Journey of St. Paul Tour ( 12nights/ 13 days)
Key Information
Tour Duration: 12 nights / 13 days
Days of Operation: Private Tour - Regular Tour
Destination's: Turkey
Hotel's Class: 5, 4, 3 Stars Hotel or Tourist Class
Season: All Year
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
*Overnight Place:
4 nights Istanbul, 1 night Adana, 2 nights Cappadocia, 1 night Konya,
1 night Pamukkale,
2 nights Izmir, 1 night Assos.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Istanbul.
We are so glad to meet you at the airport and take you to your
hotel. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul. Includes: (D)
Day 2: Istanbul.
A full day city tour of Istanbul,the biggest and greatest city in
Turkey. After visiting the Hippodrome, you will visit the Mosque of
Sultan Ahmet. Beautifully decorated with 21, 000 blue Iznik tiles,
it is commonly known today as the Blue Mosque. The next visit is
to the world famous Hagia Sophia, the church of Divine Wisdom and
once the biggest church of the Christian World. You will certainly
be astonished by the unique mosaics and marble decorations. Right
after lunch the magnificent Topkapi Palace, the official residence
of the Ottoman Sultans, will be waiting for you. Do not ever miss
the Spoon maker's Diamond in the treasury section. Overnight in
Istanbul. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 3: Istanbul Adana - Antakya (Antioch) - Adana.
Following a relaxing breakfast, you must be ready for a flight to
Adana. A ride to Antakya (Antioch) where the people of The Way were
first named Christians, is bound to make you feel home, in the heart
of holliness as Antakya served as the home base for St. Paul's
missionary journeys. Peter was the first to establish a church in
Antioch (Acts 9:32 and Galatians 2:1 1.) Visit the cave church where
St. Peter first celebrated mass. Enjoy the Hatay Museum, which is
the home for the richest, most varied collection of Greek and Roman
mosaics. Then continue to Seleucia Peria mentioned in the New
Testament as the port, from which Paul and Barnabas set sail for
Asia Minor on their first
missionary
journey. Overnight in Adana. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 4: Adana - Tarsus - Cappadocia.
After breakfast and a short drive to Tarsus, where St. Paul was
born, pay a meaningful visit to St. Paul's well, believed to have
healing properties. After a short visit to the gate of Cleopatra,
continue to Cappadocia for dinner and overnight. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 5: Cappadocia.
Full day sightseeing of the villages of, Uchisar with panoramic
views of the Cappadocian
valleys,
Zelve-the valley of the fairy chimnies, and the Goreme Valley. There
are several hundred churches in this area, some of which are
decorated with inscribed frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible or
the Apocrypha. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Includes: (B), (D).
Day 6: Cappadocia - Konya.
Visit the underground city of Kaymakli, created for defensive
purposes by the early Christians. Drive to Konya. Paul preached here
on his first missionary journey. Konya today is famous for its
Mevlevi Dervishes (Whirling Dervishes). Visit the Mevlana Mausoleum
and museum. Overnight in
Konya.
Includes: (B), (D).
Day 7: Konya - Antioch of Pisidia - Pamukkale.
After breakfast drive to Antioch of Pisidia. Paul and Barnabas
visited Antioch on their first missionary journey, going to the
synagogue on the Sabbath (the Jewish day of worship), and Paul was
asked to speak to the congregation. In the Bible this is Paul's
first recorded sermon. Visit the Church of St. Paul, the Roman Bath,
Temple of Augustus, and museum. Continue to Pamukkale for overnight.
Includes: (B), (D).
Day 8: Pamukkale Laodicea Philadelphia - Sardis Izmir.
Wake up to the sounds of birds and don't miss a morning swim in the
hotel's thermal pool before visiting the ancient city of Hierapolis,
an ancient Roman city, where St. Philip was martyred during the
persecutions ordered by Domitian. Hierapolis is located on the top
of a hill where you can see the famous natural wonder white cotton
fortress. Your next stop is Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches of
Asia Minor [Rev. 1:11; 3:14; Col. 2:1; 4:13-16]. When you see the
city of Hierapolis from a distance, you may have an idea why the
Laodicians were "neither hot nor cold but lukewarm" as it reads in
the Bible. Following this nice little isolated old town, visit
Philadelphia and Sardis. Philadelphia "the
perfect
church," was the only church which John had no real criticism (Rev.
3: 7-13). After a short drive we reach Sardis-the dead church.
Remember 'you seem alive but you are actually dead'. Includes: (B),
(D).
Day 9: Izmir - Ephesus - Izmir.
St Polycarp Church will be the first to host you this morning. In an
hour's time you will be ready,after a short visit to traditional
house of the Virgin Mary, to visit the ancient city of Ephesus where
St. Paul lived and preached for more than two and a half years and
to where he subsequently sent his letter to the Ephesians. We see
the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of
Hadrian, the theater, the Double Church (The Church of Mary) where
the
third ecumenical council was convened in A. D. 431. Then we visit
the basilica of St. John where St. John was buried, the ruins of the
Temple of Artemis, which was once one of the seven wonders of the
ancient world. Overnight in Izmir. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 10: Izmir Thyatira Pergamon Assos.
In the morning we drive to Thyatira, which is known as the tolerant
church. Then, we proceed to Pergamum (Rev. 2: 12-17) to visit the
Acropolis. With its several temples this is the place referred in
the Bible as the place where 'Satan dwells'. Pergamum was a great
center
of scholarship and learning. Anthony took the library from here with
its 200,000 rolls and transferred it to Alexandria as a present for
Cleopatra. After the Acropolis visit the Asclepion, the ancient
hospital. Dinner and overnight in Assos. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 11: Assos Alexandria Troas Troy Istanbul.
We drive to Alexandria Troas founded by a commander of Alexander the
Great; Paul visited
here
at least twice in his second and third journeys (16: 7-12; 16:8-10).
We proceed to Troy- home of the legendary Helen of Troy and the
Trojan Horse. Then we drive to Istanbul for overnight. Includes:
(B), (D).
Day 12: Istanbul.
Enjoy the bussy streets of Istanbul at your leisure. Includes: (B).
Day 13: Istanbul.
Fly home or continue to explore another destination. Includes: (B).
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
(B), (D); B= Breakfast, D= Dinner.
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