Turkey – Seven Churches of Asia Minor & Istanbul with Patmos

ITINERARY

• DAY 1
  Ancient Pergamum in Turkey

  Welcome to Izmir, Turkey!

  Arrive at Izmir Airport and meet with your local guide and transfer to your hotel in Izmir, accommodation in the rooms, dinner, and overnight.

  What's included?

  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
• DAY 2
  Calcium-coated cliffs and pools in Pamukkale Hierapolis, Turkey

  Pamukkale - Visit the ancient cities of Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia

  Breakfast at the hotel. Early morning Holy Mass celebration at the Church and then departure for the visit of Thyatira, which was once a busy and famous mall in purple clothing dyeing. Thyatira is one of the seven churches mentioned in the Apocalypse, tolerating the false prophetess Jezebel (Rev 1: 11; 2: 18-29).
  
  Travel to Sardis, another of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse. Jesus said to Sardis, "I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and you are dead" (Rev. 3: 1-6). The coined coins and the dyeing of the wool originated in Sardis. You will be impressed by the massive scale of the Temple of Artemis, the white marble Camino Real, the gym, and the synagogue. Visit the site of Philadelphia, also one of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse (Revelation 3: 7-13). Christ told those who excelled that he would write upon them, "the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem." (Rev.3: 12) Today, there is not much left to mark the place. You will see an ancient wall and the remains of a Byzantine basilica. Arrival at the hotel in Pamukkale, accommodation in the rooms, dinner, and overnight

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 3
  The ruins of Hierapolis ancient city in Turkey

  Kusadasi - Explore the ancient cities of pagan Hierapolis and Laodicea

  Breakfast at the hotel, departure for the visit of Hierapolis; An ancient city of pagan cults, Hierapolis or "holy city" was evangelized by Paul and Epaphras. The apostle Philip lived and is said to be buried here. Pamukkale, or "Cotton Castle," is a spa and resort center with hot springs and cascading limestone pools. Col. 4: 12-13. The Christians of Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches (Revelation 3: 14-22), were punished for being lukewarm, "Thou art neither cold nor calm" (Rev 3:15), and for being too comfortable with pagan incorporation and Christian beliefs. In the famous scripture of Revelation (3: 20-21), Jesus says to the church of Laodicea: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock...".
  In Laodicea, there are many acres of ruins to visit, such as the stadium, the columns' street, and the opportunity to witness the new excavations. Possibility of holy celebration on this site with special permission. Arrival at the hotel in Kusadasi, accommodation in the rooms, dinner, and overnight.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 4
  Patmos, Greece

  Kusadasi - Private transfer by ferry to Patmos, Greece

  Early morning depart from Kusadası by private ferry to Patmos (4.5 hrs). Visit the cave of Apocalypse, St John Theologos Monastery, and Island Tour. Return by ferry to Kusadası (4.5 hrs). Departure from Patmos and return by ferry to Kusadasi, dinner, and overnight stay.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 5
  A Glimpse at Ephesus

  Kusadasi - Discover one of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse, Ephesus

  Departure for a full-day excursion to Ephesus; Ephesus is one of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse (Revelation 1: 11). In antiquity, Ephesus was a bustling seaside town of 250,000, graced with wide, colonnaded, and bordered streets. St. Paul's first visit to Ephesus was brief -during his second missionary journey (Acts 18: 19-21). His second visit lasted about three years -during his third missionary journey (Acts 19: 1 to 20:31). Luke's account of Diana's worship appears in Acts 19: 34-35. The Great Theater (stadium) mentioned in Acts 19: 29-31 could accommodate 25,000 people. Walk along the paved marble street with grooves made by car wheels. See the Fountain of Trajan, the Library of Celso, and the Great Theater, with a capacity of 24,000 spectators. Visit the Chapel of the Virgin Mary (Double Church), in which the Third Old Council con-vocó: the possibility of holy celebration.
  
