Duration: 10 Days
"For we walk by faith, not by sight,” wrote the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. On this religious tour of Greece and Turkey, you’ll stroll, skip, and sail by faith as you retrace the many missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul after he saw the light in Damascus. Both pilgrimage and picturesque journey, this land and cruise tour to mainland Greece, the Greek Isles, and Turkey leads you to many significant sites of the New Testament as well as some of the most magnificent sights of the Mediterranean. Scripture will take on new meaning as you visit the ancient communities where Paul established churches – and to whom he penned his epistles, including the Thessalonians, Philippians, Corinthians, and Ephesians. As you follow in the faithful footsteps of the Apostle Paul – with fantastic detours to Mykonos, Crete, and Santorini – you, too, will have much to write home about.
Traveller Notes:
While there are some shore excursions that are faith-related, the cruise itself is not faith-based.
Welcome to Athens! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travelling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
THE MIRACLES OF GREECE
Depart Athens for a scenic drive to Kalambaka.
METEORA Visit two monasteries including the Holy Monastery of Varlaam. Enjoy a scenic drive en route to Kalambaka. (B) 229mi /368km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
NATURAL WONDERS Visit the magnificent natural setting in Meteora where stratospheric rock formations surround the ancient monasteries perched on the clifftops. Here, gigantic rocky outcrops reach 600 meters high above the plains of Thessaly where you'll visit the stunning, red-roofed monasteries of Varlaam and St. Stephen.
GREEK TRAGEDIES & GRAND TREASURES
VERIA Visit the Bema of Apostle Paul.
THESSALONIKA An orientation drive includes the White Tower and Aristotelous Square. Visit Ag. Dimitros Basilika. (B) 145mi /234km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOTS See Thessalonika's iconic 15th-century prison tower, standing 34-meters high. Hear the history of the Ottoman Empire and tragic ends of those who were imprisoned here. Pass Aristotelous Square, the Jewel of Thessalonika on the sea front.
A DISCIPLE'S DESTINY
PHILIPPI Visit Lydia's Baptistery, the forum, ruins of the Basilicas, and the theatre.
KAVALA An orientation drive includes Neapolis of the Acts and St. Paul's mosaic. Free time for lunch before returning to Athens Thessalonika. (B) 219mi/350km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ICONIC FOOTSTEPS Follow the path of St. Paul the Apostle where the disciple traveled in 49-50 CE to spread the Word of Christ. Visit the Greek Orthodox church and Baptistry of Saint Lydia, the first Greek and European woman baptized by the Apostle Paul. Visit the amazing ancient ruins of the Philippi's Roman Forum, the Basilicas, and Theater in the city that became the centre of Christian faith following the visit of the Apostle Paul.
WARRIORS & THE ANCIENT WORLD
THERMOPYLAE Stop at the battle site.
ATHENS Free time this evening. (B) 314 mi / 503 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
EPIC RIDE Travel through the coastal floodplain of the Spercheios river, surrounded by sloping forested limestone mountains and the thermal springs of Thermopylae. Greek Spartans, Thebans, and Thespians fought Persian invaders during the historic Battle of Thermopylae in this narrow coastal passage.
Sun-Kissed Beauty
ATHENS Embark on your Mediterranean cruise through the Greek Islands and Turkey.
MYKONOS Free time this afternoon and evening. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
PICTURE PERFECT Explore the whitewashed paradise of Mykonos with its iconic windmills. Named after Apollo's grandson, Mykonos offers a wealth of treasures to discover in its cafes, shops, and picturesque lanes.
Divine Dwellings & Digs
KUSADASI Take a guided visit to the Ephesus Archaeological site in the city where St. Paul wrote many "Letters to the Corinthians." See the House of Mary, where the Blessed Mother spent her final days.
PATMOS Enjoy free time to explore the island. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOT Explore one of the largest Roman archaeological sites in the eastern Mediterranean with a visit to Ephesus, Turkey. Excavations of this UNESCO World Heritage Site have revealed grand monuments of the Roman Imperial era, including the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre. See the domed cruciform House of Mary, a revered Christian pilgrimage site in this once Roman port city and sea channel.
The Bronze Age on the Blue Aegean
HERAKLION Take a guided visit to the Minoan Palace of Knossos.
SANTORINI Visit the island (weather permitting). Free time this afternoon. (B,L,D)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
LEGENDS & LORE Visit the extraordinary royal ruins of the Minoan Palace of Knossos, where Greek mythology tells the story of King Minos and a heroic prince who battled the mighty Minotaur for the hand of a princess in Heraklion.
A Metropolis of Mythic Proportions
ATHENS Disembark your cruise and take a scenic drive to the Corinth Canal with a photo stop.
CORINTH Enjoy a guided visit to the excavations, including Agora and St. Paul's Bema, where the Christian missionary faced the Forum's court.
ATHENS A guided sightseeing tour includes visits to the Areopagus and the Acropolis. Stop for a photo opportunity at the Panathenaic Stadium-site of the first Olympic Games. Enjoy free time before a farewell dinner at your hotel. (B,D) 101 mi / 163 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOT Athens conjures visions of Greek gods and goddesses, and robe-draped philosophers and politicians. You'll see the iconic sites of the Acropolis in the ancient city where mythology, philosophy, and Christianity flourished in the "birthplace of civilization." Stop at the all- marble Panathenaic Stadium where the first modern Olympic Games took place. The Olympic flame is passed to the current host nations to begin the modern games still today.
Safe travels until we meet again!
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
