GRAND FOLLOWING OF ST. PAUL’S FOOTSTEPS

ITINERARY

The Father, The Son and The Holly Spirit
And then...The Apostles
At Troas a vision of a Macedonian was had by Paul, which impressed him as a call from God to evangelize in Macedonia.
He accordingly sailed for Europe, and preached the Gospel in Philippi, Thessalonica, Athens, and Corinth

With a 4 day cruise to the islands of Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Rhodes, Crete, Santorini,
And excursions to Ancient Ephesus in Kusadasi and the Cave of the Apocalypse in Patmos
... An insight experience following the steps of St. Paul in Greece and Turkey!
This offer is available for groups, starting from 10 pax participation, for the months of April till October , starting every Wednesday from Thessaloniki

Day 1: Wednesday- Thessaloniki arrival

Arrival at Thessaloniki and transfer to the hotel. Balance of the day free & overnight in Thessaloniki

Day 2: Thursday- Thessaloniki- Full Day tour to Philippi & Kavala

Breakfast in the hotel

Morning departure for a visit to Philippi where St. Paul delivered his first evangelical sermon in Europe, sowing the seeds of Christianity. Here Paul baptized a woman called Lydia, the first Christian convert in Europe. Visit the Forum, the theatre and the prison where Paul and Silas where thrown. Continue into the modern port city of Kavala, ancient Neapolis where Paul accompanied by Silas, Luke and Timothy, first set foot in Europe. Return in Thessaloniki. Overnight in Thessaloniki

Day 3: Friday- Thessaloniki City tour and flight to Athens

Breakfast in the hotel 
Today Explore Thessaloniki, where Paul preached and wrote two epi stles during the winters of 49-50 AD to the Ancient Thessalonians. See the ramparts of the city: the triumphal Arch of Galerius, built in 303 AD, at the Via Egnatia. Visits to St. Demetrius Basilica, the St. George church, an ancient Roman monument which was transformed into a church, the Byzantine wall to the citadel, the Roman excavated Forum and time permitting the Byzantine museum

Transfer to Thessaloniki Airport in the afternoon for a flight to Athens

Arrival at Athens Airport and transfer to your city center hotel for overnight

Day 4: Saturday- Athens City tour

Breakfast in the hotel
In the morning start an tour of Athens, starting with a visit of Kaisariani Monastery, located just outside of Athens at the foot of Mt. Hymettos, visit the 11th century kaisariani Monastery
Then return back in Athens, and visit Acropolis, where you'll see the Parthenon, the propylea, The Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, the Aeropagus (Mars Hill) where Apostle Paul took and preached about the truth to the Gentile nation and then walk to the Ancient Agora, which was the center of political and public life in Ancient Athens. The agora was utilized for commerce, political, religious and military activity and is where Apostle Paul met and spoke the Epicureans and Stoic Philosophers. Return at the hotel

Rest of the day is free. Overnight in Athens

Day 5: Sunday Athens- ½ Day tour to Ancient Corinth

Breakfast in the hotel

Depart for Ancient Corinth. On the way have a short photo stop at the Corinth Canal and then arrive in the Ancient City. Here under the shadow of the towering Acropolis, St. Paul preached and lived for 2 years. The Gentile church he founded here in 50 Ad caused him much grief and prompted him to write, four letters to them. Visit the ruins of the ancient city where Paul worked with the Aquila and Priscilla. See the remains of the first century shops, the agora where Paul's trial by Gallio took place, the Fountain or Pierene, Temple of Apollo and the Bema, the public platform where St. Paul hat to plead his case when the Corinthians Hauled him up in front of the Roman governon Gallio in 52 AD. Continue with a visit of the Archaeological museum of Ancient Corinth, which contains a number of artifacts of religious interest, including inscriptions of Gallio and Erastus, both mentioned in the book of Acts

Continue to visit Kehries the ancient port, where Apostle Paul had his hair cut to fulfil a vow

Return to Athens by lunch time

Afternoon free and overnight in Athens

Day 6: Monday- departure for 4 days cruise/ Mykonos

Breakfast in the hotel

Transfer in the morning to the cruise pier and embark on your cruise ship for a 4 day magical cruise to the Greek Islands of Mykonos, Patmos, Rhodes, Crete, Santorini and the port of Kusadasi in Turkey

In the afternoon reach the island of Mykonos and take some free time to walk around the town and observe one of the most “characteristic” Cycladic Islands

Sail off and overnight on board (lunch and dinner on board)

Day 7: Tuesday- Kusadasi & Ephesus tour, Patmos & ST. John’s Monastery

Breakfast on board

Early in the morning you will reach Kusadasi port in Turkey. A tour to the Ancient Ephesus will follow

The city was dedicated to the goddess Artemis, and its Artemision, a temple in her honor, took 120 years to complete and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Ephesus later became the second-largest city in the Roman Empire, at one time home to a quarter-million people. It was the first and most significant city in the Roman province of Asia and one of its key ports. Millennia ago the Aegean receded west, stranding the city on its sun-seared hillsides. It is believed the Virgin Mary lived and died here, and that Paul wrote his Letter to the Ephesians here. It was the most significant Christian city between Rome and Antioch
Ephesus is rivaled only by the Forum and the Acropolis as one of the most complete classical cities in Europe, even though only 13% of the city has been uncovered!

Sail off with next destination the island of Patmos
In Patmos you will visit the island’s capital (Chora) then the Monastery of St. John and finally the Grotto of the Apocalypse
Sail off in the evening
Overnight on board (lunch and dinner on board)

Day 8: Wednesday- Rhodes Island

Breakfast on board

Arrive in Rhodes early in the morning and have the full day free to explore the island of the Knights (optional tour options)
Around 18.00 pm the ship will sail off

Overnight on board ( lunch and dinner on board)

Day 9: Thursday- Heraklio (Crete) & Santorini

Breakfast on board

Early morning arrival in Heraklio, the capital of Crete Island
Have 3 hrs approximately, free in order to explore Heraklio or chose an optional tour in the Palace of Knossos.
Sail off before noon with next destination the unique island of Santorini
Arrive in Santorini in the afternoon. Free time on your own to admire Greece’s best known island, the beautiful town of Fira, the amazing sunset (optional tour to Oia Village)

Around 21.00 pm the ship will sail off- overnight on board (lunch and dinner on board)

Day 10: Friday- Piraeus- Athens Airport- departure

Breakfast on board

Early morning arrival at Piraeus port in Athens and transfer to Athens International Airport for your departure