JOURNEYS OF PAUL IN TURKEY & GREECE

May 4-18, 2013
Tour host: Mark R. Fairchild, Ph.D.
Prof. Bible & Religion Huntington University

WE CAN OFFER SAME TOUR AT DIFFERENT DATES FOR PRIVATE GROUPS
 

TOUR ITINERARY:

May 4 Sat – DEPART NEW YORK – FLY ATHENS via ISTANBUL
Take the TK 2 JFK-IST flight departing JFK at 16:30 - arrive Istanbul at 09:55am next day.

May 5 Sun – ARRIVE ISTANBUL – FLY ATHENS
Arrive in Istanbul at 09:55am. Take the TK 1849 17:00/18:25 flight to
Athens. Upon arrival at Athens Airport, our representatives will meet you after the customs and baggage claim and transfer you to your hotel in Athens for dinner and overnight. (D)

May 6 Mon – ATHENS
Enjoy the architectural splendors of the ancient city of Athens as you follow your guide to the world renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea, the Parthenon, and the Erectheum. View Mars Hill where the apostle Paul stood and said, “I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE
UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore you ignorantly worship, him I declare to you” (Acts 17:23). See the Agora, the ancient market place and center of the Athenian public life, where the apostle Paul preached
“Jesus and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18) to the skeptical Athenians. Also see the House of Parliament, the Presidential Palace and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This afternoon is free to explore Athens on your own or enjoy an optional journey to Sounion to visit the famous Temple of Poseidon (additional $39). Overnight in Athens. (B,D)

May 7 Tue – CORINTH and CENCHRAEAE - ATHENS
Corinth is the city where Paul met Aquilla and Priscilla, the tent makers, and where the Lord spoke to Paul by a vision saying, “I am with you, and no man shall set on you to hurt you: for I have much people in this city” (Acts 18: 10). Here, Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue believed in the Lord along with and many Corinthians (Acts 18:8). Thus, began the church at Corinth to whom Paul wrote two epistles. Visit the Archaeological Museum, the Market Place and Temples. Walk among the ruins and stand next to the Bema where Paul stood before Gallio facing charges brought by the Jews. Paul stayed a while in Corinth before leaving for Syria from the port at Cenchraea (Acts 18: 12-18). Overnight in Athens. (B,D)

May 8 Wed –DELPHI – METEORA - KALAMBAKA
Travel to scenic Delphi, the religious center of the ancient Greek world, considered by the early Greeks to be the center of the world and marked by the conical stone, called the omphalos or navel. Walk the Sacra Via to the Athenian Treasury, the Theatre, and the Temple of Apollo where the oracle performed the prophetic rituals.
With innumerable pagan ruins surrounding your walk, capture a glimpse of the challenge the apostle Paul incurred in preaching the Gospel of Christ in Macedonia. Visit the Museum where you will view many ancient treasures, the chief of which is the 5th century bronzed Charioteer, complete with eyelashes. Drive to Kalambaka to visit the rock forest of Meteora in western Thessaly and ponder the rough terrain in which the apostle Paul walked during his missionary journey. See famous Byzantine monasteries perched precariously on summits of soaring, sheer-sided grey rock pinnacles of varied and spectacular shapes. Their history goes back to the 14th century when the monks sought refuge in cliff-side caves, then fled higher to build the original wooden shelters, later transformed into monasteries. Visit one of these monasteries. Dinner and overnight in Kalambaka. (B,D)

May 9 Thu – KALAMBAKA – THESSALONIKI – PHILIPPI – KAVALA
Drive to Philippi, where Paul, intending to find a place to pray by the riverside, spoke to women who had gathered there among whom was Lydia, the seller of purple and whose heart the Lord opened to hear the words that he spoke (Acts 16:13-15). Lydia was the first Christian to be baptized on European soil. Visit the place where this event is remembered and see a crypt dating from the Roman period, which is thought to have served as a prison for the apostle Paul. See the famous Acropolis, the Market Place, the Basilica, and the Theater. Overnight in the Kavala area. (B,D)

May 10 Fri – KAVALA (GREECE) – ISTANBUL
Drive to the Greece-Turkey border. Transfer to your Turkish bus and guide, and continue to istanbul for dinner and overnight.
Visit the St Chora Church famous for its Golden Mosaics, then visit the Spice Bazaar. Take a leisurely Boat Tour along the Bosphorus seeing both the European and Asian shores of Istanbul. Walk at Beyoglu streets and have dinner at a local restaurant at historic Flower Passage.
Overnight in Istanbul. (B,D)

