Seven Churches and Cappadocia Tour 8 Days

The Seven Churches, Western Turkey, and Cappadocia tour will open some reality and a unique horizon deep into religion and civilisation history.
Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport, passport control, check out the airport, meet your guide, and get on the bus with our luggage.   Departure to Canakkale ( Distance 300 KM / 3,5 Hours ) 
Dinner and overnight in Canakkale  ( Dinner )

After breakfast, we’ll head to the ancient city of Troia or Troy, the real-life location of the legendary Trojan War described in Homer's Iliad. Next, we will visit the legendary Pergamon, the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon Kings in 282-133 BC. We will visit the Pergamon Acropolis, the city's administrative centre, the Temple of Zeus, Dionysus, Athena, Demeter, and the famous Pergamon Library of 200,000 rolls. The Altar of Zeus, excavated during the Pergamon (Bergama) excavations, is now on display at the Pergamonmuseum in Berlin. The Great Theatre of Pergamon here is the world's steepest theatre, and it could entertain up to 10,000 spectators in ancient times. The Red Basilica (St. John’s Church) is one of the sites of the Seven Churches of Revelation.
Akhisar Visit Thyatira, which is one of the sites of the Seven Churches
Arrival and overnight stay in Izmir.  ( Breakfast – Dinner ).

After breakfast, we will visit the ruins of ancient 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). Visit Agora and St. Maria Church.
Smyrna is the second city of the seven churches of Revelation to receive the message from St. John was that of Smyrna. (Rev. 1:11;2:8)
Departure Ephesus (80 km from Izmir). The 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. Apostle Paul preached to the Ephesians and lived here for three years. The Church of Ephesus also received an epistle from him.
Visit Ephesus ruins, including the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Grand Theatre, which has a capacity of 25,000.
Lunch at a selected local restaurant. Afterwards, we will visit Artemis Temple, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and the Basilica of St. John.
Lastly, we will see 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. It is visited by Christian pilgrims from all over the world. St. John brought Mary to Ephesus, following Jesus Christ's advice to his mother. (John 19:27)
At the end of the tour, we will be watching the special demonstrations in Turkish Delight and Leather Wear Factory stores in the area.  At the end of the tour, transfer to Izmir.
Dinner and overnight in Izmir or Kusadasi ( Breakfast - Dinner )

After breakfast, continue with Salihli city (Sardis). This was the capital of the ancient Lydian kingdom of the 6th century B.C., portrayed as a dying church. We visit the great Temple of Artemis and the Temple of Cybele, which was converted into a Byzantine Church. We will also visit the restored Sardis Gymnasium and reconstructed Synagogue.
Then we continued our journey to Philadelphia, called Alaşehir, one of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev—1:11; 3:7], and the only church that wasn’t censored. There, we will see the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of brick, with a high arch and 11th-century frescoes. After our tour, we will drive to Pamukkale. 
We will visit the ancient Laodicea, yet another of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor [Rev. 1:11; 3:14; Col. 2:1; 4:13 - 16]. 
Laodicea thrived as a major centre of worship for the pagan goddess Aphrodite for about 500 years after Christ. In the famous scripture from Revelation (3: 20-21), Jesus says to the Laodicean Church: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock...".  
We’ll have lunch at a local restaurant in Pamukkale.
We will be visiting the Hierapolis first. Here, we’ll see the Martyrium of the Apostle Philip, where he was martyred during the persecutions ordered by Domitian. We will see the Gate of Domitian, the Arcadian Way, 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, and walk around the grave monuments built to honour heroes. Each tomb is a miniature work of art telling a different story. Then, we will have a relaxation on the travertine terraces.
Overnight in a thermal hotel in Pamukkale.  ( Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner )

Pamukkale Cappadocia distence 650 Km.  The first stop is at Konya. Visit the Mevlana Museum and the Mausoleum of Rumi. It is a must-see destination in Konya, and there is the tomb of the famous mystic Sufi thinker Rumi, the full name Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi in English literature.
We have Lunch in a Local restaurant in Konya.  Visit Agzikarakan Caravaserail in Aksaray.
Arrival and accommodation in Cappadocia ( Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner )

Optional event Hot Air Balloon Tour:   04:30 – 09:00  
The rest of the Balloon tour takes breakfast in the hotel and starts the Cappadocia Tour.
First, we will visit the Uçhisar Castle, which consists of volcanic rocks and is the highest point of Cappadocia. From here, we will watch the fairy chimneys, valleys, and the fantastic view of the region. Next, we will visit the Pigeon Valley and have a sightseeing tour of Goreme Village, which has fascinating cave houses and an authentic atmosphere. Then, we’ll see the Goreme  Open Air Museum, Paşabağı Valley (Monks Valley), and Devrent Valley, famous for its rock formations resembling different animal figures. Afterwards, we’ll have lunch in Avanos. After lunch, we’ll visit a pottery workshop to see how potteries are made by hand.)
Accommodation in Cappadocia ( Breakfast – Dinner )

After breakfast, drive to Istanbul, which is 800 km away. The first stop is at Ankara ( from Cappadocia 320 km / 4 hours). We will visit the mausoleum of Atatürk, the founder of the modern Turkish Republic, and the Anıtkabir museum, which includes 4000 books he read. Take lunch in a Restaurant.
Arrival and Overnight in Istanbul  ( Breakfast –Dinner )

Istanbul – Bosphorus cruise – Saint Sophia – Blue Mosque – Transfer to Airport. ( 70 Km )
After breakfast, we’ll start our Istanbul tour at 08:45 am. First, we will visit the great Hagia Sofia (Saint Sophia) built by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD as a church and later converted into a mosque. Afterwards, we will visit the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque), a 17th-century Ottoman mosque famous for its six minarets and magnificent interior with blue tiles.  Then, we’ll explore Hippodrome Square, which was used as a meeting place for chariot races during the Byzantine period. Here, we will see the Serpent Column from Delphi, the Egyptian Obelisk, and the German Fountain of Wilhelm ll.
Finally, we’ll visit the Grand Bazaar to shop. It is one of the biggest and oldest markets in the world, home to more than 4000 shops full of hidden treasures and authentic items. 
We take lunch in a restaurant and are transferred to Istanbul Airport depending on your flight time.
Hope to see you on another Turkiye holiday.