Seven Churches - Turkey Highlights Tour (13 nights/14 days)
Key Information
Tour Duration: 13 nights / 14 days
Days of Operation: Private Tour - Regular Tour
Destination's: Turkey
Hotel's Class: 5, 4, 3 Stars Hotel or Tourist Class
Season: All Years 2023
Scheduled / Operates on: Jan 1st 2023 - Dec 31st 2023. All years Biblical Tours Turkey
Domestic Flight Included: Yes
Tour Customizable: Yes
*Overnight Place:
3 nights Istanbul, 2 night Pamukkale, 2 nights Kusadasi, 4 nights
Cappadocia,
2 nights Hatay.
Discover major highlights as well as the biblical sites in Turkey.
(14 days-Air and land)
Istanbul-Izmir - Smyrna - Ephesus Pergamum (Pergamon- Bergama)-
Sardis - Philadelphia -
Pamukkale - Laodicea - Aphrodisias - Cappadocia - Tarsus (birthplace
of St. Paul) - biblical Antioch
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Istanbul.
Arrival in Istanbul and meeting at the airport, transfer to the
hotel, check- in. Leisure afternoon. Overnight Istanbul.
Day 2: Istanbul.
Full day guided sightseeing in Old Istanbul. Discovery of
Sultanahmet, Blue Mosque, St. Sophia, Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace and
Grand Bazaar. Overnight Istanbul. Including: Breakfast
Day 3: Istanbul.
Guided Bosphorus Cruise with Dolmabahe Palace. Visit to the exotic
and aromatic Egyptian Spice Market, cross over to Asia to Camlica
Hill for a view of Istanbul. During the cruise, view of Ottoman
seaside mansions, marble palaces and small fishing villages.
Overnight Istanbul. Including: Breakfast
Day 4: Istanbul -Izmir - Smyrna.
Take the early morning flight from Istanbul to Izmir. Arrival and
meet with your guide and drive to Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17), and
visit to Acropolis and Asklepion. its majestic acropolis was built
on a commanding hill above the modern city of Bergama. After lunch
visit the grand theater, which has almost perfect acoustics, the Red
basilica and the ancient medical center, the Asclepion. This was the
home town of Galen, the second century renowned doctor and surgeon
and his temple, the asclepium was devoted to healing. Then visit the
majestic acropolis in Pergamum . Visit Acropolis and Asclepion.
After visits, drive and check-in to your hotel in Kusadasi.
Overnight- Kusadasi.
Including: Breakfast.
Day 5: Kusadasi - Ephesus - Kusadasi.
Ephesus (Revelation 1:11, 2:1-7, Acts 18:19-28, 19:1-41, Ephesians)
the city dedicated to Artemis, the best preserved ancient city of
Asia Minor with its majestic theater, marble road, Temple of
Artemis, the Church of the Virgin Mary or the Double Church, the
library of Celsus, the stadium, the lecture hall Tyrannus where St.
Paul held daily discussions (Acts 19.9). For two years St. Paul
taught here from eleven to four during the hottest hours of the day
when the hall was empty. Then visit the Church of St. John and his
Tomb in Selcuk before driving to the Last Home of the Virgin Mary,
who was brought to Ephesus by John, the beloved disciple of Jesus.
The home of Virgin Mary on a hill top, where she lived out her days
is now visited by over a hundred thousand pilgrims each year. The
pilgrims drink the water of the sacred spring, meditate and pray for
health at this ancient spot of worship. Both Pope Paul VI in 1967
and Pope John Paul II in 1979 have
celebrated mass here. Overnight Kusadasi. Including: Breakfast.
Day 6: Kusadasi - Sardis - Philadelphia - Pamukkale.
After having breakfast drive to Sardis where visit to ancient
synagogue, one of the most picturesque area of any of the churches.
Visit the Temple of Artemis, a small Byzantine church, a recently
restored gymnasium and the great synagogue Lunch and we continue,
proceed to Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13 ). Continue to Alasehir
ancient (Philadelphia) the city of brotherly love, another of the
cities of Seven Churches. Afternoon drive to Hierapolis. Have a tour
of the spectacular natural site of Pamukkale. Its hot thermal
springs of calcium spill over the plateau's edge creating dazzling
white formations called Cotton Castles. Visit the ruins of
Hierapolis which also was the home of Papias and Epicitus, early
Christian writers and Philip the Evangelist. The Martyrium of
St.Philip, an octagonal chamber has recently been discovered.
Overnight Pamukkale. Including: Breakfast.
Day 7: Pamukkale - Laodicea - Aphrodisias.
Morning visit to Eskihisar, the ancient Laodicea (Revelation
3:14-22, Colossians 2:1, 4:13-16), then drive to Aphrodisias, the
city of the Goddess of Love, see the well preserved Stadium, The
Temple of Aphrodite, the Odeon, the theater, Agora and Hadrian Bath.
Overnight Pamukkale. Including: Breakfast.
Day 8: Pamukkale - Cappadocia.
Drive to Cappadocia On the way, visit to Konya (Iconium) and have
stop by Mevlana temple and Sultanhani Caravanserai on the way to
Cappadocia. Overnight Cappadocia. Including: Breakfast.
Day 9: Cappadocia.
Guided discovery of Cappadocia. Visit to Goreme Open Air Museum with
cave churches, devrent
imagination valley, Uchisar Rock Castle, Fairy Chimneys in Pasabag ,
Avanos. Overnight in Cappadocia. Including: Breakfast.
Day 10: Cappadocia.
Tour to Underground city, Soganli valley, Sobessos mosaics, Keslik
monastery and Mustafapasa old Greek town. Overnight in Cappadocia. Including: Breakfast.
Day 11: Cappadocia.
Walking in Ihlara Canyon, a "mirage" in the Steps of Anatolia up to
Belisirma village, the ancient Peristrema: "Valley of the Sky" along
the Melendiz River. Rock-cut churches, spread across a wild
plantation, surprise you with their successfully painted
representations from the Bible.
Lunch
in Belisirma a local restaurant by the river. Stop by Selime, a
village with cave houses at the end of the canyon and a "star wars"
like landscape. Overnight in Cappadocia. Including: Breakfast.
Day 12: Cappadocia-Tarsus-Antioch.
Drive to Tarsus where St. Paul was born, after visits, drive to
Hatay (biblical Antioch) and Overnight in Hatay (Antakya) Including: Breakfast.
Day 13: Antioch (Hatay).
Visit to mosaic museum that houses one of the richest collections of
Roman mosaics in the world. A little outside the city is the holy
site where St.Peter's Grotto is situated. The cave church is the
place where St.Peter preached and founded the Christian community.
It was declared as a
holy
place by Vatican in 1983.
Overnight in Hatay. Including: Breakfast.
Day 14: Departure.
Drive to Adana and take a flight to Istanbul.
INCLUDING
- 13
Nights, 4 Star or 5 Star Hotel Accommodation including breakfast.
- All sightseeing tours as described in the
itinerary.
- Travel Insurance.
- 1
Domestic Flight from Istanbul to Izmir.
- 1 Domestic Flight from Adana to Istanbul.
- All Entrance Fees.
- All admission fees to the visited sites.
- Biblical expert English speaking professional tour guide.
- All meals as stated in the itinerary. Breakfast.
-
Transportation with New brand Mercedes Luxury Van.
- All Taxes
and service fees.
EXCLUDING
- Any
tips to guide.
- Driver or staff at hotels.
- Items of a
personal nature.
- Drinks with meals (except the drinks served
with breakfast) and medical services.