Biblical Asia Minor
Tour Customizable: YES
Destination's: Turkey
Hotel's Class: 5, 4, 3 Stars Hotel or Tourist Class
Season: All Year
Tour Highlights : 2 nights Istanbul, 2 night Pergamum, 1 night Pamukkale, 1 night Kusadasi, 1 night Patmos 1 night Rhodes, 1 night Pireus, 2 nights Athens, 1 night Olympia, 1 night Delphi, 1 night Kalambaka.
Biblical Asia Minor
Biblical Tours / Biblical Asia Minor
TOUR DETAILS:
Biblical Asia Minor (13Nights/14 Days)
Key Information:
Tour Duration:
13 nights / 14 days
Days of Operation:
Private Tour
Destination's:
Turkey
Hotel's Class:
5, 4, 3 Stars Hotel or Tourist Class
Season:
All Year
Airfare Included:
No
Tour Customizable:
No
Overnight Places:
3 nights Istanbul, 1 night Antioch, 2 nights Cappadocia, 1 night Konya,
1 night Pamukkale 1 night Izmir, 2 night Kusadasi, 1 night Pergamum, 1
night Bursa.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Istanbul.
Upon arrival at Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport, you will be
met by one of our bilingual guides, who will assist you during your
transfer to the hotel. Orientation walks. Dinner and overnight in
Istanbul. Includes: (D).
Day 2: Adana - Tarsus - Seleucia - Antioch.
Early morning flight to Adana, the country's fourth largest city. Adana
is situated some thirty miles east of Tarsus, birthplace of the Apostle
Paul. Enjoy breakfast in your hotel, then drive to Tarsus and visit the
Apostle Paul's well, the Gate of Cleopatra, and the latest excavations.
Then we visit the archaeological remains of Seleucia, the port from
which Paul, Barnabas and John Mark departed from Antioch on the first
missionary journey (Acts 13:4). Drive to Antioch for overnight.
Day 3: Antioch - Cappadocia.
It was here at Antioch on the Orontes that believers were first called
“Christians” (Acts 11:26). Visit the cave where they met in secret. Paul
and Silas departed from here on the second missionary journey (Acts
15:35-36). Discover the impact of leaders such as Ignatius of Antioch
and John Chrysostom. In Acts 2:9, pilgrims from Cappadocia were
assembled with the thousands in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost when
they received the initial baptism of the Holy Spirit and heard the
Apostle Peter preach his powerful message. We will travel to Cappadocia
scenic Ihlara Valley, where early Christians carved some 3,500 cave
churches from the tufa rock. The beauty and quaintness of these chapels,
with numerous wall paintings and Christian symbols, is astonishing.
Persecuted Christians - tens of thousands of them - escaping into the
earth to flee Arab invaders in the tenth century, tunneled out more than
twenty underground cities of refuge here in Cappadocia. Such cities,
with carved rooms for kitchens, sleeping quarters, stables, and chapels
for worship, descend five to ten stories into the earth. At Kaymakli,
one of the best preserved of these cities, you will enjoy your own
guided tour into this amazing region. Overnight in a Cappadocia.
Day 4: Cappadocia.
Cappadocia, with its centre in Caesarea (Kayseri), was once the heart of
the Hittite Kingdom of the Old Testament. This vast area is one of the
most photogenic landscapes in the world. Extraordinary rock formations
have become symbolic of this region, where you will enjoy the Valley of
the Fairy Chimneys and Goreme’s breathtaking Open Air Museum. Watch the
potters at their craft, in the famous pottery producing town of Avanos.
Finally, savour the natural wonders of the Citadel of Uchisar and Zelve
Valley. Overnight in a Cappadocia.
Day 5: Sultanhan - Lystra - Iconium.
Drive to the Sultanhani Caravansary for a fascinating look at one of the
rest stops for ancient camel caravans. Along the trade routes, such
caravansaries appeared at intervals of some twenty-five miles, the
average distance that camels could travel in a day. Continue on to
Lystra, where a mob stoned Paul during his first journey (Acts 14:6-19),
and where Timothy joined him during the second journey (Acts 16:1-3).
Depart for Iconium, where Paul preached and encouraged believers during
his first missionary journey (Acts 14:1-6). Iconium was once the home of
the sect of mystical Muslims called Whirling Dervishes. Overnight in a
Konya.
Day 6: Antioch of Pisidia - Colossae -
Hierapolis.
Drive to Antioch of Pisidia, where nearly the whole city came to hear
Paul preach during his first missionary journey (Acts 13:14-52). The
marvelous excavations include the ancient church and the great
first-century Temple of Augustus. Today, you will travel the Royal Road
that once connected Ephesus with distant Babylon. Visit the unexcavated
site of ancient Colossae by the village of Honaz. The Apostle Paul wrote
one of his prison epistles to the church at Colossae, a city situated on
the Lycus River. At Hierapolis (Pamukkale), enjoy the “Cotton Castles”
of brilliant white calcium rock formations and hot-water travertine's,
where hot mineral waters emerge from the earth and cascade over cliffs.
