TURKEY BIBLICAL TOUR 11 NIGHT 12 DAYS
Turkey has a lot of Biblical Sites. In Turkey Biblical tour you will see :
-The first churc of Christian world in Antiochia, Saint Peter Church.
-Saint Paul House in Tarsus ,Turkey
-Saint John Tomb in Ephesus
-Saint Philip Martyrdom in Hierapolis
-Virgin Mary House in Ephesus
-Hidden settlements of the early christians in Cappadocia
-seven churches of Saint John Revelation
-The great councils place Nicea
and many other biblical places in our biblical tour
Turkey Biblical Tour Itinerary
Day 1 : First day of our Biblical Tour will begin from Antiochia .
Pick up from Hatay Airport and transfer to hotel in Antiochia.
Meal : Not included
Hotel : Narin Hotel or similar 4 stars hotel
Day 2 : Antakya ( Antiochia ) -Adana ( 240 km )
Today we will explore Antiochia which was the third biggest city in the world during the Roman Empire Era in 2 nd C AD..
we visit :
*Saint Peter Church :The first church of the christian world which was established in first century by Saint Peter where the christianity was named.Saint Peter Church of Antiochia was carved into the mountain and extended by adding arches in the entrance during the crusades in the 12 th C.
*Saint Paul and Saint Petrus Church : It was called the Greek Ortodox church and it was center of the Arab ortodox for a few centuries.
*Antakya Archeological Museum :It has one of the best mosaic collection in the world which was found in Antakya and it s neighborhood.
Most of the mosaics of the musuem were made in Antiochia during the glory days of the city from 1 C AD till 6 th C AD.
*Seleucia Perra Port :The port where Saint Paul sailed from Antiochia to Cyprus Island in his first missionary trip.
Titus Tunnel : Titus tunnel was dug out in the rocks to protect Seleucia city from flood in Roman Period during Titus Era.
Besikli cave 's rock tombs
and after th tour depart to Adana .Arrival and check in hotel
Meal : Breakfast Lunch and dinner
Hotel : Mavi surmeli or similar 4 stars hotel
Day 3 : Adana- Tarsus- Cappadocia ( 276 km )
Today we will visit the biggest city of Cilicia Region ,Tarsus.
Tarsus was hometown of Saint PAul.
First stop is Saint Paul 's House and Well .This the place where Saint Paul was born ,We see the halfway excaveted ancient city's main street of Tarsus.
Tarsus has been inhabited by mankind for 5000 years.The Roman Road and some other buildings unearthed from the Roman Era when Saint Paul lived. Siant PAul Cicero, Cleopatra all they walked on this ancient road.
*Saint Paul Church A church which was established around 5 th C AD and re-built in later centuries)
We pass the Cilician Gate and arrive to cappadocia.Upon arrvial we will visit :
*Derinkuyu Undergroundcity ,The biggest underground city of Cappadocia which was a shelter for the christians in 7 th and 8 th Century AD and the church which is 40 meters underground.
Arrival to Cappadocia and check in hotel
Meal : Breakfast Lunch and dinner
Hotel : Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel or similar
Day 4: Fullday Cappadocia tour
Cappadocia was one of the safe regions for early christians when the chrsitans were persecuted by the Romans. They settled in the hidden valleys, rocky land of Capapdocia . There are around 360 rock-cut churches , there are underground shelters of the christians and monks ,valleys too. Cappadocia is home of Saint Basil The Great as well. Today in Turkey Biblical Tour we see :
* Goreme Panorama ( We view the magic landscape of Cappadocia from this panoramic point )
* Uchisar Cave Houses ( We enter to one of the cave houses which is still being used as a cafeteria today and offer you an apple tea here. .There are nearly 20000 cave houses in Capapdocia region. it was easy to carve a cave in the Tufa Volcanic stone and the tempereture is all year round 12 degree celcius . Cooler than out side in summer and warmer in winter .
* Pigeon Valley Photo stop ( We view the valley which is full of dove-cote
and if we are lucky some of the pigeons are there)
* Goreme Open Air Museum (rock-cut churches and monasteries & designed with well preserved frescoes) listed by Unesco in the world heritage list.
* Pasabagi ( The fairy-chimneys valley ) The mushroom shaped natural rock formations of Cappadocia were named fairy chimneys.
* Avanos (Avanos has been a handcraft town since 19 C BC especially it is known pottery town of cappadocia)
*Dervent Valley - The imagination valley where we see the stone camel.
