Biblical and Spiritual Türkiye 9 Days

Arrival at IST airport. Transfer to the hotel and rest. An introductory visit to Hagia Sophia, the most important church in Christendom for a thousand years: for the Byzantines, its 55-metre dome symbolised heaven on earth. Your guide sets the scene of Christian Constantinople, capital of the empire that shaped the Eastern Christian tradition.
Accommodation: hotel in Sultanahmet, Istanbul.

Christian Istanbul in depth: the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora (Kariye), with the most spectacular Byzantine mosaics and frescoes still in existence — scenes from the Old and New Testaments in astonishing detail. Visit to the Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate, the spiritual seat of the Orthodox Church since the year 330. We visit the Church of Hagia Irene, older than Hagia Sophia, and the Theodosian Walls that protected Constantinople for a thousand years. Lunch in the Fener neighbourhood.
Meals included: breakfast and lunch.
Accommodation: hotel in Sultanahmet.

Domestic flight IST → ADB (Izmir). Straight on to Ephesus: the Great Theatre where St Paul preached to the Ephesians (Acts 19), the Library of Celsus and the great marble avenue once walked by apostles and martyrs. A special visit to the House of the Virgin Mary (Meryemana) on the slopes of Mount Koressos, a place of pilgrimage recognised by the Vatican where, according to tradition, Mary spent her last years. A moment for prayer and reflection. Lunch in Şirince.
Domestic flight included: IST → ADB.
Meals included: breakfast and lunch.
Accommodation: hotel in Kuşadası.

The route of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse — first stage. The Agora of Smyrna: the church of Smyrna, to which Revelation says "Be faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Rev 2:10). We continue to Pergamon: the Altar of Zeus (identified as "Satan's seat" in Rev 2:13), the Acropolis with its vertiginous theatre, the Asclepieion and the Red Basilica (the church of Pergamon). Lunch on the way.
Meals included: breakfast and lunch.
Accommodation: hotel in Pergamon/Bergama.

Three churches of the Apocalypse in one intense day. Thyatira (today's Akhisar): the ruins of the agora and the church that "sufferest that woman Jezebel" (Rev 2:20). Sardis: the grand synagogue, the gymnasium and the Temple of Artemis; the church that "hast a name that thou livest, and art dead" (Rev 3:1). Philadelphia (today's Alaşehir): the remains of the basilica of the church that received "an open door, and no man can shut it" (Rev 3:8). Lunch on the way. Arrival in Pamukkale.
Meals included: breakfast and lunch.
Accommodation: thermal hotel in Pamukkale.

Morning in Laodicea, the seventh church of the Apocalypse, the one that was "neither cold nor hot" (Rev 3:16): the ruins of two theatres, the nymphaeum and early Christian churches. Visit to the terraces of Pamukkale and ancient Hierapolis. Drive to Konya: the Mevlana Museum, tomb of the Sufi poet Rumi, and a reflection on interfaith dialogue in the Turkish mystical tradition. Dinner included.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Accommodation: hotel in Konya.

Drive to Cappadocia. First stops: the rock-cut churches of the Göreme Valley, decorated with Byzantine frescoes from the 10th to the 13th century — scenes from the life of Christ and the saints painted directly onto the volcanic rock. Your guide explains the Christian symbolism of each scene. Check-in at your cave hotel. A walk around the village and panoramic views over the fairy chimneys.
Meals included: breakfast and lunch.
Accommodation: cave hotel in Cappadocia.

Christian Cappadocia in depth. The Göreme Open-Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage Site): the Dark Church with its spectacular frescoes, the Apple Church and the Snake Church. The Ihlara Valley with its ancient refuge churches carved into the canyon by ascetic monks. Derinkuyu Underground City: the early Christian communities took refuge here during the persecutions — chapels, baptisteries and storerooms eight levels below ground. A moment for reflection. Lunch at a cave restaurant.
Meals included: breakfast and lunch.
Accommodation: cave hotel in Cappadocia.

Option of a sunrise balloon flight for an unforgettable farewell (extra). Breakfast and domestic flight ASR → IST. Transfer to the international airport for your flight home or an extension in Istanbul. The end of a journey that will have touched your spirit.
Domestic flight included: ASR → IST.
Meals included: breakfast.