BIBLICAL PILGRIMAGE: ISTANBUL, CAPPADOCIA AND THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF THE APOCALYPSE WITH 3 DOMESTIC FLIGHTS

DAY 1 ARRIVAL IN ISTANBUL Night: Istanbul +

BREAKFAST Not included

LUNCH Not included

DINNER Not included

• Welcome to Turkey, a land where history, faith and culture have been intertwined for thousands of years.
• Upon arrival at Istanbul International Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW), our English-speaking representative will welcome you with a personalized sign and accompany you on a private transfer to your hotel.Istanbul, ancient Constantinople, is the gateway to one of the most fascinating biblical pilgrimages in the world. Although today it is a modern metropolis, for centuries it was the heart of Eastern Christianity and the seat of the Byzantine Empire.
• From here we will begin an extraordinary journey through the places where Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint John and the first disciples of Christ preached.
• The rest of the day is free to rest and prepare for this unforgettable Biblical Route through Turkey.
• Overnight in Istanbul.

DAY 2 ISTANBUL / HISTORIC CENTER Night: Istanbul +

BREAKFAST Breakfast included at the hotel

LUNCH Not included

DINNER Dinner included at the hotel

• After breakfast we will begin our tour of Istanbul, ancient Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire for more than a thousand years and one of the main centers of world Christianity. From here much of the Eastern Christian world was governed, and important ecumenical councils were held that defined Church doctrine.
• We will visit Hagia Sophia, built by Emperor Justinian in 537 AD. For nearly a millennium it was the largest cathedral in Christendom and a symbol of the Orthodox Church. Inside we will reflect on the splendor of the Byzantine Empire and Constantinople’s role as a bridge between East and West.
• We will continue to the Blue Mosque and the Roman Hippodrome, where much of the political and religious life of the Byzantine Empire unfolded.
• We will conclude the tour at the Grand Bazaar, recalling how Istanbul was for centuries an important meeting point for pilgrims, merchants and cultures from Europe, Asia and the Holy Land.

DAY 3 FLIGHT TO CAPPADOCIA, THE GREAT REFUGE OF THE FIRST CHRISTIANS Night: Cappadocia +

BREAKFAST Breakfast included at the hotel

LUNCH Not included

DINNER Dinner included at the hotel

• After breakfast, transfer to the airport to take the flight to Cappadocia, one of the most important Christian regions in the world.
• During the 3rd and 4th centuries, thousands of Christians found refuge among these volcanic valleys to escape Roman persecution. Here monasteries, rock-carved churches and some of the earliest monastic communities in history flourished.
• We will begin our visit by exploring Devrent Valley, known for its surprising volcanic formations, and Pasabag Valley, famous for its spectacular fairy chimneys.
• We will conclude the tour contemplating one of the most extraordinary landscapes in Anatolia.
• Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.

DAY 4 CAPPADOCIA, LAND OF THE FIRST CHRISTIANS Night: Cappadocia +

BREAKFAST Breakfast included at the hotel

LUNCH Not included

DINNER Dinner included at the hotel

• Optionally, before dawn, you may take an unforgettable hot air balloon flight over the landscapes of Cappadocia.
• After breakfast we will begin our full-day tour of Cappadocia, one of the most extraordinary regions in Turkey and one of the most important places in the history of early Christianity. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cappadocia amazes with its volcanic landscapes, underground cities and rock-carved churches.Although it is famous for its spectacular Fairy Chimneys, Cappadocia also holds immense spiritual value.
• During the first centuries of Christianity, thousands of believers found refuge in this region to escape Roman persecution. Here numerous monastic communities flourished and great figures of the Church emerged, such as Saint Basil the Great, Saint Gregory of Nyssa and Saint Gregory Nazianzus, known as the Cappadocian Fathers, who were fundamental in formulating Christian doctrine and the Nicene Creed.
• Our first visit will be the Göreme Open-Air Museum, one of the most important monastic complexes in the Christian world. Its rock-carved churches, chapels and monasteries preserve impressive Byzantine frescoes from the 10th to 13th centuries depicting scenes from the life of Christ, the Virgin Mary and numerous saints.
• We will continue to Pasabag Valley, famous for its unique volcanic formations known as Fairy Chimneys, where the first hermits built small chapels and shelters to devote themselves to prayer and contemplative life.
• We will then visit Avanos, a town on the banks of the Kızılırmak River, known since the Hittite era for its pottery tradition. Here we will discover craftsmanship techniques passed down from generation to generation for more than four thousand years.
• We will conclude the tour at the impressive Uçhisar Castle, the highest point in Cappadocia, from where we will enjoy a panoramic view of the valleys and the ancient Christian settlements that shaped the religious history of Anatolia.

DAY 5 FLIGHT TO SMYRNA Night: Pamukkale +

BREAKFAST Breakfast included at the hotel

LUNCH Not included

DINNER Dinner included at the hotel

DAY 6 SMYRNA – PERGAMON – THYATIRA – SMYRNA Night: Smyrna +

BREAKFAST Breakfast included at the hotel

LUNCH Not included

DINNER Dinner included at the hotel

• Arrival at Smyrna Airport, where our English-speaking representative will welcome you and accompany you to the hotel. Thus begins an unforgettable biblical pilgrimage through Turkey, visiting the places where some of the earliest Christian communities were born. Ancient Smyrna was one of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse mentioned by the Apostle Saint John. In Revelation 2:8-11, Jesus Christ addresses this community with a message of hope and strength, encouraging its faithful to remain firm amid persecution and promising them the Crown of Life. Smyrna was also the city of Bishop Saint Polycarp, a direct disciple of the Apostle Saint John and one of the most venerated martyrs of the early Church. We will begin our Route of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse by visiting the historic Agora of Smyrna, where we will recall the testimony of a Christian community that remained faithful even during the persecutions of the Roman Empire. We will continue to Pergamon, one of the most important religious, political and cultural centers of the ancient world. In Revelation 2:12-17, Christ encourages the believers of Pergamon to stand firm in a city where imperial worship and pagan religions predominated. Here we will see the impressive Acropolis, the Hellenistic Theatre, the Temple of Trajan, the Asclepion and the site where the famous Altar of Zeus once stood, associated by many scholars with the biblical expression «the throne of Satan». We will also remember the martyrdom of Saint Antipas, considered the first Christian martyr of Asia Minor. In the afternoon we will continue to Thyatira (Akhisar), a city known for its guilds of artisans and merchants. In Revelation 2:18-29, Christ praises the love, faith and service of this community, urging it to remain faithful to true doctrine. Thyatira is also closely linked to Saint Paul, as Lydia, the purple cloth merchant converted by the Apostle during his second missionary journey and considered the first Christian in Europe, was originally from here. After the visits, return to Smyrna.

DAY 5 SMYRNA – SARDIS – PHILADELPHIA – LAODICEA – PAMUKKALE Night: Pamukkale +

BREAKFAST Breakfast included at the hotel

LUNCH Not included

DINNER Dinner included at the hotel

DAY 8 EPHESUS – HOUSE OF THE VIRGIN MARY – BASILICA OF ST. JOHN – FLIGHT TO ISTANBUL Night: Istanbul +

BREAKFAST Breakfast included at the hotel

LUNCH Not included

DINNER Dinner included at the hotel

DAY 9 DEPARTURE FROM ISTANBUL Night: End of services +

BREAKFAST Breakfast included at the hotel

LUNCH Not included

DINNER Not included

• Breakfast. At the scheduled time, transfer to Istanbul International Airport to board the return flight.End of our services.