Transatlantic Flight • Tel Aviv, Israel

We will take a morning flight from our various U.S.A. homes, and we will arrive in Israel the following afternoon at the Ben Gurion International Airport—which is near New Testament Lydda, where Peter healed Aeneas. We will check into our hotle in Tel Aviv, where we will have our meeting before retiring for the night.

Jaffa • Tel Aviv • Caesarea • Magdala • Sea of Galilee

We will visit Jaffa, where Peter received the important revelation about taking the gospel to the Gentiles. We will drive through Tel Aviv, the largest Jewish metropolitan area in the world, and then north along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to the Roman New Testament seaside capital, Caesarea. Here in the ancient Roman Theater, we will study the biblical events that happened in this place as well as see some other areas. We will continue on to the Sea of Galilee area visiting possible sites as time allows. We will visit the site of Magdala, hometown of Mary Magdalene, and see the remains of a first-century synagogue. Our day will end with an exhilarating boat ride across the Sea of Galilee before checking into our hotel for dinner.

Valley of the Doves • Capernaum • St. Peter’s Primacy • Mount of Beatitudes

We will have an optional sunrise hike up the Valley of the Doves, part of the likely ancient route between Nazareth and Capernaum, leading to a view overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Then we will visit Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ Galilean ministry, where He performed many miracles and gave many teachings, including His “Bread of Life” sermon. We will visit St. Peter’s Primacy and Tabgha on our way to the Mount of Beatitudes, where the significant Sermon on the Mount will be discussed. 

Nazareth • Jordan River Valley • Qasr el Yahud • Jericho • Dead Sea

We will drive to the important city of Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus, where we will visit the Nazareth Village (developed to show life as it existed at the time of Jesus) and briefly reflect on His early life and take in other sites as time allows. We will then continue south down the Jordan Valley and view the meandering Jordan River and the Jordan Plateau to the east with its interesting biblical history.  We will stop at Qasr El Yahud, the likely site of Jesus’ baptism, and review some important scriptural events that took place in this area. We will end the afternoon floating in the Dead Sea before checking into our hotel in Jericho for the night.

Jerusalem • Old City • Holy Mount

We will drive up through the historic Judean Wilderness, where we will discuss the Savior’s forty-day experience and temptations. In Jerusalem, we will enter the Old City through the Dung Gate to visit the Temple Mount and to see the striking exterior of the Dome of the Rock, built to honor Mohammed, Islam’s founder. Later we will stop at the Western Wall, where we will observe Jews as they participate in prayer and bar mitzvahs at Judaism’s holiest shrine.  We will walk through the Kotel Tunnel before viewing the Pool of Bethesda and recounting the events in John 5. We’ll retrace the steps of the traditional Via Dolorosa to one of the major shrines of Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We will check into our hotel in Jerusalem for the next 2 nights.

Jerusalem • City of David • Old City

We will proceed to the City of David to see the Jerusalem of Nephi’s time and walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel, a hydrological wonder of Isaiah’s time.  We will also visit the true Pool of Siloam mentioned in John 9. We will explore more of the Old City by walking along the ramparts of the Old City walls and visiting the History of Jerusalem Museum. We will then visit Shepherds’ Field, overlooking Bethlehem, and review the biblical events connected with Jesus’ birth before returning to the hotel for dinner. The day ends by visiting the Western Wall again to watch the Jewish people welcome in the Sabbath.

Sabbath • Footsteps of the Savior

We will go early to the Mount of Olives to view the Old City and orient ourselves to this special city. We will then go to the BYU Jerusalem Center and attend sacrament meeting with the Jerusalem Branch in the center’s beautiful auditorium, with its spectacular view of the Holy City.  In the afternoon we will visit the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden to review some Latter-day Saint Church history in this city. At Gethsemane we will begin our discussion of the Atonement. We will continue to the Upper Room, a reminder of the Last Supper and the ordinance of the sacrament. At St. Peter’s in Gallicantu, the possible site of the palace of Caiaphas, we will discuss Peter and the trials of Jesus. We will finish the day at Golgotha, the place of the crucifixion, and the Garden Tomb—where we will consider the final mortal events in Jesus’ life and His atonement. We will return to the hotel for dinner, final packing, and prepare to leave in the morning. 

