Day 1
– Depart US
Today we embark on our Journey to the
lands of ancient treasures and Christian history with an
overnight flight to Turkey. Prepare yourself for a life-changing
experience. Get some rest on the flight…Tomorrow you will be walking
where the apostles walked!
Day 2 - Cappadocia
Today we begin our adventure to the ancient and historical country of
Turkey. Our first stop,
Cappadocia (located in central Turkey), has
seen its share of history. Cappadocian Jews were present at Pentecost
(Acts 2: 9) Kayseri (ancient Caesarea) was home to the 4th
Century “Cappadocian Fathers,” St. Basil, Gregory Nyssa and Gregory Nazianzus who spent their lives tirelessly combating the heresies
plaguing the early church. Through their hard work and God’s grace,
they influenced the Nicene Councils who eventually agreed that
the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit are three distinct persons of the same Essence. We’ll
arrive into Kayseri late in the day and be transferred to our hotel.
We will spend two nights in the Cappadocia region.
Day
3 – Goreme, Underground Cities & Avanos
Today we’ll spend all day exploring the history and scenery of
Cappadocia. First off, we’ll visit the gently folding volcanic rock
formations and “fairy chimneys” of Goreme Open Air Museum. These rock
formations are not only beautiful, but functional as well. Many early
Christian communities lived and worshipped deep in the rocks and crags,
leaving their frescoes and paintings to be marveled at centuries
later. Other communities lived underground, and we’ll visit these
dwellings too. To protect themselves from Roman persecution and
marauding bandits, local people began to live in underground caves
forming “cities” that reach a depth of up to 7 stories below the
surface. Other sites include the Natural Citadel of Uchisar and the
small, picturesque village of Avanos – famous for their red clay
pottery. In Avanos we’ll visit “The Potter’s Place: Gift Shoppe and
Cultural Center” and have time for visiting local potter for a
demonstration and maybe try your own hand at the potter’s wheel.
Day
4 – Konya (Iconium)
Early this morning we’ll depart Cappadocia and head for Konya (ancient
Iconium) included in
Paul's first missionary
journey. En-route, we’ll stop at the Sultanhani Caravanserai just like
travelers from Turkey’s bygone era. Founded for military and trade
purposes, the Caravanserai’s Inn was built in 1228 and reflects the
Seljuk style of architecture. And next, we’re off to Konya. Nearly two
thousand years ago, Paul and Barnabas visited Iconium during Paul’s
first missionary journey. As he preached to the city, God used Paul to
bring many Jews and Gentiles to Christ (Acts 14: 1-6). Konya is also
the home of the Mystic sect of the spectral Whirling Dervishes. We’ll
have an opportunity to learn more about this mysterious order when we
visit the museum of its founder, Mevlana. We’ll spend two nights in Konya.
Day
5 – Lystra & Pisidian Antioch
This morning our tour takes us into the scenic mountain region to visit
Pisidian Antioch –
an important
stop on Paul’s first missionary journey. Although
only 10% of has been excavated, the ruins from the
Roman period are noteworthy along with the scenery in general. We’ll see Septimus Severus’ triumphal
gate, Augustus’ Temple, the Roman baths, a theater, synagogue and a church
dedicated to Paul. This afternoon we travel to the tell (large mound) of
Lystra.
Although the remaining hill has not been excavated, as is the case with
nearby
Derbe, we will
read the scripture and hear of the history related to the site before
allowing time to hike to the top to explore the hillside.
Day 6
- Aspendus, Perge Side & Antalya
This morning we’ll depart for the bustling, palm-lined streets of
Antalya. Founded on the “Turquoise Coast” of the Mediterranean,
Antalya has boasted a mild climate and beautiful beaches and harbors
for centuries. In fact, Paul and Barnabas sailed from Antalya harbor in the 1st
Century on the first missionary journey. Today, we’ll visit the best preserved Roman Theatre in the
world in Aspendus and the impressive excavations in the neighboring town of
Perge. It
was in Perge that John Mark decided to part company with Paul and
Barnabas, while they continued on their missionary journey.
Ruins of the city’s streets, baths, gates and theater are still visible.
We also pass neighboring Side, a bustling tourist town with an array of
artifacts and archeological treasures. We’ll spend two nights Antalya.
Day 7
– Demre (Myra)
After breakfast, we’ll depart Antalya for a leisurely trip along the
beautiful coastline to Demre (ancient
Myra) to visit the 11th
Century Church of St. Nicholas. The church was built to commemorate an
early Christian bishop who was present at the First Ecumenical Council
and eventually became known as Santa Claus. It is interesting to
hear our guide speak of how time has turned this early church father
into a mythical hero. To view the red and white statue of Santa Claus
standing in the square, see the Muslim vendors peddling statues (idols
to their thinking) and hear the call to prayer from the nearby mosque
is strangely bizarre. In Myra we will also visit the port where
Paul and Luke changed ships en route to Rome. As the Myra of
today is the sailing center of the Anatolia region, It is very
interesting to see the many wooden boats lined up as it would have
been in Paul's day. We’ll also visit
the picturesque and fascinating rock tombs cut into the cliff above the
theatre. These tombs, some with paintings, shows us what typical life
might have been like in ancient Myra. Later this afternoon we stop at
the area known to be the port of Patara, where Paul changed ships en
route to Rome on his final voyage. Our lodging this evening will be in
Fethive.
Day 8
- Miletus & Dydima
This morning we’ll start the day off by traveling to the nearby towns
of
Miletus
and
Dydima. Miletus was a proud and important coastal city
of its day and was visited by Paul during his missionary journeys. It
was here that he said goodbye to his friends. Dydima was a close-by
pagan worship center for the people of Miletus. With the rise
and spread of Christianity, eventually, Christian chapels were founded
in Dydima – which were later destroyed by Roman Emperor Julian the
Apostate. We’ll spend the next two nights in the port city
of Kusadasi.
Day 9
– Ephesus, Ephesus, Ephesus
We begin the day with a visit to the Church of St. John for
a tour and a scenic overview of the surrounding area. From here
our guide will point out the location of the ancient harbor of Ephesus
and describe the silting process that led to the demise of this
important Roman city. Of special interest is the tomb of John and the
baptismal where new believers were immersed. We will also be able to
view the site of the ancient wonder - the Temple of Artimus and the
nearby Mosque of Jesus (Jesus is a respected prophet to Muslims). This
afternoon we’ll
view a wealth of artifacts awaiting us at
the Museum of Ephesus and visit the
archeological site of Biblical
Ephesus, which hosts a large restoration
effort and miles of ancient treasures. Ephesus was once a thriving
port town of 250,000 people. Today you can still see the spectacular
excavations of the major streets in this ancient city where we view
the Library, Agora, theatre, colorful mosaics, a panoramic view of the
surrounding ancient port area including a wealth of church history and
cultural insight.
The day will not be
complete without a visit to a local Turkish Rug cooperative for a
description of the silk harvesting and rug making process.
