20 Day St. Paul's Missionary Tour

(Dinner included) Arrive in Ankara (Capital of Turkey), Meet your guide who will transfer you to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay in Ankara. Ankara

(Breakfast and Dinner included) After breakfast, sight - seeing of Ankara: see the Anatolian Civilization Museum, the Temple of Augustus and Ataturk’s Mausoleum. Continue to Cappadocia with a lunch / rest stop in Aksaray before a short ride to Ihlara Valley, where early Christians carved some 3, 500 cave churches from the tufa rock. The beauty and quaintness of these chapels, with numerous wall paintings and Christian symbols, is astonishing. Persecuted Christians - tens of thousands of them - escaping into the earth to flee Arab invaders in the tenth century, tunneled out more than twenty underground cities of refuge here in Cappadocia. Such cities, with carved rooms for kitchens, sleeping quarters, stables, and chapels for worship, descend five to ten stories into the earth. Enjoy your dinner and overnight stay in Cappadocia. Ankara

(Breakfast and Dinner included) Full Day excursion of Cappadocia to see the surreal landscapes of volcanic ash, formed 3 million years ago: spectacular red rock cones, troglodyte churches and homes dating from 4000 BC Now visit UCHISAR, GOREME and ZELVE, then AVANOS, to visit one of its famous, pottery workshops. Later return to your hotel for overnight stay. Ankara Cappadocia

(Breakfast and Dinner included) After breakfast visit Ozkonak Underground City, one of the best preserved of these cities, you will enjoy your own guided tour into this amazing region. Then drive to drive to Tarsus, birthplace of St. Paul. See St. Pauls Well, Cleopatras Gate and the Ancient City. It was near here that a Great Fish "vomited out Jonas upon the dry land". Later return to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in Adana. Adana Cappadocia

(Breakfast and Dinner included) Full Day excursion to Antakya (Antioch). Here Jesus followers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26) Peter, Paul and also Barnabas preached here. Visit St. Peters Grotto and the exquisite Mosaic Museum. View the old city of Iskenderun before beginning the return, driving to Mersin for dinner and overnight stay. Adana Antakya Mersin

(Breakfast and Dinner included) Depart westward along the Mediterranean shoreline, a famous coastal road. Take a lunch break in Anamur. See City of the Monophystie Archbishop of Seleucia. Dinner and overnight in Antalya. Antalya Mersin

(Breakfast and Dinner included) Continue to the ancient city of SIDE, the old port where Paul, Barnabas and Mark landed during their missionary journeys. Later they sailed from here to Antioch. Than visit PERGE, where St. Paul preached when arriving from Cyprus (Acts 13 - 14), and to ASPENDOS with its magnificent theater. Next, drive to Antalya for dinner and overnight stay. Antalya

(Breakfast and Dinner included) After breakfast drive to Laodicea (Rev. 3:14 - 22), which will take you back to the first century and was condemned by St. John in Revelation Acts (4:15). Then drive to Hierapolis (Pamukkale) and explore incredible excavations; including a Byzantine church, the Great Theatre, the Temple of Apollo, and the Plutonium, which pagan cults once called “the entrance to hell.” Examine the intriguing sites of the Churches of Revelation. At Hierapolis (Pamukkale), enjoy the “Cotton Castles” of brilliant white calcium rock formations and hot - water travertines, where hot mineral waters emerge from the earth and cascade over cliffs. As the water-cools, the calcium precipitates and clings to the cliffs, forming snowy white travertines (waterfalls of white stone), which give credence to the name Pamukkale, meaning “cotton castle”. This enchanting place is one of the natural wonders of Asia Minor. The churches here in Hierapolis, Colossae, and Laodicea once flourished under the ministry of Epaphras (Colossians 4:12 - 13). Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale. Antalya Pamukkale

