Tour Code : EN-008

Turkey and Greece Biblical Tour - 13 Days - 12 Nights

Arrival at Istanbul Airport. Our assistant will be waiting for you at the exit point. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. You’ll have the rest of the day free. Take your time to rest or discover Istanbul in your free time. Overnight stay in Istanbul.

After breakfast, you will meet your tour guide and start your Istanbul tour at 08.45 am.  First, we visit the Topkapı Palace which was home to many Ottoman sultans (15th-19th century AD). Here, you will see the legacy of the Ottoman sultans which includes the Imperial Treasury, gold objects, the famous Spoonmaker’s Diamond, swords, vases, clothes of the sultans, and war tools decorated with precious stones and diamonds. (Harem and treasure section are optional due to extra entry fee). 
Afterward, we will visit the Hagia Sofia (Saint Sophia) which was built by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century A.D. as a church and was later converted into a mosque. You will see beautiful mosaics and frescos depicting Christian icons and the Byzantine Emperors. 
Later, we take a lunch break in a local restaurant.  After lunch, we will visit the legendary Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultanahmet Mosque, featuring six beautiful minarets. Built in the 17th century by the Architect Sedefkar Mehmet Efendi it takes its name from more than 20,000 blue Iznik tiles used for its interior decoration. Then, We will stroll the historical Hippodrome Square, which was used as a meeting place and for chariot races during the Byzantine period. Here, we will see the Serpent Column brought from Delphi, the Egyptian Obelisk, and the German Fountain of Wilhelm ll. 
Next, we will visit the Grand Bazaar, which has more than 4000 shops full of hidden treasures and authentic items.
Finally, we will visit the Kariye Museum (Chora Museum) to admire its 14th-century mosaics and frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible.
End of the tour. Return to hotel. Overnight stay in Istanbul.  ( Breakfast - Lunch ) 

After breakfast, we will depart early for Akhisar (approx. 390 km - 5 hrs). Upon arrival, we will have lunch in a local restaurant.
Thyatira - the fourth of the seven Churches of Revelation, at Akhisar town.
We will visit the Church of Thyatira, now called Akhisar, one of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:18 - 24; Acts 16:14]. Paul's sermons in the Philippi city of Macedonia mention Akhisar (Thyatira) and the church here. He describes Thyatira as the hometown of a wealthy purple dye merchant named Lydia, who worshiped God. (Acts 16:14)  Afterward, we will continue on our way to Izmir (approx. 100 km – 1 hrs 30 mins ). The third biggest city in Turkey, Izmir is a very modern city. Here, we will visit the ruins of the Church of Smyrna, one of the Seven Churches that the Apostle John relays the promise from God: “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev 2:10). The Christian community of Smyrna, mentioned in the Apostle John's Book of Revelation, Smyrna Church was one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor.
Smyrna is the second city of the Seven Churches of the Book of Revelation to receive the message from St. John (Rev. 1:11;2:8). We will observe the remains of a basilica and architectural works from the Roman period.
Afterward, we will visit the oldest church of Izmir, the Saint Polycarp Church, which was the bishop of Smyrna and a student of St. John, who was martyred here in the 2nd century.
Overnight stay in Kuşadası or Izmir  ( Breakfast - Dinner )

After breakfast, we will visit the famous ancient city of Ephesus. We will tour the spectacular ruins where excavations continue in this once great and important city, which was founded in the 10th century BC. We will walk through marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, including the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Grand Theatre with a capacity of 25,000. Church of Ephesus is the most important of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor. It is thought that the Gospel of John was written here. (Acts 18: 19-24; 19: 1-35) Moreover, Apostle Paul preached to the Ephesians and lived here for three years. Church of Ephesus also received an epistle from Saint Paul.
Afterward, we’ll be visiting the House of the Virgin Mary, a small modest stone house located in the forest on the side of a mountain 9 km from Ephesus where she spent her final years. 
We will have lunch at a selected local restaurant. Afterward, we will visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the Basilica of St. John, built on the tomb of the Saint John the Evangelist who is considered to be the writer of the Book of Revelation and the author of the Gospel of John. The Church of St. John was built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian and his wife Teodora on John's tomb in 565 B.C.  Visit the beautiful Sirince Village which is delicious wine and 200 years old houses.  
End of the tour, return to our hotel. Overnight stay in Kuşadası. ( Breakfast - Dinner )

