DAY 1
Wed: | Depart home city for your flight to Istanbul. |
DAY 2
Thu: | Arrive in Istanbul. You'll be met at the airport by your guide and transferred to the five-star Divan Hotel. The afternoon will be free for you to settle in and relax after your flight. In the evening your group will gather for a Welcome Dinner at an excellent local restaurant. (Breakfast on the plane; lunch on your own; dinner included.) |
DAY 3
Fri: | The entire day will be spent seeing some of the major sights of this exciting and historic city, including the Blue Mosque, with its exquisite Iznik tiles; the awe inspiring Aya Sofya; the Topkapi Palace and Museum, the seat of power of the Ottoman Empire; the remains of the ancient Roman Hippodrome, with its remarkably well-preserved Egyptian obelisk; and the haunting, underground Basilica Cistern (featured in the James Bond movie "From Russia with Love"). Lunch will be at the Konyali Restaurant on the grounds of the Topkapi Palace, which overlooks the Bosphorus. Before dinner we will walk through the colorful market adjoining the Cicek Pasaji and then on to our restaurant for a typical Turkish meal. After dinner, we will walk along the vibrant Istiklal Caddesi back to the hotel. |
DAY 4
Sat: | Morning flight to Adana; we drive along the Mediterranean to the historic city of Antioch-on-the-Orontes (now known as Antakya). Ancient Antioch served as the home base for Peter, Paul, and Barnabas. Your home for two nights will be the four-star Buyuk Antakya Hotel. |
DAY 5
Sun: |
You will spend the day at the Antakya Archaeological Museum, home of one of the finest collections of Roman mosaics in the world. You will also visit "the world's first cathedral", a cave-church in which, it is said, St. Peter preached and the term "Christian" was first used. |
DAY 6
Mon: | Today we drive along the sea to the port of Mersin. On the way you will visit the birthplace of St. Paul, Tarsus. You can also choose to participate in a short hike to a Crusader castle known as "Yilankale" (Snake Castle). In Mersin, you will stay at the luxurious Hilton Hotel. |
DAY 7
Tue: | Your adventure continues with a journey to the Cappadocia region, where volcanic stone sculpted by eons of wind and rain have created a surrealistic landscape. On the way we visit the Eski Gumusler Monastery, a rock cut church containing well-preserved Byzantine frescoes. That afternoon we visit the underground city at Kaymakli. You will also participate in an educational, entertaining visit to a carpet farm in order to see firsthand the fascinating process of making a Turkish rug or kilim. Your hotel will be the Club Med Kaya or the Kapadokya Lodge. |
DAY 8
Wed: | The day will be spent experiencing the sights of Cappadocia, including the Goreme Open Air Museum, home of numerous churches carved directly into the volcanic rock; and the magical Zelve Valley. If the weather permits, you will take a hike through this otherworldly terrain. |
DAY 9
Thu: | Today we drive through the plains of Asia Minor to Konya (Iconium) a place where Paul preached on his first missionary journey. It was later the capital of the Muslim Selcuk Empire, and is today a religious center because of its link with Celaleddin Rumi and the Whirling Dervishes. We will visit the Mevlana Museum, the former monastery of the Dervishes. Your hotel will be the Ozkaymak.
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DAY 10
Fri: | The destination today is the seaside resort of Antalya. On the way we visit a site of great importance: the town of Antioch-of-Pisidia, which was visited by Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. Here they went to the synagogue on the Sabbath and Paul was asked to speak; in the Bible this is his first recorded sermon. We will then travel through scenic countryside to Antalya. Your home in Antalya will be the five-star Talya Hotel, located near the city center. |
DAY 11
Sat: | Antalya is rich in historical sites, and today you will see some of the most important, including the ancient city of Perge. You will be awed by a visit to Aspendos, site of the best-preserved Roman theater in the world. Also included is Antalya's museum, filled with artifacts of the region. |
DAY 12
Sun: | Today's destination is the natural spa site of Pamukkale. This spot has been a popular resort since the time of the Romans, and you will visit the ruins of Hierapolis, a city built near the springs. We also visit Laodikea, one of the seven churches addressed by John in the Book of Revelation. Your hotel will be the Colossae Thermal. |
DAY 13
Mon: |
We journey today to Izmir (Smyrna), another "church" scolded by John in Revelation. En route, we visit two more of the seven churches: Philadelphia and Sardis. Philadelphia contains the remains of a Byzantine period Basilica. The remains of Sardis lie beneath a striking mountain range, and include the Temple of Artemis, built on the base of an older temple to the Anatolian mother goddess, Kybele. Your hotel in Izmir for three nights will be the five-star Crowne Plaza. |
DAY 14
Tue: | Your day will be spent exploring the extensive ruins of Ephesus, the best-preserved Greco-Roman site in the world. Ephesus is another one of the "seven churches" of Revelation, and its people were the subject of St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians. A visit will also be paid to the House of the Virgin Mary, reputed to be Mary's final home on earth and sanctified by the Vatican as a holy shrine. You will also visit St. John's Basilica, which is built in the shape of a cross, at the axis of which lies a marble slab thought to cover the tomb of the saint himself; and the Ephesus Museum, featuring artifacts from the Temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Lunch today will be a special treat: a meal in a home in the charming village of Sirence. |
DAY 15
Wed: | A full day will be spent exploring the ruins of the last two of the seven churches: Pergamum and Thyatira. Pergamum is actually two sites, the Acropolis and the Asclepion (a medical center dedicated to the god of medicine, Asclepius). |
DAY 16
Thu: |
Morning flight to Istanbul. You will spend the afternoon brushing up your bargaining skills in the captivating Grand Bazaar, and the aromatic Spice Bazaar. We will also pay a visit to the Sulemaniye Mosque, the largest in Istanbul. After your special Farewell Dinner, you will take a final, scenic ride around one of the most captivating cities in the world, no doubt inspiring thoughts of a return journey. |
DAY 17
Fri: | Morning departure for the U.S.A. (Breakfast included.) |