(Breakfast and Dinner included) After breakfast drive to Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7 - 12), your Bible will come alive as you read it in light of firsthand study. This city was located along the important trade route that linked Pergamum in the north with Laodicea to the south. In A.D. 17, an earthquake devastated twelve Asian cities, including Philadelphia, and for a time the people lived in fear of aftershocks. Philadelphia was rebuilt with help from Emperor Tiberius. At Sardis (Rev. 3:1 - 5), your thoughts will turn to the Old Testament period following the 586 B.C. destruction of Jerusalem. That was the time when the phrase “rich as Croesus” originated. Croesus (560 - 546 B.C..) was the king of Lydia, and Sardis was his capital. Gold was discovered in the Pactolus River at Sardis and it was here that coinage began, as we know it. Cyrus and the Persians defeated and captured Croesus for all his wealth and made Sardis the administrative center for the western part of their empire. The fabled Royal Road connected Sardis with the Persian cities to the east. Sardis was the hardest hit of the twelve cities destroyed in the earthquake of A.D. 17. Emperor Tiberius, according to the Annals of the historian Tacitus, gave much relief towards its rebuilding. Your visit to Sardis will include the imperial court and the ancient Jewish synagogue. You will rest in the shade of the Temple of Artemis, while studying in the light of prophetic Scripture. Dinenr and overnight in Kusadasi. Pamukkale Kusadasi

(Breakfast and Dinner included) After breakfast drive to Ephesus (Rev. 2:1 - 7), major port city on the Aegean, was the commercial, political, and religious center of all of Asia Minor. After a lunatic completely burned, the Temple of Diana (Artemis) on the night that Alexander the Great was born in 356 B.C. the Ephesians worked for 120 years to complete a magnificent reconstructed temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. The city became part of the Roman Empire in the second century B.C. As a Roman capital of Asia Minor, Ephesus boasted a population approaching 250,000 people. The Apostle Paul’s first visit to Ephesus was brief—during his second missionary tour (Acts 18:19 - 21). His second visit lasted about three years—during his third missionary tour (Acts 19:1 to 20:31). Luke’s account of the worship of Diana appears in Acts 19:34 - 35. The Great Theatre (stadium) mentioned in Acts 19:29 - 31 could seat 25,000 people. Walk the marble - paved street with grooves made by chariot wheels. See the Fountain of Trojan, the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre. Visit the Chapel of the Virgin Mary (Double Church), where the Third Ancient Council convened. We visit The House of Virgin Mary where she spent her latest years. Enjoy St. Johns Basilica (built on the site of the Apostle John’s tomb) and ponder the remains of the Temple of Diana. Overnight in Kusadasi. Kusadasi

(Breakfast and Dinner included) This morning take a beautiful drive to Izmir (ancient Smyrna), After visiting the St. Policarp church in Izmir. Continue to in Akhisar, ancient commercial place in connection with TROY and Sardes. Dinner and overnight in Izmir. Izmir Kusadasi

(Breakfast and Dinner included) After breakfast early departure to Pergamum, with its Acropolis and Great Theatre, the steepest of the ancient world. Revelation 2:12 - 16 describes the city as “where Satan’s seat is,” a reference to the altar of Zeus, where we pause for reflection on the fulfillment of Scripture. Nearby, visit the Red Basilica; once a pagan temple, it later converted into a Christian church. Finally, walk through the Pergamum Asclepion, the famous medical center of antiquity.Dinner and Overnight in Izmir. Izmir Pergamon Ancient City

(Breakfast included) After breakfast long drive to Nicea through Bursa. At Nicea, you will see remains of Constantine’s palace, now covered by the water at the shore of Lake Iznik. It was here in this palace chapel that the First Ancient Church Council convened in A.D. 325 to produce the Nicene Creed. Enjoy Nicea’s St. Sophia Church, where the Seventh Church Council convened in 787. Continue to Istanbul. We visit Hippodrome and the Obelisk brought from Egypt. Overnight in Istanbul Istanbul Bursa Pergamon Ancient City

