PRS
902 / IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF PAUL - 7 EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF REVELATION Day
01, Friday / ANKARA Arrive in Ankara and transfer to the hotel. Overnight
in Ankara (D). Day 02, Saturday / ANKARA Free in the
morning. In the afternoon visit to the Anatolian Civilizations Museum at which
numerous remnants from Stone Age, Neolithic Age, Hittites, Urartians, Phrygians
and many others are on display; Mausoleum of Ataturk, the burial place of the
national hero who founded modern Republic of Turkey. Overnight in Ankara (B, L).
Day 03, Sunday / ANKARA-HATTUSAS-CAPPADOCIA In the
morning departure for 208 km bus ride to Hattusas, long time capital of the Hittites.
Before visiting the main capital proceed to Yazilikaya to see the open air sanctuary
as the direct sun light best reflects on the bas-reliefs direct in the morning.
Then lunch in a small restaurant in the town nearby. After lunch visit to the
capital of Hattusas with Lion’s Gate, Tunnel, King’s Gate, Citadel and Grand Temple.
Drive to Cappadocia and overnight (B, D). Day 04, Monday
/ CAPPADOCIA Optional balloon tour at sunrise. Depart from the hotel at 09.30-10.00
depending on the arrival time of the balloon participants and drive to Kaymakli
Underground City, a place where early Christians hid from persecutors. Continue
on to Pasabagi in Zelve, an area where monks used to live in seclusion in rock
cut rooms. Proceed to the pottery town of Avanos where the meandering Kizilirmak
(Hallys), the longest river of Turkey, deposits the red clay on its banks that
has been the raw material of pottery for centuries. After lunch break visit to
Open Air Museum in Goreme with the early Christian churches decorated with unique
frescoes depicting various Biblical scenes, and the Pigeon Valley near Uchisar.
Shopping time for the well-known merits of the area. Overnight in Cappadocia (B,
D). Day 05, Tuesday / CAPPADOCIA-NIGDE-ANTAKYA Drive
to Antakya via Gumusler Monastery near Nigde and through Cilician Gates (Gulek
Bogazi). Continue on to Antakya (Antioch) for overnight (B, D). Day
06, Wednesday / ANTAKYA-TARSUS-KIZ KALESI Visit Antakya Mosaic Museum which
houses one of the best collections of Roman mosaics in the world; and St. Peter’s
Grotto, the earliest Christian church ever built. Continue to Tarsus, the birth
place of St. Paul, to see the St. Paul’s Well and Cleopatra Gate. It was also
here where Marcus Anthony reputedly met Cleopatra. Drive on to Kizkalesi for overnight
(B, D). Day 07, Thursday / KIZ KALESI-SILIFKE-KONYA
Drive on to Konya, ancient Iconium, via Silifke Castle and Alahan. Overnight in
Konya (B, D). Day 08, Friday / KONYA-YALVAC-PAMUKKALE
After visiting the Mausoleum of Mevlana, the world-wide famous mystic. In the
afternoon drive to Yalvac, Antiochus in Pisidia, and visit. Continue to Pamukkale
for overnight (B, D). Day 09, Saturday / PAMUKKALE-LAODECIA-COLOSSAE-PAMUKKALE
Late morning visit ancient Hierapolis with the Theatre, Apollo Temple and magnificent
Necropolis, the graveyard. In the afternoon visit to the recently excavated Roman
city Laodicea and Colossae, ancient city mentioned in the New Testament book of
Colossians. Drive back to the hotel for overnight. (B, L, D). Day
10, Sunday / PAMUKKALE-PHILADELPIA-SARDIS-IZMIR Drive to Sardis, the capital
of Lydian Kingdom which houses one of the seven churches, and see the ruins of
the largest synagogue ever excavated. Continue to Alasehir (Philadelphia) to see
the Church of St. John. Arrive in Izmir and visit to the Church of St. Polycarp,
the oldest church in ancient Smyrna, and the Agora. Overnight in Izmir (B, D).
78 Day 11, Monday / IZMIR-EPHESUS-IZMIR Departure in
the morning. Visit Ephesus Antique City*, the most visited ancient Biblical site
of Turkey with many acres of carefully excavated ruins, also sites of the palace
and the temple of Domitian, the Caesar who exiled John the Revelator to Patmos,
and amphitheater where the crowd rioted because of the success of Paul?s evangelism
for Pergamum; House of Virgin Mary where she reportedly spent her last years together
with St. John (John the Revelator); Ephesus Archaeological Museum; St. John’s
Basilica and the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.
