IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF PAUL
Greece & Türkiye

We check in at the NAIA Terminal 3 for our flight to Athens via Istanbul.

Transit in Istanbul and arrive in Athens in the morning. We begin our tour and visit, the famed Parthenon, in the Acropolis. This also includes the agora and the Mars Hill where Paul taught. Free time at the Plaka after a short orientation tour of Athens and before going to our hotel for check-in, dinner, and overnight.

After breakfast, travel to Corinth, making a stop by the Corinth Canal, where a short distance away is the port of Cenchreae, where Paul would have landed as he traveled from Athens to ancient Corinth. At Corinth, we will see the remains of the very “bema” where Paul appeared before Gallio and walk the actual road that Paul would have trudged into Corinth. Nearby is the “Erastus inscription”. Return to Athens hotel for dinner and overnight.

We check out of our hotel to embark on a four-day cruise of the Greek Islands. The ship calls at 1330 hours and we sail to Mykonos, the home to the 16th-Century windmills that have become iconic landmarks on postcards. We return to the ship before it calls at 23:00.

Visit the ruins of the ancient Ephesus. The Agora, Celsius Library, Hadrian Temple, the Marble Street and the Theatre. Visit the Basilica of St. John. Proceed to Patmos, the “Holy Island”. This is the place where the Revelation was given to John while he was on exile from the Roman Empire. We visit the cave and the monastery of John. We return to the ship before it calls at 2100 hours.

Today we will disembark in Rhodes. We arrive at 0700 in the morning at the island of the Knights of Rhodos. The apostle Paul stopped here near the end of his third missionary journey. Our visit includes the Acropolis, Mount Smith, Temple of Apollo and Diagoras Stadium. We will do a walking tour through the medieval city. We return to the ship calls at 6:00pm.

We arrive at 07:00 am. The Shorex Bus leaves for a tour of the Knossos Palace. We return to the ship which will sail for Santorini. We arrive at 4:30pm to the beautiful island of Santorini. The cruise ship anchors will take us to the small port where we can wander around the shops offering traditional Santorini products. To get to the town, we take a cable car. We go back to the ship at nighttime where it will sail at 9:00pm

We disembark at Athens, after arrival formalities, we travel to Veria-ancient Beroea- to the memorial commemorating Paul’s preaching to the local Jews in 54 AD then we proceed to Thessaloniki for check-in, dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we will visit the Walls, the House of Jason where Paul lived, and the Agora where he preached. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.

Today, we drive to Kavala (ancient Neapolis), the site where Paul, Timothy and Silas landed on the coast of Thrace. From there, we visit Philippi where Paul lived, preached and was imprisoned and the Baptistery of Lydia, where the first baptism on European soil took place. Hotel check-in, dinner and overnight in Alexandropolous near the border.

After breakfast and a short drive, cross the Greece/Turkey border at Ipsala. After border formalities, meet your Turkish guide. Drive to Canakkale to visit the Alexandria Troas Ruins, the place where Paul received his Macedonian vision. Hotel check-in, dinner and overnight at Ayvalik.

We travel to Pergamum, to see the Acropolis, the temple of Trajan and the theatre both overlooking the plain of Bergama. Then explore Sardis, the ancient capital of the Lydians and visit the Synagogue and the Artemisia temple. Check-in, dinner and overnight in Pamukkale hotel.

After breakfast, we visit Pamukkale, the white “Cotton Fortress” with its lime cascades and the roman spa. Long drive to Cappadocia via Konya. Check-in, dinner and overnight in Cappadoccia.

An early start for an optional Hot Air Balloon Flight (extra charge) will truly offer a once in a lifetime experience and there is no better way to see the distinctive landscapes of Cappadocia than by gently floating overhead in a hot air balloon. Return to your hotel for breakfast. Then proceed to Kaymakli underground city a narrow, underground maze of passageways and ancient homes and settlements that once housed over 3,500 people, from as far back as the 7th and 8th centuries BCE. Göreme Open Air Museum, with cave churches and frescoes from the 10th to 12th centuries. Visit Goreme Open Air Museum and Pasabag Valley. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Visit Cavusin Village, then proceed to the village of Uchisar, a valley full of towering rock houses typical of this area. Proceed Dervent Valley also known as imaginary valley, a unique valley full of rock formations, many of which are said to resemble animal shapes. End the day at the hunting valley then proceed to the airport for flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival, transfer, Check in and overnight at our Istanbul hotel.

After breakfast proceed to a City Tour in Istanbul, first stopping at the Blue Mosque (so-named from its decorative blue-shaded tiles, glass and gemstones). We then continue to Hippodrome. Visit St. Sophia which for 1000 years was the largest Church in Christendom, and now a museum. Dinner then return to Istanbul hotel for overnight.

After breakfast, we take a drive to visit the Topkapi Palace, which is the most extensive and fascinating monument of Ottoman civil architecture in existence. Take a cruise excursion of the Bosphorus then spend some time shopping at Grand Bazaar. After dinner, transfer to the airport for your early morning flight back to Manila.

Arrival in Manila.

**Planned activities may be affected by the pace of the group, weather, and certain unforeseen events resulting in some visit to sites to be delayed or not visited. If need be, sites and activities may be replaced or switched to another day as appropriate without compromising the pilgrimage experience.