Apr 13: Depart USA

Apr 14: Adana

AM Arrival in Istanbul, and connect to Adana flight. Arrive and transfer to hotel for dinner and overnight.

Apr 15: Adana-Antakya

In the morning Drive to Antakya, ancient Antiochia where the Christians were first called as “Christians” here (Acts 11:26).  St. Paul and St. Barnabas used the city as a missionary headquarters. Visit the Grotto of St. Peter, a cave made into a church in 1198. Then visit the Archaeology Museum which is world famous for the unique collection of late Roman and Byzantine mosaics found in Daphne and its environments. Back to Adana for dinner and overnight.

Apr 16: Adana-Cappadocia

Morning drive to Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul (Acts 9:11-30, 21:39, 22:3, 25-29). Tarsus was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world together with Athens, Alexandriapolis and Constantinopolis. The city is also the site where Mark Anthony first met Cleopatra and fell in love. Visit the so called Well of St Paul and the partially-excavated ancient avenue of Tarsus. Afternoon drive to Cappadocia for dinner and overnight.

Apr 17: Cappadocia

Full day tour of Cappadocia. Cappadocia is a unique site in the world with, fantastic volcanic landscapes, underground cities of early Christians and thousands of rock cut churches with fantastic fresco paintings. Cappadocia is under the protection UNESCO Cultural Department as a unique World Heritage Site. The roots of monastic life go back to Cappadocia. St Basil of Caseria established and encouraged monastic life in Cappadocia which had led to thousands of monastic communities during the medieval times.

St Paul travelled on the outskirts of Cappadocia which explains the existence of many churches in Cappadocia. Your visits will include Göreme and Zelve open air museums to visit the churches with the best preserved fresco paintings. You will also visit the Uçhisar and Güvercinlik valleys to enjoy the magnificent landscape of Cappadocia. A drive by Avanos village, famous for handmade pottery production since the times of Hittites.   Overnight in Cappadocia.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Cappadocia.

Apr 18: Cappadocia-Konya-Egirdir

Drive to Konya, en route stop by Sultanhan, a Seljukian caravanserai from 13th century on the  great silk road.  Arrive in Konya, ancient Iconium which was the capital of the Seljuk Turks and famous for being home of the 13th century Islamic mystic 'Rumi', founder of the Whirling Dervishes order. Visit the Mausoleum/Museum of Rumi.   St. Paul and Barnabas visited Iconium on their first missionary journey. (Acts 14:1-6).  Continue to Psidian Antiochia, a very rich Roman metropolis, by the foot of impressive Taurus mountain range It was here, in Psidian Antioch where Apostle Paul delivered his first recorded sermon in Asia Minor. (Acts 13:16)(Acts 13:44).Visit the synagogue and the churches of the city together with the temple and the theatre. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Egirdir by the lakeside (the hotel is not great but okay to stay for one night).

Apr 19: Egirdir-Pamukkale

In the morning drive to Laodicea which was one of the seven churches of Asia Minor (Rev 3:14-22) where John called the Christians “Lukewarm”. Recent Turkish excavations on the site are revealing the walls of what might have been a monumental church.

Then take a short visit to Colossae and continue to Hierapolis where Apostle Philip came to spread the Christianity, and is believed to have lived and martyred here. Hierapolis is mentioned in St. Paul's epistle to the Colossians (Colossian 4:13).  Explore one of the richest cemetery grounds of the ancient world, the main Domitian Gate and the main avenue. Visit the white travertine cascades of Pamukkale. Pamukkale is a unique site in the world, declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO Cultural Department . Dinner and overnight at hotel in Pamukkale.

