16 September - 4 October 2024
Hagia Sophia
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ST PAUL
Explore the origins of the church in Greece and Turkey.
All three of Paul’s missionary journeys were centered in ancient Turkey and two of them ended in Greece. Moreover. the apostle John’s ministry was located in Ephesus where he wtore his gospel, three letters and the book of Revelation.
Travel by deluxe motorcoach to the ancient cities of Athens, Corinth, Thessalonica, Philippi, Ephesus, Miletus, Priene, Hierapolis and Assos. At these sites we will discuss the birth, growth, trials and development of the earliest Christian congregations as they struggle not only to understand their new faith in Christ, but also as they dealt with false teachers and hostile forces opposed to the Church.
At the end of the first century, John wrote letters to the seven churches of Revelation which were coping with similar problems of false teaching and persecution. Thus, we will also visit the seven churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamon, Thyatira, Sardia, Philiadelphia and Laodicea. We will also visit The Goreme Valley, delcared by UNESCO t be a World Heritage Site, conatins some 30 or more churches built by carving rooms out of the soft volcanic tufa.
PACKAGE INCLUDES
19 DAYS / 18 NIGHTS | PRICE GUIDE FROM $10,995pp Twin Share
Our package is thoughtfully curated, providing our guests a hassle-free experience alongside incredible views, stunning scenery and unforgettable adventures.
DR SARAH HARRIS
These tours will be led by Dr Sarah Harris. Each day she will enrich our experience of the Holy Land by bringing context to the places we visit from her deep understanding of the Biblical documents and the history and culture of Greece and Turkey.
Hosted by Dr Sarah Harris with local Greek & Turkish Guides
Bring history to life in Delphi
Explore the ancient city of Ephesus
Take a full tour of Istanbul inlcuding sites- the Roman Hippodrome, the Blule Mosque and the Hagia Sophia.
Walk a portion of the Via Egnatia
Join local sunday services in Thessaloniki & Izmir
3 & 4 Star+ hotel accomodation
Daily Breakfast and 17 Dinners provided
Domestic flight from Izmir to Cappadocia included
Sarah lectured in New Testament studies at Carey Baptist College for 11 years. She is well known for bringing the Biblical story to life with her wellresearched and engaging teaching style.
“The Bible is full of journeys across lands where we see people changed by the encounters they have and the places they visit. This tour across Turkey and Greece allows us to journey with others as we meet God in the places and people we encounter. It gives us the opportunity to hear the scriptures speak to us afresh and to grow as disciples of Jesus.
As an optional extra, to prepare for this journey we will be pre-reading many of the Pauline letters and meeting in weekly zoom sessions to begin our learning ahead of the trip. Previous groups have really enjoyed this prelearning and say it made the time away all the more valuable.”
DAY 1 - DEPART NEW ZEALAND
Today we depart New Zealand and make our way to Greece to start the tour.
DAY 2 - ARRIVE ATHENS 17
Upon arrival at the Athens Airport, our representatives will meet you after the customs and baggage claim with a sign “Dr. Sarah Harris - TUTKU” on it. We transfer to our hotel in Athens for dinner and overnight.
DAY 3 - ATHENS 18
Follow your guide to the world renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea, the Parthenon, and the Erectheum. View Mars Hill where the apostle Paul stood and spoke to the Athenian people, sharing the Gospel (Acts 17:15-34).
See Agora, the ancient market place and centre of the Athenian public life, where the apostle Paul preached “Jesus and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18) to the skeptical Athenians. Also see the House of Parliament, the Presidential Palace & the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Overnight at the hotel in Athens.
DAY 4 - CORINTH, CENCHREA & ELEUSIS
In Corinth, see the ancient city where Paul met Aquila and Priscilla, the tent makers, and where the apostle spent eighteen months sharing the gospel (Acts 18: 1-18). Visit the Archaeological Museum, the Market Place and Temples. Walk among the ruins and stand on the Bema where Paul stood before Gallio facing charges brought by the Jews. Visit the ancient port of Cenchrea where Paul departed when he returned to Syria (Acts 18: 12-18). Later we will visit the site of Eleusis where the sacred rites of the Eleusinian Mysteries were performed. Overnight at our hotel in Athens.
Ancient City Corinth
Acropolis, Athens Corinth
Streets of Athens
Parthenon of Athens
DAY 5 - DELPHI, METEORA, KALAMBAKA
Travel to the scenic and historic oracle at Delphi, the religious centre of the ancient Greek world. Walk the Sacra Via to the Athenian Treasury, the Theatre, and the Temple of Apollo where the oracle enacted its prophetic rituals. Visit the museum at Delphi. Drive to Kalambaka to visit the rock forest of Meteora in western Thessaly and ponder the rough terrain through which the apostle Paul walked during his missionary journey. See the famous Byzantine monasteries perched precariously on the summits of soaring sheer cliffs. Visit one of these monasteries. Dinner and overnight in Kalambaka.
