09 Nights / 10 Days Biblical Tour
THE SEVEN CHURCHES WITH CAPPADOCIA

The Seven Churches With Cappadocia Tour Programme:

Welcome to Istanbul – Cradle of Civilisations! Get ready for the magical 5 days Istanbul package. On arrival at Istanbul Airport you will be met by your driver and transferred to your hotel. Check in and the rest of the day is yours to explore the city. Overnight in Istanbul

* Visited Sights: The Old city  “Sultanahmet”  – Topkapi Palace –  Grand Bazaar – Blue Mosque – Hagia Sophia – Hippodrome – Obelisk of Theodosius – German Fountain of Wilhelm II  – Serpentine Column
After breakfast, enjoy a full day tour of the Sultan Ahmet Centre, the heart of the Old City from where the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires were ruled, starting with a visit to the Hagia Sophia, one of the greatest architectural marvels. Then continue to the majestic Blue Mosque, famous for it’s blue İznik tiles. See the historic Hippodrome of ancient times, Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius and German Fountain of Wilhelm II are the monuments decorating the Hippodrome. After lunch, continue with the Grand Covered Bazaar, the most attractive shopping centre and the largest “souk” in the world. Finally visit the Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Ottoman Sultans and home to the Imperial Treasury. After tour, you will be transferred to airport to catch flight to Cappadocia. Arrive & transfer to hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia

* Visited Sights: Goreme Panorama Point – Kaymakli Underground City – Ihlara Valley – Belisirma Village – Selimiye Monastery – Pigeon Valley

After breakfast, your first stop will be to see the incredible views of the fairy chimneys and rock formations. We then head to the underground city of Kaymakli, one of the deepest underground cities in Cappadocia. Immediately after visiting the underground city, we continue on to the Ihlara Valley. Here we have the opportunity to walk part of the valley and see the frescoed churches. We stop at the village of Belisirma for lunch. Then we will visit the rock carved Selime Monastery. Our last stop will be at the Cappadocia Pigeon Valley, which consists of pigeon houses carved over thousands of years. We then head back to your hotel in Cappadocia.

*There will be roughly 2 mile walking during the tour.(3Km)

* Visited Sights:  Uchisar Castle – Goreme Open Air Museum – Love Valley – Avanos – Pashabag – Devrent Valley –  Avanos – Three Beauties ( Urgup )

After breakfast we visit the Goreme Open Air Museum, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Our second stop will be Pashabag Valley, also called Monks Valley, which has some of the most beautiful examples of mushroom shaped fairy chimneys. We then continue to Devrent Valley, also called Dream Valley, where some of the rock formations are located. After lunch in Avanos, we will visit the pottery workshop and watch a demonstration of pottery making. We will also learn about the history of pottery from centuries ago to the present day. Our last stop is to see Uchisar Castle, one of the highest points in Cappadocia, as a panorama and learn its history. After the tour you will be transferred to Kayseri airport for your 1 hour 15 minute domestic flight to Izmir. On arrival you will be met by your driver who will take you safely to your hotel. Check in. Overnight in Kusadasi.

At 08:30 your guide will meet with you at your hotel lobby and will drive to Pergamum, actually called Bergama. It is one of the sites of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:12]. Here we explore the impressive Acropolis, the steepest theatre in the world, the Asklepion, famous medical Centre of classical times, see the Altar of Zeus which is mentioned as the «Throne of Satan» in the book of Revelation, the marble columns of the Temple of Trajan and the Library which was foremost in the world and was long a rival of the equally famous Library of Alexandria in Egypt. Its wealth of volumes was estimated at over 200,000. It inspired the invention of parchment.

Then we continue our visit to Thyatira, now called Akhisar, another one of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:18-24; Acts 16:14]. It was a city famous for purple dyes. We visit the remains of a basilica and some architectural fragments from the Roman period. Lydia, the seller of purple in Philippi, was from Thyatira.

Drive back to your hotel and overnight in Kusadasi.

Today we depart early in the morning to one of the most picturesque areas of any of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:1-4], Sardis, presently Sart. This was the capital of the ancient Lydian kingdom of the 6th century BC, portrayed as a dying church. We visit the great Temple of Artemis and restored gymnasium and reconstructed Synagogue. We also see the last several meters of the royal Persian Road from Susa to Sardis built by Cyrus the Great and the «golden» river Pactolus.

Then we continue our journey to Philadelphia, nowadays called Alasehir, another church of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:7], and the only church not censured. There we see the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of brick, with a bit of high arch and some 11th century frescoes. Continue to visit to Laodicia. The city established in the C3 BCE by the Seleucid Antiochus II, the city was named after his wife Laodicea. Built on the Lycus Tributary of the Meander River, it was surnamed Laodicea on Lycus, to distinguish it from other similarly named cities. Laodicia is the last of the seven churches. As a crossroad of two important roads, this city had an important commercial and logistical position. We drive to the healing city of Hierapolis, actually Pamukkale, the white «cotton fortress» where hot mineral water bursts from the earth and cascades over steep cliffs forming pools, channels and stalactites. The therapeutic waters were known to the founders of Hierapolis and of Laodicea in 190 BC. Check in at hotel for dinner and overnight in a Thermal Hotel.

Drive to Ephesus visit to the ancient city of Ephesus including the Basilica of St. John. The Apostle Paul preached to the Ephesians and lived here for three years. This church also received an epistle from him. We tour the spectacular ruins where excavations still continue in this once great and important city, which was founded in the 10th century BC.

Walk through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, among them the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian and the Theatre. The Temple of Diana of the Ephesians, another of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was built in this city. We visit the Basilica of St. John. Visit The House of Virgin Mary before drive to Kusadasi. Overnight in Kusadasi.

After breakfast and transfer to Izmir airport for noon flight to Istanbul. Arrival and our representative will transfer to your hotel. Afternoon Free in Istanbul to explore the city on your own. Overnight in Istanbul.

* Visited Sights:  Bosphorus Region – Rumeli Fortress – Spice Bazaar
After breakfast, enjoy a full day Bosphorus Cruise on Gurtour Travel’s boat through the waterway that separates the two continents of Europe and Asia. You can also see Rumeli Fortress (from the boat – no interior visit. )Before the Bosphorus tour have a visit to the famous Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar), mystical smells of different aromas of various spices. After the tour transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

• 9 Nights Accomodation
• Transportation in a fully air – conditioned, non – smoking vehicle
• Professional English – speaking tour guides
• All  group tours mentioned in the itinerary
• Hotel – airport transfers
• 3 Domestic Flights
• All meals that stated in the program (x8 Breakfast +  x6 Lunch)

Not Include:

• All entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary
• Drinks, Dinner
• International flights
• Insurance: All types
• Turkey entry visa
• Items of a personal nature such as alcoholic drinks, cold drinks, laundry
• Any others expenses which are not mentioned at the included section