BIBLICAL WESTERN TURKEY

Western Turkey Biblical Tour

Day 1 Departure

Departure from the USA with an overnight flight to Istanbul.

Day 2 Arrival to Istanbul

Upon arrival, a company representative will meet us at Ataturk International Airport and escort the group to the hotel.  We will have the opportunity to rest or start exploring the city on our own until we meet with our tour director at dinner.

(Dinner) Klas Hotel

Day 3 Istanbul City Tour

Today our tour includes the major sites and museums of Istanbul.  The Blue Mosque which is one of the most famous mosques in the world because of its interior decorated with exquisite Iznik Tiles, the Hippodrome Square where all the major public events were held during the Roman times, and the Topkapi Palace which was the residence of the Ottoman Royal Family for four centuries.  We will finish the day with the visit to the Grand Bazaar.

(Breakfast/Dinner) Klas Hotel

Day 4 Izmir-Kusadasi

Leaving Istanbul, we will take the morning flight to Izmir to visit two antique cities from the Book of Revelations.  Our first stop will be Smyrna (Rev 1:11, 2:8-11) which is also famous for being the birth place of Homer, the author of Iliad and Odyssey.  Then our tour bus will take us to Sardes, (Rev 3:1-3) where we will see the very well restored gymnasium and an antique synagogue in addition to the other ruins of the city.  After  sightseeing, we will drive to Kusadasi and spend the night there.

(Breakfast/Dinner) Hotel Tatlises

Day 5 Kusadasi

In the morning we will start the tour with the House of Virgin Mary where many Christians believe that Mother Mary spent the last years of her life before the ascension.  Our next stop will be one of the best preserved ancient cities of the world, Ephesus.  St. Paul lived there for three years (Acts 19:23-41).  St. John also lived there for a long time where he may have written his gospel.  He also addressed the city as one of the seven churches of revelation (Rev 2:1-7).  After Ephesus we will drive to the Basilica of St. John where you can also visit his burial of the apostle.

 (Breakfast/Dinner) Hotel Tatlises

Day 6 Kusadasi

Our first stop of the day will be Miletus where St. Paul met the elders of the church of Ephesus on his third missionary journey (Acts 20:15-38).  Then we will have a short drive to Didyma to see the Temple of Apollo which was the second most important prophecy center of antiquity after Delphi.  On the way back to Kusadasi, we will visit the Grotto of the Seven Sleepers.  According to the legend, God put these seven young believers to sleep in this cave in the early Christian times, to save them from the Roman persecution.  Later the Christians built a shrine in the cave.

(Breakfast/Dinner) Hotel Tatlises

Day 7 Kusadasi-Istanbul

We will return to Istanbul with a morning flight and continue sightseeing with the legendary St. Sophia which was the largest cathedral in the world and the symbol of Christianity for ages.  The mysterious Basilica Cistern will be the last visit of our tour. We will then check in our hotel to refresh and get ready for the farewell dinner.

(Breakfast/Farewell Dinner) Hotel Klas

Day 8 Istanbul-USA

Our tour director will escort us to Ataturk Airport for our flight back to the USA.

(Breakfast)