Seven Churches and St. Nicholas

Duration : 9 Nights

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Seven Churches and St. Nicholas

Day 1 ( Welcome to Istanbul )

• Arrival at Istanbul International Airport, pickup and transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay in Istanbul.

Day 2 ( Full-day Tour of Byzantine and Ottoman Relics / Istanbul )

• Pickup time: 08:15 am at the hotel for the tour,

• Places to visit: Haghia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar and Topkapi Palace.

• The tour is scheduled to end around 4:00 pm,

• Back to the hotel and overnight in Istanbul.

Day 3 ( Ephesus )

Taking an early morning flight to Izmir for Ephesus Tours.

• A full-day tour includes visits to the House of Virgin Mary, accepted by the Vatican as a pilgrmage destination, is believed to be where she lived out her final days after the death of Christ.

• Ephesus, the most influential capital city of Asia Minor in the Aegean Sea in Roman Period, is where you will explore one of the best preserved Great Theater, the Celsus Library, Terrace Houses as well as fountains and temples in Asia Minor.

• Ephesus Museum

• Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

• The Basilica of St. John, a great church outside Ephesus city, is believed to be built over the burial site of St John the baptist.

• Overnight stay in Kusadasi.

Day 4 ( Pergamon )

• Check out from the hotel in Kusadasi and depart for the visit of Pergamon in Izmir Province, which is located around the hill and foothills along Caicus River in western Turkey.

Main sites to visit for the day are:

1. The Acropolis, including The Great Altar of Pergamon which was believed to be dedicated to Zeus and was referred to as “Satan’s Throne” by John of Patmos in his Book of Revelation (Revelation 2:13) and now is in Berlin Pergamon Museum. Here you also will see the well-reserved theater built into the steep hillside.
2. Visit the Asclepion the god of healing, was the ancient medical center for the Roman Empire.
   • Overnight in Pergamon (Bergama).

Day 5 ( Churches of Thyatira, Sardis and Philadelphia )

• After breakfast, we will drive from Izmir to Manisa Province to visit Churches of Thyatira, Sardis and Philadelphia.. The Turkish name of Thyatira is Akhisar (white castle) which is a modern city known for its textile and dyeing trades. Thyateira was home to a significant Christian church, mentioned as one of the Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation. It was also criticized because of its tolerance of an immoral woman, Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess (Rev. 2:18-29).

• The next stop is Sardis, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, located on the banks of the Pactolus River in Manisa province. The Church of Sardis appeared to be alive but was spiritually lifeless. G.R. Beasley-Murray says: “The appearance of the Sardis church is that of a beautifully adorned corpse in a funeral parlour, and the Lord is not deceived” (Revelation, p. 95). The church needed to stir up the living Spirit of God in order to come to life.

• The last visit of the day is Philadelphia , the city perhaps best known as the site of one of the seven churches of Asia, “The church of brotherly love that endures patiently” in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 3:7-13). Alaşehir, the Turkish name of Philadelphia, is famous for its many temples and worship centers.

• Arrive in Pamukkale for overnight stay.

Day 6 ( Hierapolis & Laodicea & Antalya )

• After breakfast, you will visit the ancient City of Hierapolis, as well as the world famous travertens of Pamukkale. Lunch will be taken on the way. Then you will see Laodicea which, situated in the Lycus River Valley and benefiting from its advantageous position on a trade route, was one of the most important and flourishing commercial cities of Asia Minor. A quote in the Book of Revelation described its status in Christianity : The ‘ lukewarm’ church with a faith that is neither hot nor cold (Rev. 3:14-22).

• Head down to Antalya for overnight stay.

Day 7 ( Myra and St. Nicholas )

• After breakfast you will visit Church of St. Nicholas a ruined Byzantine church which contains the tomb of Nicholas. St. Nicholas was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra (Demre, part of modern-day Turkey) in Lycia. Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, and thus became the model for Santa Claus, whose modern name comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas. You will also visit the ruins of the Lycian and Roman town, Myra, as well as some famous Lycan monuments which include rock-cut tombs. The best known tomb is the “Lion’s tomb,”also called the “Painted Tomb.”

• Overnight stay in Antalya.

Day 8 ( Perge & Aspendos & Side)

The visits of the day include:

1. Perge, was an important city of ancient Pamphylia once settled by various tribes including the Hittites. Most of the statues on display in Antalya Museum were unearthed there. St. Paul visited Perge on his first missionary journey.
2. Aspendos a few miles beyond Perge on the Antalya–Alanya highway, is commonly believed to have been settled by colonists from Argos. Not much of the ancient city is left. However, the Theatre of Aspendos, the best reserved ancient Roman theater in Asia Minor, is definitely worth a trip.
3. Side, situated on a pennisula with its name meaning pomegranate, was once an ancient harbour but now is a famous stop for shopping.

• Return back to the hotel. Overnight in Antalya.

Day 9 ( Fly back to Istanbul )

• The pickup and transfer to airport for the domestic flight back to Istanbul is scheduled 2 hours before the departure time (morning or afternoon).

• Free time in the afternoon. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 10 ( Farewell )

• The pick up and transfer to the airport is scheduled 3 hours before your international flight.
• Have a safe journey back home !

Price Chart

View Our Large Group Rates

( 4 pax and more )

Inclusions

• 9 nights hotel accommodation (4* & Boutique Hotels).
• Services of professionally licensed guides on local tours.
• 16 Meals (9 Breakfasts + 7 Lunch)
• All domestic flights mentioned in the itinerary.
• Transportation in a fully air-conditioned, non-smoking coaches on local tours and transfers.
• English speaking guided tours mentioned in the itinerary.
• Inbound and outbound airport transfers to/from your hotel.
• All taxes, entrance & museum fees, baggage handling.

Exclusions

• International airfares.
• VISA needed for Turkey
• Tips to guide, driver, hotel staff etc.
• Items of a personal nature
• Harem and Treasure room entrance fees in Topkapi Palace
• Drinks with meals (except the drinks served with breakfast)
• Travel Insurance and medical services