Our journey begins in Istanbul, the only city in the world situated on two continents. Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul – its three names span more than 2600 years, nearly 1600 of them as the capital of two of the greatest empires the world has known, Byzantine and Ottoman. We visit the Topkapi Palace including treasury section, St. Sophia, The Blue Mosque and Hippodrome, where chariot races and the Byzantine riots took place and free time in Grand Bazaar with its 3.500 shops. Overnight in Istanbul.

Early morning flight to Hatay (Antioch) arrival and drive to Antioch on the Orontes that believers were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26). Visit the St. Peter’s Cave where they met in secret. Paul and Silas departed from here on the second missionary journey (Acts 15:35-36). Discover the impact of leaders such as Ignatius of Antioch and John Chrysostom. In Acts 2:9, pilgrims from Cappadocia were assembled with the thousands in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost when they received the initial baptism of the Holy Spirit and heard the Apostle Peter preach his powerful message. In the afternoon, a brief coach ride to Samandagi (Seleucia Pereira), the port from where Paul and Barnabas sailed to Cyprus on their first journey (Acts 13:4). Drive to Adana for overnight.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, We will drive to Tarsus the birthplace of the Apostle Paul . Arrival to Tarsus and visit the Apostle Paul’s well. We will travel to Cappadocia, where early Christians carved some 3,500 cave churches from the tufa rock. The beauty and quaintness of these chapels, with numerous wall paintings and Christian symbols, is astonishing. Persecuted Christians – tens of thousands of them – escaping into the earth to flee Arab invaders in the tenth century, tunneled out more than twenty underground cities of refuge here in Cappadocia. Such cities, with carved rooms for kitchens, sleeping quarters, stables, and chapels for worship, descend five to ten stories into the earth. We will visit Kaymaklı Underground City and Three Sisters Fairy Chimneys. Overnight in Cappadocia.

In the morning, first meeting with the lunar landscape of Cappadocia: rock formations beyond belief in Devrent valley; a journey in the past with its troglodyte houses, visit to Pasabag “fairy chimneys” where the voice of wind mixes with the “songs of fairies” near Zelve.

Lunch in Avanos, center of terra cotta work of art since 3000 BC and a demonstration in a traditional pottery workshop. Afternoon, visit the famous Goreme Open Air Museum and see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings (10th to 13th century). Continue to Uchisar Rock-Castle to have a panoramic view of the valleys of Cappadocia. After the tour program transfer to your hotel for overnight in Cappadocia.

Drive to the Sultanhani Caravansary for a fascinating look at one of the rest stops for ancient camel caravans. Along the trade routes, such caravansaries appeared at intervals of some twenty-five miles, the average distance that camels could travel in a day. Continue on to Lystra, where a mob stoned Paul during his first journey (Acts 14:6-19), and where Timothy joined him during the second journey (Acts 16:1-3). Depart for Iconium, where Paul preached and encouraged believers during his first missionary journey (Acts 14:1-6). Iconium was once the home of the sect of mystical Muslims called Whirling Dervishes. We will visit Mevlana Museum (founder of Whirling dervishes). Overnight in a Konya.

After breakfast at hotel, we will drive to Yalvac, Antioch of Pisidia, where nearly the whole city came to hear Paul preach during his first missionary journey (Acts 13:14-52). The marvelous excavations include the ancient church and the great first-century Temple of Augustus. After Yalvac, we will continue driving to Antalya. Overnight in Antalya.

Before we depart from the hotel, we will have a short walk to Hadrian’s Gate. After the Hadrian’s Gate, we will continue driving to visit to Perge, where St. Paul and Luke stayed long enough to preach and talk with people on their return from Antioch (Acts 14:25). Then a visit to Aspendos, one of the most well preserved ancient sites in Turkey. Overnight in Antalya.

You will be picked up from your hotel and transfer to Antalya Airport for your flight to Istanbul to catch your internation flight back to home. End of services.