Day 1: Arrive Athens Arrive in Istanbul and take the connecting flight to Athens. Arrival in Athens. Meet and transfer to the hotel. Dinner and overnight in Athens. Day 2 : Athens-Corinth-Athens At 08:00 am, our excursion out of Athens takes us by the Saronic Gulf, where in 480 BC history's root was changed! The small Grecian fleet managed to defeat the enormously powerful armada of the Persians. From here, via the historic Corinthian Canal, we arrive at ancient Corinth (Acts 18:1-18). It was to this megalopolis where the apostle Paul came and worked, established a thriving church, subsequently sending two of his epistles now part of the New Testament. Here, we see all of the sites associated with his ministry: the Agora, the Temple of Apollo, the Roman Odeon, the Bema and Gallio's Seat. The small archaeological museum here is an absolute must! We see the ruins of early Christian 5th century basilica in Cenchreae before returning to Athens. In the afternoon we enjoy our sightseeing tour of Athens (Acts 17:15). We climb up to the marble-capped Acropolis and visit the famous Parthenon and the Erechteion. Then, we go to nearby Mars' Hill (or Areopagus) (Acts 17:22) where the Apostle Paul delivered his well-known sermon. Our tour continues with the highlights of modern Athens: we pass by the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Parliament House, Presidential Palace, Panathenian Stadium, Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Academy, the University and the National Library. Return to the hotel for overnight at hotel in Athens. Day 3: Athens- Meteora/Kalambaka At 08:00 am we leave Athens and we drive through Boetia and Thessaly. In the afternoon we enjoy a spectacular drive up to visit the Byzantine Monasteries of Meteora. Colossal symmetrical gray and reddish boulders, as though pushed upwards from the bowels of mother earth by an invisible hand, sustain breathtaking beautiful monasteries perched precariously high above the ground. They were first built in the 14th century by monks seeking isolation and salvation, accessible only by ropes thrown from above. We will climb through steps built since. They are veritable Byzantine museums exhibiting superb icons, old manuscripts and unique mosaics and frescoes. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Kalambaka. Day 4: Kalambaka-Vergina-Pella-Thessaloniki We depart Kalambaka and we drive to Vergina (ancient Aigai), the first capital of Macedonia. We visit the most important tomb ever discovered that of Philip II of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great. Here we see the fabulous findings from the tomb of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, made by the archaeologist Manolis Andronikos. Then we continue on to ancient Pella, the capital of ancient Macedonia State and birthplace of Alexander the Great. In the 4th century BC the city was laid out in the familiar "Hippodamean" pattern of regular rectangular building blocks with impressive broad streets and a first class water supply network. The houses were of the typical Greek style dwelling with a central courtyard surrounded by a colonnade and open galleries. On the hill to the West stand the remains of the citadel of the Hellenistic period. We visit the excavation sites and especially the museum, which displays sculptures, relief and mosaics of Classical and Hellenistic times. Drive to Thessaloniki. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Thessaloniki. Day 5 : Thessaloniki-Philippi-Kavala At 8:00 a.m. we drive on our way to Philippi by the Lion statue of Amphipolis (short stop for photos). Afterwards we continue to Philippi, the site where the apostle Paul came and worked, establishing a strong church. To this congregation, later he sent his Philippian letter. Of all the churches Paul founded, probably none was so near and dear to him as the church at Philippi (Acts 16:9-33). We see the river where Lydia is thought to have been baptized, the ruins of a Prison where Paul and Sylas had been kept, the Agora, 5th and 6th century Basilica and the Theater. Philippi was built by Philip II of Macedonia on the Via Egnatia, the Roman road which ran from Rome to Byzantium. After the visit, we continue to Kavala, the ancient port of Neapolis (Acts 16:11). Dinner and overnight at hotel in Kavala. Day 6: Kavala-Greek/Turkish Border-Canakkale At 08:00 am we leave the beautiful and picturesque city of Kavala, and by bus we proceed to Alexandroupolis near the Greek-Turkish borders. Here we say good-bye to our Greek guide and driver. Cross the Dardanelles Strait by car ferry. Dinner and overnight in Canakkale. Day 7: Alexander Troas-Pergamum-Smyrna (Izmir) Drive to Alexandria Troas(Acts 16:8-11; 20:5, 6, II Tim. 4:13 II Cor. 2:12) founded by Alexander the Great. Paul visited here at least twice. Then drive to Assos, this Hellenistic city where Paul rejoined his companions. Then drive to Pergamum (Rev. 1:11; 2:12). Visit the Acropolis with the steepest theater of the ancient world and the Temple of Trajan. Then visit the Red Basilica which was an Egyptian Temple, later converted to a church in the 1st century. It is also considered as one of the Seven Churches of the Revelation. Continue to Smyrna (Rev. 1:11; 2:8) modern day Izmir for dinner and overnight. Day 8: Izmir-Sardis-Izmir Visit the Alexander the Great's Castle and the Agora in Izmir. Then drive to Sardes capital of the ancient Lydia where first coin of the world is invented. See the ruins of the 1st century Church and the third century Synagogue. Dinner and overnight in Izmir. Day 9: Ephesus-Izmir Visit the famous ancient city of Ephesus (Acts 18:19-24; 19:1-35; 20:16-17; 21:29, 1 Col. 15:32; 16:8, I Tim. 1:3 II Tim. 1:18; 4:12, Rev. 1:11, 2:1), the Ephesus Museum and the Basilica of St. John. The visit of the House of Virgin Mary is optional. Dinner and overnight in Izmir. Day 10: Aphrodisias-Laodicea-Pamukkale Drive to Aphrodisias, the city of the Goddess of Love, see the well preserved stadium, the Odeon, the theater and the agora. Then visit Laodicea (Col 2:1; 4:13-16, Rev. 1:11; 3:14) and Pamukkale, noted ancient spa, where pure white travertine's forms frozen waterfalls. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale. Day 11: Hierapolis-Philadelphia-Bursa Visit Hierapolis (Col 4:13) in the morning. Then drive to Alasehir to visit the 1st century Philadelphia Church (Rev. 1:11; 3:7). Continue to Bursa, once the capital city of the Ottoman Empire. Dinner and overnight in Bursa. Day 12: Nicaea - Istanbul Visit Nicaea, the city where the first Ecumenical Council took place in 325 AD. Drive to Istanbul, the only city in the world built on two continents, guarding the precious relics of the three empires of which she has been the capital; a unique link between East and West, between past and present. Istanbul is not only historic, it is still a magnificent great city, fascinating and vividly alive, providing infinite variety: Visit the Topkapi Museum, the Imperial Residential Palace of the Ottoman sultans between the 16th and 19th centuries and the oldest and largest of the remaining palaces in the world. Its displays include priceless world-class collections of jewelry, porcelain and costumes of the sultans. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Istanbul. Day 13: Istanbul A full day of sightseeing in Istanbul. Visit the St. Chora Church (Kariye Museum) famous for its beautiful mosaics, the Blue Mosque with its beautiful blue tiles, the Roman Hippodrome. In the afternoon, visit Hagia Sophia Museum, built by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, one of the world's greatest architectural marvels and a designated World Heritage site. Then visit the Archaeological Museum of Istanbul. End your day with a visit to the famous Grand Bazaar. Day 14: Istanbul - Departure Transfer to the Istanbul Airport for departure.

Acropolice

Istanbul