TOUR
11- FOLLOWING
THE STEPS OF ST. PAUL IN
GREECE
AND TURKEY
13 DAYS
| This tour will make the New Testament come alive, while you follow the steps of St. Paul as he had traveled in western Asia Minor and in Greece. You will also have a chance to visit two of the most important cities in the world, Athens and Istanbul. The short cruise between Greece and Turkey will provide a pleasant interlude between bus rides. |
DAY 1: THESSALONIKI
Arrival in Athens, Greece, to catch the connecting flight to Thessaloniki.
Meeting and assistance at the airport, and transfer to the hotel for overnight
stay.
DAY 2: KAVALLA The Bible will come into focus today as you remember "Thessalonians" in the New Testament when you visit the ancient sites of Thessaloniki, including the Arch of Emperor Galerius, the Basilicas of St. Demetrius and St. Sophia, decorated with beautiful mosaics, and the Archaeological Museum. Travel on to Philippi, where Paul preached Christianity for the first time in Europe. Visit the ancient ruins, including the Agora, the ancient Theater, and the Acropolis. Continue to Kavalla on the Aegean coast for overnight stay. (B)
DAY 3: ISTANBUL This morning, depart from Greece to travel to Turkey, crossing the border near Edirne (ancient Adrianapolis), which was the capital of the Ottoman Empire before Istanbul. Afternoon arrival in Istanbul and transfer to the hotel for overnight stay. (B)
DAY 4: ISTANBUL Full-day sightseeing in Istanbul is one of the highlights of the tour. Capital to two great empires, Byzantine and Ottoman, Istanbul has many sites that will amaze the visitor. See the Basilica of St. Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and the Underground Cistern. In the afternoon, visit the Topkapi Palace and the Covered Bazaar, housing thousands of shops under a canopy of hundreds of domes. (B)
DAY 5: CANAKKALE Morning departure from Istanbul for the drive along the western shore of the Sea of Marmara to Gallipoli, site of the famous World War I battlefields. Cross the Straits of Dardanelles by ferry to Canakkale, on Asia, for overnight stay. (B)
DAY 6: IZMIR Visit Troy, a city immortalized by Homer's Iliad. Then, continue to Pergamum, one of the Seven Churches of Revelation. Visit the majestic Acropolis, with its Temple of Zeus (Altar of Satan), the Temples of Athena and Trajan, and the ruins of the Library, which was at one time the greatest in the world; this is where parchment was invented. Then, stop at the Aesculapion, the ancient hospital, where the famous physician Galen had practiced. Drive to Izmir, Biblical Smyrna, for overnight stay. (B)
DAY 7: PAMUKKALE A short tour of Izmir for a look at the Agora, where one can still see some of the Roman statues, followed by a visit to Sardes, the third of the Seven Churches of Asia. Once the capital of the rich Lydian Kingdom, Sardes is still a very interesting place to visit, with an impressive Temple dedicated to Athena and a beautiful synagogue, one of the best preserved and restored temples of the ancient world. Then, drive to Philadelphia and on to Pamukkale, famous for its thermal baths, for overnight stay. (B)
DAY 8: KUSADASI The day starts with sightseeing at the cotton-white terraced pools of Pamukkale, and the Roman city of Hierapolis. Continue to Laodecia to visit the ruins which include the stadium and marble colonnaded streets. Drive onto Ephesus, one of the grandest cities of antiquity, visited by Paul twice and by St. John (as well as the Virgin Mary, according to the Roman Catholic Church). Walk on marble streets as you tour Ephesus; later, admire the exhibits of the Archaeological Museum. Overnight stay in the port city of Kusadasi. (B)
DAY 9: GREEK ISLES CRUISE Morning transfer to the pier for the cruise to the Greek Isles. The first stop is the Island of Patmos, where St. John wrote The Book of Revelations. Tour the island to see the Grotto of the Revelation and the 11th Century Monastery of St. John. Sail from Patmos in the evening. (B,L,D)
DAY 10: GREEK ISLES CRUISE Today's stop is at the Island of Rhodes. Visit the Acropolis of Lindos, and spend some time for sightseeing on the island. (B,L,D)
DAY 11: GREEK ISLES CRUISE Early morning arrival in Crete. Visit Heraklion and the Palace of Knossos. Around noon, sail for the Island of Santorini, a very impressive island with the white-washed village of Thera, reached by donkey or cable car. (Santorini is thought by some to be the site of the lost continent of Atlantis). Sail in the evening for mainland Greece. (B,L,D)
DAY 12: ATHENS Disembark very early in the morning and begin the city tour of Athens, including the Acropolis, a look at the Parthenon, and the Agora where Paul preached about Jesus and the resurrection. Visit Mars Hill, the House of the Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and the Presidential Palace. Then, follow the coastal route to ancient Corinth and visit the Archaeolocial Museum, the Market Place, and the temples. Return to Athens for overnight stay. (B)
DAY 13: Transfer to the airport for light to your next destination. (B)
California S.O.T. # 1006630-60
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