Make your way to your local airport, where you will board your overnight flight(s). Onboard, meals will be served to you.

Upon landing at Makedonia Thessaloniki Airport, make your way to the baggage claim area and collect your luggage. Proceed to the arrival hall, where you will be greeted by your tour guide and driver. Board the bus to transfer to your hotel. Enjoy some time to relax after check-in. After a delicious meal, overnight in Thessaloniki.

After breakfast, we start our journey in Greece with the first stop of the day in Philippi. Philippi was the city where St. Paul the Apostle delivered his first sermon and where he established the first church in Europe. “And from there [he went] to Philippi, which is the leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman Colony. We remained in this city some days” (Acts 16:12). It is also the site where St. Paul baptized a woman named Lydia, the first convert to Christianity in Europe. We visit the Roman Forum, where St. Paul cast a spirit out of a fortune-teller woman. We view the ruins of the prison where St. Paul and Silas were held captive by the owners of the fortune-tellers. We continue to the modern port city of Kavala, which was once the ancient Neapolis. This port is where St. Paul, Silas, Luke, and Timothy landed when they sailed into Europe. Close to the port, we can view a beautiful mosaic at St. Nicholas Church, depicting the call of St. Paul to Macedonia and the arrival of the Apostle in town. Remains of ancient columns mark the place where St. Paul tied up his boat, escorted by Silas. This ancient city of Neapolis was later renamed Christoupolis because it was the first European city to accept Christianity. Imagine walking upon the same ground as these men of the Bible! We then see the Roman Aqueduct and the ruins of the Acropolis. After enjoying this city, located in a beautiful setting by the sea, we return to Thessaloniki for a delicious meal and restful overnight.

In the winter of AD 49-50, St. Paul wrote two epistles to the Thessalonians. These letters urged Christians to live blamelessly and to refrain from living idly while they waited for the second coming of Christ. While in Thessaloniki, we behold several ancient wonders, including the triumphal Arch of Galerius found at the start of Via Egnatia and constructed to honor the Roman Emperor Galerius following his victory over the Persians. Due to the convenient location, this arch once marked a strategic artery of the Roman Empire. We then visit St. Demetrios Church, which is home to valuable mosaics and frescoes. From here we walk to view the Roman Agora, a place where St. Paul had preached. We then drive to the upper town, which offers a marvelous view of the city. We proceed to the modern Church of St. Paul, followed by the Monastery of Vlatadon, which is believed to be the location where Jason’s house once stood, where St. Paul was accommodated during his stay in Thessaloniki. Following the city tour, we drive to Veria (Berea). According to historical sources, St. Paul visited Veria at least twice between AD 50 and AD 57 in order to proclaim the Gospel to the people of the region. St. Paul’s preaching made a great impact on the inhabitants of Veria and the town played an important role in the spreading and establishment of the Christian faith in Greece. In the modern city stands a “Triptych monument” in remembrance of St Paul’s work. The display is made of colorful mosaic tile and displays three panels: the vision of the Macedonian man, St. Paul himself, and St. Paul’s address to the Bereans. The monument includes three steps that were removed from a salvage dig at a nearby school property. The steps are considered to be from the location of the ancient synagogue, where St. Paul also preached. We continue to Kalambaka for a wonderful meal and a relaxing overnight stay.

After breakfast, we board the motorcoach for a short drive to the Meteora Monasteries. In the eleventh century, some monks settled within caves in the area. However, as the Turkish occupation increased, the monks were forced to move their settlements higher upon the rocks until they were unreachable by any opposing enemy. In time, they built monasteries accessible only by ladders and baskets. The monasteries became centers of learning, which helped to preserve a great deal of Greek culture over the centuries. During our visit, we will view stunning Byzantine art, as well as the breathtaking scenery surrounding the monasteries. We then continue to Delphi for dinner and overnight.

Today, we visit the center of the ancient world, the navel of the earth, Delphi. The prestige of this city extended far beyond the boundaries of the Hellenic world. On the slopes of Mount Parnassus in a landscape of unparalleled beauty and majesty, lie the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios. We visit the religious center of the ancient Greeks, the so-called Gentiles, and we learn more about their pre-Christian religious practices. In the museum, among other impressive artifacts, we see the “Gallio inscription,” which is a precise chronological anchor for The Acts of the Apostles and has helped scholars to determine a timeline for St. Paul and his travels. After visiting the site, we continue to Athens, where St. Paul famously proclaimed: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found, also, an altar with this inscription ‘to an unknown God.’ What, therefore, you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:22-23). Athens is one of the most glorious cities in the world and the cradle of Western Civilization as we know it today. Dinner and overnight at our hotel in Athens.

