Biblical Turkey (Private Only)

Day 1 Istanbul (No Meal)

Welcome to Turkey. Arrive at Istanbul Airport, your guide will meet you and transfer to your hotel. Check into the hotel and free afternoon in Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 2 Istanbul (Breakfast & Lunch)

In the morning at 09:00 pick up from the hotel. You will be visiting the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia (St. Sophia), Sultanahmet Camii (Blue Mosque), Hippodrome (Roman and Byzantine era) and last visit will be to the Grand Bazaar. Overnight stay in Istanbul.

• Hippodrome
• Hagia Sophia
• Grand Bazaar
• Blue Mosque

Day 3 Istanbul (Breakfast only)

Free Day or Optional Bosphorus Tour (the Spice Market, Dolmabahce Palace, Camlica Hill and Bosphorus on the boat as well). Back to hotel and Overnight stay in Istanbul.

• Spice Bazaar
• Dolmabahce Palace
• Bosphorus

Day 4 Cappadocia (Breakfast & Lunch)

Early Flight to Cappadocia. Today you will be visiting; Devrent imagination valley(a lunar landscape), Zelve open air museum(houses carved in rock, Seljukian mosque & remains nearly from all the ancient civilizations), Pasabaglari(Fairy chimneys), for Lunch, Avanos (pottery demonstration with the Hittite tecnique, Pigeon valley, Uchisar rock-castle, Esentepe(panoramic view of Goreme valley) and Goreme open air museum(rock cut churches, frescos, monastery). Overnight stay in Cappadocia

• Zelve open air museum
• Uchisar Castle
• Pasabaglari
• Goreme Open Air Museum
• Devrent Imagination Valley
• Avanos

Day 5 Cappadocia (Breakfast & Lunch)

Pick up from the hotel around 09:15 . Mustafapasa (old Greek village Sinasos), Keslik monastery, Taskinpasa medresesi (an Ottoman theological school), Soganli valley (3 km walking in the traditional village, churches and Lunch). Back to hotel and overnight stay in Cappadocia.

• Soganli Valley
• Sobessos
• Mustafapasa (old Greek village Sinasos)
• Keslik Monastery
• Day 6 Tarsus & Adana (Breakfast & Lunch)

08:15 depart from the hotel and visit Kaymakli, a unique underground city. Then drive to Tarsus, birthplace of St. Paul. See St. Paul's Well, Cleopatra's Gate and the ancient city. It was near here that a Great Fish "vomited out Jonas upon the dry land" Next to Adana for dinner and overnight stay in Antakya.

• Antakya
• Tarsus
• St. Paul’s Well
• Adana
• Kaymaklı Underground City

Day 7 Antakya & Adana (Breakfast & Lunch)

Full day excursion to Anatakya (Antioch). Here Jesus' followers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26) Peter, Paul and also Barnabas preached here. Visit St. Peter's Grotto and the exquisite Mosaic Museum. View the old city of Iskenderun before beginning the return drive to Mersin for dinner and overnight stay.

• Iskenderun
• Antakya Mosaic Museum
• Mersin

Day 8 Anamur & Mersin (Breakfast & Lunch)

Depart westward along the Mediterranean shoreline, a famous coastal road. Take a lunch break in Anamur. See City of the Monophystie Archbishop of Seleucia. Overnight in Alanya.

• Anamur
• Alanya
• Day 9 Antalya (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

Continue to the ancient city of Side, the old port where St. Paul, Barnabas and Mark landed during their missionary journeys. Later they sailed from here to ANTIOCH. Then, visit PERGE, where St. Paul preached after arriving from Cyprus (Acts 13-14), and to ASPENDOS with its magnificent theater. Next, drive to Antalya for dinner and overnight stay.

• Side
• Perge
• Aspendos

Day 10 Pamukkale (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner))

Proceed to LAODICEA which was condemned by St. John in Revelation Acts (4:15). Drive to HIERAPOLIS, now called Pamukkale, St. Philip was martyred here in 1st AD. Walk the Necropolis and famous Avenue of Tombs. Overnight stay in Pamukkale.

• Pamukkale
• Hierapolis

Day 11 Sarden & Kusadasi (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

Visit one of the seven churches of the Apocalypse and the remains of the Cathedral. Continue to in Alasehir, the remains of a church. Visit , capital of the ancient LYDIA with temple of the CYBELE & DIANA, which became later a church, see the royal road. Continue to Kusadasi. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Kusadasi.

• Kusadasi
• Alasehir

Day 12 Ephesus Kusadasi (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

Drive to Selcuk. Visit the Basilica of St. John and EPHESUS, the one of the best preserved ancient cities of the world. See the Library of Celsus, a Stadium where Paul Preached (Acts 19), and the Theatre. Return to KUSADASI. Then, have dinner and overnight stay in Kusadasi.

• Ephesus Ancient City
• Celcus Library

Day 13 Izmir & Pergamon (Breakfast & Lunch)

This morning take a beautiful drive to Izmir (ancient SMYRNA), After visiting the St. Policarp church in Izmir , continue to in Akhisar , ancient commercial place in connection with TROY & SARDES. and visit Bergama(Pergamum) , the Acropolis, high above the plain. See the pagan Temples and Altar of Zeus.Overnight in Pergamum.

• Saint Polycarpe Church
• Izmir (Smyrna)
• Pergamon
• Akhisar

Day 14 Pergamon & Nicea - Istanbul (Breakfast & Lunch)

After breakfast long drive to Istanbul through Iznik (Nicea) where the Nicean Creed was formed. Depart for Istanbul. Overnight Istanbul.

• Iznik (Nicea

Day 15 Home

Transfer to airport and fly back to home.