Day by Day Travel Itinerary

• Day 01 Thu . May . 08

  DEPART FROM RALEIGH/DURAHM

  Today we depart Raleigh/Durham, NC, aboard our flight to Izmir, Turkey, with connection in Frankfurt and Istanbul.  

• Day 02 Fri . May . 09

  IZMIR / KUSADASI

  Welcome to Turkey--a land of minarets, ancient civilizations, and modern bustling cities! After baggage claim and passport control, we meet our tour guide at the international arrivals terminal and continue to our hotel in Kusadası for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

• Day 03 Sat . May . 10

  KUSADASI / EPHESUS

  After breakfast, we drive to the town of Selcuk to visit the remains of the ancient city of Ephesus. We visit the temples of Hadrian and Domition, the Library of Celcius, and the great theatre with a capacity of 24,000 spectators. The Apostle Paul lived in Ephesus for two years where his preaching incited a riot regarding the goddess Artemis (Acts 18:21-41). We continue our tour with a visit to Mother Mary’s last home, a chapel erected at this traditional site where the Virgin Mary spent the final days of her life.  We then visit the Baslica of St. John. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight in Kusadası. (B, D)

• Day 04 Sun . May . 11

  KUSADASI / PAMUKKALE / DENIZLI

  We begin our day with a drive to Pamukale where we visit the remains of the ancient cities of Laodicea and Colossae. Laodicea was he church that the Apostle John chastised for being lukewarm (Rev. 3:14-22). The Epistle to the Colossians, written by the Apostle Paul, was addressed to the church in Colossae.  We then visit the nearby ruins of Hierapolis, an important seat of early Christianity.  We view the spectacular white travertine terraces created by flowing mineral water from natural hot springs. We continue to our hotel in Denizli for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

• Day 05 Mon . May . 12

  PAMUKKALE / IZMIR

  We drive to the town of Alasehir to visit the remains of the Church in Philadelphia. Afterwards, we drive to the ancient city of Sardis to visit the restored facade of the gymnasium, the Roman synagogue, the ancient remains of the Temple of Artemis, and the church. In the afternoon, we visit Akhisar (Thyathira), a church praised for its increasing faith, but criticized for its tolerance of Jezebel (Rev. 2:18-28). We continue to Izmir (Smyrna) to visit Mt. Pagos and see the remains of the Hellenistic Castle of Lysimachos, with a full view overlooking Izmir.  We visit the restored agora of Smyrna, the ancient Roman city. We then make our way to our hotel in Izmir for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

• Day 06 Tue . May . 13

  IZMIR / CANAKKALE

  After breakfast, we drive to Bergama to visit the Acropolis of the Hellenistic city of Pergamum. Sites at the Acropolis include the Altar of Zeus and the temples of Athena, Trajan, and Dionysus. We will see the magnificent 10,000-seat theatre from the staircase leading from the Temple of Athena. The next stop is the Asclepion, the ancient medical center where the first psychological treatment was used. Afterwards, we visit the remains of the legendary city of Troy. This archaeological site of Troy has 4,000 years of history and is immortalized in Homer’s The Iliad.  We continue to Canakkale for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

• Day 07 Wed . May . 14

  GALLIPOLI / CANAKKALE / ISTANBUL

  This morning we embark on a ferry to cross the Dardanelles Strait to Gallipoli.  At Gallipoli we visit Anzac Cove, Lone Pine, and the Turkish cemeteries—all World War I sites.  We view the newly constructed 1915 Canakkale Bridge, one of the longest road suspension bridges in the world.  We continue our drive along the shore of the Sea of Marmara into Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with spectacular views of the countryside.  Upon arrival into Istanbul, we visit the Spice Market for a true taste of the culture of Istanbul. We continue to our hotel for a three night stay in the city.  (B, D)

• Day 08 Thu . May . 15

  ISTANBUL

  We depart from the hotel to visit many historical highlights of Istanbul.  First, we visit the Roman hippodrome where chariot races and competitive athletic events took place during the Roman period.  We then visit the Blue Mosque, the 17th-century Ottoman mosque famous for its six minarets and magnificent interior with blue tiles.  We visit Hagia Sophia, the great Byzantine basilica built in the 6th century, followed by Topkapi Palace. Topkapi Palace was the residence of the Ottoman sultans housing the richness of 700 years with its many treasures including the crown jewels and a unique collection of Chinese porcelains.  We then make our way to the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum.  This museum reflects the architectural style of the Seljuk Period and contains artifacts of jewelry, clothing, weapons, seals, and coins. We continue to our hotel for dinner and overnight.  (B, D)

• Day 09 Fri . May . 16

  ISTANBUL

  vToday, after breakfast, we visit Dolmabahce Palace, a fitting symbol of the magnificence, as well as the decadence of the 19th century Ottomon Empire. The stunning interior décor, originating from the early days of the palace, is composed of French Baccarat crystal, rose and mahogany furniture, and massive hand-woven rugs which will dazzle your eyes.  Next, we visit the Kariye Museum, which is decorated with breathtaking mosaics and frescoes.  We tour the Mosque of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, followed by the Archaeological Museum which houses a rich collection of classical antiquities. We visit the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops.  We then enjoy a cruise on the Bosphorus Strait aboard our own private boat, visiting both Europe and Asia.  As we cruise, we will have opportunities to take photos of the natural beauty, the 15th-century Rumelihisar Fortress, and summer palaces. The Bosphorus cruise will end close to the Black Sea.  Our Farewell Dinner will take place at a restaurant on the shore of the Bosphorus.  After dinner, we make our way to the hotel to prepare for our early morning departure to the US.  (B, D)

• Day 10 Sat . May . 17

  ISTANBUL / USA

  Early this morning, after breakfast, we drive to the Istanbul airport for our international flight home.