Pilgrimages Turkey

14-Day Tour.

Travel to the place and time of St. Paul and unearth the beginnings of Christianity. Specially designed for the Christian traveler and alike.

Highlights

Biblical Places of ol old and New Testamony.

Itinerary

B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner. Where indicated.

DAY 1: Istanbul. (D)

Arrival and transfer to the hotel.

DAY 2: Istanbul. (BLD)

A full day city tour of Istanbul,the biggest and greatest city in Turkey. After visiting the Hippodrome, you will visit the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Beautifully decorated with 21, 000 blue Iznik tiles, it is commonly known today as the “Blue Mosque”. The next visit is to the world famous Hagia Sophia, the church of Divine Wisdom and once the biggest church of the Christian World. You will certainly be astonished by the unique mosaics and marble decorations. Right after lunch the magnificent Topkapi Palace, the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans, will be waiting for you. Do not ever miss the “Spoon maker's Diamond” in the treasury section. Overnight in Istanbul.

DAY 3: Istanbul – Malatya – Adiyaman. (BLD)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for a flight to Malatya. Enjoy your drive drive to Adiyaman for dinner and overnight.

DAY 4: Adiyaman – Nemrut – Harran – Urfa. (BLD)

A very early departure in the morning for Nemrut for the beautiful natural event is a must. Sunrise in Nemrut! Sunrise from the top of Mount Nemrut will be incomparable to anything you have seen before. This is where King Antiochus I of Commagene built a colossal funerary sanctuary, a temple dedicated to himself, to the Greco-Persian gods and to his Persian ancestors. The East and West terraces have a central courtyard surrounded with colossal statues of the Olympian Gods. Continue to Urfa, on the way stop by Harran, referred to in Genesis (XI, 31,32; XII, 4,5) as Charan. And enjoy the following ruins. The Citadel, the Grand Mosque and the city walls.

DAY 5: Urfa – Antakya. (BLD)

After breakfast, sightseeing in Urfa(Glorious Urfa) to see the Mosque of Prophet Abraham and the pools of the sacred carp, The Old Bazaar and the Castle in Urfa, drive to Antakya for dinner and overnight.

DAY 6: Antakya – Adana. (BLD)

Today's specialty is Antioch-on-the- Orantes, and Seleucia Pieria. Antioch offered the most ferric ground for new ideas, philosophies and religions. St. Peter was the first to preach here followed by St. Paul and Barnabas, whose extensive efforts proved to be very fruitful for Christianity. Incidentally, the word Christians was first coined in Antioch. The strong and wealthy community of Antioch contributed financially to the Christian community of Jerusalem. Highlights include the museum which houses a superb collection of mosaics from Antioch and Seleucia Pieria, St. Peter's Grotto, the cave church came to be known as the meeting place of the early Christians. Seleucia Pieria, which was the port city of Antioch in ancient days, is another site to be visited today. The most interesting monument here is the Tunnel of Titus, which is a tremendous canal, dug for the purpose of diverting waters of Orantes River. Another highlight here will be the rock tombs with their impressive facades pertaining to the Hellenistic period. Continue to Adana for dinner and overnight.

DAY 7: Adana – Tarsus - Cappadocia. (BLD)

Following breakfast, drive to Tarsus, where St. Paul was born almost 2000 years ago. During St. Paul's time Tarsus was a University City surpassing Athens and Alexandria. Cicero was a governor here in 51-50 BC. And the romantic meeting between Cleopatra and Mark Anthony took place in Tarsus. There is very little left of old Tarsus. Highlights here will be St. Paul's well and Cleopatra's Gate. Three km east of Tarsus the E 90 highway(now the new toll road) heads north throuh the Cilician Gates, a narrow gap in the Taurus mountains to Nevsehir and Kayseri(Caesarea,once the capital of Cappadocia). Continue to Cappadocia for dinner and overnight.

DAY 8: Cappadocia. (BLD)

Full day sightseeing of the villages of, Uchisar with panoramic views of the Cappadocian valleys, Zelve-the valley of the fairy chimnies, and the Goreme Valley. There are several hundred churches in this area, some of which are decorated with inscribed frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible or the Apocrypha. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 9. Cappadocia/Konya/Yalvac (BLD)

Visit the capital of the Seljuki Empire between 1071 and 1308. You will have the chance to visit the Museum of Mevlana (Rumi) - the founder of sufi belief, and visit the quarters of his Whirling Dervishes. Visits Antioch of Pisidia-Yalvac

DAY 10. Yalvac /Perge/Side/Antalya (BLD)

A full day to visit the many nearby Greco-Roman cities of antiquity. Begin in Perge where a scrape of your shoe reveals the same mosaic walkway St. Paul must have strolled on, to reach the theater where he preached. Next visit will be to a Roman Theater that is one of the most intact of it's kind... Aspendos. From the uppermost seat, Architect Zeno whispered to the local rulers inspecting the theater, which made them appreciate the value of this 2nd century work of perfection.

DAY 11 Laodikea/Hierapolis/Pamukkale (BLD)

This afternoon, explore the recently excavated theater of Laodikea (Denizli). Then on to Hierapolis, the home of St. Philip the Evangelist, to explore the necropolis, churches and baths. Nearby, enjoy the view of Pamukkale's cascading tiers of white limestone. Visit the site of Colossae, that never underwent an excavation. In Byzantine art, the theme of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Kona is intimately interlocked with the site.

DAY 12 Sardis/Philadelphia/Smyrna (BLD)

Today you'll be able to visualize a trinity of Biblical references from visiting the cities of Philadelphia and Sardis, where St. Paul preached, to staying in the city of Smyrna (Izmir), which St. Paul praised for its peoples' faithfulness. Visit the church of Polycarp.

DAY 13. Ephesus/Izmir (BLD)

"There are no gods made with hands" are the words of St. Paul. Sit in the theater in Ephesus where St. Paul preached these very words which incited riot by the blacksmiths who felt this patriarchal, upstart religion was a threat to the worship of Artemis - the Mother Goddess, and to their business, as well. Stroll along the marble roads past the Library of Celsus and Hadrian's Temple. Visit the Basilica of St. John and the last earthly home of the Virgin Mary. The 3rd Ecumenical Council met in the Church of the Virgin Mary in Ephesus in 431 AD to establish in writing some of the major principles of Christianity - also providing the first written record that Mary had lived the last years of her life in Ephesus.

DAY 14. Departure (B)

Transfer to airport.

Booking