Seven Churches of the Revelation - 10 Days

DAY 1,  USA: Depart USA for an overnight flight to Istanbul. Full service on board. -Airfare not included

DAY 2, ISTANBUL: Our tour begins today upon arrival at Ataturk International Airport where we will be met by our representative. Welcome and transfer to our hotel in Istanbul. (D)

DAY 3, ISTANBUL: Morning visit to the Topkapi Palace - the former imperial residence of the Ottoman Empire with its large collection of porcelain and silverware, unique pieces of jewelry like the 'spoon makers diamond', the Hippodrome Square - the former center of sports and political activities, the fountain of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the Blue Mosque - so called because of its stunning color of the tiles and the frescoes. Then we visit the Aghia Sophia -the church of the Divine Wisdom- which was changed into a mosque and later to a museum. After, we will have free time for shopping at the Grand Bazaar. (B, D)

DAY 4, ISTANBUL: Full day Bosphorus & Asia visit. We first visit the Church of St. Saviour in Chora (Kariye Camii) which is located at the city walls and famous for its mosaics and frescoes and the Underground Cistern where water was stored for the city. Then visit the Egyptian Spice Market, and then embark on a Bosphorus Boat Tour viewing the beauty of the European and Asian shorelines on either side. Cross to the Asian side to visit the Camlica Hill and tour the Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer residence of the Ottoman Sultans with its magnificent gardens.  (B, L, D) 

DAY 5, ISTANBUL –TROY – TROIAS – ASSOS: Morning departure to Assos. Drive along the Sea of Marmara from Istanbul. Cross the Dardanelles, where you see Gallipoli, the famous site of the bloody World War I battle and visit Troy to see the city made famous in Homer's poems, as the center of the Trojan War, including the legendary Trojan Horse . Proceed to Troas, where Paul had a vision in which he was called to Macedonia (Greece). Overnight: Assos (B, D)

DAY 6, SATURDAY – ASSOS  - PERGAMUM – ASCLEPION – THYATIRA – SMYRNA: After breakfast drive  to the Hellenistic city of Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17) and visit the Altar of Zeus, the Agora, the large theater built into the hillside, the Temple of Athena, the Temple to Trajan and Hadrian, the ruins of the famous library and more. Then we drive to the ancient medical center - Asclepion, we see the theater, the library, the Temple of Asclepius and, under the central square, a long tunnel. The famous physician and prolific writer, Galen, was born in Pergamum and practiced medicine here in
the 2nd century AD. Afternoon drive to  Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29 Acts 16:14) and see the short section of a colonnaded street, a Temple and walls of a church. Proceed to Alexander the Great’s Citadel on Pago’s Hill overlooking Izmir and the ruins of the ancient Agora. Izmir (Smyrna) today is the third largest city in Turkey and one of the main centers for exports. In biblical times Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11) was one of the Seven Churches of Revelation. Overnight: Izmir (B, D)

DAY 7, SARDIS – PHILADELPHIA – PAMUKKALE - HIERAPOLIS: We leave Izmir to Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) and visit the main street of ancient Sardis with a number of shops once opened on that street. We see the Roman-era synagogue, the gymnasium and go on to the Temple of Artemis and a small church. King Croesus of Sardis minted, for the first time in history, pure silver and gold coins, which were guaranteed by the state. We continue to Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13), which with Smyrna were the only two churches among the seven that did not receive disapproval. The ruins of a Byzantine basilica with some 11th century frescoes are remaining from Christianity. We drive to Pamukkale at the ‘cotton castle’ of white travertine terraces and visit ancient Hierapolis. Then you have some free time for the fantastic white limestone terraces. Overnight: Pamukkale  (B, D) 

DAY 8, LAODICEA – EPHESUS – KUSADASI: In the morning we drive to Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) and visit the ruins of the ancient town, which was intersected by main trading routes running east-west and north-south: the ruins of theaters, a gymnasium, a stadium, several other public buildings and the newest findings of the archaeologists. We continue to Ephesus (Revelation 1:11:2:1-7 Acts 18:19-28:19), dedicated to Artemis and the best preserved ancient city of Asia Minor with its majestic theater, a marble  paved arcaded street ‘the Arcadian Way’, the lecture hall of Tyrannous, the Church of the Virgin Mary or the Double Church, the library of Celsus, the Temple to Hadrian, the Odium, the little theater and more. Overnight: Kusadasi (B, D) 

DAY 9, KUSADASI - Patmos Island: Daily Tour to Patmos (Island of the Revelation)  We take our private charter boat to Patmos* in the morning. Upon arrival we visit the Monastery of St. John the Evangelist and the Cave of the Apocalypse (Revelation). After lunch and free time for shopping we take our boat for the trip back to Turkey. Return to the hotel. Overnight: Kusadasi (B, D)

*Patmos ferry can be cancelled by Port Master because of weather conditions mostly in winters, we may have weather info 3 days before . If there is any cancellation, we will visit Priene – Miletos and Didyma instead of Patmos tour. 

DAY 10, KUSADASI – IZMIR – ISTANBUL - USA: TRANSFER TO Izmir International Airport and fly back to Istanbul. Continue with transatlantic flight to USA. (B)