DAY 6 - THESSALONIKI
20 Sept 21 Sept
We continue our journey to Thessaloniki, the city where Paul shared the gospel message and experienced much opposition (Acts 17: 1-9). Here Paul established a church to which he addressed his Thessalonian epistles. Visit St. George’s Basilica, which tradition claims is built over the synagogue where Paul preached. View the Old City Ramparts, and the Galerius Arch that rises over the Via Egnatia. Visit the Archaeological Museum and the ancient agora. See two of the most beautiful basilicas in the city, St. Sophia and St. Demetrios, dedicated to a distinguished member of the Roman army and a martyred Christian convert. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.
DAY 7 - AMPHIPOLIS, PHILIPPI, KAVALA 22 Sept
Join Sunday service of a local church in Thessaloniki. Drive to Amphipolis, a city that Paul visited on his second mission. Continue to Philippi, where Paul met and converted Lydia, a woman from Thyatira who sold purple garments (Acts 16: 13-15). Lydia was the first Christian to be baptized on European soil. See the theater, agora, latrines and several early Byzantine basilicas of the city. Also visit a cistern, which was thought to have served as a prison for the apostle Paul. Overnight in the Kavala area.
Meteora
Temple of Apollo, Delphi
Thessaloniki
DAY 8 - TURKEY BORDER, DRIVE ISTANBUL
Depart Kavala. Walk a portion of the Via Egnatia, the great Roman road traversed by Paul and Silas as they traveled from Neapolis to Philippi, Thesslonica and onward. Drive to the Greece-Turkey border. Transfer to your Turkish bus and guide, and continue to Istanbul (about 5 hours drive after the border) for dinner and overnight. Istanbul is the only city in the world spanning on two continents.
DAY 9 - ISTANBUL
Full day Istanbul tour; visit the Roman Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque with its beautiful blue tiles, the Hagia Sophia, the great basilica built by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, one of the worlds greatest architectural marvels and a designated World Heritage site. Then visit the Istanbul Archaeological Museum. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight. Evening slide show of the major biblical sites in Turkey.
DAY 10 - DARDANELLES, ALEXANDER TROAS, ASSOS
Drive to Canakkale. Quick visit to Dardanelles peninsulaAnzac Cove, Lone Pine & Chunk Blair. Cross the Dardanelles Strait by car ferry. Proceed to Alexandrian Troas, the important port founded by Alexander the Great. Paul visited here at least twice (Acts 16: 8-11, 20: 5-13). Dinner and overnight in Assos.
DAY 11 - ASSOS, PERGAMON, BERGAMA
We will enjoy a morning tour of Assos and then leave for Pergamon where we will visit the Acropolis with the steepest theater of the anicent world and the Temple of Trajan. We will also visit the Red Basilica which was an Egyptian Temple, later converted to a church and the Asclepion, the ancient healing center. Dinner and overnight in Bergama.
Anzac Cove Hagia Sophia
DAY 12 - BERGAMA, THYATIRA, SMYRNA, IZMIR
Drive to Akhisar town to visit the remaining of the Thyatira Church. Then, continue to Izmir to see the Smyrna Agora and its latest excavations. We will also visit the graffiti section which is closed to public. Dinner & overnight in Izmir.
DAY 13 - EPHESUS, IZMIR 28
Sept
Visit the famous ancient city of Ephesus (Acts 18: 19-24; 19: 1-35; 20: 16-17; 21:29, 1 Cor. 15:32; 16:8, I Tim, 1:3 II Tim. 1:18; 4:12, Rev. 1:11, 2:1), with its spectacular Terrace Houses, Basilica of John, the Ephesus Archaeological Museum and the ancient Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Dinner and overnight in Izmir.
DAY 14 - SARDIS, PHILADELPHIA, PAMUKKALE
29 Sept
Join Sunday service of a local church in Izmir. Drive to Sardis, captial of the ancient Lydia where first coin of the world was invented. See the remains of another massive Artemis Temple. Continue to Hierapolis, a World Heritage site and site of the church mentioned in Colossians 4. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Pamukkale.
DAY 15 - HIERAPOLIS, LAODICEA, COLOSSAE
30 Sept
Morning tour of Hierapolis. See the Philip’s Tomb. Drive to nearby Laodicea to see the latest excavations. Then drive to Colossae to see the unexcavated site. Return to Pamukkale for dinner and overnight.
