Bursa Square, Turkey
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| THE 7 CHURCHES OF ASIA MINOR (8 Days - 7 Nights) |
 Thyatira
THE 7 CHURCHES OF ASIA MINOR In these eight days of walking, we enjoy a unique view of what were the seven churches mentioned in the Revelation.
FIRST DAY ISTANBUL (Dinner) Meet on arrival and transfer to your hotel. A short orientation meeting will be held in which the trip will be outlined.
ISTANBUL (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) A guided walking tour through the old city first visiting Hagia Sophia, the Byzantine Cathedral consecrated on St. Steven’s Day, 26 December 537. Following the fall of Constantinople in 1453 it was converted into a mosque and the magnificent mosaics were painted over. Since becoming a National Museum in 1933 many of the mosaics have been uncovered and can be admired during the visit. Next is Sultanahmet Camii, better known as “The Blue Mosque”.
The Blue Mosque Topkapi Palace It was built in 1619 and is so named due to the interior decoration of 21,043 blue Iznik tiles. The Topkapi Palace, seat of the Ottoman sultans, covers a large area overlooking The Golden Horn. The tour concludes with a visit to the Grand Bazaar, a covered complex of alleyways and 4000 shops of all descriptions.
ISTANBUL - NICAEA - BURSA (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) Depart for Bursa.
an old city at the foot of Mount Uludag (Olympus) and the first seat of the Ottomans. After taking a short cut by crossing the Izmit Gulf by ferry stop by the ruins of St. Sophia, in Nicaea. It was here that the first Ecumenical Council was held in 325 AD under Emperor Constantine to codify the faith. To this day the Nicene Creed, is the only creed of the Christian church, common to all sects. We drive round Iznik lake to Bursa and visit the ornate Mausoleum of Sultan Orham and the Orhan Camii, the first ottoman mosque which was erected in 1413.
BURSA - THYATIRA - SARDIS - PHILADELPHIA - PAMUKKALE (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) An early morning departure passing through the modern town of Akhisor, on the site of the old Lydian city of Thyateira.
This was one of the towns where Christianity spread rapidly and it was one of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse, in the New Testament (Rev 2; 18-29). In the visit to Sardis, the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Lydia, see a Roman era Synagogue, a well preserved gymnasium and other ruins (Rev 3: - 6 ). Following the visit to Sardis, pass through Philadelphia an ancient town rebuilt by Tiberius following two devastating earthquakes in 17 and 23 AD. Christianity took hold later than in the other towns and in the early days many Christians were martyred. Philadelphia is also mentioned in the Book of Revelation (3: 7-13) Finally arrive in Pamukkale and see the fascinating limestone formations and cascades. Adjacent is the ancient city of Hierapolis, the home of St. Philip, the apostle. On the hill dominating Hierapolis are the remains of the Martyrium of St. Philip, a fifth century domed church. In addition there is a well preserved Roman theatre, the substantial remains of the Roman baths, now converted into a museum, paved streets, formidable gates and a large necropolis.
FIFTH DAY PAMUKKALE - LAODICEA - IZMIR (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) Morning visit to Laodicea, situated seven kilometres from Pamukale and the last of the seven churches of Asia Minor. It was the last residence of Cicero and only the ruins of an amphitheatre, the baths and nymphaeum can be seen. It was also addressed by St. John in the Book of Revelation (3:14-22).
We continue to Selcuk (Ephesus) for a guided tour of the most important and largest ancient city in Asia Minor and having one of the seven wonders of the ancient world; the Temple of Artemis.
It was the home of St. Paul for three years. Walk down marble paved streets to the library and the theatre in which St. Paul preached to the Ephesians. About this time there arose a little stir concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. He gathered these together, and said “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia that Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable company of people saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of this great goddess Artemis may count for nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she, whom all Asia and the world worship. When they heard this they were enraged, and cried out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.” See Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians in the New Testament.We will also visit the Basilica of St. John and a mosque, part constructed with stone from the Temple of Artemis. From Ephesus we drive north to Izmir built on the site of the ancient city and port of Smyrna which also boasted one of the Seven churches mentioned in the Apocalypse.
SIXTH DAY IZMIR (Smyrna) - PERGAMUN - ASSOS (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Panoramic view of Smyrna Drive along the Aegean coast line to the hilltop city of Pergamum, another of the .Seven Churches of Asia Minor. The description in Rev2:12-17 .At Pergamum we will visit the steepest theatre in the ancient world, the Temple of Trajan, the podium of the Altar of Zeus and the market place (agora). From Pergamum we drive to Assos, an ancient city dominated by its acropolis.
SEVENTH DAY ASSOS - ISTANBUL (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
EIGHTH DAY ISTANBUL - DEPARTURE (Breakfast) You will be transferred to the airport.
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