We depart for Pamukkale early in the morning after breakfast (210 km - 3,5 hrs). Upon arrival, we will visit Hierapolis. Here, we will visit the Martyrium of the Apostle Philip where he was martyred during the persecutions ordered by Domitian. We will also see the Gate of Domitian, the Arcadian Street, the ancient 2nd century Roman Theater, the Nymphaion, the Temple of Apollo, the Plutonium, and the Necropolis.
We will pass through the Roman Gate, admire the ancient Pamukkale Theater, walk around the grave monuments built to honor heroes. Each tomb is a small work of art telling a different story. We will finish our tour here with a relaxing walk on the travertine terraces. 
Afterward, we will have lunch at a local restaurant.
Next, we will head to ancient Laodicea, another of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor [Rev. 1:11; 3:14; Col. 2:1; 4:13 - 16]. Here, we will see the ancient theatre, the remains of a basilica, and ancient stone water pipes. Laodicea thrived as a major center of worship for the pagan goddess Aphrodite for about 500 years after Christ. 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..." 
End of the tour. Overnight stay in a thermal hotel in Pamukkale  ( Breakfast - Dinner )

After breakfast in our hotel, we will continue our journey to Philadelphia, nowadays called Alaşehir, another church of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:7], and the only church that wasn’t censored. There, we see the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of brick, with a bit of high arch and some 11th-century frescoes.  And we continue to Salihli city (Sardis). This was the capital of the ancient Lydian kingdom of the 6th century BC, portrayed as a dying church. We will visit the great Temple of Artemis and the Temple of Cybele, which was turned into a Byzantine Church. We will also visit the restored Sardis Gymnasium and reconstructed Synagogue. The church at Sardis had a few devoted members, but it was essentially a dead church (Revelation 3: 1,4). 
Arrival and overnight stay in Izmir  ( Breakfast - Dinner )

Our tour starts with a drive to Pergamon (approx. 90 km). We’ll visit Acropolis and the ruins of Pergamum that cascade down from the ancient city center. Here, Here, we will explore the Temple of Trajan, the Temple of Athena, and the Altar of Zeus. The Great Theatre of Pergamon is among the steepest of its kind and an acoustic phenomenon, it could entertain up to 10,000 spectators, nearby are the remains of the famous Library of Pergamon. Although the city benefited from immense wealth, in the Book of Revelations, the risen Christ instructs John to convey the message that the people of Pergamon, the site of “Satan’s Throne”, needed to repent (Rev 2:13-16). Temples in Acrapol were the worship centers of Dionysus, Zeus, and other pagan gods, and the first Christians were executed here by the Romans. For this reason, it is defined as "The Seat of Satan" (Revelation 2: 12-16). 
We have lunch in a local restaurant and continue on our way to Çanakkale. 
We will stop at Assos. one of the important settlements of Antiquity that was founded in the Bronze Age (3000-1200 BC) on the slopes of a volcano, in the Edremit Bay, and across the Lesbos Island. Situated on a hill, the Athena Temple offers a magnificent view with its mystical atmosphere. On the last leg of his third missionary journey, Saint Paul walked from Alexandria Troas to Assos (Acts 20:5-6, 13-14), where he met his companions, who had gone ahead of him by sea. 
Afterward, we continue our visits to another ancient city, Alexandria Troas located in the city of Çanakkale. It was founded in the late 4th century by Antigonos under the name Antigone. The people of the cities of Gargara, Hamaksitos, Neandria, Kolonai, Larisa, Kebren, and Skepsis were settled here. Herodes Atticus Bath, which is known as Maldelik, is remarkable with its size. There is also a large gymnasium complex to the west of the bath.
Alexandria Troas was mentioned several times in the Bible. It is an important site for the history of Christianity, as Saint Paul spent some time in Troas during his second missionary journey during which he went to Macedonia (Acts 16.9). Also, Saint Luke joined Paul in Troas and accompanied him in the rest of his mission. On his third missionary journey, Saint Paul had a long preach at Alexandria Troas (Acts 20:6 - 10). There are other biblical references to Troas in 2 Cor 2:12 and 2 Tim 4:13. Alexandria Troas remains a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church. 
Arrival and accommodation in Çanakkale.  ( Breakfast - Dinner )