May 11 Sat - ISTANBUL
You’ll visit the famous Blue Mosque, with its six minarets and sparkling interior. You’ll visit the Topkapi Palace, once home to royal Sultans.
Inside, you’ll see the fabled jewels of the Treasury, delicate displays of Chinese porcelain in the Kitchen Quarters and the provocative Harem Quarters. Walk through St. Sophia (Hagia Sophia) that, for 1000 years, was the largest church in Christendom. Built by Justinian (532-537 AD), the church has 107 columns, fossil imbedded white marble floors and beautiful glass mosaics. Today, it is the Museum of Byzantine Art. Then visit the Archaeological Museum containing important Biblical artifacts. Explore the Grand Bazaar, over 4000 shops sell everything from herbs to gold. Overnight in Istanbul. (B,D)

May 12 Sun – ISTANBUL - CANAKKALE - TROAS - TROY
Drive to Gallipoli. Cross the Dardanelles strait by car ferry. Drive to
Alexandria Troas, founded by Alexander the Great, Paul visited here at least twice. Then visit the legendary Troy and see the replica of the wooden horse. Overnight in Canakkale. (B,D)

May 13 Mon – ASSOS - PERGAMUM – IZMIR (SMYRNA)
Visit Assos and drive to Pergamum and the church that was praised for its forbearance during hard times (Rev. 2:12-17). Rome executed the first Christians here. Towering 1000 feet above the town and commanding a spectacular panorama is the fabled Acropolis. Then drive to Izmir, ancient Smyrna. Overnight in Izmir. (B,D)

May 14 Tue – MILETUS and PRIENE - KUSADASI
Visit the excavations at Miletus, where Paul bid farewell to the elders of the church of Ephesus at the end of his Third Missionary Journey (Acts 20). Priene had a substantial Christian community during the Byzantine period and was the seat of a bishop. Four of Priene’s bishops are known: Theosebius, present at the Council of Ephesus (431); Isidore, who was living in 451; Paul, present at the Council of Constantinople (692); and Demetrius (12th century). Overnight in Kusadasi. (B,D)

May 15 Wed – EPHESUS - KUSADASI
Ephesus is one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 1:11). In
ancient days, Ephesus was a bustling port town of 250,000, graced with wide, colonnade-bordered streets. Today you will be impressed with the spectacular excavations of the major streets of ancient Ephesus. You’ll view the Library and the huge Agora. You will visit the Terrace Houses and then hike up to the hill to visit the Cave Church of Paul which is close to the public. The Temple of Artemis was declared one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Today, only a single column remains to mark the site. You’ll visit the Basilica of St. John, traditional site of his grave. From the basilica, enjoy a commanding view of the area. You’ll visit the Museum of Ephesus for an up-close look at artifacts from the ancient city. You will have time to explore this powerful city on your own and recreate some of the footsteps of Paul. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi. (B,D)

May 16 Thu - LAODICEA – APHRODISIAS – PAMUKKALE
Visit Aphrodisias excavated by the New York University and see the Stadium, The Theater, The Agora and more. Proceed to Laodicea. The Christians of Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches (Rev 3:14-22), were chastised for being lukewarm, “You are neither cold nor hot” (Rev. 3:14) and for being too comfortable incorporating pagan and Christian beliefs. In the famous scripture from Revelation (3:20-21), Jesus says to the Laodicean church: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock...” Today, there are many acres of ruins to see, including the stadium and columned streets. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale. (B,D)

May 17 Fri - HIERAPOLIS and SARDIS - IZMIR
Hierapolis is blessed by hot mineral springs and some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in Asia Minor. Christianity came to Hierapolis via Paul (Colossians 4:13). The ruins cover more than a mile. You’ll see the impressive theater with seats still in perfect condition. You’ll see the City Gates, column-lined streets and arches that have stood through time and earthquake. Today, the area is known as Pamukkale, meaning “Cotton Castle”. It is named for the limestone-laden hot springs that cascade from one white-edged terrace pool to the next. Sardis, another of the Seven Churches of Revelation, was berated by John the Prophet for its facade of strength when, in reality, it was weak (Rev. 3:1-6). In Sardis, coins were minted and the dyeing of wool originated. The massive scale of the Temple of Artemis and by the white marble Royal Road, the gymnasium and the synagogue will impress you. Continue on to Smyrna, modern day Izmir for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

May 18 Sat –DEPARTURE
Transfer to Izmir Airport for TK 2305 Izmir-Istanbul 08:20/09:05 flight to Istanbul. Take the connection flight TK 1 10:20/14:20 to New York. Arrive New York same day at 14:20.