Depart the USA to Istanbul

Depart the USA for an overnight flight to Istanbul. Arrive on Thursday, August 20th. Transfer to the domestic terminal for our flight to Hatay. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel. Take a rest in the Hatay hotel. Lunch in a local restaurant, afterward start our Antalya tour. Antakya (Antioch), an important center of early Christianity. This is the place where the followers of Jesus Christ were first called Christians (Acts 11; 26). We will visit the Hatay Mosaic Museum, which is the second largest collection of classical and Roman mosaics in the world. Afterward, we will visit one of Christianity’s oldest churches, Saint Pierre Church. This church is actually a cave carved into the side of Mount Starius where the first Christians of Asia Minor worshipped. Saint Peter was the person to build this church in Antakya and along with St. Paul and Barnabas, he used Antioch as a center to spread Christianity. Thus, the church grew in a short time, becoming the third important Episcopacy after Jerusalem and Rome. At the end of our visit, we will check- into our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Hatay.

 Hatay, Adana, Tarsus

After a delicious breakfast at our hotel, before returning to Tarsus, if we have time, we will see Seleucia Pieria, the ancient port of Antioch from which the Apostle Paul and Barnabas embarked on their first missionary journeys as chronicled by Acts (Acts:13:4). Visit Titus tunnel and Besikci cave. Afterward, we will drive to Adana. Arrival at Tarsus. Here, we will visit the Well of St. Paul and the Gate of Cleopatra. One of the 12 apostles of Jesus, Paul was born in Tarsus. According to Acts, Paul was born as “Saul of Tarsus”, but was brought up in Jerusalem and became “Paul the Apostle” after his encounter with Christ (Acts 9:11; 21:39; 22:3). Once the capital of the province of Cilicia, Tarsus was also the site where Mark Antony and Cleopatra first met. At the end of our tour, we return to Adana, check-in to our hotel and, after dinner, retire to our room for a restful overnight in Adana.

 Adana - Konya - Sille Village

After breakfast, depart for Konya. (Distance 5 Hours) Konya, known as Iconium during antiquity, was visited a lot by Paul the Apostle and Barnabas as a part of their missionary efforts preaching the Gospel. According to Acts, they spoke boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace enabling them to perform miracles (Acts 14:1-3). Afterward, we’ll visit the Mevlana Museum, which houses the tomb of the great 13th-century Persian poet and founder of the Order of the Whirling Dervishes, Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi. Popularly known as Rumi in Western countries, meaning “Roman” in Arabic, his followers and Muslims like to call him “Mevlana”, meaning “our master”. We will then end our day at the Karatay Museum. This former madrasah, or place of learning, was founded in 1251 by the Seljuk Emir Celaleddin Karatay as an institution for Islamic studies. However, the building is now a museum showcasing the most beautiful examples of Seljuk tile work. Lunch is on our own at a local restaurant. Later, we will see the 4500-year-old Sille Village. Sille Village was on the way to Jerusalem during the Roman and Byzantine periods, so it became an important religious center for Christians. In the first years of Christianity, the apostles Paul and his friends came to Konya and tried LB GLOBAL TOURS LTD. Haliz Ziya Bulv. No: 33/106 Konak – Izmir – TURKIYE www.bestturkeytravel.com info@bestturkeytravel.com to spread Christianity. In the face of pressure, the first Christians withdrew to the mountains around Sille and lived here. One of the oldest and largest monasteries in the world, Ak Monastery (Hagios Khariton Monastery) is in Sille Village. Dinner and accommodation in Konya

 Antioch in Pisidia (Yalvaç) Antalya, Perge

We depart from Konya and head to the modern town of Yalvaç to see the ruins of Antioch in Pisidia. Sitting on the southern foothills of the Sultan Mountains, this city was once a major Roman colony that Paul the Apostle visited on his First Missionary Journey with Barnabas. Here we will tour the archeological site and visit the Yalvaç Archaeological Museum to see a display of many of the unearthed artifacts from the region. Afterward, we will continue our way to Antalya, Turkey’s famous and modern touristic resort city, and largest international sea resort on the beautiful Mediterranean coast. You will have lunch at a local restaurant on the way. Antalya which has hosted tens of civilizations for thousands of years with its mild Mediterranean climate, beautiful sea, and magnificent geography. Saint Paul set sail from Antalya on his first missionary journey. After his return to Antakya, he set out from Antalya again around 48 A.D. We will be visiting the archeological site of Perge, a chief city of Pamphylia that was visited twice by Paul the Apostle and his companion Barnabas (Acts 13:13–14 and 14:25). Saint Paul, Barnabas, and his cousin John Mark came to Perge on their first missionary journey in AD 47 or 48. (Acts 13:13, 14:25). Perge ruins: we will explore Perge’s extensive ruins, including a well-preserved theatre, the Agora, Roman baths, a colonnaded street, a great gymnasium, the necropolis, memorial fountain, and the Greek and Roman gates. Dinner and overnight in Antalya.