After breakfast, we will visit ancient Troia also known as Troy. We will visit the real-life location of the legendary Trojan War described in Homer's Iliad. This was where the “Trojan Horse” was used to conquer the city and the beautiful “Helen of Troy” lived. 
Afterward, we will cross the Dardanelles and continue on our way to the Greece border (approx. 345 km) to cross the Ipsala Customs Station and arrive at Kipou on the Greek side. 
At the end of our journey, we will arrive at Kavala, known as the ancient city of Neapolis (Acts 16:11). Paul came to Kavala with his disciples Silas and Timothy. Also, Luke, the Evangelist came to Kavala from Troas.  Since Kavala was the first European city to adopt Christianity, it took the name Hristoupolis. We will see the Roman Aqueduct and the ruins of the Acropolis here.
Dinner and overnight stay in Kavala. ( Breakfast - Dinner )

After breakfast at our hotel, we will visit Philippi, where Saint Paul gave his first sermon in Greece and sowed the seeds of Christianity. He says in the revelation, “We stayed in this city for some days…”(Acts 16: 12-18). He arrived in Philippi with Luke, Timothy, and Silas in 49 AD or 50 AD, and performed the first Christian baptism hereof with a woman named Lydia. 
They were arrested by the Romans and escaped from prison with God's help. (Acts 16:23 -26) We will see the Roman Theater, where Paul and Silas were imprisoned. Then we will head towards Thessaloniki, also known as Thessalonica. Here, we will see the Arch of Galerius and Rotunda, decorated with early Christian mosaics. It was initially built as a mausoleum by the Romans and was converted into a church and later, into a mosque. 
End of the day. Dinner and overnight stay in Thessaloniki. ( Breakfast - Dinner )

Breakfast and city tour in Thessaloniki, where Paul preached the gospel on his second and third missionary journeys. He wrote letters known as "The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians" for the first Christians of this city. Here, we will see the White Tower, the symbol of Thessaloniki, the Church of Saint Demetrius, St. Sofia Church, and the Byzantine castle. 
Afterward, we will have lunch at a local restaurant and head for Vergina, the legendary burial place of Macedonian Kings. The tomb of King Philip II, and the father of Alexander the Great, who had a great contribution to the development of Hellenism on the Greek lands, is located here. 
Our next place to visit is Veria (Berea), visited by Paul (Acts 17.10-14). On his visit to Veria town in AD 50, St. Paul encountered a more "noble" Jewish community. Here, he also met his friend Sopatros on his return trip to Asia from his missionary trip, with whom he traveled together for a long time. 
During our trip, we will visit the ancient synagogue where Saint Paul preached. 
Finally, we will head for Kalambaka. Dinner and overnight stay in Kalambaka. ( Breakfast - Dinner )

After breakfast in Kalambaka, we will visit the Unesco World Heritage Site Meteora in beautiful mountainous geography. In the 14th century, many Monasteries were built on high, steep, And gigantic rocks in Meteora by monks who sought an isolated place away from oppression and occupation. Here, we will visit some of the famous monasteries from the Middle Ages. We will admire the old manuscripts, icons, colorful original frescoes, and unique mosaics in these churches built on rocks, and get information from the priests in charge. Access to these Meteora monasteries, most of which did not have stairs, was provided by a manual system made with a rope and pulley system. 
At the end of our Meteora tour, we will have lunch in a local restaurant and continue on our way to Delphi. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, ancient Delphi is one of Greece's major archaeological sites. We visit the Temple of Apollo, famous for its treasury of the Athenians, the Stoa of Athens, the Argive Kings monument, the Polygonal Wall, the Platea monument, And its Prophecy. At the end of the Delphi tour, we continue to Athens. (approx. 350 km).
Dinner and overnight stay in Athens.   ( Breakfast - Dinner)

