The TSG team will greet you at Istanbul Airport and escort you to your hotel for check-in. Overnight in Istanbul.
Please remember that you can spend the night with one of TSG's optional tours: the Bosphorus Dinner Cruise, the Whirling Dervish Show, or the Rythm Dance Show. 

(Breakfast included)
The tour will start after breakfast. Today you will visit one of the most special churches in Istanbul. Like the old city destinations, these churches are worth seeing. We will visit the Patriarchate at Fener, which dates back to the early days of Christianity and is an architectural masterpiece that blends Byzantine, Ottoman, and Neoclassical styles. One of the oldest and most important Greek Orthodox churches in Istanbul, Aya Yorgi Greek Orthodox Church, is our next destination. Despite being damaged by fires several times, the most valuable item in the structure, the patriarchal throne, has survived. It is believed that the throne dates back to the 5th century.

The Church of St. Mary Pammacaristos, considered one of Istanbul's finest examples of Byzantine art, will be our next stop. The interior decoration is a mixture of Byzantine and Ottoman features, and its beauty will enchant you. The Bulgarian St. Stephen Church, on the other hand, is one of the few cast-iron construction churches around the world. It was recently restored and made accessible to the public.
The Church of Panagia of Blachernae is one of the Unesco World Heritage Sites and is the home of magnificent 14^th century mosaics and frescoes, which we will visit before our last stop at St. Savior in Chora. In St. Savior in Chora, you will be impressed with the masterpieces of Byzantine art. Overnight in Istanbul.

Please Note that due to restoration, St. Savior in Chora could be temporarily closed. The other destinations are open for visits during the day, and Sunday rites are held regularly. 

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
We will move to Izmir with a domestic flight. Upon arrival in Izmir, we proceed to Thyatira, now called Akhisar, another one of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:18–24; Acts 16:14]. It was a city famous for purple dyes. We will see some Roman-era architectural remnants and the ruins of a basilica. Lydia, the seller of purple in Philippi, was from Thyatira.

In the afternoon, we take a panoramic tour of Smyrna, the second of the seven Christian churches in Asia Minor about which St. John the Divine wrote (Revelation 1–11). Smyrna is the third largest city in Turkey. Smyrna is a city scarred by a bloody history of trade and warfare. Ascending to Mount Pagos, we stop by Kadifekale also called Lysimachus' Citadel, which was built in the fourth century BC by Alexander the Great's general. We will also see the Clock Tower. Check in at the hotel for dinner. Overnight in Izmir. 

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
After breakfast, we drive to Pergamon, which is actually called Bergama. It is one of the sites of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:12]. Here, we explore the impressive Acropolis, the steepest theater in the world. Then, at Asklepion, a famous classical medical center, see the Altar of Zeus, which is referred to in the Book of Revelation as the "Throne of Satan," as well as the marble columns of the Temple of Trajan. Furthermore, the library, which was the best in the world and had long been a rival to Egypt's equally famous Library of Alexandria, had a wealth of volumes estimated at over 200,000. It inspired the invention of parchment. After the tour, drop back to your hotel. Overnight in Izmir.

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
After breakfast, we will pick you up from your hotel and drive to one of the most picturesque areas of any of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:1–4].
Sardis is our first stop. It was the capital of the ancient Lydian kingdom of the 6th century BC, and it was described as dead. In Sardis' ancient site, we will see the great Temple of Artemis and the Temple of Cybele, which later became a Byzantine church. We'll also stop by the renovated synagogue, the renovated gym, and the final few meters of Cyrus the Great's "golden" river Pactolus, which runs from Susa to Sardis.
A lunch break will be given en route. Then we continue our journey to Philadelphia, nowadays called Alasehir, another church of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:7], and the only church not censured. There we will see the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of brick with a bit of a high arch and some 11th-century frescoes.
We drive to the healing city of Hierapolis, also called Pamukkale, the white "cotton fortress," where hot mineral water bursts from the earth and cascades over steep cliffs, forming pools, channels, and stalactites. The therapeutic waters were known to Hierapolis' founders and Laodicea in 190 BC. We go to the Martyrium of the Apostle Philip in Hierapolis, where he was martyred during the persecutions that Domitian ordered [Col. 4:13]. Overnight in Pamukkale.

(Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)
Today we depart early in the morning to visit Laodicea before continuing to Ephesus. The Laodicea ancient site (present name Denizli), is one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor [Rev. 1:11; 3:14; Col. 2:1; 4:13–16]. The ancient theater, the remains of basilicas and ancient stone water pipes, the Domitian Gate, the Arcadian Way, the 2nd century AD theater, the Nymphaeum, the Temple of Apollo, the Plutonium, and the Necropolis are on our "to-see list."

After that drive to Ephesus, one of the most visited sites in Anatolia. It has been known that Apostle Paul preached to the Ephesians and lived here for three years; hence, dozens of religious travelers visited the site every year. We explore the breathtaking ruins of this formerly significant city, which was founded in the tenth century BC, where excavations are still ongoing. Feel the history as you stroll along marble streets lined with magnificent public structures like the Grand Theatre, the Temple of Hadrian, the Celsus Library, and the baths. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world; the Temple of Artemis, and a sacred place, the House of the Virgin Mary, where she spent her latest years and more, will amaze you. Overnight in Kusadasi.

(Breakfast included)
Today you will be transferred to Izmir Airport for the domestic flight to Istanbul. In Istanbul, the rest of the day is free. Overnight in Istanbul.
TSG advises that, for those who have time, the Basilica Cistern, Turkish Islamic Arts Museum, Great Palace Mosaics Museum, or Istanbul Archaeology Museum can be visited as optional attractions due to your arrival hour. 

(Breakfast included)

One of TSG's adventures comes to an end after breakfast. However, you can sign up to take advantage of TSG credits, and this is the best way to snag credits and use them for your next trips as a discount, as well as to hear about the hot deals according to your interests.