 Demre, St. Nicholas Church, Myra, Antalya

After breakfast visit Antalya’s Old Town (Kaleiçi) where we’ll see the ancient Hadrian’s Gate with its three doors, one of the most beautiful structures of the Roman period, the Clock Tower, Fluted Minaret, and the Ancient Harbor. You will enjoy the narrow streets of the old city. In the Old Town, you’ll have the opportunity to look for and buy souvenirs from the local shops. we’ll set out on a beautiful, coastal, scenic drive to Demre. First, we’ll visit the St. Nicholas Church. Saint Nicholas, also known as Santa Claus, was a bishop here before he became a legendary and historic figure all over the world. Lycia had big cities such as Perge, Aspendos, Side, Phaselis, Kekova, Termessos, Kurşunlu, Myra, and Demre. Saint Paul went to Roma from Myra by ship for his 4 th missionary journey. We will visit ancient Myra to see its rock tombs, Roman theatre, and Roman ruins. Dinner and overnight in Antalya.

 Denizli, Colossae, Honaz, Laodicea, Pamukkale, Hierapolis 

We will depart for Pamukkale early in the morning. On the way, we will visit the holy land of Colossae, which used to be a city of the Roman province of Asia, located near Honaz today. It holds an important place in Christian history as Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians was addressed to a church here. This letter is estimated to have been written in around AD 60 or 65. It is possible that St. Paul was living in Ephesus when he sent the letter to Colossae (Acts 19:10). Paul had apparently not visited Colossae when he wrote his epistle, and it is likely the gospel was preached through Paul’s companion, Epaphras, who was from Colossae (Col. 1:7; 4:12-13). Members of the early Colossian church included Philemon and his slave Onesimus (Col. 4:9; Philem. 10, 23). After our visit to Colossae, we will visit the ancient Laodicea (present name Denizli) yet another of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor [Rev. 1:11; 3:14; Col. 2:1; 4:13 - 16]. Laodicea thrived as a major center of worship for the pagan goddess Aphrodite for about 500 years after Christ. 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: 15), 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, excavations still continue in Laodicea uncovering an ancient city as beautiful as Ephesus with ancient theaters, marble paths lined with columns, basilica ruins, antique stone water pipes, temples, agora, and monumental fountains. After our arrival to Pamukkale city, we will have lunch and head for Hierapolis right away. Here, we will visit the Martyrium of the Apostle Philip where he was martyred during the persecutions ordered by Domitian. We will see the Gate of Domitian, the Arcadian Way, the ancient 2nd century Roman Theater, the Nymphaeum, the Temple of Apollo, the Plutonium, and the Necropolis. We will passthrough the Roman Gate, admire the ancient Pamukkale Theater, walk around the grave monuments built to honor heroes. Each tomb is a small work of art telling a different story. We will finish our day with a relaxing walk on the travertine terraces, which were created by flowing hot thermal waters releasing carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into the air, leaving behind the white-colored calcium carbonate. Ending our tours today, we will stay overnight in a thermal hotel in Pamukkale.

 Smyrna, Agora, Şirince Village, Kusadasi

From Pamukkale we continue our journey to Philadelphia nowadays called Alaşehir, Philadelphia one of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:7], and the only church that wasn’t censored. There, we will see the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of brick, with a high arch and 11th-century frescoes. And we will continue to Salihli city (Sardis). Sardes was the capital of the ancient Lydian kingdom of the 6th century B.C., portrayed as a dying church. We will visit the great Temple of Artemis and the Temple of Cybele, which was converted into a Byzantine Church. We will also visit the restored Sardis Gymnasium and reconstructed Synagogue. After lunch at a local restaurant, we will arrive in Izmir and visit the ruins of ancient Smyrna, one of the Seven Churches where the Apostle John relays the promise from God: “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev 2:10). Smyrna is the second city of the Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation to receive the message from St. John (Rev. 1:11; 2:8). We will see the remains of a basilica and architectural works from the Roman period. Afterward, we will visit the oldest church of Izmir, the Saint Polycarp Church. Polycarp was the bishop of Smyrna and a student of St. John, who was martyred here in the 2nd century. We will see what remains of the Agora, the ancient marketplace that was built in the 4th century B.C. You may enjoy Kordonboyu Square and some Izmir sights and streets during the night. Dinner and our overnight stay is in Izmir.

