12 Days & 11 Nights Footsteps Of St St. Paul

DAY 4: CAPPADOCIA

Full day exploring Cappadocia. Visit Goreme Open Air Museum, Avanos, the pottery making town, the natural Citadel of Uchisar. Visit the Ihlara Valley which was formed by volcanic eruption where the Melendiz River flows to create this impressive canyon. Byzantine rock chapels covered with frescoes are built into the wall of the canyon. Stop by Carpet Weaving Center to view hand made Turkish Carpets.

DAY 5: CAPPADOCIA – KONYA

Early morning we will drive to Psidian Antioch (Yalvac) where St. Paul opened Christianity to the world. Yalvac’s history goes back to 280 B.C. During St. Paul’s time the population was a mixture of Jews, Romans and Greeks. Very little is left of Psidian Antioch today. There is the propylaea of the acropolis with a number of carved stones and the remains of a Byzantine church. Then we drive to Konya or ancient Iconium, which became an important Christian city following St. Paul’s preaching. A Phyrigia legend says that Konya was the first city to be founded after the flood. St. Paul and Barnabas came here in 47 A.D. and their preaching was accompanied by many miracles. St. Paul made two more stops here on his second and third journeys. Today’s Konya is quite new but the center of the city is very old. Dinner and overnight

DAY 10: CANAKKALE – ISTANBUL
(360 KM)After breakfast at hotel we proceed to Troy. Referred to in Homer’s “Iliad” and “Odyssey”, Troy has in fact nine cities superimposed one upon another. Troy (Trojan hourse) VI pertains to the famous Trojan War of Homer where the legendary heroes included Agamemnon, Achilles, Ulysses, and Nestor on the Greek side and Priam, Hector, and Paris on the Trojan side. We will begin our scenic drive down to Gallipoli, historically famous for being the site of many battles during WWI. Then we will cross the second strategic waterway, the Dardanelles, and land in Asia we will cross the second strategic waterway, the Dardanelles, and land in Asia. Transfer to hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 11: ISTANBUL 

After breakfast, we visit St Sophia Museum which was former Roma Inperial Church. Then visit the Hippodrome. Visit Underground Cistern This cistern is thought to have been built after the Nika revolt in 532 AD. It was known as the Basilica Cistern during the Roman period, as there was a Stoa Basilica above the pre-existing one at the time. After the conquest of the city by the Ottoman Turks, it was forgotten of and nobody knew that it existed. Re-discovered in 1545, it was used to water the gardens of Topkapi Palace. Lunch at the local restaurant, after the lunch visit The Chora Church is considered to be one of the most beautiful examples of a Byzantine church. The church is situated in the western, Edirnekapı district of Istanbul. In the 16th century, the church was converted into a mosque by the Ottoman rulers, and it became a secularized museum in 1948. The interior of the building is covered with fine mosaics and frescoes. Then visit, The Saint Antoine Church. Construction began in 1906 and the church was completed in 1912. Its architect, Giulo Mongeri, who was born in Istanbul, gave it an Italian Neo-Gothic style. Today it is Istanbul’s largest church with the busiest congregation and is run by Italian priests. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.