Day
1: Istanbul (D)
Arrival at Istanbul; meet and greet then transfer to hotel.
Day
2: Istanbul (BLD)
 |
| St.
Irene Church |
A
full-day sightseeing tour of the city featuring visits to the
Roman Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, the Church of St. Irene, the
Topkapi Palace, and the Church of St. Savior in Chora.
 |
| Kayseri
Kultepe |
Day
3: Istanbul - Cappadocia (BLD)
Flight to Kayseri. Visit Kultepe, an ancient Assyrian trading
colony. Drive to Cappadocia to see the underground city of Derinkuyu
and then a village nearby offers an exciting panorama of the region.
 |
| Cappadocia |
Day
4: Cappadocia (BLD)
Explore the magical and bizarre game played by nature. See the
rock carved churches, underground cities of early Christians,
"fairy chimneys", little, vine yards, experience pottery-making
and carpet weaving.
 |
| Nigde
Eskigumus Monastery |
Day
5: Cappadocia - Nigde - Adana (BLD)
Drive to Adana via Nigde. En route see the Eskigumus Monastery,
carved into rock, with its remarkable wall painting. Also see
some Selcuk monuments.
 |
| Antakya
St. Peter Church |
Day
6: Adana - Antioch (Antakya) (BLD)
Early morning drive to Antakya, the ancient Antioch. See the port
of Seleucia, the Grotto of St. Peter and the Mosaic Museum.
 |
| Tarsus
St. Paul Church |
Day
7: Antioch - Tarsus - Silifke (BLD)
Drive to Tarsus, birth place of St. Paul, and see the St. Paul's
Well. Along the shore see the Corycos (Maiden Castle), the Heaven&Hel.
En route, see the traces of Basilica of St. Thecla.
 |
| St.
Paul |
Day
8: Silifke - Konya (Iconium) (BLD)
Drive to Konya. Stop in Derbe, where St. Paul preached, and later
on visit ancient Lystra where St. Paul healed a man.
 |
| Mausoleum
of Mevlana |
Day
9: Konya - Yalvac (Antioch of Psidia) - Colossae - Pamukkale (BLD)
Iconium, where St. Paul and St. Barnabas preached on their first
missionary journey. See the Mausoleum of Mevlana, the Karatay
Complex which houses a Ceramics Museum. Move to Yalvac, the Antioch
of Psidia, where St. Paul gave a sermon. On the way to Pamukkale,
visit ancient Colossae of 'Letter of Colossians' fame.
 |
| Denizli
Hierapolis |
| |
 |
| Denizli
White Wonders |
Day
10: Pamukkale - Hierapolis - Antalya (BLD)
Touch the magical white wonder of the famous spa Pamukkale. See
the ruins of ancient Hierapolis and the best preserved necropolis
in Asia Minor. Then move to see ancient Laodicea, which is one
of the Seven Churches. Afternoon, drive to Antalya through villages
which still follow nomadic traditions.
 |
| Demre
Basilica of St. Nicholas |
| |
 |
| Simena
Sunken Ancient City |
Day
11: Antalya - Demre - St.Nicholas - Kalkan (BLD)
Drive along the Mediterranean to the lovely town of Demre, where
St. Paul changed ship on the way to Rome. See ruins of ancient
Myra and the Basilica of St. Nicholas. Afternoon take a boat trip
and view the ancient "sunken city", Simena.
 |
| Antalya Ruins of Patara |
Day
12: Kalkan - Patara - Kusadasi (BLD)
See the ruins of Patara, birth place of St. Nicholas, and where
St. Paul and Luke set sail to Jerusalem. Then drive to Kusadasi
viewing imposing landscapes of the Mediterranean and Aegean.
 |
| Ephesus
Temple of Hadrian |
| |
 |
| Ephesus
Terrace House |
Day
14: Ephesus - Izmir (BLD)
A full-day excursion to world famous Ephesus with its Marble Street,
Library of Celsus
Temple of Hadrian, Terrace Houses, Odeon, Baths of Scholastica
and Theater. Afterwards, see the Basilica of St. John, who accompanied
the Virgin Mary to Ephesus. Then drive to Mt. Bulbul to see the
House where the Virgin Mary is reputed to have spent her last
days.
 |
| Sardes |
Day
15: Izmir - Smyrna - Bergama
Following an orientation tour of the city, ancient Smyrna, continue
to Philadelphia, Sardes and Thyatira which were together with
Ephesus, Pergamon and the Ladociea, the Seven Churches of Asia
Minor.
 |
| Pergamum
Red Basilica |
| |
 |
| Troy |
Day
16: Pergamon - Troy - Canakkale (BLD)
Explore the ruins of ancient Pergamon. See the Acropolis, Asclepion
and Red Basilica. Then see the Alexander Troas and Assos, from
where St. Paul set sail to the neighboring island of Mytilene.
Later on, see Homer's legendary city of Troy.
Day
17: Canakkale - Bursa (BLD)
Drive to Bursa. En route, stop at a village, with its school and
Turkish bath. Upon arrival in Bursa, view the city's splendid monuments
from the Ottoman period.
 |
| Bursa
Iznik Hagia Sophia |
Day
18: Bursa - Nicea - Istanbul (BLD)
Drive to Istanbul via Iznik, the ancient Nicea, where the great
Ecumenical Council convened in 4th century. See the great Church
of Hagia Sophia, the city Walls and some Ottoman monuments and
visit a tile workshop. Farewell dinner.
Day
19: Istanbul (B)
Istanbul Transfer for your homebound flight.