* Urgup Fairy chimnyes of Urgup
* Rose valley : viewing the sun set
and return back to hotel
Meal : Breakfast Lunch and dinner
Hotel: Dedeli Konak Cave Hotel or similar
Day 5 : Cappadocia- Konya- Anthioch of Pisida -Egirdir ( 425 km )
After cappadocia we leave the sun rise behind and drive through the silk road to Konya.
We pass through Central Anatolian Plateau and see Konya Plain.
On the way we will stop to visit :
* Sultanhani Caravanserai ( A hotel of the silk road from 13 C AD where teh silk road merchants stayed with their camels)
* Konya Mevalana Museum ( The Ruling Monastery of The Mevlevi religous Order which is Museum today ).
* Anthioc of Pisida : This is the city where Saint Paul and Saint Barnabas came in first missionary journey and preached at the synagog and where he stayed 2 years in his second missionary trip. We will see ruins of the city including saint paul church, the theather, the bath, the aquaduct and depart to Egirdir ,a little city located on shores of famous and beautiful Egirdir lake. Arrival and check in hotel
Meal : Breakfast Lunch and dinner
Hotel : Altingol hotel or similar
Day 6 : Egirdir- Collosae- Laodicea- Pamukkale ( 210 KM )
Today after breakfast we will drive to collosae. Colosae is the city of Epaphras who was at the prison with Saint Paul. Saint Paul wrote a letter to the city . The city has not been excavated yet but its place was identified .
From Colossae we drive to Laodicea . Laodicea is one of the seven churches refered by saint John. He wrote to laodica people ' I know you are neither warm nor cold , you are lukwarm. I will spit you from my mouth' We will see the ruins of Laodicea city which is still being excavated. We see The Syrian GAte , MAin Street, Agora , Roman BAth , The small theather , big theather, North church , the house-church and Laodicea Church which was built in 4 C AD.
We will see Pamukkale white travertines and Hireapolis Antique city’s ruins including Saint Philip tomb and church. Saint Philip was martyred here and recently Saint philip tomb was found here.
Meal : Breakfast Lunch and dinner
Hotel :Pam Hotel or simialr 5 stars Spa Hotel
Day 7 : Pamukkale-Ephesus-Izmir ( 270 km )
Today we will drive through Meandros Valley to Ionia Region, west of Turkey.
Upon arrival we visit Virgin Mary House. Virgin Mary and Saint John escaped from Jaruselam and they came to Ephesus according to a tradition. It is belived that Virgin Mary stayed at this house in her last days.
• Ephesus Ancient City The biggest Roman City of Anatolia. And also one of the seven churches refered by Saint John. Saint Paul visited the city 2 times. Two Church Councils were held in Ephesus in the 5 C Ad. we will see The streests of Ephesus , the ruins and Virgin Mary church.
• Artemis Temple which was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The temple was the biggest temple in the world and pilgrimage place for teh pagans.
• Saint John Basilica and tomb. Saint John lived in a Ephesus later he was exciled to Patmas Island and finally he came back to Ephesus and died here. A small church was built to house his tomb in 4 the C AD. Justinan re-built a very big church in teh same site in 6 th C AD:
we drive to IZmir ( Symrna ) and check in hotel
Meal : Breakfast Lunch and dinner
Hotel : Karaca Hotel or similar 4 stars hotel
Day 8 : Symrna-Sardes- Philedelphia- Thyatira- Pergamum ( 250 km )
Our Turkey Biblical Tour will continue by visiting Asia Minor churches today.
We will start from Symrna .
Symrna is home town of Polycarp, student of Saint john who was martyred by the Romans in Mount Pegas. We will see Kadife castle the place where the saint was martyred, the Agora of the Ancient city , Saint Poly Carp which is still active church where the christians of Symrna pray today.
Drive to Sardes.
*Sardes was Capital City of the lydian kingdom where the first coin was minted. Saint John says in his letter to church of Sardes' wake up otherwise I will come like a thief to your city and wake you up'
We see the Gymnasium , The Synagog, Palaestra , The Temple of Artemis , gold refinery in Sardes.
We drive further to east and visit Philedelphia another church of the seven churches and visit saint John Church from 6 AD .
Before we arrive to Bergama we stop at the ancient site of Thyatira another Asia Minor church adressed by Saint John as below :
“The Son of God, the One whose eyes are like a fiery flame and whose feet are like fine bronze, says: I know your works—your love, faithfulness,Service, and endurance. Your last works are greater than the first.But I have this against you: You tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and deceives My slaves to commit sexual immorality and to eat meat sacrificed to idols.'