We start the day with breakfast at our hotel in Athens and leave for Corinth (approx. 90 km). Here, we will visit ancient Corinthia, known from the two letters of Saint Paul in the New Testament. During his missionary journeys, he founded a church here. We will see the places where Saint Paul preached (Acts 18.1-18) e.g. the Temple of Apollo, Agora, Roman Odeon, Stairs, and public worship places where Paul preached. Paul taught Christianity to the Corinthians in the sermons he gave on his first and second missionary trips here.
Afterward, we will see the Greek port of Cenchrea (Acts 18:18), which Paul used on his second missionary journey, and the ruins of a 5th-century basilica.
We will have lunch and continue with a sightseeing tour to the Golden Age of Pericles. We will see the Acropolis, the Parthenon, Mar’s Hill, Hadrian’s Arch, the modern Olympic Stadium, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and the Royal Palace. We’ll also visit the Agora located nearby the Acropolis.     Dinner and overnight stay in Athens. ( Breakfast - Dinner )

After breakfast, transfer to the Athens Airport for your onward flight to your country. Our tour concludes here and we hope to see you on another tour. ( Breakfast )

Customized Tours
We can create a tour program upon your request and offer an itinerary that suits your personal, educational, cultural, and budgetary requirements. Please contact us with your requests.

People Per person in
Double
Single Room Extra Bed Children Fee
People Per person in
Double
Single Room Extra Bed Children Fee
Price includes

Transfer - Istanbul Airport –  Istanbul Hotel

Transfer - Athens Hotel – Athens Airport

12-night hotel accommodation with daily breakfast

 7 night in Turkey hotel accommodation

5 Nights  in Greece Hotel accommodation  

10 dinners

Professional, educated English speaking tour guide

Air conditioner non-smoking vehicles with experienced drivers

All parking, highway, bridge fees

All tours as per the itinerary

Entrance fees as per the itinerary

Museum and holy site entrance fees as per the itinerary

Price Excludes

Personal expenses

Visas and other payments required in Turkish and Greek customs

Beverages in lunch and dinners

Travel insurance (highly recommended)

Meals other than specified

Hotel minibar and other expenses

Optional tours

Tips for the guide and the driver 


Cancellation Policy
- For cancellations made 45 days before the tour, 100% refund. (Except per person 125 € for register, bank commission, and domestic flight ticket cost)
- For cancellations made 44 - 30 days before the tour, 50% refund. (Except for the Bank Commission)
- For cancellations made 29 - 15 days before the tour, 20 % refund.
- No refunds will be made on reservations made 14 days before the tour. %100 Penalty is applied.

Remarks
- Travel health insurance is mandatory.
- Sample hotels are confirmed on the date of booking in case of availability. Otherwise,
  similar hotels are booked.  
- In the event of bad weather, time scarcity, traffic jams, and similar situations, the Guide may make changes to the tour program. 
- The locations given in the itinerary can be changed with other places if they are closed.  
- During the tours, you will be walking approximately 2 km every day on uneven and
   cobblestone surfaces, inclines, and steps. 
- You must wear comfortable clothing, flat walking shoes, a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. in summer months and raincoats, warm clothes, winter walking shoes, umbrella, etc. in winter.  
- The order of the sites visited may change to avoid crowds.  
- You will need your passport at check-in for all domestic flights.
- Domestic flights are economy class. The luggage limit is 15 Kg. Hand luggage 8 Kg.

Closing Days of Sites in Istanbul
Sunday           - Grand Bazaar
Monday         - Dolmabahçe, and Beylerbeyi palaces, Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
Tuesday         - Topkapı Palace, Military Museum
Wednesday  -  Chora (Kariye) Museum, Yedikule, Rumeli Fortress
Thursday       - Usually all museums are open
Friday             - St. Sophia and Blue Mosques 11:30 - 14:00 not visit worship time. 
Saturday        - Zulfaris Synagogue (Jewish Museum of Istanbul).


