First Missionary Journey of St. Paul Tour

On the first day of the tour, you will begin your journey to Turkey, the birthplace of Paul and the site of his missionary travels. After arriving at Istanbul Airport, our representative will meet you after passport control and escort you to the domestic airport for a short flight to Adana. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay. The following day, you will have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Paul and explore the rich history and cultural significance of the region.

On the second day of the tour, you will embark on a morning drive to Antioch, a city with a rich history and connection to the early Christian church. It was here that Jesus’ followers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). You will have the opportunity to visit the Church of Peter, a cave church reputedly where early Christians met in secret, and the Antakya Archaeological Museum, home to one of the richest collections of mosaics in the world. After lunch, during which you will have the chance to try Antakya’s famous dessert, künefe, you will go to Seleucia Pieria, the port town from which Paul and Barnabas departed and returned on their first journey (Acts 13:4). You will return to Adana for dinner and an overnight stay.

On the third day of the tour, you will set out from Adana and drive to Tarsus, the hometown of the Apostle Paul. You will visit the only Catholic church dedicated to Paul, as well as the ruins of his house and the well that bears his name. You will also stop at the door dedicated to Cleopatra and explore the Roman baths and the remains of the ancient bridge over the Cydnus River. After visiting Donuktaş, one of the largest temples of the ancient world, you will continue on to Cappadocia, where you will have lunch en route and spend the night. This day offers a unique opportunity to delve into the history and cultural significance of the region, all while following in the footsteps of Paul and exploring the places he called home.

On the fourth day of the tour, you will have the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the fascinating region of Cappadocia. You will visit the Goreme Valley and its troglodyte churches, explore the underground city of Derinkuyu, and see the striking rock cones that are a hallmark of the region. You will also visit Zelve and Avanos, home to red-coned monastic complexes, and Kaymakli, known for its underground cities and churches. You will have the chance to sample local cuisine for lunch as you explore, but will return to your hotel in the evening for dinner and an overnight stay. This day offers a unique opportunity to discover the rich history and cultural significance of Cappadocia.

After breakfast on the fifth day of the tour, you will begin your drive to Konya, a city with a rich history and cultural significance. Along the way, you will stop at Derbe and Lystra, two places that were visited several times by Paul as he preached and won converts. Upon your arrival in Konya, you will check into the hotel and enjoy dinner and an overnight stay.

Konya is a city in Anatolia that has been known by its name for centuries. Legend has it that Perseus killed a dragon that had been causing havoc in the town, and the people erected a special monument to honor him. This monument, a stone obelisk with an icon of Perseus carved into it, gave the city its name: Ikonyon, Ikonyum, Iconium. During your visit to Konya, you will have the opportunity to explore this city and learn more about its rich history and cultural significance.

After breakfast on the sixth day of the tour, you will begin your sightseeing in Konya (ancient Iconium), a city that played an important role in the life and ministry of Paul and Barnabas. You will visit the museum complex of the Whirling Dervishes and the Mausoleum of Mevlana (Rumi). After lunch, you will drive to Antioch of Pisidia, a city where Paul preached his first recorded sermon and was later expelled. You will have the chance to explore the ruins and visit the remains of two basilicas. You will then continue driving west to Antalya (Attalia) for dinner and an overnight stay. This day offers a unique opportunity to discover the rich history and cultural significance of the region, all while following in the footsteps of Paul and exploring the places he visited.

On the seventh day of the tour, you will begin with a visit to Perga, a city visited by Paul and Barnabas on their first journey (Acts 13:13-14). There, you will see its well-preserved stadium and collonaded street divided by a water channel. You will then return to Antalya, where you will visit Hadrian’s Gate and the Roman mausoleum of ancient Attalia. Later, you will continue on to Aspendos, home to a famous theater. After lunch, you will begin your drive back to Antalya city center and visit the Archaeological Museum. You will enjoy dinner and an overnight stay in Antalya. This day offers a unique opportunity to discover the rich history and cultural significance of the region, all while following in the footsteps of Paul and exploring the places he visited.

