Biblical Tour Turkey and Greece

Arrive in Istanbul and transfer from the airport to your hotel. Overnight stay in Istanbul.

• After breakfast, begin your full-day tour of Istanbul's Old City.
• Start with a visit to Hagia Sophia, an architectural marvel built by Emperor Justinian over 1,400 years ago. Initially a cathedral, today it is a mosque that beautifully combines Christian and Islamic symbols.
• Next, visit the iconic Blue Mosque. Known for its unique blue tiles, the mosque is one of Istanbul's most important landmarks.
• You’ll then explore the Hippodrome, once the heart of Constantinople's social life, where chariot races and public events took place during the Byzantine Empire.
• The tour continues with a visit to Topkapi Palace, the residence and administrative center of the Ottoman sultans.
• Afterward, head to Chora Church, now known as Kariye Mosque, a stunning example of Byzantine architecture with intricate mosaics and frescoes.
• Finally, you’ll experience the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, where over 4,000 shops offer a wide array of goods, from jewelry to hand-woven carpets.
• After the tour, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Izmir.
• Upon arrival, you’ll be transferred to your hotel in Izmir for dinner and an overnight stay.

• After breakfast, depart from your hotel for a 3-hour drive to Laodicea, the city famously referred to as “the lukewarm church.” The Christians of Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 3:14-22), were criticized for being neither hot nor cold in their faith, embracing both pagan and Christian practices. Today, Laodicea offers an impressive collection of ruins, including a large stadium, columned streets, and new excavations revealing more of this city.
• Next, take a short drive to Colossae, another ancient city mentioned in the Bible. Colossae was home to a Christian community to which the Apostle Paul wrote a letter—one of the New Testament epistles emphasizing the supremacy of Jesus Christ.
• After lunch, visit Philadelphia (modern-day Alasehir), known as “the faithful church” from Revelation. It is the youngest of the Seven Churches, and you will explore the remains of an early church and the city walls that once protected the city.
• Following the tour, transfer to your hotel in Sardes for dinner and an overnight stay.

• After breakfast, begin your day by visiting Sardes, the ancient capital of the Lydian Empire, often referred to as “the dead church.” Here, you’ll explore the Church of Sardes, the largest ancient synagogue outside of Israel, and the impressive remains of the Temple of Artemis, one of the most significant religious sites of the ancient world.
• Next, proceed to Thyatira, known as “the adulterous church,” which is another of the Seven Churches of Revelation. Here, you'll visit the archaeological remains of this ancient city, and learn about the challenges of its early Christian community.
• After lunch, head to Pergamon, often referred to as “the compromising church,” where you’ll explore the Acropolis, an ancient citadel that boasts stunning ruins and offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
• After the tour, you will transfer to Kusadasi for dinner and an overnight stay.

• After breakfast, embark on a tour of Ephesus, known as “the loveless church,” one of the most significant of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor. Explore the fascinating ruins of ancient Ephesus, including the Library of Celsus, the Agora, Odeon, Trajan Fountain, Temple of Domitian, Roman Latrines, and the impressive Theater and Stadium, where St. Paul preached the gospel.
• Next, visit the House of the Virgin Mary, where she is believed to have spent her final years, and St. John’s Basilica, a Byzantine church marking the burial place of St. John.
• After the tour, return to Kusadasi for dinner and an overnight stay.

• After breakfast at the hotel, we have the option for larger groups to charter a ferry to Patmos, a significant island in Greece, where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation. On Turkey and Greece Biblical guided tour, you would visit the Monastery of St. John and the Cave of the Apocalypse. Please note, there is no direct ferry from Kusadasi to Patmos. Contact us for details about chartering the ferry.
• Alternatively, you may choose to visit the ancient city of Miletos. In the New Testament, it is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 20:15-38) as the place where Paul stopped during his final journey to Jerusalem. There, he delivered a farewell address to the elders of the Ephesian church, offering guidance and encouragement before his arrest.
• The tour includes the Ancient Theater, the Temple of Apollo, and other ruins.
• After your tour, return to Kusadasi for dinner and an overnight stay.

• After breakfast, transfer from your hotel to Izmir Airport for your flight to Athens.
• Upon arrival at Athens Airport, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in. Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay in Athens.

• After breakfast, we begin our Athens city tour. The famous words of Paul in Acts 17:16-34: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are religious... what therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.”
• Our first stops include the Acropolis, home to monuments like the Parthenon, and Mars’ Hill (Areopagus), where Paul famously delivered his sermon to the people of Athens.
• Next, we head to ancient Corinth (Acts 18:1-18), a key location in Paul’s ministry. Corinth was where Paul worked, established a church, and wrote two of the letters now part of the New Testament. We’ll visit significant sites including the Agora, the Temple of Apollo, the Roman Odeon, Bema, Gallio’s Seat, and the places where Paul preached to the Corinthians.
• Before returning to Athens, we’ll also visit Cenchrea (Acts 17:15), the ancient Greek port where Paul stayed during his second missionary journey, as well as the ruins of a 5th-century early Christian basilica.
• After the tour, we return to Athens for dinner and an overnight stay.

• After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for our flight to Thessalonica.
• Upon arrival at Thessalonica Airport, we head to Veria (Berea), another significant town evangelized by Paul (Acts 17:10-14). When Saint Paul visited in AD 50, he encountered a Jewish community that received his message. This is where Paul met Sopatros, who would later become one of his companions on his travels. During our visit, we will explore the ancient synagogue, where you can admire the Byzantine mosaic commemorating Paul’s preaching in this town.
• Next, we continue our journey to Thessalonica, where Paul preached the gospel during his second and third missionary journeys. This city holds great significance as it was here that Paul wrote his epistles "To the Thessalonians." Our visit includes key sites associated with his ministry: the Cathedral of St. Demetrius (Patron Saint of the city), the Agora, Galerius Arch, Rotonda, Church of Saint Sofia, the White Tower, and the Byzantine fortress.
• Finally, we visit the Monastery of Vlatadon, founded in 1360, offering insight into the spiritual history of the region.
• Afterward, enjoy some free time for leisure before dinner and overnight in Thessalonica.

• After breakfast, we depart for Philippi, the city where Paul delivered his first sermon in Europe, establishing the foundation of Christianity. As described in Acts 16:12-18, Paul, along with Silas and Luke, arrived in Philippi during the winter of AD 49-50, and here the first Christian baptism took place, of a woman named Lydia. Despite being arrested and persecuted, Paul and Silas were miraculously freed from prison, leading to the conversion of the jailer (Acts 16:23-26).
• During our visit, we will explore the Roman Theatre, the probable site of Paul and Silas' imprisonment, and other significant ruins from this important biblical location.
• Next, we continue our journey to Kavala, which was once known as the ancient city of Neapolis (Acts 16:11), where Paul and his disciples, Timothy and Silas, landed during their missionary journey. Neapolis, later renamed Christoupolis (the city of God), was the first European city to embrace Christianity. In Kavala, we will visit the Roman Aqueduct and the ruins of the Acropolis.
• After our exploration, we return to Thessalonica for dinner and overnight stay.