the best preserved theaters in the world, and Side where you will see the museum, theater, and temple. Dinner and overnight will be in the port city of Antalya. (B,D)

Day 9 Antalya – Colossae – Pamukkale

After breakfast you will drive to Colosse (Paul’s letter to the Colossians) on the foothills of Mount Honaz. You will continue to Laodicea , one of the Seven Churches of Revelation, and Hierapolis where you will visit the monuments, thermal baths and the theater with its well preserved stage and Temple of Apollo. Dinner and overnight will be in Pamukkale. (B,D)

Day 10 Philadelphia – Sardis – Izmir

After breakfast you will travel to Philadelphia , now called Alasehir. We’ll see remains of a Byzantine basilica as well as some eleventh century frescoes. Philadelphia and Smyrna were the only two churches among the Seven about which nothing bad was said by John. From there we’ll travel to Sardis , one of the most picturesque areas of any of the Seven Churches. You’ll see the remains of the Temple of Artemis as well as a small Byzantine church. Finally, you will proceed to Izmir (ancient Smyrna ), one of the Seven Churches and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities of the world. You’ll check in to the hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

Day 11 Ephesus – Izmir

After breakfast you will leave Izmir and drive to Ephesus , the first of the Seven Churches, for a visit. You will see the amazing ruins of this great city: the theater, the library, the Temple of Hadrian and the newly excavated Roman Terrace Houses. You will also visit the Crisler Library. Dinner and overnight in Izmir. (B,D)

Day 12 Pergamum – Alexander Troas – Assos

After breakfast today you will leave for Bergama which is the site of ancient Pergamos, one of the Seven Churches of Revelation. You will visit the acropolis there and see the impressive theater, the Temple of Athena, and other ruins of former civilizations. You will continue to Odun Iskelesi to visit the site and the port of Alexandria-Troas where Paul raised the boy, Eutychus. Paul visited this area at least twice. You will then go to Assos for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

Day 13 Canakkale – Ferry to Dardanelles – Istanbul

Cross the Dardanelles Strait by car ferry. Drive to the hotel in Istanbul for check-in. Tonight, we will have a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)

Day 14 Departure

Transfer to Istanbul Airport for flight back home.