As the water cools, the calcium precipitates and clings to the cliffs,
forming snowy white travertine's (waterfalls of white stone), which give
credence to the name Pamukkale, meaning “cotton castle” . This
enchanting place is one of the natural wonders of Asia Minor. The
churches here in Hierapolis, Colossae, and Laodicea once flourished
under the ministry of Epaphras (Colossians 4:12-13). Overnight stay in
Pamukkale.
Day 7: Hierapolis - Laodicea - Philadelphia -
Sardis - Smyrna.
Explore incredible excavations
at Hierapolis, including a Byzantine church, the Great Theatre, the
Temple of Apollo, and the Plutonium, which pagan cults once called “the
entrance to hell.” Examine the intriguing sites of the Churches of
Revelation. Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22) will take you back to the first
century. At Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7-12), your Bible will come alive as
you read it in light of firsthand study. This city was located along the
important trade route that linked Pergamum in the north with Laodicea to
the south. In A.D. 17, an earthquake devastated twelve Asian cities,
including Philadelphia, and for a time the people lived in fear of
aftershocks. Philadelphia was rebuilt with help from Emperor Tiberius.
At Sardis (Rev. 3:1-5), your thoughts will turn to the Old Testament
period following the 586 B.C. destruction of Jerusalem. That was the
time when the phrase “rich as Croesus” originated. Croesus (560-546
B.C.) was the king of Lydia, and Sardis was his capital. Gold was
discovered in the Pactolus River at Sardis and it was here that coinage
began, as we know it. Cyrus and the Persians defeated and captured
Croesus for all his wealth and made Sardis the administrative centre for
the western part of their empire. The fabled Royal Road connected Sardis
with the Persian cities to the east. Sardis was the hardest hit of the
twelve cities destroyed in the earthquake of A.D. 17. Emperor Tiberius,
according to the Annals of the historian Tacitus, gave much relief
towards its rebuilding. Your visit to Sardis will include the imperial
court and the ancient Jewish synagogue. You will rest in the shade of
the Temple of Artemis, while studying in the light of prophetic
Scripture. Finally, enjoy dinner at one of Smyrna’s famous kebab or
seafood restaurants. Overnight stay in Izmir.
Day 8: Smyrna - Miletos - Didyma.
Visit the ramparts of Smyrna’s
Velvet Castle, built in the fourth century B.C. by Alexander the Great
on Mount Pagus. (The fortress walls were said to resemble rubbed
velvet.) During the first Christian century, in the stadium that once
stood on the hill below Mount Pagus, Polycarp, friend of the Apostle
John and pastor of the church at Smyrna, was arrested by the Roman
governor and tried in a public gathering. An angry mob burned him for
“treason.” He had refused to curse Christ and to acknowledge Caesar as
his sovereign. Just before his martyrdom, Polycarp said, "Eighty six
years I have served Christ and He never did me any wrong: how then can I
blaspheme my King and my Saviour?" Still standing is part of the agora
built by Emperor Marcus Aurelius in the third century. Today, Smyrna is
the country's major Aegean port and third largest city. Drive to
Miletus, home of ancient philosopher Thales (640-546 B.C.), one of the
fathers of Greek geometry, astronomy, and philosophy. It was here, in
the first Christian century, that the Apostle Paul, on his third
missionary journey, called for the Ephesians elders and preached a
powerful message to them (Acts 20:15-38). It was also here that Paul
left his friend Trophimus, who was too ill to continue (II Timothy 4:20
). As a port at the mouth of the Meander River, Miletus was a natural
outlet for Phrygian trade. Like the one at Ephesus, however, Miletus’s
sea harbour eventually filled with silt, and commerce dwindled. The
city's remote quietness makes it special to devout students of
Scripture. Its ancient ruins include the marvelous 15,000-seat theatre.
Nearby, at Didyma, visit the massive Temple to Apollo, one of the most
impressive sites in Anatolia. Ordinary people did not reside in ancient
Didyma. This was home only to a priestly family whose oracle came from
Delphi and who lived in luxury, as they guarded their temple treasuries
supplied by the people they deceived. Continue to Kusadasi for
overnight.
Day 9: Ephesus.