On the eighth day of the tour, you will drive to Myra, a town visited by St. Paul, St. Luke, and St. Aristarchus. This city is particularly known as the seat of St. Nicholas, the bishop of the region during the 4th century. You will have the opportunity to see the many rock tombs that overlook the town’s splendid theater. After lunch, you will return to Antalya for dinner and an overnight stay. This day offers a unique opportunity to discover the rich history and cultural significance of the region, all while following in the footsteps of Paul and exploring the places he visited.

On the ninth day of the tour, you will begin with a drive to Colossae, a city famous for its connections to Paul’s letter to the Colossians. You will have the chance to see the Byzantine walls and other remaining ruins at the site. After lunch, you will drive inland over the Taurus Mountains to Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches of Revelation (Rev. 3:14-22) and a place addressed by Paul (Col. 4:13-16). You will then visit the unexcavated site of Colossae on the foothills of Mount Honaz, where Paul wrote the letters to the Colossians and Philemon. You will have dinner and spend the night in Pamukkale. This day offers a unique opportunity to discover the rich history and cultural significance of the region, all while following in the footsteps of Paul and exploring the places he visited.

On the tenth day of the tour, you will visit Hierapolis, a city with a rich history and cultural significance. You will see the necropolis, baths, theater, and the site of the martyrdom of Philip. You will then continue to Philadelphia, a city founded during the reign of Attalus II and known as one of the Seven Churches. You will visit Thyatira, another one of the Seven Churches, and Sardis, the capital of ancient Lydia and a center of importance for various religious groups. You will have the opportunity to visit the temple of Cybele and Diana, the beautiful synagogue, and the gymnasium. You will then continue on to Kusadasi, where you will have dinner and spend the night. This day offers a unique opportunity to discover the rich history and cultural significance of the region, all while following in the footsteps of Paul and exploring the places he visited.

On the eleventh day of the tour, you will visit the extensive ruins of Ephesus, one of the Seven Churches. You will see the theater where Paul preached to the Ephesians, the library, the Odeon, the Double Church where the Third Ecumenical Council was held in 431, and the Marble Road. You will also visit St. John’s Basilica and the nearby House of Virgin Mary. After lunch, you will continue to Miletus, one of the principal Ionian cities and the home of Thales. This city was visited twice by Paul, and you will have the opportunity to see the very well-preserved theater, the Byzantine Fortress, the Delphinion, the Nymphanion, the Bouleterium, and the Faustina Baths. You will return to Kusadasi for dinner and an overnight stay. This day offers a unique opportunity to discover the rich history and cultural significance of the region, all while following in the footsteps of Paul and exploring the places he visited.

On the twelfth day of the tour, you will drive to Izmir (Smyrna), a city that was home to one of the oldest continually open churches of the revelation. You will have a short city tour and visit Mount Pagus, the site of the martyrdom of Polycarp. You will continue on to Pergamon to visit the Asklepion and the acropolis, the theater, the Temple of Athena, and the Altar of Zeus, which John denounced to the Pergamon church members as the “Throne of Satan.” After lunch, you will visit the Asklepion, the medical center of the ancient world. You will then drive to Assos, where you will have dinner and spend the night. This day offers a unique opportunity to discover the rich history and cultural significance of the region, all while following in the footsteps of Paul and exploring the places he visited.

After breakfast, we embark on a tour of the iconic city of Troy. Following lunch, we head to Alexandria Troas, a city that holds significant historical and religious importance, having been visited by the apostle Paul on multiple occasions. During Paul’s third journey, he is believed to have traveled by land from Alexandria Troas to Assos. In Troas, we will visit the theater, the Temple of Athena, and the agora. Later in the day, we will drive to Bursa for dinner and an overnight stay.

After a hearty breakfast, we will spend the day exploring the city of Bursa, including visits to the Grand Mosque, the Green Mausoleum, and the old silk market in the covered bazaar. After lunch, we will continue our journey to Nicea, a city with great significance in Christian history due to the two ecumenical councils held here in 325 and 787. While in Nicea, we will also visit the museum that was formerly the Church of Divine Wisdom. Later in the day, we will depart Nicea for Istanbul, where we will have dinner and spend the night.

After 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 check out of the hotel and transfer to Kayseri Airport to catch our flight to Istanbul and continue on to our next destination. The tour comes to a close, but the memories of our journey will remain with us forever.