9 Days Foot Steps of St. Paul Tour with Blue Cruise
Footsteps of St Paul
Istanbul – Adana– Cappadocia – Konya – Pamukkale – Izmir – Canakkale
Day 1: Istanbul
Arrive in Istanbul and transfer to your hotel. if time permits, (according to the arrival time) afternoon orientation tour in Istanbul,. Overnight in Istanbul. xxx Hotel, BB.
Day 2: Istanbul / Adana
Early in the morning, fly from Istanbul to Adana. Our vehicle and guide are going to meet you at the Adana airport. Drive to Tarsus where St Paul was born. Visit St Paul’s house which exist today. Drive to Antakya (Antioch), check into your hotel and overnight. xxx. HB.
>Day 3: Antioch
Antioch is the city where the disciples were called “Christians” for the first time (Acts 11:26). Visit to the St.Peter’s Church – one of the first Catholic Churches in the world; Antakya Museum of Mosaics, the most impressive one of this kind in the Near East. In the afternoon, a brief coach ride to Samandagi (Seleucia Pereira), the port from where Paul and Barnabas sailed to Cyprus on their first journey (Acts 13:4). Drive back to Adana and overnight. Xxx hotel HB.
Day 4: Adana / Cappadocia
Early in the morning check out from the hotel and drive to Cappadocia. Full day tour of the region to visit Goreme Open Air Museum with chapels and churches carved out of soft rock, famous for the well-preserved frescoes.,Visit Pasabag Valley, a site most famous with its troglodyte dwellings; then the underground city of Kaymakli, which was built by early Christians fleeing from Roman persecutions, in the afternoon. Overnight in Cappadocia. Xxx hotel HB.
Day 5: Cappadocia / Konya ( Iconium)
Depart for Konya where Paul and Barnabas were threatened by being stoned (Acts 15:5), in the morning. Visits to St. Paul Church and Mevlana Museum (founder of Whirling dervishes). Overnight in Konya. Xxx Hotel. HB.
Day 6: Konya / Pamukkale
Dive to Colossae which Paul did not visit but sent a letter saying “to the Saints and faithful brothers of Christ who are at Colossae; grace be on you, and peace from God and Jesus Christ” (Colossians 1:2), in the morning. Then continue to Pamukkale to visit Hierapolis, the center of Epaphra’s work (Colossians 4:13) when Paul was writing to strengthen his preachment. A visit to the white chalk cascades of Pamukkale. Overnight in Pamukkale. Xxx Hotel. HB. Pamukkale / Ephesus / St. Polycarpos Church / Izmir
Early departure for Ephesus, visits here include; the Basilica of St. John; the House of Virgin Mary and the antique city of Ephesus, where St. Paul stayed and taught for two years (Acts 19:10), and where he promised on his second journey, “I shall come back to you if it is God’s will” (Acts 18:21). Arrive to Izmir and visit the St. Polycarpos Church. Overnight in Izmir. xxx. HB.
Day 7: Izmir / Pergamum / Alexandria Troas / Canakkale
Early departure and drive to Pergamum; visit the Asklepion Sanctuary and the Acropolis including the Altar of Zeus, which is said to be “the place where Satan has his throne” (Revelation 2:13); the Trojan Temple; the world’s steepest theater; and the Red Basilica, which was originally a center of pagan worship and afterwards used as a church dedicated to St. John. Continue to Alexandria Troas where Paul is said to have visited at least twice; first when he and Timothy had wanted to go in to Bythinia but were prevented by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:8) and the second time on his way to Jerusalem when he preached 12 hours without stopping (acts 20:11). Overnight in Canakkale. xxx. BB.
Day 8: Canakkale / Troy / Istanbul
Visit to the world famous ancient city of Troy including its various layers of civilizations, in the morning. Then a short ferry ride across Dardanelles and continue to Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul xxx Hotel. BB.
Day 9: Istanbul
Walking city tour in Istanbul. St Sophia, St Chora Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Underground cistern to be visited. Overnight in Istanbul. xxx Hotel.BB.
Day 10: Istanbul Departure
Breakfast and transfer to Istanbul airport for your flight to Bodrum, Marmaris or Gocek. Check in to your gullet.
Private Yacht Charter Turkey offers you to visit Magical Aegean and Mediterranean coast line, history and ancient ruins and get to know the culture.