  Continue with the visit to the Basilica of San Juan; Early tradition associates John, the disciple of Jesus, the author of the Gospel of John, and the book of Revelation with the city of Ephesus. In the fourth or fifth century, a Christian church was built on a simple tomb, supposedly the tomb of St. John. Emperor Justinian had an impressive basilica with a dome built to replace the previous church in the sixth century. The church is known as the Church of St. John the Theologian. It's located on the hill of Ayasuluk, which is accessed by a street that rises from the center of the city, Selcuk. Arrival at the hotel in Izmir, accommodation in the rooms, dinner, and overnight.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
  • Cruise/Boat
• DAY 6
  The Ruins of Pergamon in Turkey

  Istanbul - Visit of ancient Smyrna and Pergamum

  Depart for the visit of ancient Smyrna; Poor and persecuted, the Church of Smyrna suffered in the midst of prosperity by its refusal to worship the Roman emperor. This proved to be the last bastion of Christianity in Asia Minor. At the beginning of the second century, great bishop Policarpo was burned alive at eighty-six. Continue to Pergamum; A more memorable experience will be Pergamon, with its acropolis and Grand Theater, the steepest of the ancient world. Revelation 2: 12-16 describes the city as "where is the throne of Satanas," a reference to the altar of Zeus, where we pause for reflection on the fulfillment of the Scriptures. Nearby, visit the Red Basilica; Once a pagan temple, it later became a Christian church. Finally, go for the Asclepion, the famous medical center of antiquity. Our journey continues by crossing the 1915 Canakkale Bridge toward Istanbul. Arrival at the hotel in Istanbul, accommodation in the rooms, dinner, and overnight

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 7
  Topkapi Palace was home to all the Ottoman sultans, Istanbul

  Istanbul - City tour of this fantastic and mistic city

  Today, the group celebrates the Holy Mass at the Church, and then We begin our tour of the Sultanahmet neighborhood, the heart of old Istanbul, in Hagia Sophia. Built by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD, this church is one of the wonders of world architecture. Its vast dome dominates the horizon of the old Estambul. It is famous for its mosaics, including the brilliant portraits of emperors and empresses. The Basilica Cistern (Turkish: Yerebatan Sarayı-"Sunken Palace," or Yerebatan Sarnıcı-"Sunken Cistern") is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul. Then we will visit the Blue Mosque, which owes its name to the tiles that adorn its exquisite interior. Dating from the 17th century, it is the only imperial mosque with six minarets. The Hippodrome, the stadium of ancient Byzantium, held 100,000 spectators and featured objects from all corners of the tour empire at Topkapi Palace. From the 15th to the 19th century, the Ottoman Ottoman Empire sultans were the principal residents. We will visit the fabulous Imperial Treasury and the Baghdad Kiosk. Topkapi Palace is now a museum and has unmatched jewelry collections, including Spoonmaker Diamond, the third-largest in the world. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 8
  Mosaic of Christ in Karye Museum, Istanbul.

  Istanbul - Explore the capital of the Byzantine Empire and cruise along the Bosphorus

  Today, our Holy Mass celebration at the Church, and then we continue our visits. Istanbul is the former Byzantium -the mighty capital of the Byzantine Empire, the stronghold of Early Christianity. Proceed for a city tour in Istanbul, including the Church of St. Savior in Chora, which represents the best examples of Byzantine mosaic art with scenes from the life of the Blessed Virgin, one of the earliest and most important Christian churches—taking a boat for a cruise along the Bosphorus. The cruise takes you along the Bosphorus, past the European-style palaces of the Ottomans, Dolmabahce, Beylerbeyi, and beautiful wooden kiosks from the 19th century. Also, mansions and modern villas from the elegant section of the city. Then continue with the Grand Bazaar, which was the commercial heart of the old town, and its 4000: stores are full of treasures-including carpets and kilims, silks, jewelry, ceramics, icons, and leather goods. Wandering the Grand Bazaar, enjoy some shopping, Ottoman style. Dinner and overnight in hotel.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
  • Cruise/Boat
• DAY 9

  Gule Gule! (Goodbye)

  After breakfast, depart to the Istanbul Airport for your departure home.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Transfer