Return to Izmir for overnight (B, D). * Hillside Houses are excluded Day
12, Tuesday / IZMIR-PERGAMUM-THYATIRA-BURSA In the morning drive to Pergamum
via Thyatira. After visits to the Asclepion, Acropolis and Red Courtyard, which
served as Temple of Serapis, but later symbolized one of the Seven Churches of
Anatolia. Drive to Bursa for overnight (B, D). Day 13,
Wednesday / BURSA-NICEA-ISTANBUL In the morning visit Koza Han, the silk cocoon
caravanserai, with shops selling beautiful silks and brocades. Visit the Ottoman
complex to see the Grand Mosque, the Green Mosque, considered to be one of the
finest examples of early Ottoman architecture, and the Green Mausoleum, the tomb
of Sultan Mehmet I. This is Bursa's loveliest building with its spectacular tile
work. In the afternoon drive to Istanbul via Iznik, ancient Nicea, the city where
the seventh council of the Christianity was held in 786, to visit the St. Sophia
Museum (Interior the building is closed due to the ongoing restoration) from the
4th century B.C. and the Green Mosque. Iznik was the ceramic centre of the Ottoman
Empire during the 16th and 17th centuries. Most of the imperial mosques in Istanbul
like Blue Mosque and Suleymaniye Mosque were ornamented with the tiles made in
Iznik. Iznik tile works are amongst the most popular products at the well known
auction companies all around the world. Overnight in Istanbul (B). Day
14, Thursday / ISTANBUL Full day tour. St. Sophia, one of the greatest marvels
of architecture constructed as a basilica in A.D. 536 by Emperor Justinian; Blue
Mosque, facing Hagia Sophia, famous with its more than 20.000 blue Iznik tiles
and unique with its 6 minarets, built in the name of Sultan Ahmet in the 17th
century, one of the best examples of classical Turkish art; Hippodrome, the scene
of Byzantine chariot races, athletic events, victory celebrations, and political
activities of the old city where one can also see today the “Obelisk of Theodosius”
from Egypt, “Serpentine Column” from Delphi, the “German Fountain of Wilhelm II”
and the “Colossus”. In the afternoon, Topkapi Palace - Harem section is excluded
- built in 1468 by Mehmet the Conqueror, the imperial residence of Ottoman sultans
housing the souvenirs of 600 years and exhibiting imperial treasury, Chinese porcelains,
weapons, calligraphy section, etc. After the visit to Grand Covered Bazaar, the
most attractive shopping center in the world with nearly 4000 shops, drive back
to the hotel. Optional “Turkish Night Dinner Show”. Overnight in Istanbul (B).
Day 15, Friday / ISTANBUL In the morning visit the
aromatic Spice Bazaar, circa 1663, with its domed and vaulted shops selling spices
and herbs along with a wide variety of commodities, also known as Egyptian Bazaar
as it was once endowed with the Cairo imposts. Then walk to the pier and board
the public (or private, depending on the number of the participants) boat. Sailing
through the Bosphorus waterway separating the two continents - Asia and Europe
- there will be ample opportunities to photograph marble palaces, ancient wooden
villas of Ottoman architecture, and stately modern residential homes. During this
trip the Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, Bosphorus and Fatih
Sultan Mehmet Bridges as well as Rumelian Fortress, a historical armament built
by the Conqueror in 1452 to control and protect the access to the Bosphorus, will
be visible from the sea. Disembark the boat and ride the bus back to the city
to visit Kariye Museum (St. Savior in Chora). Drive back to the hotel or new city
for a free late afternoon. Overnight in Istanbul (B). Day
16, Saturday / ISTANBUL Day at leisure in Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul
(B). Day 17, Sunday / ISTANBUL Bus transfer to the
airport for the departure flight (B) ? Istanbul stay can be extended ? All of
our tours will be accompanied by a Biblical scholar to provide Biblical relevance
at the religious sites (If required, groups can bring their own scholars. In such
a case, this scholar will be supplied with free services throughout - but excluding
the international air ticket - on complimentary basis) ? Most hotels and restaurants
offer buffet dinners with a good selection of vegetarian foods. | 
