Turkey Biblical Tours - EGTTour
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TURKISH BIBLICAL TOUR PACKAGES Starting from USD 219 PP/DBL
SEVEN CHURCHES OF THE REVELATION (8 DAYS) Starting from USD 219 PP/DBL
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN ISTANBUL
Arrival in Istanbul, where you will be welcomed by your local guide and transferred to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 2: ISTANBUL CITY TOUR
After breakfast you will depart for a full day city tour, starting in the Hippodrome, the former Roman horse and chariot racing stadium. You will proceed to Hagia Sophia, a church from the 6th century, the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, and then to the Süleymaniye Mosque, the second largest mosque in the city. From here you will continue by bus along the Golden Horn, a historic inlet of the Bosporus, to the Egyptian Bazaar, also known as Spice Bazaar, where you can enjoy an authentic atmosphere of an Oriental market. Finally you will visit the Topkapi Palace, the official and primary residence in the city of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years, a major tourist attraction today.
Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 3: IZNIK BURSA
Today you will leave Istanbul and will be heading to Iznik, the ancient Nicaea, which is primarily known as the site of the First (325 AD) and Second (787 AD) Councils of Nicaea, the First and Seventh Ecumenical Councils. Then you will drive to Bursa, the former capital of the Ottoman Empire, where you will take a small city tour, including the Green Mosque and Tomb, the Madrasah, Archaeology Museum, and the Silk Bazaar. Dinner and overnight in Bursa or its neighbourhood.
DAY 4: AKHISAR IZMIR
You will continue via Balikesir to Akhisar, the ancient city of Thyatira (Rev. 2:1829).
Ancient Akhisar is almost entirely covered by the buildings and streets of modern town. Then you will continue to Izmir, the ancient Smyrna (Rev. 2:811), also a birthplace of St. Polycarp. Again a small city tour is ahead of you, first part comprising e.g. the agora, or one of its numerous old mosques. Dinner and overnight in Izmir or its neighbourhood.
DAY 5: SARDIS ALASEHIR LAODICEA HIERAPOLIS/ PAMUKKALE
After a second part of the Izmir city tour, you will set for Sardis (Rev. 3:16), once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia. You will see the Gymnasium, the Synagogue and the Temple of Artemis. Another addressed city was Philadelphia (Rev. 3:713), all there is to see at ancient Philadelphiaare columns of a Byzantine church, on which some frescoes are visible. Laodicea (Rev. 3:14, 22) was the ancient metropolis of Phrygia Pacatiana. Your last stop will be Hierapolis, an ancient Greek city on top of hot springs. The hot springs there have been used as a spa since the 2nd cent. BC. Hierapolis is located adjacent to Pamukkale.
Pamukkale means "cotton castle" in Turkish, it contains hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water.
Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.
DAY 6: APHRODISIAS SELCUK KUSADASI
After breakfast you will follow the road to the west. You will first stop at Aphrodisias, the City of Aphrodite, one of the Aegean region's most interesting archaeological sites.
Via Selcuk (Basilica of St. John the Apostle, Isa Bey Mosque, House of the Virgin Mary) you will reach Kusadasi for dinner and overnight.
DAY 7: EPHESUS PRIENE MILETUS
Since morning you will be browsing the streets of Ephesus (Rev. 2:17), a fabulous ancient city, one of the largest cities of the ancient time, which had a population of more than 250,000 in the 1st century BC.
These are some of the monuments, you can see in Ephesus: the Odeon, the marble street, the Curetes Way, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, or the Theatre.
The Third Ecumenical Council was held in Ephesus (431 AD). In the afternoon you will take a trip to Priene and Miletus. Priene was an ancient Greek city, which possessed a great deal of famous Hellenistic art and architecture. There is a Great Harbour Monument in Miletus where, according to the New Testament account, the apostle Paul stopped there on the way back to Jerusalem by boat. He met the Ephesian Elders and then headed out to the beach to bid them farewell, recorded in the book of Acts 20:1738.
Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
DAY 8: DEPARTURE FROM IZMIR
Transfer to the Izmir airport for departure to your homeland.
Services included:
•7 X HB Accomodations in 4 Star Hotels
• Modern Bus with AC
• Experienced guide in desired language
• All Transfers and Taxes
Entrance fees are not included and will be paid at the place of entrance
Price: Starting from USD 219 PP/DBL
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ST.PAUL AND THE FIRST CHRISTIANS Starting from USD 219 PP/DBL
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN ANTALYA
Arrival in Antalya, where you will be welcomed by your local guide and transferred to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in Antalya.
DAY 2: ANTALYA ANAMUR SILIFKE
You will follow one of the most beautiful mountain roads from Antalya to Tasucu (Silifke). On the way you will stop at Anamur, Turkey's southernmost point, where you will visit Mamure, an old, wellpreserved Crusader castle. Originally built by the Romans in the 3rd or 4th century AD, it was enlarged by the Byzantine Empire and the Crusaders. Then you will go on to the neighbourhood of Silifke, formerly called Seleucia, for dinner and overnight.
