Athens, Corinth & Italy from a Christian Perspective
 

March through November

Day 1 • Depart USA
Today we embark on our Journey to the lands of ancient treasures and Christian history with an overnight flight to Athens. Prepare yourself for a life-changing experience. Get some rest on the flight…Tomorrow you will be walking where the apostles walked!

Day 2 • Athens/ Cape Sounion
We arrive in Athens and check into our hotel. You will have the remainder of the day free to relax or take a stroll along the streets of Athens to enjoy the flavor of the city. This evening our group will enjoy the first of many delectable European style dinners.

Day 3 • Athens
We will begin our tour of the city of Athens with a visit to the Acropolis, the Parthenon, and Erectheum before viewing Athens atop Mars Hill where Paul stood and preached the truth to the Gentile nation. Additional sites include the Agora (ancient market place and center of Athenian public life), the House of Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Olympic Stadium, and Presidential Palace.  A short walk from your hotel is the famous Plaka with a multitude of shops and cafes.  This afternoon we take a guided tour of the Agora Museum to include the Temple of Hephaistos and Agioi Apostoli Church. This evening we will enjoy dinner at our hotel.

Day 4 • Corinth/ Patras
This morning we leave Athens by motor coach, stop for a rest stop and photos at the Corinth Canal and then travel to the ancient city of Corinth. The ruins of this important cultural center are fascinating as we walk along the stone path that the Apostle Paul walked. The engineering skill and intellect of these people are evident in the water systems that still flow from ancient to modern day. We will be sure to gather for a devotional around the Bema where Paul stood and challenged the Corinthians. The Museum houses a variety of antiquities to include pottery, statues, mosaics and art work.  Our guide will be sure to show you the room dedicated to the medical care of that period. Later this afternoon we will travel to Patras where we will board our overnight Superfast ferry and travel to Italy including dinner and overnight cabins.

Day 5 •  Pompeii/Rome
We arrive in Bari this morning and are meet our bus driver and travel to Pompeii. Pompeii, the fantastic and ancient ruins uncovered from beneath volcanic ash, stone and mud evoke thoughts about life and death and how tenuous it all is. Buried just 6 years after the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, you can see a myriad of excavated well-preserved buildings as well as cement casts of people as they were when they were buried, sometimes shielding themselves from the horror. Our lodging for the next three nights will be in Rome.

Day 6 • Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter Basilica
After breakfast you will begin a full day of site seeing. First visit Vatican City where you will see the Basilica at St. Peter, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums with stunning works of art at every turn. After some free time for lunch, you will visit the 4th century Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, the traditional site of Paul’s tomb, and the Scala Santa, where Martin Luther made his stand against the practice of indulgences.  Our last stop today will be the Church of Prisca, where we find the burial place of Priscilla, Aquilla and a number of martyred saints.

Day 7 •  Forum, Mamertine Prison, Coliseum, Catacombs
We begin our walking tour at the ancient Roman Forum, where our guide will divulge its secrets. We will visit the Arch of Titus which commemorated the sack of Jerusalem by Titus in AD 70.  We will step inside the Mamertine Prison, where tradition says the Apostle Paul was imprisoned. The Roman church would say that Peter was imprisoned here as well, but there is no imperial evidence that Peter was ever in Rome. Next, we visit the Coliseum, where thousands of people and animals perished during gladiatorial games. The Coliseum first opened in AD 80 and within 100 days of its opening, 5000 wild beasts perished here. The slaughter of both humans and animals continued for three more centuries. Historians believe the Coliseum could hold between 40,000 and 80,000 people depending on how close the seating was. The floor has recently had a plank placed over the middle making it accessible for people to walk over the labyrinth of brick cells, ramps, and elevators used to transport animals and gladiators into the arena. Hear the stories of the games that have fascinated people for years. We conclude our day at the Catacombs where thousands of Christians were buried in a remarkable tiered series of galleries.

Day 8 • Frescoes, Assisi & Florence
After breakfast you will say “Arrivederci Roma” and board your coach and travel to the ancient walled hillside village of Assisi. After lunch on your own, you will enjoy a guided tour of this beautiful, medieval town, which will include the Basilica San Francesco, decorated with some of the most renowned frescoes in the world. Then, we travel on to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, for check in at the hotel. (Florence 2 nights)

Day 9 • Beautiful Florence, Michelangelo’s David & Pisa
After breakfast, you will spend the morning enjoying a guided tour of Florence, one of the world’s greatest artistic capitals, which will include the Piazza della Signoria, Duomo, Baptistry and a visit to the Accademia Galley, home of Michelangelo’s David. A stop will also be made on the overlook across the river from Florence where we will take a panoramic group photo with the beautiful red-tiled roof cityscape in the background. After lunch on your own, board your coach to Pisa where you will visit the Baptistry, Duomo and the famous leaning tower in the Piazza dei Miracoli. Return to Florence, for a dinner in a local restaurant. 

Day 10 • Free Time & Venice
This morning is at your leisure to enjoy shopping, visiting more galleries or strolling on the famous Pont Vecchio, the old bridge which spans the Arno River. Remember that Florence leather shops are the best in the world and bargains on excellent quality goods are abundant. It may be the time to purchase those special Christmas gifts. Following lunch we travel northward to romantic Venice where we overnight just outside the city for two nights. 

Day 11 • Venice
After breakfast, we'll begin sightseeing on a leisurely walking tour of Venice. We'll visit the city's most famous landmarks such as the Basilica of San Marco, St. Mark's Square, the Bridge of Sighs and the Doge's Palace. The remainder of the day is on our own. For those who wish, your tour host may arrange a private glassblowing presentation at the famous Murano Venetian glass makers. Shoppers will enjoy the vast array of beautiful pieces of glass available in the city's many fine stores. Before we return to the hotel we will board gondolas for a relaxing tour of criss-cross canals, arched bridges, palaces, charming waterside restaurants and little quiet piazzas. Dinner is at the hotel.

Day 12 • Home
This morning we transfer to the airport for our flight to the USA.

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