Your pilgrimage begins as you board your international flight for Istanbul.

Upon arrival, you will be met by our airport representative. Transfer to your hotel in Istanbul for dinner and your overnight stay.

The bejeweled capital of Istanbul sits between two continents and is home to 450 mosques. You will visit the famous Blue Mosque with its six minarets and sparkling interior. Visit the underground cisterns dating to Byzantine times. Walkthrough Hagia Sophia, the largest church in Christendom for 1,000 years, was built by Justinian (532 -537 AD). The church has 107 columns, fossil-embedded, white marble floors, and beautiful glass mosaics. Enjoy the aroma of cinnamon, cloves, thyme, and other exotic spices as you explore the Grand Bazaar. Over 4,000 shops sell everything from herbs to gold. This afternoon, you will fly to Izmir. Dinner & your overnight stay will be in Izmir.

Pergamum is one of the seven churches mentioned in Revelations (Rev. 2: 12). It displeased the Lord because it tolerated the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which Christ hated (Rev. 2:13 -17). The fabled Acropolis towers 1000 feet above the town and commands a spectacular panorama. As you pass through the Royal Gates, you will enter one of the great centers of traditional Greek culture. You will see the foundations of the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Athena, and the ruins of the library, which once held 200,000 parchment volumes. You will see the remains of the Temple of Trajan, the Grand Theatre, the gymnasium, and the health center (Aesclepion). Visit Thyatira, once a busy trading center, home to Lydia, the “seller of purple” (Acts 16). Today, it is famous for Persian rugs. Thyatira, one of the Seven Churches mentioned in Revelations, tolerated the false prophetess, Jezebel (Rev. 1: 11; 2: 18 -29). Dinner & your overnight stay will be in Izmir.

Visit the site of Philadelphia, also one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 3: 7 -13). Christ told those who overcame that He would write upon them “the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem.” (Rev. 3: 12) Today, not much is left to mark the spot. You will see an ancient wall and the remains of a Byzantine basilica. Travel to Sardis, another of the Seven Churches of Revelation. You will be impressed by the massive scale of the Temple of Artemis, the white marble Royal Road, the gymnasium, and the synagogue. The third-largest city in modern Turkiye is Izmir, long a center for Jewish and Christian communities. In Paul’s day, the town was known as Smyrna. It was also one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 2: 8 -11). You will see the agora, the colonnaded commercial center where Roman statues can still be seen. Famous as the receiver of Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, the town of Colossae has fallen into obscurity. While you can still see traces of the theatre, the necropolis, and the church, the ancient city is indistinguishable, mainly ruins. Dinner & your overnight stay will be in Pamukkale.

Hierapolis is blessed by hot mineral springs and some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in Asia Minor. Paul mentions Hierapolis in his Letter to the Colossians in saluting Epaphras, a fellow laborer, for his love of the brethren there (Colossians 4: 13). The ruins cover more than a mile. You will see the impressive amphitheater with seats still in perfect condition. You will see the city gates, column-lined streets, and arches, which have stood through time and earthquakes. The area is known as Pamukkale, meaning “Cotton Castle,” named for the limestone-laden hot springs cascading from one white-edged terrace pool. The Christians of Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches (Rev. 3: 14 -22), were chastised for being lukewarm, “You are neither cold nor hot” (Rev. 3: 15), and for being too comfortable incorporating pagan and Christian beliefs. In the famous scripture from Revelation (3: 20 -21), Jesus says to the Laodicean church: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock...”. Today, many acres of ruins are to see, including the stadium and columned streets. Visit the excavations at Miletus, where Paul bid farewell to the elders of the church at Ephesus at the end of his Third Missionary Journey (Acts 20). Dinner & your overnight stay will be in Kusadasi

Ephesus is one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 1: 11). In ancient days, Ephesus was a bustling port town of 250,000, graced with wide, colonnade bordered streets. Today, you will be impressed with the spectacular excavations of the major roads of ancient Ephesus. You will view the library and the vast agora. The Temple of Artemis was declared one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Today, only a single column remains to mark the site. You will visit the Basilica of St. John, the traditional site of his grave. From the basilica, enjoy a commanding view of the area. You will see the Museum of Ephesus for an up-close look at artifacts from the ancient city. You will have time to explore this powerful city on your own and recreate some of its footsteps of Paul. Dinner & your overnight stay will be in Kusadasi

Today, you will board the Celestyal Olympia and set sail for the Island of Patmos to visit the Monastery of St. John, high on the mountain overlooking the entire island. Walk down to the Grotto of the Apocalypse and the caves where it is believed that the exiled Apostle John lived and was inspired by God to write the Book of Revelation and other letters to the early church.

Dock this morning in Crete’s port of Heraklion, just three miles away from the fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos. Discovered in 1899 and partially reconstructed, the elaborate palace is believed to be the mythical Labyrinth of King Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. This afternoon, enjoy time in Santorini, one of the most beautiful Greek islands, where picturesque, whitewashed villages topped with brilliant blue domes stand in stark contrast to the sheer drop cliffs overlooking the Aegean Sea.

Disembark in the port of Piraeus this morning. Enjoy a driving tour of Athens before checking in to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Continue with the Greece Extension or return to the USA.