Smyrna, Agora, Şirince Village, Kusadasi

We will continue our touring of Smyrna (Izmir) and visit Kemeraltı public Bazaar for shopping. Lunch in a local restaurant before driving to Kusadasi. En route we explore Şirince village, which is an old Greek village, famous for its 300 to 400-year-old houses and its nature and wines. Afterwards, we will watch the fashion show at the leather factory's outlet center and take a short shopping break. In Kusadasi, which is one of the most beautiful holiday centers in Turkey, you can spend a nice evening after dinner, strolling on the beach and drinking something in the stylish cafeterias. Our accommodation is in Kusadasi.

 Ephesus, The House of Virgin Mary, St. John Church, Kusadasi 

Today, our tour starts in Ephesus (50 miles from Izmir). Ephesus is on the World Heritage List and is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the world. We will walk around the spectacular ruins where excavations still continue in this once great and important city, which was founded in the 10th century B.C. We will walk through history, along the marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, including the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, Curates street, and the Grand Theatre with a capacity of 25,000. The Church of Ephesus is the most important of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor. It is thought that the Gospel of John was written here. Apostle Paul preached to the Ephesians and lived here for three years. The Church of Ephesus also received an epistle from him. Afterward, we will visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and the Basilica of St. John. Lastly, we will see the House of the Virgin Mary, a small modest stone house located in the forest on the side of a mountain 6 miles from Ephesus. It is visited by Christian pilgrimsfrom all over the world. It is believed that the Apostle John brought Mary to Ephesus, following the advice that Jesus Christ gave to his mother. (John 19:27) At the end of the tour, we will be watching the special demonstrations in Turkish Delight and Leather Wear Factory stores in the area and have free time.

 Thyatira, Pergamon, Ayvalık 

After breakfast, we will set off for Akhisar (approx. 60 miles). The Church of Thyatira is now called Akhisar, also one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor [Rev. 1:11; 2:18 - 24; Acts 16:14]. Paul's sermons in the Philippi city of Macedonia mention Akhisar (Thyatira) and the church there. He describes Thyatira as the hometown of a wealthy purple dye merchant named Lydia, who worshiped God. (Acts 16:14) We continue on our way to Bergama (Pergamon) (approx. 56 miles) and have lunch at a local restaurant. Pergamon is on the World Heritage List and is one of the most powerful cities in the ancient world which rose to prominence following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. Eventually, the city came under Roman control in 133 B.C. Although the city benefited from immense wealth, in the Book of Revelations, the risen Christ instructs John to convey the message that the people of Pergamon, the site of “Satan’s Throne”, needed to repent (Rev 2:13-16). Temples in Acrapol were the worship centers of Dionysus, Zeus, and other pagan gods, and the first Christians were executed here by the Romans. For this reason, it is defined as “The Seat of Satan” (Revelation 2: 12-16). Visit Pergamon Acropolis sits atop a 1000-foot windswept mountain, offers a view of the neighboring modern towns, the azure waters of the Aegean, and the ruins of Pergamon that cascade down from the ancient city center. Here, we will explore the Temple of Trajan, the Temple of Athena, and the Altar of Zeus, which was once among the grandest monuments of the ancient world. The Great Theatre of Pergamon is among the steepest of its kind and an acoustic phenomenon, it could entertain up to 10,000 spectators. Nearby are the remains of the famous Library of Pergamon. We also visit the Red Basilica. Afterward, we will drive to Assos or Ayvalık for the night. Dinner and overnight stay is in Ayvalık.

 Assos, Alexandria Troas, Troy, Canakkale, Bandirma

of him by sea. It was about a 32 miles journey, and judging from the positions of the cities, he likely entered Assos through its northwest city gate. Apostle Paul and his companionssailed to Mitylene on the island of Lesbos as they traveled to Jerusalem from Assos harbor. Alexandria Troas is located in the city of Çanakkale. It was founded in the late 4th century by Antigonos under the name Antigone. Alexandria Troas was mentioned several times in the Bible. It is an important site for the history of Christianity, as Saint Paul spent some time in Troas during his second missionary journey where he went to Macedonia (Acts 16.9). Also, the Gospel writer, Luke joined Paul in Troas and accompanied him on the rest of his mission. On his third missionary journey, Paul had a long address at Alexandria Troas (Acts 20:6 - 10). There are other biblical references to Troas in 2 Corinthians 2:12 and 2 Tim 4:13. Alexandria Troas remains a titular See of the Roman Catholic Church. We continue on our way to Troy and visit Troya, the city where the world's first beauty contest was held. Troy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the city where the Trojan War, described in Homer's Iliad Epic, took place in its 5000-year history. We will visit the real-life location of the legendary Trojan War described in Homer's Iliad. At the end of our tour day, we will have lunch in Çanakkale and continue to Bandirma (112 miles) where we have an overnight stay.

