Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Istanbul - Program Transfer to Hotel
Day 2: Arrival to Adana - Program Meet at the airport, transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in Adana.
Day 3: Adana - Antioch - Adana
Program After breakfast we will continue to Antioch-on-the- Orontes, Daphne and Seleucia Pieria. Antioch has been founded in 300BC. Antioch offered the most ferric ground for new ideas, philosophies and religions. First to preach here were St.Paul and Barnabas whose extensive efforts proved to be very fruitful for Christianity. Incidentally, the word Christians was first used in Antioch. The strong and wealthy community of Antioch contributed financially to the Christian community of Jerusalem. Highlights include the museum which houses a superb collection of mosaics from Antioch, Daphne and Seleucia Pieria, St. Peter's Grotto, the cave church came to be known as the meeting place of the early Christians. Visit Daphne. The next site we will visit today is Seleucia Pieria, which was the port city of Antioch in ancient days. The most interesting monument here is the Tunnel of Titus, which is a tremendous canal, dug for the purpose of diverting waters of Orontes River. Another highlight here will be the rock tombs with their impressive facades pertaining to the Hellenistic period. Return to Adana for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Adana - Tarsus - Cappodocia
Program After breakfast we will 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 Anthony took place in Tarsus. Highlights here will be St. Paul's well, Tomb of Sardanapulus and Cleopatra's Gate. Then we drive north to Cappadocia and first stop at Derinkuyu. This is an underground city, carved into soft rocks resembling a huge labyrinth of tunnels, rooms, kitchens, wine cellars and passageways. A huge chimney ventilates this 8-levelled dwelling, which was used by Christians hiding from there Roman and Byzantine persecutors. Their colorful frescoes remain as vibrant as when they were first made. Fascinating place...Derinkuyu. Further on we come to Cappadocia whose effect on the visitor is like that of a village out of Grimm's Fairy Tales. What Turks commonly call "Fairy Chimneys" are jutting pieces of volcanic rocks that have been beaten and shaped by the wind and rain. Highlights will be The Apple Church, The Church of St. John the Baptist and the Church with a Buckle in Goreme. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 5: Capoddocia - Derbe - Lystra - Konya
Program Right after breakfast, we begin our drive to Konya or ancient Iconium, which became an important Christian city following St. Paul's preaching. A Phyrigia legend says that Konya was the first city to be founded after the flood. St. Paul and Barnabas came here in 47 A.D. 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. Visit Derbe and Lystra where St. Paul visited on his journeys. Dinner and overnight in Konya.
Day 6: Konya - Antioch of Psidia-Antalya
Program Early morning we will drive to Psidian Antioch (Yalvac) where St. Paul opened Christianity to the world. Yalvac's history goes back to 280 B.C. During St. Paul's time the population was a mixture of Jews, Romans and Greeks. Very little is left of Psidian Antioch today. There is the propylaea of the acropolis with a number of carved stones and the remains of a Byzantine church. We pass by Egirdir Lake and arrive in Antalya for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Antalya - Side - Perge - Aspendos
Program After breakfast, we take a private boat to Perge, where St. Paul began preaching after arriving from Cyprus. Visit the Gymnasium, the Bath, the Agora, the Theater, the Stadium and the Hellenistic Gate. Continue to Another the Pamphilian city of Aspendus. The Theater is the best preserved in the world with its incredible acoustics. Visit Side, which is built exactly on top of the ancient city. See the Temples of Athena and Apollo, the State Agora, the Theater and the Museum. Afternoon return to Antalya. Dinner and overnight in Antalya.
Day 8: Antalya - Program Transfer to airport for departure.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- 7 nights 4 star hotels including
- All transportation in Turkey by private a/c tour coach
- All meals as stated on the itinerary
- All entrance fees to the sites and to the museums mentioned on the above program
- Comprehensive sight-seeing as itinerary
- Special pre-departure information pack
- English speaking professional guide throughout
- Arrival and departure airport transfers,
Price does not include:
- Drinks & Tips
- Domestic flight from Istanbul to Adana–Antalya –Istanbul
Also see tour packages in:
Middle East
Turkey
Biblical Tours
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