Apr 20: Pamukkale-Izmir

Depart to Sardis, En route you will have a short visit at ancient Philadelphia (Rev 3:7-13) to see the remaining walls of a monumental church. Philadelphia together with Smyrna was one of the two seven churches of Asia Minor which did not receive any criticism about applications of Christianity. Arrive Sardis (Rev.3:1-6), the capital city of Lydian Kingdom. Sardis was one of the very rich metropolises of Asia Minor with crowded populations of Jews which might have enabled the Good News to be heard at a faster . The site is presently under the excavation of Harvard and Berkeley Universities. The city was where the richest man on earth, King Croesus enjoyed an incredible power and wealth. Lydians invented and minted the first coins in the world. Visit one of the oldest synagogues of the world which was later converted into a church. Also visit the monumental Artemis Temple and the impressively restored Roman Imperial Hall. Continue to Thyatira to visit the remains of the church mentioned in the Book of Revelation (Rev 2:18-29).  Then to Izmir for dinner and overnight .

Apr 21:  Izmir-Ephesus-Izmir

Today visit the glorious city of Ephesus (Rev 1:11, 2:1-7)  (Acts 18:19-28, 19:1-41 Ephesians).  Ephesus was the capital city of Roman Province of Asia Minor; the site of One of the Seven Wonders of the World; Temple of Artemis, and the site of the third richest library of the ancient world; Celsus library.  St. Paul came to Ephesus in 54 AD and stayed for three years. He preached the Gospel, gained followers and also established the church of Ephesus. St John (author of Revelations according to the New Testament) also spend his last years in Ephesus. St. John is believed to have been buried within the Basilica of St John. A strong tradition in the Catholic Church claims that St. John brought Virgin Mary to Ephesus and she ascended to heaven from Ephesus. Your visit to Ephesus will include the archaeological site, the Basilica of St John and the House of Virgin Mary.  

Apr 22: Izmir-Çanakkale

In the morning drive to Bergama-ancient Pergamum (Rev 2:12-17). Early Christian martyr Antipas was tortured to death here. Pergamum was the site of many temples to pagan Gods. Yet Christianity took a stronghold here as early as 2nd century, attested by the monumental size of Basilica of St. John. We have no evidence about Paul visiting in Pergamum. But it is clear that he walked through the area as he was on his way to Macedonia. Pergamum was the capital city of Hellenistic Kingdom of Pergamum. Pergamenese Library was the second richest library of the ancient world after the library in Alexandriapolis, Egypt. The city of Pergamum was also where parchment paper was invented.  Here you will visit the Basilica of St John (The Red Church) ,  the temples of Zeus and Emperor Trajan, the Hellenistic theatre and the library site. Short drive to the hospital site of Pergamum, named as Asklepion. Asklepion was among the three most famed hospitals of the ancient world. Continue to Çanakkale by paying a visit to Alexandria Troas on the way . Dinner and overnight in Çanakkale.

Apr 23: Çanakkale-Istanbul

Morning drive to Troy, the legendary stage for Homer's Iliad. A comprehensive visit of the city’s nine different settlements at the hill of Hisarlik and the replica of the famous Trojan horse. Then arrive in Çanakkale to catch the ferry for crossing the strait of Dardanelles and continue to Istanbul. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Istanbul.

Apr 24: Istanbul

After having breakfast drive by the shores of Golden Horn and partly by following the Theodosian City Walls arrive at Chora Museum, 'Church of St. Saviour in Chora'. A masterpiece in the Byzantine art with its well preserved mosaics and frescoes. The visit the site of one of the biggest Hippodromes in the Roman World for 200.000 people, with Egyptian Obelisk and the Serpent Column.  From here proceed to the 17th century Blue Mosque, world famous for the beauty of blue Iznik tiles. Visit the Church of St Sophia (6th c. AD), a masterpiece Byzantine Christian Architecture and one of the oldest and biggest cathedrals of the world. Visit Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries to see the famous Topkapi Dagger and one of the biggest diamonds of the world: The Spoon Maker’s Diamond. At the end of the day visit one of the oldest shopping malls of the world. The Covered Bazaar from 15th century with more than 4000 shops with carpets, jewelry, tiles and souvenirs.  Overnight in Istanbul. Tonight welcome dinner will be served at a local restaurant.

 Apr 25:  Depart and arrive USA