After breakfast at the hotel, we start with a tour of one of the oldest cities in the world, Athens. We visit the great rock that has dominated the panorama of Athens for twenty-five centuries, where stands the Acropolis. At the Acropolis, we see the ruins of the Parthenon, Erectheum, and Propylene. We then ascend Mars Hill, where St. Paul spoke to the Athenians about the one and only God (Acts 17:22). While in this city, we view the ancient Agora, the former public square of Athenian life, serving as the political, commercial, social, religious, and cultural center of Athens. We then drive through the city to view the House of Parliament on Syntagma Square. We also have the opportunity to view the University of Athens, the oldest higher education institute in Greece, and the National Library of Greece, which holds 4,500 Greek manuscripts. We visit Panathenaic Stadium, adorned with beautiful marble, which is home to the Olympian Zeus and which was the site of the first modern-era Olympics in 1896. Following our visit to Athens, we move on to ancient Corinth, where St. Paul lived for two years, under the shadow of the towering Acropolis. While here, the Apostle felt deeply grieved by what the Gentile Church in Corinth had become. As a result, he wrote four letters, all with the overarching theme of love. In Corinth, we have the opportunity to view the remains of first century shops, the site of the trial of St. Paul by Gallio, the Fountain of Peirene, and the Temple of Apollo. Following our visit to Corinth, we return to Athens for a delicious meal and overnight.

Following breakfast, we proceed to the Piraeus port, where we board our 3-day cruise. Our first stop will be the Island of Mykonos, the most cosmopolitan of the Greek islands, attracting visitors from all over the world. After docking, we transfer to Hora, the capital of the island. We enjoy a walking tour along the narrow cobbled streets of the city. We pass by chic boutiques, elegant nightclubs, and white-washed houses to arrive in Alefkandra. This area is known as the Venice of Mykonos, since the buildings have wooden balconies overlooking the sea. Historically, these were the homes of the wealthy merchants and captains. We return to the cruise ship for dinner and overnight.

We enjoy breakfast on board in the lively Turkish port of Kusadasi. We then transfer to the small village of Mt. Koressos. We visit the stone chapel situated upon the site where the Virgin Mary spent her last days following the crucifixion of Christ. After this visit, we walk through the Magnesian Gate to ancient Ephesus. We enjoy a walking tour that takes us through the most magnificent excavations in the world. Some of the sites include the Odeon concert hall, the Fountain of Trajan, the Scholastica, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Library of Celsus. The last stop on the walking tour is the Great Theatre, the largest ancient theatre, with a capacity of 25,000 people, and a site where St. Paul preached. We follow the exact route that Mark Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in procession via the Arcadian Way, from the Great Theatre to the city harbor. Upon arrival in Kusadasi, we enjoy free time to explore on our own before returning to the ship. The cruise journey continues to Patmos, where we come to the village of Chora. Here we visit the monastery of Saint John the Theologian. This marvelous structure, built nine-hundred years ago, continues to be supported by the walls of a strong fortification. In addition to the stunning main church that contains outstanding frescoes, we also have the opportunity to view the beautiful courtyard, dining room, and bakery. We visit the small museum, where we view priceless ecclesiastical treasures such as books, manuscripts, mosaics, icons, textiles, vestments, and jewelry. We then visit the Grotto of the Apocalypse believed to mark the spot where St. John of Patmos received his visions, which he recorded in The Book of Revelation. The silver niches in the wall mark the ledge that he used as his desk. We view the three-fold crack made by the voice of God, emphasizing the importance of honoring the Holy Trinity. Our day culminates with a transfer to the port of Scala. While in this quaint and picturesque harbor, we enjoy free time before returning to the ship.

This morning, we transfer to the largest city on the island of Crete, Heraklion. While in this administrative capital, we visit the ancient ruins of the Palace of Knossos, discovered in 1899. The palace is currently partially reconstructed and believed to have been the mythical Labyrinth of King Minos, as well as the seat of ancient Minoan culture. Here is where St. Paul met the owner and captain of the ship, who gave him a prophetic message to continue his journey to spread Christianity in Rome. Following this historical visit, we sail to the idyllic island of Santorini. Santorini is definitively the most breathtaking of all of the Greek Islands. Here we visit Thira with its iconic, white-washed houses, narrow streets, open-air cafes, and glittering boutiques, which cling to cliffs. This evening we enjoy our last dinner and overnight on the cruise ship.

Today marks the end of our cruise. Following disembarkation, we transfer to the Athens airport for our flight to USA.

Or for pilgrims taking post tour to Istanbul:

*206 Tours Disclaimer:
Occasionally local religious and national holidays, weather, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of events or the missing of certain events/places. Though every effort will be made to follow the itinerary, it should be considered as an indication, rather than a contract of events and places to be visited.