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Footsteps of St Paul In Turkey

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Trip Type

Adventure, Religious
Activities

Beach, Sight Seeing
Group Size

No size limit - No size limit
Reviews

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Locations

Turkey
Trip Duration

N/A

Trip code :WT-CODE 7359

Package rate includes:

3D/2N Istanbul: 4* - Holiday Inn Old City, Or Zurich or Kent or similar.

3D/2N: Cappadocia 5* - Dinler , C.kaymaki

2D/1N: Pamukkale 5* - Adem Pira or Lycus River's. or Richmond od similar

3D/2N: Izmir 4* - Blancaor Similar 4*

4D/3N: Kusadasi - 4* Ladonia, Grand Belish 5* or similar

2D/1N:Ayvalik5* Grand Temier or Helic Park

Deluxe AC Coach and Escort in all the above itinerary as mentioned

English speaking guide/escort in all tours as mentioned above

All entrance fees as mentioned included.

All taxes.

Breakfast and dinner all the trip.

Not included

Turkish visa (on line or at airport for 60US $)

All optional tours mentioned.(hot air balloon if wanted)

Turkey Visa.

Lunches in tours.

Personal expenses.

Vat of 3 Euros per room in Greece only (4 Nights)

Tips 100$ per person

Day 01: Departing Toronto.

Day 02: Arrive Istanbul (D)

Arrive Athens, then take 2 hours city tour of Istanbul dinner, hotel and overnight.

Day 03: İstanbul (BD)
Full day sightseeing in İstanbul. 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 Hagia Sophia (6^th c. AD), a masterpiece Byzantine Christian Architecture and one of the oldest and biggest cathedrals of the world. Visit Topkapı Palace, the residence of the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries to see the famous Topkapı 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 15^th century with more than 4000 shops. thren to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on Golden Horn, Overnight in İstanbul; dinner at hotel. (B,D)

Day 04: İstanbul - Nevşehir (BD)

After having an early breakfast transfer to the Domestic Airport for a short flight to Nevşehir. 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. Cappodocia is under the protection UNESCO Cultural Department as a unique World Heritage Site.
The roots of monastic life goes 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.

Arrive in the area and visit Özkonak Underground City ; Cappadocia. Underground cities must have been established by early Christians, escaping from persecutions. Having kitchens, food storages, living rooms, and natural air
ventilation inside.

Continue to Uçhisar village, a natural fortress overlooking to the whole area and you start enjoying the beautiful scenery of this fairy land. Today you will also visit

Pasabagi (Monk’s Valley) where you will see different types of volcanic formations

Check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

Day 05 : Cappadocia (BLD)

After breakfast Start the Full day tour of Cappodacia ; visit Göreme Open Air Museum to visit the churches with the best preserved fresco paintings. Also to visit Dark Church.Today you will also visit the Avcılar and Güvercinlik valleys to enjoy the magnificent landscape of Cappadocia. Also a drive by Avanos village, famous for handmade pottery production since the times of Hittites. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Cappadocia. (B,D)

Day 06 : Cappadocia – Psidian Antiochia –Pamukkale (BD)
Morning depart to Konya, en route stop by Sultanhan, a Seljukian caravanserai from 13th century on silk road. Continue to Psidian Antiochia, a very rich Roman metropolis, by the foot of impressive Taurus mountain range It was here, in Pisidian 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. 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 . (B,D)

Day 07 : Pamukkale –Laodicea – Philadelphia – Sardis - İzmir (BD)
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 a what might have been a monumental church.

Continue to ancient Philadelphia to see the remaining walls of a monumental church. Philadelphia together with Symrna was one of the two seven churches of Asia Minor which did not receive any criticism about applications of Christianity.

Then on to Sardis , 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.
Drive to İzmir ; ancient Smyrna which is one of the seven churches (Rev 2: 8-11).

St. Polycarp was the bishop of Smyrna, one of the disciples of St.John.

Check in to your hotel for dinner and overnight . (B,D)

Day 08: İzmir – Ephesus - İzmir (BLD)
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 include Ephesus archaeological site, the Basilica of St. John and the House of Virgin Mary. Dinner and overnight in İzmir. (B,D)

Day 09: İzmir – Kusadasi (BLD)
Today vdrive to Kusadasi to enjoy the Beach with breakfast lunch and dinner

Day 10: Kusadasi (BLD)
On the beach with breakfast lunch and dinner.

Day 11: Kusadasi (BLD)
On the beach with breakfast lunch and dinner.

Day 12: Kusadasi - İzmir – Pergamon – Thyatira –Ayvalik (BD)
Early departure to Bergama-ancient Pergamon (Rev 2:12-17). Early Christian martyr Antipas was tortured to death here. Pergamon was the site of many temples to pagan Gods. Yet Christianity took a stronghold hers early as 2nd century, attested by the monumental size of Basilica of St. John. We have no evidence about Paul visiting in Pergamon. But it is clear that he walked through the area as he was on his way to Macedonia. Pergamon was the capital city of Hellenistic Kingdom of Pergamon. Pergamenese Library was the second richest library of the ancient world after the library in Alexandriapolis, Egypt. The city of Pergamon was also where parchement paper was invented.

Continue to Thyatira to visit the remains of the church mentioned in the Book of Revelation (Rev 2:18-29). Drive back to Izmir for dinner and overnight in Ayvalik.

Day 13: Istanbul (B)
Transfer to the Istanbul by bu and visit Nicea(Iznik) Ayasofia, Lunch stop on the way to Istanbul airprot for your flight back home via Cairo.