|
| |
| ITINERARY |
 |
|
|
| Day 1 |
Isparta
1st Journey: Antioch, Seleucia, Cyprus (Salamis and Paphos), Perge, Antioch in Pisidia, Konya (Iconium), Derbe, Lystra, Antalya, Antioch.
St. Paul travelled for about 20 years and during that time he also accomplished his first missionary journey to Asia Minor, partly on foot, partly by boat. After Jesus Christ, St. Paul is definitely the most important person in the history of western Christianity (even though there were other preachers, such as St. Thomas and St. Andrew that carried the message of Christ to other parts of the Roman Empire). Christianity would have died out when the Jewish Rebellion of 66 AD was crushed and Jerusalem burned if it had not been for St. Paul and his preaching. At the time Paul preached, the life of Jesus had not been condensed into the present day Bible; even the four 'gospels' or short biographies, which form the main part of the Bible weren't finalized until after 100 AD so Paul had no standard text; he also had never met Jesus personally.
As he was a Roman Citizen and from Tarsus, he was a product of the Greek-speaking Hellenistic tradition, and probably educated, which was shared by everyone living around the Eastern Mediterranean. It was because of this universal state and culture that travel was so comparatively easy, thus, so did Christianity.
Take a late evening flight from Istanbul to Isparta. Arrival in Isparta and transfer to your hotel, check in. Stay and overnight in Isparta.
No meals |
| Day 2 |
Adada- Antiocheia
Today, after a rich breakfast at the hotel you will depart on tour. This area is also known as second longest trekking route in Turkey and quite popular among trekkers. We will visit Yalvac, a beatiful village and Adada, an ancient city in the Pisidia. Adada is one of the few ancient cities in Turkey that has managed to survive to our day with very little damage. Psidian Antioch (Yalvac) is where St. Paul opened Christianity to the world. Yalvac's history goes back to 280 B.C. and during St. Paul's time the population was a mixture of Jews, Romans and Greeks. Very little is left of Psidian Antioch today. We can still see the acropolis with a number of carved stones and the remains of a Byzantine church. After the tour, you will pass by Egridir Lake and arrive in Konya-Iconium for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner |
| Day 3 |
Konya- Lystra- Derbe
Konya-Iconium, became an important Christian city after St. Paul’s preachings. 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 preachings were accompanied by many miracles. On his first missionary journey here in Lystra, city officials of Iconium plotted to stone them (Acts 14:6-21). St. Paul made two more stops here on his second and third journeys. Today the city of Konya is quite new but the center of the city is very old. After a lunch in the centre, we drive to Lystra and Derbe where St. Paul also visited on his journeys. Lystra is known for being the hometown of St. Timothy, who St. Paul wanted to look after the church in Ephesus. Here, St. Paul preached on his first missionary journey (Acts 14:6-22). After he healed a lame man, the superstitious citizens immediately assumed that he was Hermes (messenger of Zeus) and Barnabas was Zeus himself (same as the Roman god Jupiter).
Continue to Derbe, where a distinctive church ruin is believed to be the home of the last Bishop of Derbe, circa A.D. 1001. In ancient times, Derbe was one of a few Christian cities, and was used as a refuge for traveling Christians. It’s church was burned and buried under a mountain of soil by the Roman Emperor Diocletian during the Diocletian Persecution just prior to the year 300 AD. After the destruction of Derbe, there was a mass exodus of the population. Many went to Western Europe, settling in modern day France. It is during this time that the last name "Derbes" began to be expressed with the connotative meaning, "man from Derbe". The name is still expressed as a surname to this day. Drive to Antalya, check in your hotel.Stay overnight in Antalya.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner |
| Day 4 |
Perge- Aspendos
Enjoy a late breakfast at the hotel before our visit to Perge, a very important port city in ancient times. Perge seems to have been one of the earliest centers for the spreading of Christianity in this region. St. Paul visited the city on his first missionary journey, in 47 AD, together with St Barnabas and John Mark. “..St. Paul and his companions took ship from Paphos, Cyprus, and made for Perge in Pamphylia; here John Mark had left them, and went back to Jerusalem. They passed on from Perge, and reached Pisidian Antioch, where they went and took their seats in the synagogue on the Sabbath day.” (Acts 13:13-14) “They preached the word of the Lord in Perge, and went down to Attelia, taking ship there for Antioch on the Orontes.” (Acts 14,24). Your next visit will be Aspendos. As the name of the city, Aspendos is not Greek but Anatolian, it seems likely that the newcomers did not found the city, but merely took over an existing settlement. The theatre of Aspendos is the most perfectly preserved Roman theatre in existence. Designed by the architect Zeno during the reign of the Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius (AD 161-180), it was given to the city by two brothers, Curtius Crispinus and Curtius Auspicatus and they dedicated the building to “the Gods of the country and to the Imperial House”. After the tour, you will drive to Antalya city centre and have some free time explore the old town. Stay overnight in Antalya.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner |
| Day 5 |
Alanya- Cyprus (Hydrofoil on Mondays and Thursdays Only)