Israel • Istanbul, Turkey

We will catch a morning flight from Israel to Istanbul and arrive 10:40 am.  Upon arrival, we will meet our guide and driver and transfer to the old city. Istanbul, like Rome, is built on seven hills. Settled by the Greeks in the eighth century BC, the city was known as Byzantium. In 330 AD the Roman emperor Constantine made it his capital and called it Constantinople. Our first visit will be to Topkapi Palace, a grand historical complex renowned for its opulent architecture and rich cultural significance as a former residence of Ottoman Sultans. Later we will enjoy a boat ride on the Bosphorus. The Bosphorus is a narrow strait in Turkey that connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, a vital waterway between Europe and Asia. As we cruise, we will be captivated by the breathtaking view of Istanbul’s Iconic landmarks that span two continents.  We will check in to the hotel for the night.

Istanbul 

Today we start exploring Istanbul. We begin with a visit to the Hippodrome. The Hippodrome contains an Egyptian obelisk brought to Constantinople in 390 A.D. from Egypt. Next, we journey to the Blue Mosque a fascinating architectural wonder in Istanbul. Known for its stunning blue tilework with intricate designs and patterns creating a mesmerizing visual experience. Later we will visit the Hagia Sophia, originally built as a Byzantine cathedral now a museum showcasing Byzantine and Ottoman influences. We will have a local lunch in the afternoon and continue our Tour with a visit to the Basilica Cistern, an ancient underground water reservoir in Istanbul with impressive columns and ambiance.

We will have free time to explore the world-famous Grand Bazaar (Spice Market). Here you can browse and shop at hundreds of stalls for souvenirs, spices, and Turkish delights. Dinner and overnight in Hotel in Istanbul.

Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey

This morning we check out of our Istanbul hotel and transfer to the airport for our flight to Izmir.  When we arrive in Izmir, we greet our bus and visit Ephesus. Once a Greek city on the Ionia Sea Coast. The impressive ruins date back to the 10th century BC. The apostle Paul spent much time in the area teaching the Ephesians. We visit the House of Mary; it is believed by some that she lived and died in Ephesus. Next, we visit the Basilica of John. The Basilica of John comprises ruins of an ancient Basilica believed to be the final resting place of the Apostle John. We will have dinner and overnight at our hotel in Kusadasi.

Priene • Miletus • Pamukkale

We check out of our hotel in Kusadasi and drive to Priene. Priene is an ancient Greek city celebrated for its well-preserved ruins. We continue to Miletus renowned for its significant contributions to science, philosophy, and architecture. The site of the farewell speech given by the apostle Paul to the elders of the Ephesian church according to the New Testament. We will see the ancient theatre and remains of the port in Miletus. We will continue on our way to Pamukkale, stopping first to visit Laodecia, an ancient city known for its wealth and textile industry and mentioned in the Book of Revelations as one of the seven churches of Asia. After visiting the ancient site, we make our way to Pamukkale (the name translated as “cotton castle”). Pamukkale is famous for its well-preserved ruins ancient hot springs and the stunning natural phenomenon of travertine terraces along with Hieropolis (the ancient Greek city built at the hot springs) they are now part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. We will have dinner and overnight in our hotel in Pamukkale. 

Istanbul 

This morning we will have an early transfer to Denizli (Cardak) airport for our flight back to Istanbul.  As we arrive in Istanbul, we meet our bus and will be transferred to our hotel in the old city. We will visit the Suleymaniye Mosque an architectural masterpiece. The interior is adorned with intricate tilework, splendid calligraphy, and ornate marble details. Its location atop one of the city’s seven hills offers breathtaking panoramic views of Istanbul’s skyline. The Suleymaniye Mosque played a significant role in the history of the Ottoman Empire. We will have free time in the afternoon for you to explore Istanbul. Later in the evening, we will gather together for our Farewell dinner and meeting overnight in Istanbul.

Turkey •  USA

We depart our hotel early for our flight back home to the U.S.A. After clearing customs, we will transfer to the domestic flights going to our local airports, arriving home filled with memories of special and sacred places and all we have seen and heard – a true “Trip of a Lifetime”.