(Breakfast included) After breakfast between 08:00 am and 09:30 am pick ups from hotel. Final timing one day before will be given you by your tour consultant. Visit to HAGIA SOPHIA GRAND MOSQUE: The Hagia Sophia, previously known as the Church of Divine Wisdom, is simply the best of its kind! Hagia Sophia is the greatest surviving example of Byzantine Architecture. For 1000 years it was once the largest church in the world, decorated with stunning 6th century golden mosaics. Today it is a mosque. Than visit UNDERGROUND CISTERN which is thought to have been built after the Nika revolt in 532 AD. It was known as the Basilica Cistern during the Roman period, as there was a Stoa Basilica above the pre-existing one at the time. Short drive to CHORA MUSEUM, church of Saint Savior in Chora, which has remarkable Byzantine mosaics. Lunch break at 13:00 pm. After the lunch, Murtis Tour will take you to the GRAND SPICE BAZAAR which is a unique atmosphere with reasonable prices for your shopping. Here you will find; Exotic Spices and Herbs, Turkish Baklava, Turkish Delights, Turkish Coffee, nuts and fruits, small souvenirs such as Ceramic Handicrafts, Evil Eyes totems, all naturel olive oil, soaps and many other goods in Souvenir Shops and stores. BOSPHORUS BY BOAT; a traditional excursion by boat along the waterway separating Europe and Asia. The shore lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages. During the excursion, you will see the magnificent sights of the following attractions from your boat. See Dolmabahce Palace, and further along, the parks and imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace. On the coastal edge of this park, is Ciragan Palace, 300 meters of its marble facade faces the shore. At Ortakoy a great variety of artists, gather every sunday to display their work along the street. Ortakoy is a symbol of tolerance with a church, a mosque and a synagogue existing side by side for centuries. RUMELI FORTRESS (view from boat), Built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul was completed in only four months to control and protect the infamous Bosporus passage. It is one of the most beautiful works of military architecture anywhere in the world. BEYLERBEYI PALACE (view from boat), is the summer residence of Ottoman sultans exists in its original renovated glory featuring original antique furniture and magnificent gardens with the Harem on the Asian side of Istanbul. Return to the hotel for overnight. Istanbul

(Breakfast and Dinner included) After breakfast we will start our journey to border of Greece. At noon we are meet by our Greek guide as we drive from the Greek/Turkish borders to Kavala passing by Alexandroupolis. Dinner and overnight at Hotel in Kavala. Istanbul Kavala

(Breakfast and Dinner included) After breakfast at hotel, we drive to Philippi, the site where the apostle Paul came and worked, establishing a strong church. 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. Late that afternoon we arrive at Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight. Kavala Thessaloniki

(Breakfast and Dinner included) In the morning, after a short city tour of Thessaloniki, we drive to Berea. We see the Byzantine mosaic in the monument commemorating his preaching. Lunch on your own. Then we proceed our drive to Meteora where we visit in the afternoon the fantastic and breathtaking Byzantine monasteries. Monks seeking isolation and spiritual salvation first built those monasteries in the 14th century. Dinner and overnight at Kalambaka. Thessaloniki Kalambaka

(Breakfast and Dinner included) After breakfast at Hotel drive to Delphi, we visit the archaeological site of Delphi: the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians, and the Museum containing such masterpieces of ancient Greek sculpture as the bronze Charioteer and the famous athlete Aghias. Lunch on your own. Drive to Athens for dinner and overnight at hotel. Kalambaka Athens Delphi

(Breakfast and Dinner included) At 08:00 a.m. our excursion out of Athens takes us by the Saronic Gulf, where in 480 BC history root was changed. We stop at the historic Corinthian Canal where we take pictures. We arrive at ancient Corinth. Here, we see all of the sites associated with his ministry: the Agora, the Temple of Apollo, the Roman Odeon, the Bema and Gallios Seat. We see the ruins of early Christian 5th century basilica in Cenchreae before returning to Athens. In the afternoon we enjoy our half - Day sightseeing tour of Athens. We climb up to the marble - capped Acropolis and visit among the other buildings the famous Parthenon and the Erechtheum. We now have become time travelers! Then, we go to nearby Mars Hill (Areopagus) (Acts 17:22) where the Apostle Paul delivered his soul - stirring sermon to the giants of philosophy, logic and learning. Our tour continues with the highlights of modern Athens. In the evening optional dinner in Greek traditional restaurant with music and dance. Return to hotel late at night for dinner and overnight. Athens

(Breakfast included) After breakfast, we check out from the hotel. We hope your tour was a memorable one and we look forward to seeing you in the future on another TravelShop Booking Tour. Have a safe trip back home and thanks for choosing TravelShop Booking. Athens