Standard Package Turkey Hotels (7 Nights)
Istanbul  (2)        -  Yiğitalp Hotel 4* - Grand Yavuz 4*
Kuşadası (2)        -  EFE Boutique
Pamukkale (1)     - Richmond Thermal 5*
Izmir  (1)              -  Blanca Hotel 4*
Çanakkale(1)       -  MD Barbaros Hotel SC

Standard Package Greece Hotels (5 Nights)
Kavala  (1)              -  Galaxy 4*
Thessaloniki  (1)   -  Capsis Hotel 4*
Kalambaka   (1)      -  Kosta Famissi 3*
Athens   (2)             -  Boss Hotel 5* 

Gold Package Turkey Hotels (7 Nights)
Istanbul  (2)        - Crown Plaza Harbiye 5* 
Kuşadası  (2)      - Ramada Suit Kusadasi 5*
Pamukkale (1)    - Adem Pira Hotel 5*
Izmir (1)              - Movenpick Hotel 5* 
Çanakkale (1)     - Kolin 5*

Gold Package Greece Hotels (5 Nights)
Kavala (1)            - Lucy Hotel 5*
Thessaloniki (1)  -  Holiday Inn 5*
Kalambaka (1)    -  Hotel Diavani Meteora 4*
Athens  (2)          - Hotel Boss Boutique 5*

Note: Sample hotels are confirmed on the date of booking in case of availability. Otherwise, reservations are made in similar hotels.


Istanbul
Hagia Sophia
Blue Mosque
Hagia Irene Church located in the garden of Topkapi Palace and It is the first church built in Istanbul
Basilica Cistern
Grand Bazaar
Chora Church
Pamukkale
Hierapolis
Laodicea
Philadelphia
Sardis
Izmir
Smyrna
Kuşadası
Ephesus
Lydia
House of Virgin Mary
Thyatira
Pergamon
Asclepion
Pergamon Acrapol
Red Basilica
Ayvalık
Assos
Alexandria Troas
Troia
Canakkale
Dardanelles
Kipau
Kavala
Philipipi
Thessalonica
White Tower
The Tomb of King Philip II
Vergina
Veria
Kalambaka
Meteora
Delphi
Corinth
Athens

Let us know your opinions about the tour, your opinions are very valuable to us.

There are no comments for this tour yet. Be the first to comment on the form above.

No route defined for this tour

Regular Group Tours are English-guided package tours with mixed nationalities of a minimum of 20 people and a maximum of 40 people on the specified dates. Regular Group tour prices are fixed.
There is a child age restriction based on the character of the tour and generally, children under 8 years of age cannot participate.
Private Tours, on the other hand, is between 1 person and 40 people. It usually consists of small and private groups such as Families, groups of friends, or professional groups. No other travelers are allowed in Private groups. In private tours, the guide is given according to the group's request (available in Turkey) 
Guaranty Departure Tours have a definite departure regardless of the number of people on certain dates. 
The minimum and the maximum number of people and child age requirements are specified in the tour information.

The number of tour places varies according to the theme of the tour. Group tours are a minimum of 20 people - a maximum of 40 people. There is no limit on the number of private tours, usually between 1 and 18 people.

You can bring clothes and auxiliary items according to Turkey Tour regions and Tour season. During the winter seasons, you should bring thick and cold protective clothing and rain protective clothing.
Items such as clothes and umbrellas are required against rains that may occur in Spring and Autumn. In summer, have sunglasses, sunhat, comfortable walking shoes, swimming clothes, and equipment in lake and seashore tour programs.
It is appropriate for men and women to wear closed clothes in religious areas such as Churches, mosques, and synagogues. In Turkey, which is a Muslim country, mosques are not visited during prayer times.  Mosques are visited after worship.

After you write your contact information such as the name of the tour you prefer, the tour code number, the date of the tour, the number of people to attend, on the tour request form, you can send us your request by reading and approving the rules written in the (Terms and conditions) section.
Your registration is done and your official confirmation is sent to you. Then you make some payment.

Tour payments are made by money transfer systems such as bank transfer or Western Union.