We see Saint John Church which was built in 6 AD.
we see the ruins of the Bishop place in Thyatira.
in the end of the day we drive to Pergamum and check in hotel
Meal : Breakfast Lunch and dinner
Overnight stay in Pergamum
Day 9 : Pergamum- Asos- Alexandria of Troas - Troy- Canakkale ( 348 km )
Today we start with Pergamum Acropolis . Saint John defines it as the place of throne of the satan because Zeus Altar was here. We will visit Acropolis including zeus altar, theather, Trajan Temple and other ruins. Later we decend to Asclepion and see the healing center of Pergamum and the other ruins. Later we will see The Red Church which was a pagan temple and converted to church by christians and We drive to Alexandria of Troas . The city has not been excavated yet. But this the place where saint Paul saw the vision to go to Mecedonia.
*Troy Ancient city -The legendary city of Priam where Achilles and Hector had duel .Troy was inhabited from 3000 BC till 4 th C AD. the city was destroyed 9 times and re-established again and again... .
After we visit Troy antique city we drive along Dardanel Strait and view Gelipoli Peninsula where the Anzacs fought the Turks in first world war from our vehicle.
Arrival to Canakkale and check in hotel
Meal : Breakfast Lunch and dinner
Hotel : Canakkale Akol Hotel or similar 4 stars hotel
Day 10 : Canakkale- Nicea- Istanbul ( 480 km )
We drive to IStanbul via Nicea .
Nicea is located beside Iznik Lake where the first and second ecumenical councils were held . Here we see the ruins of the old city , the city walls , Hagia Sophia Church and drive to Istanbul
We cross Bosphours Bridge which is connecting Asia with Europe .
Arrival and check in Hotel
Meal : Breakfast Lunch and dinner
Hotel : Grand Yavuz Hotel or similar 4 stars hotel
Day 11: Fullday Istanbul tour
Today we visit Istanbul the city which is connecting the east and west.
The city which served as a capital city for 3 major Empires in the pas Roman Empire , Byzantine Empire , Ottoman Empire. Therefore it was embellished with many monumental buildings , churches ,synagogues, palaces etc..
We see :
*Hipodrome The horse cart's race place during Roman Era, its Obelisk, Orme Pillar,
entwined snake pillar are still visible today.*The Blue Mosque 17 C AD Mosque , masterpiece of Turkish Islam Architecture. listed by Unesco in the world heritage list.
• Hagia Sophia built in 6 th C as a church by financial support of Justinian and Theodora and converted into Mosque by the Turks in 15 C AD
It served as a museum to its admirers for a while and converted to mosque recently. . listed by Unesco in the world heritage list.
• Topkapi Palace The residential of Ottoman Sultans which is housing a lot of Sultan's Customes,Thrones, treausures, holy relics, porcelains and tiles with a great view of the Bosphorus. ( listed by Unesco in the world heritage list.)
*Chora was built as a church in Byzantine Era and converted to Mosque. Today it is a musuem which is famous for its beautiful mosaics and frescoes.
*The Grand Bazaar The biggest Covered Bazaar in the world which has about 4000 shops
Meal : Breakfast Lunch and dinner
Hotel : Grand Yavuz Hotel or similar 4 stars hotel
Day 12 : Istanbul City tour
It is the time to say goodbye to Turkey today.
We finally visit The Egyptian BAzaar( Spice MArket ) and embark on a ferry and sail in the famous Bosphorus which seprate Asia from Europe. We sail along the Eurpean and Asian coasts and see the magnificent ancient palaces, towers, mosques minaretes, old and new villas on water front ..
We sail 1 hour and 30 minutes disembark and depart to airport afternoon depends on your international flight ticket's time.
Meal : Breakfast and lunch
Inclusions
* Hotel accomodation as written above
* Meals as written in itinerary
* All transfers from to airport
* Hotel tip
* A Private van ( from 1 to 2 SUV, 3-4 Mercdes Vito with 8 reclying seats from 5 till 10 Mercdes Sprinter with 14 reclying seats from 11 people till 17 people midibus with 27 seater, from 18 people + big bus with 45 seats )
* A certifed English guide
*Cable car fee in pergamum
Exclusions
* Drinks
* Hot air balloon tour in cappadocia ( We book it with extra fee )
* Driver and guide tip ( Not compulsory but customery)
* Personal Expenses
* Visa Fee upon arrival to Turkey
* Domestic flight ticket ( We can arrange with extra fee )
***Please ask for the best price of the season!
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