📍Welcome to Turkiye.

🚩 Arrive in Istanbul Airport, Our representative will meet us at the airport with our private transfer to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay in Istanbul.

🚩 We will have some leisure time to relax before our evening excursion.

🍴 Dinner Excursion : This evening we will have a 3 course dinner on a Bosphorus Cruise including a live show and dancing. We are picked up at our hotel at 18:45 for transfer to the harbour.

🛌 We return to our hotel for overnight after the dinner cruise.

ℹ️ Our journey in Istanbul is about to begin! As the only city in the world situated on two continents, Istanbul is a melting pot of cultures, history, and architecture. With its three different names spanning over 2600 years, Istanbul has been the capital of two of the greatest empires the world has ever known, the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.
📍 Our first stop is the Topkapi Palace, a grandiose complex that once served as the main residence of Ottoman sultans for over 400 years. The palace is home to some of the most exquisite Ottoman art, treasures, and jewels. We will be amazed by the intricate details and opulence of this stunning palace.

📍 Next, we will visit the Hagia Sophia, a true masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Once a church, then a mosque, then a museum and now a mosque again, the Hagia Sophia is a testament to Istanbul’s rich history and cultural diversity. Its massive dome, intricate mosaics, and stunning architecture will leave us speechless.

📍 Afterward, we will visit the Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. This impressive mosque is famous for its stunning blue tiles and six minarets, making it one of the most recognizable landmarks in Istanbul.

📍 The Hippodrome, where chariot races and the Byzantine riots took place, is also on the itinerary. It’s a great place to learn about Istanbul’s history and witness its impressive monuments.

📍 Before the day ends, we will visit the Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar. The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme, and every other conceivable herb and spice. It’s a great place to shop for souvenirs and immerse ourselves in Istanbul’s vibrant culture.

🛌 After a long day of exploration, we will spend the night in Istanbul, ready to continue our journey the next day.

⭐️ Optional : you can take a walk down Istiklal street and Galata tower area for a late night coffee or feel free to visit the local hamam for a traditional Turkish Bath

📍This morning at 08.30 a.m, after breakfast, we will be picked up from our hotel.
✈️ Ensure that your luggage is in the lobby by 8am to be loaded onto our tour bus for our transfer to the airport for our flight to Izmir in the late afternoon.

📍Our first stop this morning will be the the Grand Bazaar, which is the largest and oldest covered market in the world. The Grand Bazaar offers a unique shopping experience, where we can find a variety of goods such as clothing, jewellery, ceramics, spices, and much more.

⛴️ After exploring the Grand Bazaar, we will enjoy a traditional boat trip on the Bosphorus. The Bosphorus is a natural strait that separates Europe and Asia and is considered one of the most beautiful waterways in the world. During the boat trip, we will see stunning views of the shore, which is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages.

📍In the afternoon, we visit the Underground Cistern, which is an ancient underground water reservoir that was built during the Byzantine era. The Cistern is an impressive engineering feat, with 336 columns supporting the ceiling and a capacity of 80,000 cubic meters of water.

✈️ This evening we will take a flight to Izmir, a coastal city on the Aegean Sea. Izmir is known for its beautiful beaches, ancient ruins, and vibrant nightlife.

🍴Upon arrival, we will transfer to our hotel for checking in and dinner.

🛌 We overnight in Izmir.

📍At 8:30am, our guide will meet us at the hotel lobby after breakfast and take us to Pergamum, also known as Bergama.

ℹ️ This historical site is one of the Seven Churches of Asia, mentioned in Revelation 1:11 and 2:12.
📍We will have the opportunity to explore the magnificent Acropolis, which houses the steepest theatre in the world, as well as the Asklepion, a renowned medical centre from classical times.

📍Additionally, we will see the Altar of Zeus, which is mentioned in the book of Revelation as the “Throne of Satan,” the marble columns of the Temple of Trajan, and the Library, which was once a rival to the famous Library of Alexandria in Egypt.

ℹ️ The Library of Pergamum was the foremost in the world and contained an estimated 200,000 volumes, inspiring the invention of parchment. It is sure to be a fascinating and educational experience.

📍Then we continue our visit to Thyatira, now called Akhisar, another one of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:18-24; Acts 16:14]. It was a city famous for purple dyes. We visit the remains of a basilica and some architectural fragments from the Roman period. Lydia, the seller of purple in Philippi, was from Thyatira.

📍Lastly we enjoy a panoramic ride of Smyrna, the third largest city in Turkey and one of the sites of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 2:12-17]. Smyrna is a city scarred with a bloody history of trade and warfare. We will also see the Clock Tower.

🍴Check in at the hotel for dinner and overnight.

