Day 1: Arrival in Ankara You are met at the airport by a Fortis Travel representative and transferred to your hotel. In the evening, a short briefing on your tour program will be given by your tour director. Day 2: Ankara-Cappadocia In the morning, visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. After lunch, continue on to mystical Cappadocia. Day 3: Cappadocia On day 4, explore biblical Cappadocia. Tour Goreme, with its rock churches decorated with Christian frescoes, perfect examples of the Cappadocia art school during the Byzantine period. Then visit the Byzantine monastic complex of Zelve and the village of Avanos, which is famous for its pottery. Day 4: Cappadocia-Adana In the morning, visit one of the many underground cities of the region, Kaymakli, or Derinkuyu where the early Christians sought sanctuary to escape persecution. After lunch, continue to Adana. Day 5: Antioch-Adana Explore Antioch-on-the-Orontes, the city closely linked to the early history of Christianity. Begin your day with a visit to the cave where St. Peter first celebrated mass. After lunch, visit the mosaic museum, second in the world, where you will see beautiful Roman mosaics. Day 6: Tarsus-Lystra-Konya Begin your day with a visit to Tarsus, St. Paul's birthplace. Continue to Lystra, where Paul met Timothy during his second missionary journey. Continue to Konya. Day 7: Konya-Antalya In the morning, visit the mystical museum of Mevlana, known in the western world as Rumi, the former convent of the Whirling Dervishes and the great Islamic philosopher. Then drive to Antalya, the city visited by St. Paul during his first missionary journey. (Acts 13:13) Day 8: Perge-Myra-Antalya In the morning visit Perge, strolling in the same walkway St. Paul walked to give his sermon (Acts 13:13, 14:25). Then visit Myra, another ancient coastal city visited by Paul, Luke and Aristarchus (Acts 27:5-6), and where St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) lived. Day 9: Leodicia-Hierapolis After breakfast, continue to Hierapolis (Col 4:13), home of Philip the Evangelist. Stopping at nearby Leodicia (Rev. 3:14-22, Col 2:1, 13-16), visit the Roman health spa with its lime cascades and the martyrion of St. Philip. Day 10: Sardis-Philadelphia-Smyrna On day 11, visit Philadelphia (Rev 3:7-13) and Sardis (Rev. 3:16) where St. Paul preached. Then continue to Smyrna where St. Paul preached for his peoples' faithfulness. Day 11: Ephesus-Miletus-Izmir In the morning; explore Ephesus (Rev. 1:12, 2:1-7, Acts 18:19-28, 19:1-4), which was home to St. Paul between 54-57 AD and is considered to be one of the best preserved archaeological sites in the world. Sit in the very theatre where St. Paul preached. Visit the church of St. John, where according to the legend, he was buried. In the afternoon, continue to Miletos (Acts 20:15) visited by St. Paul at the end of his third journey, as he was hurrying to get to Jerusalem to Pentcost dinner. Day 12: Thytira-Pergamum-Assos In the morning, visit Thyatira (Rev 2:18-29, Acts 16:14) known for its guilds of artists in the time of St. Paul. Then continue to Pergamum (Rev 2:12-17), which is the home to the famous physician Galen. Day 13: Assos- Alexandria Troas-Istanbul Visit Assos (Acts 20:13-14), where St. Paul was joined by Luke and got on the boat to the island of Lesbos during his third missionary journey (Acts 16:8-11, 20:5-12, Cor. 2:12-13, Tim 4:13). Take the ferry across the Dardanelles to Gallipoli for Istanbul. Day 14: Istanbul In the morning, visit the two masterpieces of the Byzantine era, Chora and St. Sophia. Then visit Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and the amazing underground cistern. Day 15: Istanbul Relax with a cruise on the Bosphorus on your last day in Turkey. In the afternoon explore the famous Grand Bazaar. Day 16: Departure Transfer to the airport for your flight back home.

St. Paul

Mosaic Museum - Antioch

St. Peter - Antioch