 Bursa, Iznik (Nicaea), Istanbul

We depart from Bandirma to Bursa (71 miles). Arrive Bursa early to explore the first capital of the Ottoman Empire and the fourth most populous city in Turkey. We will first visit the Old Silk Bazaar (Koza Han) and the Green Mosque. Afterward, we will head for İznik (56 miles). We will have lunch at a local restaurant on our arrival at İznik. Then, we will discover the ancient city of Nicaea, known as İznik today, which was a religious center for Christians. Built-in the 6th century, İznik Hagia Sophia Church, which was later converted to a mosque, stands in the middle of the city. It is the famous site of the Second Council of Nicaea. The First Council of Nicaea was gathered in 325 AD by Emperor Constantine I to clarify some of the issues discussed in Christianity as an official religion in the Roman Empire. The main subject of the Council of Nicaea was whether or not Jesus was a true God. The Council acknowledged that Jesus Christ is the true God, who has the same essence as the Father of God, who has existed since eternity, thus, establishing the doctrine of the Trinity among Catholics. The Second Council of Nicaea was the seventh and last ecumenical council, which was convened on September 24, 787 in Hagia Sophia. It was also the last consensus adopted by the Orthodox and Catholics. We end the Iznik tour and depart to Istanbul (approx. 87 miles). Arrival and accommodation in Istanbul.

 Bosporus Cruise, Chora Church, Ecumenical Patriarchate

After breakfast, we will leave our hotel and head towards the Golden Horn at 8:40 am. You will see Istanbul’s Byzantine City Walls built during the 5th century by Emperor Theodosius, stretching 5 miles along the Golden Horn. Kariye Museum (Chora Church) was built in AD 530 by the Byzantine emperor Justinian. It features mosaics and frescoes that are very well-preserved and of great artistic value as they offer some of the best examples of Late Byzantine period art from the 14th century. Chora Church was originally built on the site of a small chapel that stood for 500 years. Although it was damaged several times throughout its existence, Chora is still one of the most important monuments in Istanbul today. Then, we will visit Saint George's Church. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate Istanbul has been the spiritual center of the Greek Orthodox world since around 1600. Officially the seat of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, it is known locally as the Fener Rum Patrikhanesi (Fener Greek Patriarch), it could be considered the Vatican of Eastern Orthodox church, and the 18th century Aya Yorgi Kilisesi, Istanbul (Church of St. George, Istanbul), which stands in the grounds of it. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople bears the title of "Primus inter Pares" that is (First of the Equals) and he is regarded as the representative and religious leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. Istanbul Fener Greek Patriarchate gained all its current freedoms and rights with the decree of Mehmed the Conqueror in 1453. His Edict regarding the church says: “No one should bully and oppress the Patriarch and the clergy, no one should be attracted to him, no matter who he is, if he and the priests in his entourage are exempt from all kinds of services forever, their churches will not be converted into mosques. Marriage and burial works, other acts and works will be done as before according to the Greek Church and customs.” Afterward, we will visit St. Stephen Church, also known as the Bulgarian Iron Church. The most metal church of all time was built in the late 19th century. It was neglected and out of use for a long time but was restored by the Turkish Government in 2015 and reopened for worship. Lunch break at a selected local restaurant, then, we will be boarding a boat for a Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise for a short and relaxing trip along the Bosporus Strait, which separates Europe and Asia and connects the Black Sea with the inland Marmara Sea. Some of the important landmarks you’ll see on this trip are the Dolmabahçe Palace, Çırağan Palace, Ortaköy Mosque, Kuleli Military School, Beylerbeyi Palace, Rumeli Fortress, beautiful historic wooden mansions as well as the Maiden Tower on the sea. At the end of the tour, return to your hotel. Dinner, and overnight stay in Istanbul.

 Istanbul, Saint Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar

Continuing our tours in Istanbul, we will visit Topkapi Palace (home to many Ottoman sultans for 400 years during the 15th-19th centuries AD) and the Saint Sophia Museum (Hagia Sofia, built by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD as a church and was later converted into a mosque). You will see beautiful mosaics and frescos depicting Christian icons and the Byzantine Emperors. Later, we will take a lunch break at a local restaurant. We will stroll the historical Hippodrome Square, which was used as a meeting place and for chariot races during the Byzantine period. Here, we will see the Serpent Column brought from Delphi, the Egyptian Obelisk, and the German Fountain of Wilhelm ll. Basilica Cistern, a large underground water reservoir built for the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (AD 527-565). The cistern has a water storage capacity of 100,000 tons and is 140 meters long and 70 meters wide, and contains 336 columns, each 9 meters high. The two colossal Medusa heads made of marble, used as a support under the two columns of the cistern, were taken from another Roman-era building. Grand Bazaar, which has more than 4000 shops full of hidden treasures and authentic items. *Note that the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and the Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays. End of the tour and return to your hotel. Accommodation in Istanbul.

Istanbul - USA

Free time in Istanbul until your airport transfer. Our tour concludes with your transfer to the airport for your onward flight to your home city.