ITINERARY:
Day 1, Saturday, DEPARTURE
You'll
leave from US with an overnight Flight to Istanbul, Turkey.
Day 2, Sunday, ISTANBUL
Welcome to turkey.
You are greeted by your tour guide and transferred to the hotel.
Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.
Day 3, Monday, ISTANBUL
After breakfast,
full day city tour of magnificent Istanbul, the city that
links two continents Asia and Europe to each other.
Visit Topkapi the palace of the Sultans, Hagia Sophia,
the magnificent former Christian Basilica, the Chora Church
with its Byzantine artworks, the Blue Mosque and the Grand
Bazaar, with over 4000 little shops. Dinner and overnight in
Istanbul.
Day 4, Tuesday, ISTANBUL, CANAKKALE-TROY
After breakfast, we will drive along the Sea of
Marmara to Canakkale. We will cross the Dardanelles, where you will
see Gallipoli, the famous
site of World War I battle. Visit
Troy
and see the city made famous in Homer's poems, as the center of the Trojan War, including
the legendary Trojan Horse.
Dinner and overnight in Canakkale.
Day5, Wednesday, CANAKKALE, TROY, PERGAMUM, EPHESUS
After
breakfast, drive by Troas, where Paul had a vision in which he was
called to Macedonia (Greece). Visit
Pergamum where the first Christians were executed by
Rome. This was the most favored of the Seven Churches, and
Christianity came here very early. You will see the Temple of
Zeus, and the Temple of Athena, the fabled Acropolis
and the Royal Gate. Here parchment was developed replacing
papyrus. You will also see Asclepion,
from distance one of
the foremost healing centers of the ancient world. Dinner and
overnight in Ephesus.
Day 6, Thursday, EPHESUS, VIRGIN MARY’S HOUSE
After
breakfast, visit the most complete magnificent ancient city ever
excavated. Tour the antique city, Ephesus, with its theatre,
library, Temple of Artemis, declared as one of the Seven Wonders of
the ancient world. We will have a Mass at
Virgin
Mary’s House in Ephesus. Tradition tells us that the Apostle
accompanied Mary to Ephesus. Dinner and overnight in Ephesus.
Day 7, Friday, EPHESUS, ST. JOHN, PAMUKKALE
After breakfast,
we will have Mass at
the Basilica of St. John and visit
his tomb. Then proceed to
the spa city of Pamukkale; see the cascading water from the
cliffs forming crystallized, dazzling white “frozen waterfalls “.The
next visit is to the vast ruins of the Roman health spa of
Hierapolis, and see the magnificently preserved Necropolis,
the Main Street and Gates.
Dinner and overnight in Ephesus.
Day 8, Saturday, EPHESUS, KUSADASI, PATMOS
After
breakfast, we will embrace cruise ship. Our first stop is the sacred
island of Patmos, where John received the mystical
Revelation, which forms the last book of the New Testament. The
optional excursion takes
you to the Grotto of the Revelation. And the 11-century
Monastery of St. John (which houses the original script of the
Gospel).
Day 9, Sunday, HERAKLION, SANTORINI
This morning we ship will stop at Greek island of
Heraklion. Heraklion is the home of
fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos. Discovered in 1899
and partially reconstructed, the
elaborate Palace is believed to be the mythical Labyrinth of King
Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. Visit the island on
your own or take an optional trip offered by the cruise line.
Afternoon we will visit the Island of Santorini.
This island is perhaps the
most breathtaking of all the Greek Islands. In the town of Thira
white-washed houses, narrow streets, open-air cafes and glittering
boutiques cling to steep cliffs, accessible by cable-car or mule.
Visit the island on your own or take an optional trip offered by the
cruise lines.
Day 10, Monday, PIRAEUS, ATHENS
After arriving to
the mainland of Greece we will embark on a city tour including the
Agora where Paul preached. Here Socrates thought and was
forced to drink the deadly hemlock. On Mars Hill, Paul was
brought before the council and delivered his great sermon. You will
visit the ancient town of Acropolis to see the Parthenon,
the theater of Dionyssos, theTemple of the Wingless
Victory and other sights, which reflect the golden age of
Greece. Dinner and overnight Athens.
Day 11, Tuesday, ATHENS, CORINTH, ATHENS
This morning visit
ancient Corinth following closely the same route Paul took
during his journey. Here you visit the marketplace where Paul
preached to the Corinthians, visit the Temple of Apollo and
the Corinth Museum. You return to Athens this afternoon to
enjoy exploring the town on your own. Dinner and overnight Athens.
Day 12, Wednesday, ATHENS, USA,
After breakfast,
we will take a flight to home.
If you don't see an itinerary you like, tell us and we'll gladly customize one to meet your requirements.
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