After an early breakfast at the hotel, you will depart for Alanya where you will embark for your hydrofoil to Cyprus. Such a charming island located among three continents where East meets West. Words cannot describe how enchanting the island is with its inviting golden beaches, pine-clad mountains and gothis castles. In Cyprus you will be fascinated by the history of the Middle Ages, which is very unique to Mediterranean area. The journey will take approx. 5 hours and on your arrival in Kyrenia, you will be taken to your hotel to check in, enjoy some time at leisure and stay overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner |
| Day 6 |
Kyrenia and Surroundings
Kyrenia –Girne is the most attractive city on the island with lovely piers and sightseeing options. Start your day by the Castle located at the pier. With its amazing shipwreck museum and picturesque old harbour, Girne Castle is definitely worth a visit. On the 6th May 1191, King Richard I arrived in Cyprus during the third crusade and captured the city. Guy de Lusignan of France bought the island in the 12th Century and the Lusignan Dynasty began on the island and lasted until 1489. After visiting the castle, enjoy a cup of coffee at the harbour and continue to Bellapais Monastery, one of the most well-preserved and important examples of Gothic Architecture in the world. Bellapais was founded by a monastic group called Premonstratensians, also known as the White Canons, because of the colour of their robes. They were the first to be sent to the Holy Land, where they arrived as early as 1131. When Jerusalem fell to Salaaddin in 1187, they fled to Cyprus and founded this monastery, which they named Abbaye de la Paix ("Abbey of Peace"), shortened over the years to Bellapais (pronounced bella-pie-ees). Cyprus was absorbed by the Ottoman Empire in 16th Century and turned the monastery over to the Greek Orthodox Church. Now it is open to the public as museum. After a delicious lunch in Bellapais, head up to St.Hillerion Castle through the Nicosia-Lefkosa- Road. Located in Northern Cyprus, St Hilarion Castle is thought by many to have been named after St Hilarion the Great, who founded monasticism in Palestine, but this castle is actually named after a later saint. This saint is thought to have sought refuge in Cyprus after Arab raids and attacks on the Holy Land, and many of his relics were kept and preserved in St Hilarion Castle. After visiting the Castle we drive back to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner |
| Day 7 |
Famagusta Highlights
Enjoy the day exploring the sites of Farmagusta. Our first visit of the day is to the tomb of Saint Barnabus. In terms of early Christianity, Barnabas is a very important character as he joined the apostle Paul to spread the Gospel through Cyprus and Asia Minor. In AD 75, the Jewish community in Salamis objected to his missionary work and had Barnabas stoned to death. It is accepted that his cousin and companion John Mark along with other followers secretly buried his remains in a tomb beneath a carob tree to the west of Salamis, John Mark placing a copy of Mathew's Gospel on his cousin's chest where it was destined to remain undisturbed for the next 400 years. That tomb was part of the Salamis necropolis and lay undiscovered until the 5th C AD, when in 477AD, Bishop Anthemios had a dream in which he saw the location of the long lost grave. After his dream, the Bishop ordered the opening of the tomb. There they found a body, which was identified as Barnabas by the Gospel of St Mathew lying on his chest. June the 11th is the Barnabas’s feast day and the site gets very crowded during the visits. Next we visit the Salamis Ruins. Surrounded by mimosa forests, pine and eucalyptus trees, the ancient city of Salamis became the capital of Cyprus as far back as 1100 BC. On your way down to city centre, you will pass through the Othello Tower, which is a fortress built in the 13th Century as part of the old city wall and still encloses the Old Town of Famagusta, to defend the city's harbor. Inside the fortress one can see the Great Hall, the kitchen and the dining hall, whose massive stone walls and vaulted roofs have withstood the tests of time. St. Nicholas Cathedral was converted into a mosque after the Ottomans invasion in 1571and renamed Lala Mustafa Pasa Cami. After the tour, you will return to your hotel in Girne and stay overnight.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch& Dinner
|
| Day 8 |
Free Day
Today is a free day to explore the island. Girne is such lovely city with dozens of cafes, souvenirs shops and touristic attractions to enjoy. Stay overnight in Girne.
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner |
| Day 9 |
Departure
After breakfast at the hotel, you will check out and be transferred to Ercan Airport to take your Istanbul connected homebound flight. (Not included in price). End of our services.
Meals:Breakfast |
| |
| WHAT'S INCLUDED |
|
 |
8 nights at 4 Star hotel accommodations, including breakfast. |
 |
All admission fees to the visited sites. |
 |
All meals as stated in the itinerary. |
 |
All sightseeing tours as described in the itinerary. |
 |
All Taxes and service fees. |
|
Professional English speaking tour guide throughout the package. |
 |
Transportation by air-conditioned, non smoking vehicle. |
| |
| WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED |
|
 |
Domestic flight tickets.(Will be arranged by us and added according to best rate available.) |
|
Drinks with Meals. |
|
International flight tickets. |
|
Visa to Turkey& Cyprus. |
| |
|
| |
| DEPARTURE DATES |
|
 |
01.03.2010 to 30.10.2010 (Departs Everyday). |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| USA & CANADA |
1-800-4902-079 |
Live Specialist help between
06:00 - 11:00 am EST. Weekdays only |
| AUSTRALIA |
1-800-283-879 |
| UK |
0-800-107-7831 |
| Worldwide |
+90-212-328-1212 |
|
 |
 First Hand, Local Company Prices |
| Fastest Team to Tailor Itineraries |
| 100% Flexibility |
| Best Information |
| Best Prices on Internet |
|
|