12 DAYS 11 NIGHTS IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ST.PAUL
Arrival at the airport and transfer to hotel.
Transfer to the Istanbul airport for the Hatay-Antakya flight. Arrive in Hatay and drive to Antakya. Antioch was a city of great religious importance. It was the home of several Roman temples and its suburb, Daphne, was held to be the very place where Daphne was turned into a laurel tree to escape the affections of Apollo. Antioch has also been the home of a large Jewish community since the city's founding in 300 BC. Antioch played an especially important role in Christian history: it was the base for Paul's missionary journeys, where Jesus' followers were first called "Christians" and where the Gospel of Matthew was probably written. Antioch hosted a number of church councils, developed its own characteristic school of biblical interpretation, and produced such influential Christian figures as the martyr-bishop Ignatius of Antioch, the pillar-saint Simeon and the "golden-mouthed" preacher John Chrysostom. Visit the Mosaic Museum, having the second largest mosaic collection of the world. Transfer to hotel for overnight in Adana.
Leave Adana behind and drive to Tarsus - a city with a resplendent history: it was the birthplace of St.Paul and Mark Antony and Cleopatra lived here in the 1st century BC. Visit St.Paul's Well, the Well of the Blessed Water (said to be on the site of St.Paul's house) and Cleopatra's gate (built in 2AD after the Egyptian queen who met the Roman Mark Anthony here). Continue to Cappadocia for overnight.
Start the day with a tour to the east of Cappadocia known as 'The Land of Beautiful Horses'. It was home to the 4th Century 'Cappadocian Fathers', St.Basil Gregory Nyssa and Gregory Nazianzus who spent their lives tirelessly combating the heresies that plagued the early church. They influenced the Nicene Councils who agreed that the father,son and holy spirit are three distinct entities of the same essence. visit the ancient cities underground of Kaymakl?, the natural rock castle at Uchisar. Lying along the Kizilirmak River banks, Avanos is famous for its impressive local architecture and handicrafts. Return to Cappadocia. Overnight.
Continue to Konya, visit the Mevlana museum. The items on display in the museum range from old manuscripts, hand written copies of the Koran, musical instruments, as well as numerous art works dating from the Seljuk era. Continue to Yalvac, site of the ancient city Antioch-in-Pisidia near the foothills of the snow capped Sultan Mountains. It was here in a local synagogue that St.Paul's sermon, presenting Jesus in reference to the history of Israel history, to a mixed audience was recorded. See the ruins of the paved and colonnaded streets, theater and aqueduct. Drive to Pamukkale for check-in. Overnight in Pamukkale.
Today visit Pamukkale known as 'Cotton Castle', famous for the healing properties of its thermal mineral baths and beautiful cascading snow white terraced cliff side basins and waterfalls. Visit the ancient Roman city ruins of Hierapolis. Later drive to Laodicea, which in St. Paul's days became a rich city.The first coins were made here. Visit the Artemis Temple, Roman stadium, Roman baths, theater and one of the world's oldest synagogues with some intact mosaic pavements. Continue to Alasehir known in ancient times as Filadelphia; the city of brotherly love, or as the city of Seven Churches. Transfer to Kusadasi. Overnight.
Departure to Selcuk to visit St.John's Basilica, a ruined Byzantine church, marking his burial place. Visit the ancient city of Ephesus , where St.Paul's lived and worked with the congregation and apparently organized missionary activity into the hinterlands. See spectacularly restored monuments such as the great Library of Celsus, Agora, Odeon, Trajan Fountain, Domitianus Temple, Roman Latrines, Тheater and stadium in which St.Paul preached the gospel. Continue with a visit to the House of the Virgin Mary, where she is said to have spent her final years. Return to Kusadasi. Overnight.
Early in the morning depart for Patmos by chartered ferry. The first stop is the Monastery of Revelations, a 17th century, orthodox monastery which houses the under ground Sacred Cave in which the Evangelist St. John, the disciple of Jesus Christ, wrote the last book of the New Testament during his months of exile, from 95 to 97 AD. From there the trip carries on to the medieval capital of the Island – Hora – which is crowned by the Byzantine, fortress like monastery, dedicated to St. John the Theologian and was founded in 1088, by the monk Christodoulos. This monastery houses one of the most magnificent Byzantine churches of Greece with 11th to 15th century wall paintings, a 12th century chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, ancient monk cells hidden behind tiny arcades, an 11th century original bakery and an extensive treasury displaying a variety of ancient handwritten manuscripts – the top selection of the 11th century monastery library, a large collection of 11th to 18th century icons, precious relief embroideries with silver and gold wire and many other beautiful artifacts. You will also visit The Cave. Later get back to the port of Skala. Arrive back in Kusadasi. Overnight.
Continue to Pergamum - it was cited in the book of Revelation as one of the seven churches of Asia. Visit the Acropolis - the remains that you see are the monumental tombs or heroons built for the kings of Pergamon during the Hellenistic period. Visit also Asklepion. It is believed that Asklepion, built in the name of Aesculapius, the god of Health and Medicine, has existed since the 4th century BC. It contains premises such as a small theater, rooms where the patients were cured by the sound of water and music, the temple of Asklepion and the library. Continue to Thyatira which is mentioned in the book of Revelation by St. John, see the ruins of the early Christian basilica, a colonnaded road and a large church. Continue to Akhisar for overnight.
Leave Akhisar and continue to Iznik which is world renowned for it's beautiful tiles. In Iznik first visit Hagia Sophia a rectangular, red brick building built in typical Byzantine style, holds as much historical importance, if not more, as it's the site of the seventh ecumenical council of Christianity. Then visit Iznik Museum, built in the 14th century. After Iznik Museum continue to Istanbul and transfer to hotel for overnight.
Enjoy the remarkable highlights of this splendid city! Visit the Royal Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman Sultans, the Blue Mosque, unique with six minarets and which also comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasah and a hospice. See also the Roman Hippodrome Square and the St.Sophia Church which is considered one of the world greatest architectural marvels. Then visit the Grand Covered Bazaar with over 4,000 tiny shops. Overnight.
Transfer to airport for final departure.
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