Day 2 • Athens
Day 4 • Ephesus
Day 9 • Istanbul
Day 12 • Thessaloniki
Day 1 • Departure from the USA
This is the day to begin our adventure as we board our plane for our overnight flight, crossing the Atlantic.
Day 2 • Athens
Upon arrival, we are met by Signature Tours representatives and assisted to our hotel. This afternoon, we climb to the Acropolis with its historic Parthenon. Then on to Mars’ Hill, where St. Paul delivered his sermon on the “Unknown God.” Next, we see highlights of modern Athens, including the Parliament House, the Presidential Palace, the Panathenian Stadium, and so much more. Dinner and overnight is in Athens.
Day 3 • Corinth
Day 3 • Athens/Corinth/Samos
Our excursion today brings us to ancient Corinth. It was here that the Apostle Paul lived and preached for a year and a half and to which he wrote two New Testaments letters. We visit the Agora, the Temple of Apollo, the Roman Odeon, the Bema, and the ruins of basilicas in Lechaion and Cenchreae. Next we depart by ferry for Samos.
Day 4 • Samos/Kusadasi/Ephesus/Kusadasi
We have an early arrival at the port of Samos, and then we sail to Kusadasi, Turkey. We disembark and visit the city of Ephesus. Apostle Paul lived and preached here for three years. Excavations of those spectacular ruins still continue. In this important city founded in the 10th century B.C., we walk through history on marbled streets lined with public buildings, including the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrain, and the Theatre. We return to Kusadasi for dinner and overnight.
Day 5 • Kusadasi
Day 5 • Kusadasi/Laodicea/Hierapolis/Pamukkale
Arriving in Laodicea from Kusadasi, we see the ancient Theatre, remains of the basilica, and ancient stone water pipes. This was one of the Seven Churches of Asia (Rev. 3:14–22). Next, we drive to the city of Hierapolis, actually Pamukkale, the “white cotton fortress,” where hot mineral water gushes from the earth and cascades over steep cliffs forming pools, channels and stalactites. We see its therapeutic Arcadian Way, the 2nd century A.D. Theatre, the Nymphalonium and the Necropolis. We have lunch en route, and dinner and overnight are at the hotel in Pamukkale.
Day 6 • Pamukkale/Philadelphia/Sardis/Izmir
Today, we depart for Philadelphia, now called Alasehir, and another of the Seven Churches (Rev. 3:7-13). We visit the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of brick with 11th century frescoes. Next we travel to Sardis, the most picturesque areas of any of the Seven Churches (Rev. 3:1-6) and presently called Sart. It was the capital of the ancient Lydian kingdom. We see the great Temple of Artemis, some ancient houses, a small Byzantine church, the restored Gymnasium and the Synagogue. We also see the last several meters of the Royal Persian Road from Susa to Sardis, built by Cyrus the Great. Lunch en route, and we continue to Izmir (Smyrna) for dinner and the night.
Day 7 • Izmir/Thyatira/Pergamum/Canakkale
Izmir is Turkey’s third largest city and the site of one of the Seven Churches (Rev. 2:8-11). She has a bloody history of trade and warfare. We see the ancient Agora and ascend the Mount Pagus to visit the Citadel of Lysimachos which Alexander the Great erected in the 4th century B.C. Our tour includes the archaeological museum, the Clock Tower, and the Bazaar. Next, we travel to Thyatira, now called Akhisar and another of the Seven Churches (Acts 16:14, Rev. 2:18-29), to explore the impressive Acropolis, the steep Theatre, the Aesculapium, the Altar of Zeus , which is mentioned as the “Throne of Satan” in the book of Revelation , the marble columns of the Temple of Trajan and the Library, one of the foremost in the world and rival of the equally famous Library of Alexandria Egypt. It held over 200,000 volumes and inspired the invention of parchment. Lunch en route and on to Canakkale for dinner and the night.
Day 8 • Canakkale/Istanbul
Canakkale lends its name to the Straits of the Dardanelles (Hellespont in Antiquity), connecting the Sea of Marmara to the Aegean Sea; its shores touch both Europe and Asia. We visit Truva (the ancient Troy), which is the immortal city of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, the legend of Helen of Troy and the Trojan Horse. Discovered again in 1871, it had been rebuilt nine times, and the layers of those nine constructions are visible. We cross the Dardanelles for Istanbul. Lunch is on our way. Dinner and overnight are at the hotel in Istanbul.
Day 9 • Istanbul
Istanbul is one of the world’s greatest historic cities. We visit the Blue Mosque, Aghia Sofia, Topkapi Palace, the Hippodrome, and the Grand Bazaar. Formerly Byzantium, the center of the Eastern Roman Empire, it is built on seven green hills and situated astride two continents. East meets West in every way! Dinner and overnight are again in Istanbul.
Day 10 • Istanbul/Turkish-Greek Border/Alexandroupolis
We have a morning city tour and then have lunch and continue our journey to Greece. Dinner and overnight are in Alexandroupolis.
Day 11 • Philippi
Day 11 • Alexandroupolis/Philippi/Kavala/Thessaloniki
Philippi is the site of the church to which the Apostle Paul wrote his Philippian letter. This, of all the churches, was probably the dearest to him. We see the river where Lydia is thought to have been baptized, the ruins of a prison where Paul and Silas were incarcerated, the Agora, 5th and 6th century basilicas, and the Theatre. The city was built by Philip II, on the Via Egnatia, the Roman road that led from Rome to Byzantium. We continue on to Kavala, the ancient port of Neapolis. In the late afternoon, we arrive at Thessaloniki for dinner and the night.
Day 12 • Thessaloniki/Berea/Thessaloniki
We begin our tour visiting the archaeological museum to see the findings from the Macedonian Tombs of Vergina. Our tour continues with the drive to the Old City Walls. It’s an excellent photo opportunity and there is free time to browse local art shops and the Citadel. Next, we proceed to St. Demerits' Church with early Byzantine mosaics, the Arch of Galerius and the Rotunda. We pass through Berea where St. Paul admired the synagogue. Here we see the mosaic monument commemorating his preaching there. Dinner and overnight are in Thessaloniki.
Day 13 • Thessaloniki/Hometown, U.S.A.
As we depart back to the U.S., we will relive unforgettable memories of the past thirteen days for the rest of our lives.