Ephesus (Rev. 2:1-7), major port city on the Aegean, was the commercial,
political, and religious centre of all of Asia Minor. After a lunatic
completely burned the Temple of Diana (Artemis) on the night that
Alexander the Great was born in 356 B.C., the Ephesians worked for 120
years to complete a magnificent reconstructed temple, one of the Seven
Wonders of the ancient world. The city became part of the Roman Empire
in the second century B.C. As a Roman capital of Asia Minor, Ephesus
boasted a population approaching 250,000 people. The Apostle Paul's
first visit to Ephesus was brief—during his second missionary tour (Acts
18:19-21). His second visit lasted about three years—during his third
missionary tour (Acts 19:1 to 20:31). Luke’s account of the worship of
Diana appears in Acts 19:34-35. The Great Theatre (stadium) mentioned in
Acts 19:29-31 could seat 25,000 people. Walk the marble-paved street
with grooves made by chariot wheels. See the Fountain of Trojan, the
Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre. Visit the Chapel of the Virgin
Mary (Double Church), where the Third Ancient Council convened. Enjoy
St. John's Basilica (built on the site of the Apostle John’s tomb) and
ponder the remains of the Temple of Diana. Finally, enjoy a visit to the
Ephesus Museum. Overnight Kusadasi.
Day 10: Thyatira - Pergamum.
Today, we will visit our final two of the Seven Churches of Revelation.
At Thyatira (Rev. 2: 18-28), you will see the ruins of an ancient
commercial centre, located in the fertile valley where the trade route
passed. One of the town's cloth and dye merchants was a woman named
Lydia, who conducted business as far away as Philippi, where she became
the first European convert to Christianity, during Paul's second
missionary journey (Acts 16:11-15). A most memorable experience will be
Pergamum, with its acropolis and Great Theatre, the steepest of the
ancient world. Revelation 2:12-16 describes the city as “where Satan’s
seat is,” a reference to the altar of Zeus, where we pause for
reflection on the fulfillment of Scripture. Nearby, visit the Red
Basilica; once a pagan temple, it later converted into a Christian
church. Finally, walk thru the Pergamum Asclepion, the famous medical
centre of antiquity. Overnight in Pergamum.
Day 11: Troy - Troas - Assos - Bursa.
Enjoy a fascinating visit to recent excavations of ancient Troy, made
legendary by Homer’s story of Helen and the Trojans’ wooden horse. Then
drive to Troas, founded about 300 B.C. by one of the generals of
Alexandria the Great. During the Apostle Paul's second missionary
journey, it was from Troas that he received the “Macedonian call” to
Europe. This is where Luke's account changes from “they” to “we” (Acts
16:6-12), indicating that he joined Paul's team at Troas. Returning from
Macedonia during his third journey, Paul was in Troas for a week, when
the young man Eutychus fell from the third loft as Paul preached. Paul
soon walked some thirty miles to Assos, where we will follow the
apostle’s footsteps to the old city walls (Acts 20:5-14). You will walk
the old marketplace of Assos and see the council chamber and Temple to
Athena. Continue on to Bursa for a visit to its centuries-old silk
market. Overnight in Bursa.
Day 12: Nicea - Istanbul.
At Nicea, you will see remains of Constantine’s palace, now covered by
the water at the shore of Lake Iznik. It was here in this palace chapel
that the First Ancient Church Council convened in A.D. 325 to produce
the Nicene Creed. Enjoy Nicea’s St. Sophia Church, where the Seventh
Church Council convened in 787. Continue to Istanbul for lunch at the
Spice Bazaar. Istanbul, the world’s only city that spans two continents,
was originally "Byzantium;" it became "Constantinople" in A.D. 330, when
Emperor Constantine renamed it for himself and built a palace here. It
became "Istanbul" in 1453. Experience the unique markets, peddlers, and
stalls selling almonds, pistachios, iced drinks, and black coffee - a
vigorous anthill of Turkish life. Relax on a Bosphorus cruise on a
private boat. Finally, enjoy an orientation drive of the city. Overnight
in Istanbul.
Day 13: Istanbul.
Today’s visits begin with Istanbul’s Hippodrome, once a stadium with
100,000 seats, where chariot races and circuses often degenerated into
violence. Visit the nearby Blue Mosque. The Second Church Council (381)
met in the Church of St. Irene, the first church ever built in Istanbul.
You will visit the fifteenth-century Topkapi Palace of the Ottoman
Sultans. In the first court of this palace stands the Church of St.
Irene, the city’s cathedral church until the Church of Hagia Sophia
(Holy Wisdom) was completed in 360. After rioters burned both churches
to the ground in 532, Emperor Justinian rebuilt them to their present
grand scale. Upon entering his newly built Hagia Sophia for the first
time, Justinian exclaimed, "Glory to God that I have been judged worthy
of such a work. Oh Solomon, I have outdone you!" Enjoy your visit to the
Hagia Sophia, where the 5th Church Council met in 553. For a thousand
years, this was the largest church in Christendom. When Mehmet the
Conqueror made it a mosque in 1453, he added four minarets (prayer
towers). The building has not been used as a mosque since 1935, when it
became the Museum of Byzantine Art. The four minarets remain. Conclude
your day with a visit to the Grand Bazaar, an ancient covered market of
some 4,000 shops. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 13: Istanbul.
Memories of these two weeks
will last a lifetime. Your own Bible will constantly remind you of the
storehouse of riches obtained from these ancient and Biblical sites
where you have walked and studied. A farewell meeting at hotel lobby and
hope to see you next time for more.