Arrival Istanbul airport. Meeting and transfer to the hotel. Dinner and overnight.

Today will be dedicated to visiting this ancient and exciting city. Our tour will include the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Underground Cistern and the Church of St. Sophia with its world famous mosaics and architecture. After lunch at the Topkapi Palace complex, we’ll continue our tour of the palace, one-time residence of the Ottoman emperors and now a world-famous museum housing extraordinary collections of jewellery, armor and imperial costumes. We’ll complete our tour with a visit to the Grand Bazaar. Dinner and overnight in our hotel.

Leave Istanbul and drive along the Sea of Marmara to Nicaea. The city achieved fame as the site of two ecumenical councils during the Byzantine period. During the Ottoman period, it was celebrated for its highest quality tiles and pottery. Our tour includes the well preserved Roman city walls and the Byzantine Church of Holy Wisdom. Continue to Bursa, where some of the finest Ottoman monuments in the Balkans can be seen. Our tour of the city includes the famous Green Mosque and the Green Tomb, and the Grand Mosque. Arrive hotel for dinner and overnight.

In the morning, we’ll make a short trip to the ancient city of Troy. As we continue our trip south-west, we’ll visit the ancient sites of Assos and Troas, two cities of western Anatolia associated with the missionary travels of the Apostle Paul. In Assos, we’ll visit the Temple of Athena built in the classical period and overlooking the famous island of Lesbos. From the harbor in Assos, Paul sailed northwest to Neapolis to initiate his missionary activity in Macedonia. We’ll only make a short stop at Troas that is off the beaten track and not yet studied by archeologists. It was at Troas that Paul revived Eutychus after he had fallen from a window during one of Paul’s long sermons Overnight in Ayvalik.

On our drive south from Ayvalik to Izmir, we will visit the ancient city of Pergamum (modern Bergama), and center of the Attalid dynaoty. The oldcot portion of the city is the acropolis that rises steeply to a height of nearly 1.300 feet above the plain of the Caicus River. The library on the acropolis became in the second century B.C. one of the great centers of learning of the ancient world. Here are also found the famous temples of Athena, Trajan, the famous Altar of Zeus, as well as the steepest theatre in ii ic ancient world. At the base of the acropolis, we’ll visit the Asklepion, an important center of healing in Asia Minor and dedicated to the god of healing, Asklepios. Here, the famous physician Galen was not only born but taught medicine early in his career. From Pergamum we continue our trip to Thyatira, which is one of the Seven Churches of Revelation .St. Paul may have visited on his missionary journeys (Acts 19:10). Drive to Izmir, after visiting the Church of St. Policarp, the oldest Church in ancient Smyrna and symbolized the community of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse, check into hotel in Izmir for dinner and overnight.

Drive to Sardes which is one of the ancient cities of Turkey whose true history cannot be separated from myth. It was the capital of the Lydian Kingdom and known as the richest city of western Asia Minor. Our tour of Sardes includes the famous temple of Artemis, the Byzantine Church, the Synagogue, and the famous Roman Gymnasium with it’s beautiful facade. After lunch, continue to Philadelphia, the city of Brotherly Love and visit the Church of St. John. Walk the streets of Philadelphia, then drive back to Izmir for dinner and overnight.

Morning tour of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in Asia Minor. A major center of Paul’s missionary activity, it was also the home of the Temple and cult of the goddess Artemis. During Paul’s day the temple was regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Our tour of Ephesus includes the impressive Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre seating over 25.000 people, the Temple of Hadrian, the Marble Street and a special visit to the elegant Roman villas with their famous mosaics and wall painting. Time and circumstances permitting, we’ll also celebrate a liturgy at the site of the ancient Basilica of St. Mary where the Third Ecumenical Council was held. We’ll also visit the House of Virgin Mary, where according to tradition, she spent her last years Following lunch at a local restaurant, we’ll visit the Museum of Ephesus and the ruins of the Basilica of St. John. Dinner and overnight in our hotel in Kusadasi.

From Kusadasi, we’ll journey through the famous Meander River Valley to the ancient city of Hierapolis (modern Pamukkale) En route we’ll visit Aphrodisias dedicated to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. Known for its white marble, Aphrodisias was the site of the most sophisticated school of classical sculpture in Asia Minor. We’ll also visit a local museum dedicated to the preservation of artifacts from this ancient city, a famous and well-preserved stadium and the Temple of Aphrodite. After lunch, drive to Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches of Revelation. Our tour includes the stadium, the ancient theatre, and the Church. Afternoon arrival at Pamukkale. We’ll explore the ancient city of Hierapolis overlooking the Lycus river valley with its well-preserved theatre and large necropolis. Pamukkale is famous for its medicinal pools and hot mineral springs that overflow so as to cover the rocks beneath with white deposits of lime that give the appearance of a frozen cascade. It is to these formations that the Turkish name Pamukkale (Cotton Castle) is piobably due. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.

Leaving Pamukkale, we will journey southeast through the panoramic Taurus Mountains. Arrive Aspendos and visit one of the best-preserved Hellenistic theatres in Asia Minor, built by the emperor Marcus Aurelius.From Aspendos we pass the impressive system of aqueducts which used to bring water to the city. Following lunch at a local restaurant, we will tour Perge, a wealthy and beautifully decorated city from Hellenistic times. Its remains today are second only to Ephesus among the cities associated with the apostle Paul. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Antalya.

Early departure to begin our drive over the picturesque Taurus Mountains. We come to the famed city of Konya (biblical Iconium). Although Paul was not successful iri establishing a community here, Konya became world famous as the school and burial place of the Sufi mystic poet and teacher, Mevlana (Jalal-ud-Din Rumi). After lunch, we will visit the Mevlana Museum that houses the tomb of

this famous spiritual leader that has become a sacred Islamic shrine and place of universal pilgrimage. From there we proceed to the Karatay Museum, ancient Islamic theological school and displays of exquisite Selcuk tiles of the 13th century. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Konya.

Leave Konya for Cappadocia. On the way, we will visit one of the Underground cities of Cappadocia which was used in times of danger. In ancicnt times, inhabitants carved underground dwellings out of the soft volcanic rock which eventually grew to become entire cities. We also visit the Pigeons’ valley and the Castle of Uchisar before we get to our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.

We continue for our full day tour of the region. Our first stop is at Goreme where we will see a lot of rock cut churches with beautiful frescoes. Then we will drive to see the Pashabagi Valley before we arrive at Zelve Open Air Museum which was one of the earliest monastic settlements in the area. Time to visit local craftspeople before we get to our hotel. Dinner and overnight.

Drive south crossing the famous Taurus Mt. range. Arrive Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul. Visit St. Paul’s Well, the Gate of Cleopatra and recently excavated Roman street and marketplace. Drive to Antioch for dinner and overnight.

Full day excursion of Antakya (the biblical city of Antioch) pleasantly situated on the Orantes River. Here, the early Christians established their first major Gentile community outside Palestine. Antioch was also the point of departure for Paul’s missionary activity throughout Anatolia. At the Grotto of St. Peter, meeting place of the early Christian community, we may celebrate a liturgy. Following lunch, we then visit the Hatay Archeological Museum to view the world famous mosaics from Daphne and surrounding area. Drive to Adana airport for late afternoon flight to Istanbul. Transfer to hotel, overnight in Istanbul.

Transfer to Istanbul airport for departure.