DAY 3: TARSUS ISKENDERUM ANTAKYA
In the morning you will continue to Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Pauls. You will visit his house with a well, the water there is believed to be sacred with healing properties.
Further you will drive to Iskenderun, which is believed to be the ancient city of Issus, where Alexander the Great led a famous battle against Persians in 333 BC. You will finish your day in Antakya, the ancient Antioch. Antioch has historical significance for Christianity, being the place where the followers of Jesus Christ were called Christians for the very first time. It became the starting point for Paul’s journeys.
Halfday tour is ahead of you with several highlights incl. Samandag with ruins of the former port town of Seleucia.
Dinner and overnight in Antakya or its neighbourhood.
DAY 4: POZANTI ESKIGÜMÜS CAPPADOCIA
Today you will follow the first Christians to Cappadocia via Adana, Pozanti and the Cilician Gates, form the main pass through the Taurus of southern Turkey. After having visited the Eskigümüs Cave Monastery on the way, you will reach the magical landscape of Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
DAY 5: CAPPADOCIA
Don’t miss the one of life's great thrills, Cappadocia hotair balloon flight (facultative). The spectacular surrealistic landscapes combined with excellent flying conditions allow the balloons to gently drift over and between fairy chimneys, pigeon houses hewn into the unique rock formations, orchards and vineyards, and then float up for breathtaking views over the region.
After the breakfast you will visit the largest excavated underground city in Turkey,multilevel Derinkuyu Underground City with 8 accessible floors extending to a depth of approximately 85 m. The city provided a refuge for early Christians. Then you can admire churches in the Göreme Valley, which were dug into the rocks and were richly decorated with colourful frescoes.
In the afternoon you will visit a longestablished carpet school, and will be acquainted with history, dying, techniques etc.
Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
DAY 6: KONYA ANTALYA
From Cappadocia you will return to Antalya via Konya, the city of Whirling Dervishes, members of the Mawlawi Order. The Mawlawi believe in performing their dhikr (remembrance of God) in the form of a dance and music ceremony. It represents a mystical journey of man's spiritual ascent through mind and love to "Perfect". The most important place to visit in Konya is the Mevlana's Mausoleum. Later in the evening you will reach Antalya, where you will spend your last 2 nights. Dinner and overnight in Antalya.
DAY 7: ASPENDOS PERGE ANTALYA
Today you will enjoy a trip in theneighbourhood of Antalya: Aspendos, Perge and Antalya City Tour. Aspendos was an ancient GrecoRoman city in Pamphylia. In the 5th century BC, Aspendos had become the most important city in Pamphylia. At that time the Eurymedon River was navigable as far as Aspendos, and the city derived great wealth from a trade in salt, oil, and wool. Aspendos is known for having the best preserved theatre of antiquity. Perge, another Greek city in the region, is today a large site of ancient ruins. Paul visited Perge twice during his first journey. In Antalya you will take a bus panoramic city tour including the Karpuzkaldiran Waterfall, then you will visit the traditional market area and you will stroll through Kaleici, the restored historical city centre which retains much of its historical character.
Dinner and overnight in Antalya.
DAY 8: DEPARTURE
Transfer to the airport for departure toyour homeland.
Services included:
•7 X HB Accomodations in 4 Star Hotels
• Modern Bus with AC
• Experienced guide in desired language
• All Transfers and Taxes
Entrance fees are not included and will be paid at the place of entrance
Price: Starting from USD 219 PP/DBL
TURKEY RAPID & 7 CHURCHES Starting from USD 219 PP/DBL
1st Day: Arrival in Istanbul,drive to Bergama visit of the ruins of Pergamon ,dinner and accommodation at the environment.
2nd Day: Drive to d Asklepion after the visit of the ruins of the former therapy center proceed to Akhisar and visit Thyatira.After the lunch break visit of philedelphia and the temple of Artemis at the antic city Sardes, drive to Kusadasi dinner and accommodation
3rd Day: Visit of a leather factory with a fashion show.Proceed to Ephesus visit of the ruins and also house of virgin mary.Drive to Pamukkale visit the cotton castle and Laodecia(the last of 7 churches) ,dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.
4th Day: Drive to Cappadocia, on the way visit of the mevlana museum in Konya,proceed to Cappadocia,visit of the underground city,dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
5th Day: Visit of the carpet manufactory,after this visit of the open-air museum goreme,photo-stops at pigeon valley and uchisar castle,visit of the ceramic atelier,dinner and overnight in Cappadocia
6th Day: Drive to Ankara,visit of sultanhan on the way and the mausoleum of Ataturk in Ankara.Dinner and overnight around Bolu,
7th Day: Drive to Istanbul,Bosphorus cruise and visit of grand bazaar,Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.
8th Day: Visit of the Topkapi Palace,St Sophia,Hippodrome and Blue Mosque,Transfer to airport.
Services included:
• 7 X HB Accomodations in 4 Star Hotels
• Modern Bus with AC
• English speaking guide
• All Transfers and Taxes
• Entrance fees
Price: Starting from USD 219 PP/DBL