Hierapolis
Izmir
Smyrna Agora
DAY 16 - APHRODISIAS, MILETUS,
Drive to Aphrodisias, the city of the Goddess of Love. See the well preserved stadium, the Odeon, the theater and the agora. Continue to Miletus which, due to its four habours and strategic location on the Aegean coast of Asia Minor, became one of the great cities of commerce in the ancient world. Paul stopped in Miletus on the return leg of his third missionary jounrey where he summoned the elders from Ephesus to meet with him and hear his poignant farewell speech (Acts 20: 17-35). After Miletus, we will visit the nearby city of Priene located on a cliff-side.
Transfer to Izmir Airport for flight to Cappadocia (Kayseri Airport). After landing in Kayseri, a short drive brings us to our hotel and dinner.
DAY 17 - CAPPADOCIA
Oct
The remarkable region of Cappadocia is where the erosion of soft volcanic stone has created bizarre yet beautiful geological formations- rock cones, capped pinnacles, stark ravines and steep precipices. The Goreme Valley, declared by UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site, contains some 30 or more churches built by carving rooms out of the soft volcanic tufa. These churches date from the 9th century onwards and feature superb Byzantine frescoes of biblical and early Christian scenes. We will also visit the underground city of Kaymakli. This is one of around 40 underground cities whose use dates back to the 5th century BC, which were extensively occupied by Christians during the Byzantine period. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
DAY 18 - CAPPADOCIA
03 Oct
Optional Hot Air Balloon Trip in Cappadocia (05:00-07:00).
After breakfast, start touring in Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
DAY 19 - HOMEWARD BOUND 04 Oct
This morning we transfer back to Kayseri Airport and start our journey back to New Zealand.
Old theatre ruins, Miletus Cappadocia
PACKAGE DETAILS
In the Footsteps of St. Paul Tour includes:
Accomodation
• 3 nights at the 4 star Parthenon Hotel in Athens (or similar)
• 1 night at the 3 star Meteoritis Hotel in Kalambaka (or similar)
• 1 night at the 4 star Grand Palace Hotel in Thessaloniki (or similar)
• 1 night at the 4 star Galaxy Hotel in Kavala (or similar)
• 2 nights at the 4 star Moevenpick Golden Horn Hotel in Istanbul (or similar)
• 1 night at the 4 star Assos Dove Hotel in Assos (or similar)
• 1 night at the 4 star La Bella Hotel in Bergama (or similar)
• 2 nights at the 4 star Kordon Cankaya Hotel in Izmir (or similar)
• 2 nights at the 4 star Doga Thermal Hotel in Pamukkale (or similar)
• 3 nights at the Yusuf Yigitoglu Boutique Hotel in Cappadocia (or similar)
Meals
• Daily breakfast & 17 dinners at the hotels
• Bottled water included at dinners
Sightseeing
• Sightseeing as per the itinerary
• All entry fees to the sites and museums
• Service charges and local taxes
•
Transport
• Airport Meet & Greet on arrival
• All transportation by private AC Bus
• All Tips to Tour Guide and drivers
• English speaking, Government Licensed, Bible Oriented guides in Greece & Turkey
• Izmir - Cappadocia domestic flight
Not included in the tour price
• International flights, however we can book these for you. Premium Economy and Business class upgrades optional
• Lunches and Drinks (Bottled Water included at dinners)
• Travel Insurance, it is mandatory for this trip. We are able to supply quotes for Kiwi Holiday & Cover-More.
• Items of a personal nature such as laundry, phone calls etc
• Items not described in the itinerary
Assos, Turkey Ephesus Ancient City
In the Footsteps of St Paul Tour | 16 September- 4 October 2024
Please complete this booking form and return to Travel Encounters, PO Box 25254, St Heliers, Auckland, 1740 NZ or scan & email to info@travelencounters.co.nz
NB: A photocopy of your passport photo page is required with this form
PRICES
Twin Share NZ$10,995pp
Single: NZ$13,290pp
PERSONAL DETAILS
Traveller 1
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address Delivery address (courier)
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Travel insurance is absolutely essential and we highly recommend that you make sure you take out appropriate travel insurance at the time of booking. We offer travel insurance through CoverMore and Kiwi Holiday Insurance at competitive rates.
Please provide a travel cover quote for me.
PAYMENT OPTIONS
A deposit of $2,250 per person is required when booking.
Note: Full payment is required if booking within 60 days of departure.
Direct Credit Bank Account:12-3209-0116403-16
Ref: [Surname] Particulars: Grrece & Turkey Code: Travel Encounters
Credit Card (Mastercard or Visa) Please call 0800 377 479 with your card number. Data protection laws means that you must not write your card number here. (credit card payments subject to a 1.3% surcharge)
Note: All prices are based on payment by direct credit to our Client Funds account. Tour departures are contingent on sufficient numbers participating in each tour. If a tour does not proceed, a full refund will be made.
EMERGENCY CONTACT
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DECLARATION
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Twin Share Own Room, single supplement
Please contact me about extending my stay in Turkey or Greece
