Ganymedes

ST PAUL S STEPS IN ANATOLIA

 

FIRST DAY

ISTANBUL (Lunch, Dinner)

Arrival at Istanbul airport and proceed to the "Old City" for a full day tour including the Blue Mosque, famous for its blue tiles and unique with its six minarets, built in the name of Sultan Ahmet I.

Blue Mosque (Interior Yard)                                                     Current Appearance Hipodromo                                                          Topkapi Palace

Next we will have a look at the Hippodrome of Constantinople where horse and chariot races used to take place. Then visit St. Sophia Museum,  which is one of the greatest religious and architectural marvels of all times. Finally visit the famous Topkapi Palace museum, built as the home of the Ottoman Sultans and see the World Famous Imperial Chinese Porcelain section. The last stop will be the Grand Bazaar. Completing the tour, transfer to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

SECOND DAY

ISTANBUL - ADANA - ANTAKYA (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Transferring to the airport, we take the early flight to Adana, ancient Cilicia, and then drive straight to Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul. During St. Paul's time, Tarsus was a university city,  surpassing Athens and Alexandria. Cicero was a governor here in 51-50 BC and the romantic meeting between Cleopatra and Mark Anthonius took place in Tarsus.

Tarsus                                                                                                       Cleopatra's Gate

          

Highlights here will be St. Paul's well, the recently excavated ancient main street and Cleopatra’s Gate. Continue to Antakya for dinner and overnight.

THIRD DAY

ANTAKYA - KONYA (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

 Konya (Carved city)                                                                      Dervishes (Dancers)                                                                                      Caravanserai Entry                   

  

After breakfast, we begin our drive to Konya or ancient Iconium which became an important Christian city following St. Paul's preaching. A Phyrigian legend says that Konya was the first city to be founded after the flood. St. Paul and Barnabas came here in 47 AD and their preaching was accompanied by many miracles. St. Paul made two more stops here on his second and third journeys. Today's Konya is quite new but the center of the city is very old. If time permits, visit the existing Catholic church in the town center. Dinner and overnight.

FOURTH DAY

KONYA - PAMUKKALE (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

                                                          Yalvac Museum

Early morning we drive to Psidian Antioch (Yalvac) where St. Paul opened Christianity to the world. Yalvac's history goes back to 280 BC. During St. Paul's time, the population was a mixture of Jews, Romans and Greeks.  There are propylaea of the acropolis with a number of carved stones, a small theatre , a prehistoric altar to Cybele in the Agustus Forum, aqueducts and the remains of a beautiful Byzantine church. Drive to Pamukkale for dinner and overnight.

 

FIFTH DAY

PAMUKKALE - KUSADASI (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Hierapolis Ruins                                                                                                  Theater                                                                                                                                Necropolis

We leave our hotel early in the morning and visit to Hierapolis that was founded by Pergamon king Telephos and named after his wife Hiera. Most likely, the very large Jewish element in this city was an important factor in the rapid expansion of Christianity. During the Byzantine period the city became the seat of diocese with a large Christian Church dedicated to St. Philip, who was martyred here in 80 AD. Highlights include the Roman Baths, the Temple of Apollo and the Theater and the calcified terraces. Then drive to Kusadasi for dinner and overnight.

 

SIXTH DAY

KUSADASI - IZMIR (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Basilica of St. John (Ephesus)                                                                 House of Mary Mother of Jesus

Starting early as today, four sights will be covered. We will visit the famous city of Ephesus. Our tour begins with the Basilica of St. John "the Evangelist" who came here with Mary,  the mother of Jesus,  and wrote his Gospel in Ephesus. Ephesus is in a very good state of preservation. St. Paul's preachings in the area resulted with the uproar of the Guild of Silversmiths and eventually the whole population of Ephesus. Highlights include the Library of Celcius, the Temple of Hadrian, the Fountain of Trajan, the Brothel and the theatre. We will also stop by the House of Virgin Mary located close by, where she is reputed to have spent her last years. . We transfer to our hotel in Izmir for dinner and overnight.

 

SEVENTH DAY

IZMIR - BERGAMA - CANAKKALE (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Ancient Pergamos

Depart the hotel and drive to see the old Roman Catholic Church in Izmir, the church of St. Polycarp.  Then  stop by the hauntingly beautiful Pergamon. Among the impressive structures of this city, dating from 399 BC, we will see the Trajaneum, Altar of Zeus, Temple of Dionysus, Theatre and the 200,000 volume library which was surpassed only by that found in Alexandria at the time. Drive onto Canakkale and the hotel for dinner and overnight.

 

EIGHTH DAY

CANAKKALE - ISTANBUL (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Troy

After breakfast, proceed to Troy. Referred to in Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey", Troy has in fact nine cities superimposed one upon another. Troy VI pertains to the famous Trojan War of Homer where the legendary heroes included Agamemnon, Achilles, Ulysses, and Nestor on the Greek side and Priam, Hector, and Paris on the Trojan side. Then we will cross the second strategic waterway, the Dardanelles and drive to Istanbul. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

 

NINTH DAY

ISTANBUL (Breakfast)

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to the airport.

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