IN FOOTSTEPS OF SAINT PAUL 12 DAYS 11 NIGHTS

itinerary
day 1

Early morning pick up from hotel. Transfer to airport in Istanbul

Flight to Cappadocia. Pick up from airport and continue to;

Uchisar, a photo stop nearby the Uchisar castle and introduction of volcanic area. Enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of Fairy Chimneys.

Goreme Open Air Museum, houses many painted frescoes cave-churches

Cavusin, a deserted town with rock houses because of frequent rock falls

Pasabagi, the best place to see three-headed fairy chimneys.

Avanos, famous for the pottery. You can see pottery being made, including the old techniques, and even try your hand on the potter’s wheel.

Devrent Valley, a lunar landscape and animal shaped pink rocks.

Urgup’s Fairy Chimneys, with conical shaped body and a boulder on top of it.

End of tour transfer to Cave Hotel . Overnight in Cappadocia .

day 2

Breakfast served at the hotel . Morning pick up from hotel and continue to;

* Goreme Panorama, a stop for the panoramic view of Goreme Valley.

* Underground City, A complex of joint caves built by the early Christians

* Ihlara Valley, easy hike through part of the valley along the Melendiz stream

* Selime Castle, has a great view with rock cut cave churches and monasteries

* Pigeon Valley, named after the pigeon houses carved into the rocks.

End of tour transfer to Hotel . Overnight in  Cappadocia.

day 3

Breakfast served at the hotel . Depart from the hotel and drive to Tarsus, birthplace of St. Paul. See St. Paul's Well, Cleopatra's Gate and the ancient city. It was near here that a Great Fish "vomited out Jonas upon the dry land" Next to Adana for dinner and overnight stay in Antakya.

day 4

Breakfast served at the hotel .Full day excursion to Antakya (Antioch). Here Jesus' followers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26) Peter, Paul and also Barnabas preached here. Visit St. Peter's Grotto and the exquisite Mosaic Museum. View the old city of Iskenderun before beginning the return drive to Mersin for dinner and overnight stay.

day 5

Breakfast served at the hotel . Depart westward along the Mediterranean shoreline, a famous coastal road. Take a lunch break in Anamur. See City of the Monophystie Archbishop of Seleucia. Overnight in Alanya.

day 6

Breakfast served at the hotel . Continue to the ancient city of Side, the old port where Paul, Barnabas and Mark landed during their missionary journeys. Later they sailed from here to ANTIOCH. Than visit PERGE, where St. Paul preached when arriving from Cyprus (Acts 13-14), and to ASPENDOS with its magnificent theater. Next drive to Anatalya and overnight stay.

day 7

Breakfast served at the hotel . Proceed to LAODICEA which was condemned by St. John in Revelation Acts (4:15). Drive to HIERAPOLIS, now called Pamukkale, St. Philip was martyred here in 1st AD. Walk the Necropolis and famous Avenue of Tombs. Overnight stay in Pamukkale.

day 8

Breakfast served at the hotel . Visit one of the seven churches of the Apocalypse and the remains of the Cathedral. Continue to in Alasehir, the remains of a church. Visit , capital of the ancient LYDIA with temple of the CYBELE & DIANA, which became later a church, see the royal road. Continue to Kusadasi. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Selcuk.

day 9

Breakfast served at the hotel . Drive to Selcuk. Visit the monastery of St. John and EPHESUS , the best preserved city in the world. See the Library of Celsus, a Stadium where Paul Preached (Acts 19), and the Theatre. Return to hotel. Overnight in Selcuk.

day 10

Breakfast served at the hotel . This morning take a beautiful drive to Izmir (ancient SMYRNA), After visiting the St. Policarp church in Izmir , continue to in Akhisar , ancient commercial place in connection with TROY & SARDES. and visit Bergama(Pergamum) , the Acropolis, high above the plain. See the pagan Temples and Altar of Zeus.Overnight in Pergamum.

day 11

Breakfast served at the hotel . After breakfast long drive to Istanbul through Iznik (Nicea) where the Nicean Creed was formed. Depart for Istanbul. Overnight Istanbul.

day 12

Breakfast served at the hotel . End of our services .