Christian Pilgrimage to Turkey Tour

Welcome to Turkey! Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel for check-in. After some rest, your tour of Istanbul will begin with a visit to the Spice Bazaar, a vibrant and colorful market filled with a wide variety of spices, herbs, and other local goods. Next, you will embark on a cruise along the Bosphorus, a beautiful strait that separates the European and Asian sides of Istanbul. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel for an overnight stay.

After a delicious breakfast, we will embark on a guided tour of Istanbul, visiting some of the city’s most iconic landmarks including the Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace, Saint Sophia, and the Blue Mosque. These monuments represent the rich history of Istanbul, encompassing the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. After the tour of the old city, we will transfer to the Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s largest and oldest covered markets. The Grand Bazaar is a popular tourist attraction, with over 250,000 to 400,000 visitors per day and a total area of 30,700 square meters, containing more than 4,000 stores. It is often considered one of the world’s first shopping malls and attracts over 91 million annual tourists. We will have free time at the bazaar before transferring back to our hotel for the night.

After breakfast, we will depart from the hotel and travel by road to the ancient city of Pergamon. Pergamon, also known as Pergamos or Pergamum, was the recipient of the third letter written by St. John to the churches of Asia Minor. This impressive city is renowned for its impressive Hellenistic city planning and has been described as the “most illustrious city of Asia” and a “royal city.” During our tour, we will have the opportunity to explore the rich history and cultural heritage of Pergamon. After the tour, we will transfer back to our hotel in Bergama for the night.

After a nourishing breakfast, we will set off for Sardes, one of the Seven Churches mentioned by St. John in the New Testament. From Sardes, we will continue to Philadelphia, another important Christian congregation and a city founded in 2 BC by King Eumenes. Our journey will then take us to Pamukkale, where we will witness the stunning sunset over the petrified waterfalls. We will spend the night in Pamukkale.

Our day begins with a drive to Colossae, a city known for its role in the book of Colossians in the New Testament. Here, we will explore the Byzantine walls and other remaining ruins of the city. After lunch, we will continue our journey over the Taurus Mountains to Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches of Revelation mentioned in the book of Revelation and referenced by Paul in his letter to the Colossians. We will also visit the unexcavated site of Colossae, located on the foothills of Mount Honaz, where Paul wrote his letters to the Colossians and Philemon. Later in the day, we will visit Hierapolis before continuing on to Kusadasi for an overnight stay.

After a hearty breakfast, we will begin our journey to Thyatira, another one of the Seven Churches mentioned in the New Testament. According to the letters, the members of this church were praised for their resistance to libertarianism. From Thyatira, we will continue to Ephesus, where we will see the final resting place of the Virgin Mary and tour ancient Ephesus, including the old synagogue, the theater where St. Paul preached (Acts 10), and the Library of Celsus. In the afternoon, we will visit ancient Smyrna, the second of the seven Christian churches in Asia Minor addressed by St. John in the book of Revelation. We will also visit the remains of a basilica and other ruins from the Roman period in Thyatira. Our day will end with an overnight stay in Kusadasi.

After breakfast, we will drive to the airport in Antioch, a city with great historical and religious significance. It was here that the followers of Jesus were first called “Christians” and the city is home to the Church of Peter, a cave church believed to be the place where early Christians met in secret. We will also visit the Antakya Archaeological Museum, which houses one of the world’s finest collections of mosaics. We will spend the night in Adana.

After breakfast, we will embark on a journey to Tarsus, the hometown of the apostle Paul. Upon arrival, we will visit the only Catholic church dedicated to Paul in Tarsus. From Tarsus, we will continue to Cappadocia, where we will spend the night. Cappadocia is a region known for its unique geological formations and rich cultural history.

After breakfast, we will embark on a tour of Cappadocia, visiting the Goreme Open Air Museum, Dervent Valley, and Pasabag Valley. After a lunch break, we will have the opportunity to go on a guided shopping tour, where you can learn about the ancient arts and crafts of Turkey, such as carpet weaving, leather manufacturing, and jewelry making. Our guide will ensure that you have a hassle-free shopping experience while gaining knowledge about the ancient craftsmen of Turkey. After the tour, we will be transferred back to our hotel in Cappadocia. The evening is free to spend as you wish.

After breakfast, we will visit the Kaymakli Underground City, one of the most fascinating sites in Cappadocia. These underground cities were used by early Christians to hide from the armies of Rome and the raids of hostile tribes, and were self-sufficient with rooms for storing crops, barns, kitchens, and ventilation channels. The second part of our Cappadocia Tour will include visits to Uchisar Castle, Avcilar, and Pigeon Valley. After the tour, we will be transferred back to our hotel in Cappadocia for the night.

After a filling breakfast, it is time to say goodbye to Cappadocia and check out of the hotel. We will transfer to Kayseri Airport to catch our flight to Istanbul, where our tour will come to an end. Although the tour has come to a close, the memories of our journey through Turkey will stay with us forever.