Visitors can withdraw money in Turkish Lira, Euro, and US Dollars with their bank cards from ATMs in Turkey. Most ATMs offer English or other language options for foreigners' convenience.

Visitors can use their credit and debit cards for all kinds of shopping. During the tour, you can travel to smaller towns or villages far from the city center, where your credit card may not be valid, so it is recommended to always have cash, foreign currency, and Turkish Lira with you.

Two-pin sockets used in Europe are also widely used in Turkey.
If you are using a three-pin socket, it is recommended to bring a converter adapter.

If you want to use your own country's GSM operator in Turkey, you should ask your GSM operator to activate the international roaming function of your mobile phone before coming to Turkey. Or you can get a new SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card from one of the local GSM operators such as Türk Telekom, Vodafone, to use while you are in Turkey.

Foreigners in Turkey can drive in Turkey, provided that they always have their passports, international driving licenses, and their car licenses with them. It is legally forbidden to drink and drive and there are penalties. In Turkey, the vehicle is driven on the right side of the road.

Banks working hours 09:00 – 17:00 money transfer ends at 16:00.
Shopping Centers: 10:00 – 22:00
Pharmacies: 08:00 – 18:00 In each region, one on-duty pharmacy remains open between 18:00 and 08:00 at night.
There is a pharmacy on duty that remains open in every region on Sundays and public holidays. It is a legal obligation to keep the pharmacies on duty open.

For the treatments, you want to have in Turkey, travel agencies that have work and agreements with Hospitals and Doctors, who are experts in their fields, provide communication with the patient by transmitting the patient information to the relevant hospitals and Doctors. Travel Agencies, during the treatment period, provide services such as flight tickets, hotel or house reservations for accommodation, transfer services, and tour organizations for the patient and their relatives.
Hair transplant, Dental treatment, Aesthetic Plastic Surgery tour packages are among the most preferred health tourism packages in Turkey.

Compared to other European and Asian countries, Turkey has a large number of JCI (Joint Commission International) accredited hospitals and medical institutions. It has world-renowned Doctors who are experienced in their special branches and private or corporate hospitals equipped with modern medical devices. You don't have to wait in line for the highest quality medical treatment people deserve. Moreover, prices are much cheaper than world standards. You can find the best quality medical treatment at the lowest price in Turkey. You can find the best quality medical treatment at the lowest price in Turkey Hospitals. Such as Dental treatments, Hair Transplantation, Aesthetic & Plastic Surgery, Oncology, Urology, IVF – In Vitro fertilization, Cardiology treatments.

For foreigners who come to Turkey, there is no other vaccination obligation other than the Covid 19 Vaccine. It is obligatory for foreigners who come to Turkey during the Covid-19 Pandemic to be vaccinated or have a PCR test 72 hours before. In addition, there is an obligation to document this information.
As in all countries of the world, Cpvid-19 travel rules change from time to time according to countries. For this reason, you should learn the current travel data from the Turkish Consulate in your own country before traveling.

Tour Code
EN-008
Tour Name
Turkey and Greece Biblical Tour - 13 Days - 12 Nights
Departure Point
İstanbul - Türkiye
Start Date
End Date
Number of Rooms

14 Days - Turkey ans Greece Religious tour 

Christian Tour packages in Turkey and Greece, it a journey to the oldest lands of ancient treasures and Christian history.
Following in the footsteps of St. Paul, an opportunity to visit the 7 holy churches mentioned in The Seven Church of Revelation, the most favored of the Biblical Tours, and the holy places where St. Paul preached in Turkey and Greece.
Greece and Turkey tours will be a key for you to open to visit the Holy Land on the  Christianity pilgrimage journey.
Greece; Kavala, Thessaloniki, Veria, Kalambaka, Athens, Corinth canal.

Information
  • Tour Code : EN-008
  • Duration : 13 Days
  • Start : İstanbul - Türkiye
  • End : Athens - Greece
  • Tour Season : 1 April - 15 Nov.
  • Transfer : Vehicle
  • Distance : 3.000 Km.
REQUEST FORM
Similar tours

Shall we call you?