BIBLICAL
TURKEY EXPRESS TOUR
(IN
THE FOOT STEPS OF ST. PAUL)
15
DAYS 14 NIGHTS
ANKARA
Day 1- Arrival to Ankara airport. Visit
the Anatolia Civilizations Museum. This
is a good start for the tour because the
group can get oriented to the cronology
of Anatolia. Overnight stay in Ankara
.( L, D)
ANKARA CAPPADOCIA
Day 2- Early departure to Cappodocia
where troglodyte dwellings and several
hundred churches are hollowed out of the
cones which are eroded remnants of Volcanic
land. Frescoes depicting scenes from the
Bible or the Apocryha are amazingly well
preserved than visit the Underground city
which must have housed thousands of Christians
who were threatened by the Arabian invaders.
Overnight in Cappodocia. (B, L, D)
CAPPADOCIA
Day 3- Full day excursion in Cappodocia.
Visit the unique valley of Goreme. After
that visit the valley of Zelve, After
lunch visit the fortress of Uchisar that
crown of cliff, pock marked by caves.
Dinner and overnight in Cappodocia. (B,
L, D)
CAPPADOCIA ANTIOCH TARSUS
Day 4- Early departure to Antakya (Antioch
on the Orontes) This is where the followers
of Jesus were first called Christians
(Acts 11;26).It was from the church in
Antioch that Paul and Barnabas started
their first journey (Acts 13;4) and to
which Poul returned from Looth his first
and second journeys. Visit St. Peter’s
Grotto and the fabulous mosaic museum
which clearly displays the glamour of
Antioch as the metropolis of Eastern Mediterranean.
After lunch drive to Tarsus ,Paul was
born in Tarsus. One feels Paul’s pride
in his city when he speaks to a commanded
of the Garrison in Jerussalem and says
” I’m a Tarsian, a citizen of no mean
city” very little remains in Tarsus today
of the city where Paul lived. After that
driving to Adana for overnight. (B, L,
D)
ADANA KONYA
Day 5- After breakfast we drive to Konya,
ancient name called “ Iconium”, The Bible
does not say much about what happened
to Paul and Barnabas in Iconium except
that their work was sufficiently effective
to antagonize the people there. They had
to flee. Though not much of the city from
Paul’s time is left, Konya is still spiritually
important as the center of the Whirling
Dervishes who preach friendship tolerance
and divene love. After lunch visit the
monuments of this mystic order. Overnight
in Konya. (B, L, D)
KONYA ANTALYA
Day 6- In the morning we going over the
Taurus Mountains, drive down to Antalya,
Visit the famous Aspendos Theatre, and
Perge where Paul and Barnabas stopped
over on their way to and from Antiouch(Acts.13:13;14:25).
In Perge ancient buildings have survived
the ravages of earthquakes and wars with
the least possible demage. After lunch
visit the Antalya museum. Dinner and overnight
in Antalya. (B ,L, D)
PAMUKKALE
Day 7- Early departure to Pamukkale .Visit
the Hierapolis, traditionaly, St. Philip
is connected with the early church in
Hierapolis, St. Paul had also played a
distinct role in the history of the city
when he condemned “the people who go in
for self-mortification and angel worship”(Colossians2;18,4;13).Pamukkale
is a magnificent natural phenomenon. The
scale and grandeur of this unique geological
formations never fails to impress its
visitors, For countless millenia a spring
located high on the plateau has planged
over the mountain side creating ennormous
circular pools which are fringed with
stalactites. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
(B, L, D)
EPHESUS
Day 08-Fullday excursion to Ephesus.
The Basilica of St. John built around
the grave of saint is one of the Christians
monuments in the area. Certainly, the
climax of day will be at the city of Ephesus,
sitting in the theater visualizing 35.000
Ephesians, fallowing the silversmith,
Dimetrius, shouting”....great is Artemis
of Ephesians” inreaction to St. Paul’s
preaching” there should be no man-made
god’s”. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
(B, L, D)
PRIENE MILETUS DIDYMA
Day 09- Full day excursion to Didyma,
Miletus and Priene is where Paul met the
elders of Ephesus on his last Journey.
Here you can almost hear Paul saying”
happiness lies more in giving than in
receiving” Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
(B, L, D)
PERGAMUM ASSOS TROY
Day 10- Early departure to Pergamum.
As it can easly be seen from the extensive
ruins, Pergamum was the center of the
Roman Authority for the region and therefore
the place of persecution for those who
denied emperial worship. The christians
in Pergamum were promissed to be honered
by god with” a white stone which will
have a new name written on, known to none
but him that receives it” .After that
visit the Aesculapium ,the ancient hospital
the ruins so complete that walking among
them, one can relive the methods among
them ,one can relive the methods employed
in his health center, from sacrifice to
Psychodrama. After lunch we drive to Assos,
in his journey, Paul went by land from
Alexandria Troas to Assos, Luke and others
took the ship and they met in Assos. The
next stop will be Troy, The city of the
“Iliad “ and “Odyssey” and eight other
area. Troy retains a mysterious power
and startles even the most unromantic
traveller. Dinner and overnight in Canakkale.
(B, L, D)
CANAKKALE DARDENELLES ISTANBUL
Day 11- Early in the morning cross over
Dardanelles, the Hellespont to Europe.
Visit first world war Battle fields in
Gallipoli Peninsula: Lone Pine Australian
memorial and cemetery the original tunnels
and trenches at John-stone Jolly (Turkish
and Allied), The Nek Cemetery, Chunuk-Bair
New Zealand memorial and Cemetery. Drive
to Istanbul farewell dinner and overnight
in Istanbul. (B, L, D)
ISTANBUL
Day 12- After breakfast we visit Topkapi
Palace, the Hippodrome and the Blue Mosque.
After lunch we visit St. Sophia’s Museum
and Under the Ground Palace. Overnight
in Ýstanbul (B, L, D)
ISTANBUL
Day 13-In the morning we visit the Sulaymaniye
Mosque than an optional trip on the Bosphorus
by boat. From the boat it is possible
to see both the European and Asian sides
of Istanbul. Lunch in a fish restaurant.
In the afternoon we visit the Spices Bazaar.
Over night in Istanbul. (B, L, D)
Day 14-Transfer to Airport. (B)
TOUR PRICE INCLUDES
Accommodations in four star hotels based
on double occupancy. Single occupancy surcharge.
Professional English speaking guide throughout
the tour.
Breakfast (B), Lunch (L) and Dinner (D)
as indicated in the itinerary.
All sightseeing and admission fees.
Two airport transfers, plus all in country
transport in new air-conditioned buses.
Package
Tours
