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Day 1: Arrival Thessaloniki
We arrive in Thessaloniki and check into our hotel. You will have the remainder of the day free to relax or take a stroll along the streets of Thessaloniki to enjoy the flavour of the city. This evening our group will enjoy the first of many delectable European style dinners.
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Day 2: Philipi Tour & Kavala
Drive to Philippi, where Paul delivered his first sermon in Europe, sowing the seeds of Christianity (Acts 16:12-18). Here Paul baptized a certain woman named Lydia, the first Christian convert in Europe. Visit the Roman forum, and the prison where St. Paul and Silas were thrown. Gather at the roman theatre for your prayer and teaching.Continue into the modern port city of Kavala, ancient Neapolis, where Paul, accompanied by Silas, Luke and Timothy, first set foot in Europe. This ancient city was later renamed Christoupolis because it was the first European city to accept Christianity. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki B,D
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Day 3: Thessaloniki City Tour and Berea Tour
Our tour of Thessaloniki includes the Roman Market, theatre and baths,.A great place to gather for your teaching right at the theatre of the Agora,the place much visited by Paul. Arch of Galerius, the City walls, Chain Tower and Citadel, the white tower, Byzantine churches, the cave and well of the Apostle Paul, House of Jason, Monastery of Vlattadon; take some time and gather right at the stair at the walls overlooking Thessaloniki next to Jasons home; Aristotle's Square, and statue of Alexander the Great. Drive to Berea where Paul established a small church. View the reconstructed steps of the bema (or rostrum) and see the newly placed mosaics of Paul and the plaque of scripture regarding the "more noble" church (Acts 17:1-13). Continue to Athens ,check in in our Hotel, dinner and overnight.
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Day 4: Tour Athens of Apostle Paul
In 51 AD, Apostle Paul traveled from Berea to Athens by boat. His boat anchored at Faliron that used to be the main port serving Athens. Apostle Paul traveled from port to Athens. While waiting for Silas & Timothy to come from Macedonia, he spent most of his time talking with citizens at the Synagogues and the Agora. The Athenians took an interest in his teachings and invited him to present it more analytical at the Aeropagus, the hill west of Acropolis. Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and gave his famous Aeropagus Sermon, emphasizing the need to known God rather than worship the unknown as described in Acts 17:16-34. Follow your guide on a journey to the ancient Acropolis where you will see the Propylaea, the Parthenon and the Erectheum. View Mars Hill where Paul preached the gospel to the intellectual Athenian community of his day (Acts 17: 15-34). View the ruins of the Agora, ancient market place and center of Athenian public life, where Paul preached to the skeptical Athenians. You will view the Olympic Stadium, where the modern Olympics began and where the games returned in 2004. Afternoon at leisure.Dinner and overnight in Athens
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Day 5: Cruising Mykonos ( Should be Monday )
We sail this morning from Athens to the quaint isle of Mykonos, called the island of windmills. Experience the waterfront lined with shops and cafes and then stroll the charming walkways through a maze of whitewashed buildings before returning to the ship for dinner and evening entertainment.
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Day 6: Tour Ancient Ephesus and Patmos
Docking in Turkey, enjoy an included tour of Ephesus, the city of the Bible and one of the largest restorations still in progress with miles of ancient treasures. Ephesus was once a thriving port town of 250,000 people. Today you can still see the spectacular excavations of the major streets in this ancient city including the Agora, the Odeon, the Library, the marble-paved main Street, the Baths, Trajan’s Fountain, the Residences of the Patricians, the Prytaneum, and Temple of Hadrian. The Great Theatre, built in the 4th century B.C., could accommodate 24,000 spectators and it is famous even nowadays for its acoustics. This afternoon we visit the Isle of Patmos, under statutory protection as a historic monument. Here we have an included tour to see the fortified monastery of St. John and the cave claimed to be where John received the Revelation. Back on the ship.
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Day 7: Island of Rhodes
All Day call at the island of Collosus with the glorious history from ancient times to Medieval times as home of the Knights.
Our OPTIONAL shore excursion would take us to Ancoent Acropolis of Lindos and the port of St Paul,where Paul ocked on the way back to Jerusalem
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Day 8: Calling Crete and Santorini
Crete is the largest and the most rugged of the Greek islands. Take an optional tour to Heraklion and the fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos. Discovered in 1899 and partially reconstructed, the elaborate Palace is believed to be the mythical Labyrinth of King Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. This afternoon visit the island of Santorini which is perhaps the most breathtaking of all the Greek Islands. The town of Thira where white-washed houses, narrow streets, open-air cafes and glittering boutiques cling to steep cliffs, is accessible by foot path, cable-car or mule. You may choose to take an optional tour of sailing around an active volcano crater and swimming in the water heated by hot springs or enjoy this lovely island on foot. Again we return to the ship for dinner and evening entertainment.
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Day 9: Cruise Disembarkation & Corinth of Apostle Paul
We disembark the cruise this morning and travel west with a rest stop and photos at the Corinth Canal. We then travel to the ancient city of Corinth, another treat for the New Testament scholar. Corinth is the city that inspired many of Paul’s most familiar letters. See the Archaeological Museum, the Market Place, the Bema, and the Temples. To enjoy a devotional in the midst of the ruins of the church of Corinth and see the pillars, steps, and public worship place where Paul preached will enhance your understanding and love of I & II Corinthians. The ruins of this important cultural center are fascinating as we walk along the stone path that the Apostle Paul walked. The engineering skill and intellect of these people are evident in the water systems that still flow from ancient to modern day. Our guide will be sure to show you the room dedicated to the medical care of that period. Dinner and overnight in Athens.
Transfer to Athens International Airport for your flight back home.