📍This morning we will start our visit at the Smyrna Agora. Nestled in modern-day İzmir’s historic city center’s core, it is one of the largest agoras in the world that witnessed the Roman Empire.

📍Thereafter, we depart to one of the most picturesque areas of any of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:1-4], Sardis, presently Sart. This was the capital of the ancient Lydian kingdom of the 6th century BC, portrayed as a dying church. We visit the great Temple of Artemis and restored gymnasium and reconstructed Synagogue. We also see the last several meters of the royal Persian Road from Susa to Sardis built by Cyrus the Great and the “golden” river Pactolus.

📍Then we continue our journey to Philadelphia, these days called Alasehir, another church of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:7], and the only church not censured. There we see the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of brick, with a bit of high arch and some 11th century frescoes.

📍We drive to the healing city of Hierapolis, also known as Pamukkale, the white “cotton fortress” where hot mineral water bursts from the earth and cascades over steep cliffs forming pools, channels and stalactites. The therapeutic waters were known to the founders of Hierapolis and of Laodicea in 190 BC.

🍴Check in at hotel for dinner and overnight in a Thermal Hotel.

⭐️ Enjoy a swim in the warm thermal pools at the hotel before and after dinner. Remember to bring a swimming cap with you.

📍After enjoying breakfast this morning, we embark on a scenic drive Laodicea and thereafter Ephesus to explore the ancient city’s captivating history.

ℹ️ Laodicea, established in the C3 BCE by the Seleucid Antiochus II, the city was named after his wife Laodicea. Built on the Lycus Tributary of the Meander River, it was surnamed Laodicea on Lycus, to distinguish it from other similarly named cities. Laodicea is the last of the seven churches. As a crossroad of two important roads, this city had an important commercial and logistical position.

📍Ephesus is known for its significant place in the Christian faith as the Apostle Paul preached to the Ephesians and even lived here for three years. In fact, the church in Ephesus received an epistle from him. Today, we have the opportunity to tour the remarkable ruins where excavations are still taking place in this once great and vital city founded in the 10th century BC.

📍As we stroll along the marble streets, we’ll be transported back in time as we take in the magnificent public buildings, such as the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Theatre.

📍The Temple of Diana of the Ephesians, another of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was also built in this city.
We drive to Kusadasi, where we will spend the night after dinner.

🚩Overall, our visit to Ephesus promises to be an awe-inspiring journey through history, where we can experience the rich culture and heritage of this ancient city.

🍴Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

📍This morning after breakfast, with packed bags, we visit the Basilica of St. John and the House of Virgin Mary before we are transferred to the airport for our flight home.

⭐️ As we prepare to head back home, we take some time to reflect on all the amazing memories we’ve made.

⭐️ Whether it’s the stunning scenery we have witnessed, the delicious local cuisine we tried, or the new friends we made along the way, these experiences will stay with us for a lifetime.
Sadly, all good things must come to an end.

📍We land back home today, tired but spiritually refreshed

⭐️ Be sure to book your next tour soon.

Sardis:

Almost all of the people in the church of Sardis had fallen asleep spiritually, except for a small remnant of believers. The Dead Church was encouraged to kindle and revive any small bit of faith they had left.

It was known for it’s carpet industry.
The city was destroyed by an earthquake.
Gold was found nearby and made the kings very wealthy. They had a Royal Road connecting it to Persian cities
Their chief deity was Artemis – the mother goddess.

Revelation 3:1-6

Philadelphia:

Known as the “Gateway to the East, was renowned for its grapes, textiles, and leather goods.

Philadelphia did well. There was no rebuke for this church of faith. They kept the name of Jesus and never denied it. There is a promise in the kingdom of heaven for these Christians.

It was located an the foot of a mountain West Central Turkey and an important travel route linking to to Laodicea.
The city was destroyed by an earthquake and people remained in fear.
The city was rebuilt by Emperor Tiberius.
There was a lot of agriculture, wool and wine making due to the ground in this region.
They also produced a lot of leather.

Revelation 3:7-13

Laodicea lay in Phrygia’s Lycus Valley, ten miles west of Colosse and six miles south of Hierapolis. Pagan worship, especially of Zeus but also of numerous other deities flourished there.

We know from Acts 13:14–50 and 14:15 that a significant Jewish community lived in and around Laodicea. However, they seem to have blended into Greek culture in many respects. We know this because, by the third century, illustrations on some coins had mixed together Jewish and pagan versions of the Flood stories.

Laodicea boasted great resources, but had a poor water supply. Ancient sources state that it was full of sediment, and excavation of the city’s terra cotta pipes reveal thick lime deposits, which suggest heavy contamination. Because Laodicea had to pipe in its water, it grew lukewarm by the time of its arrival.

The point of lukewarm water is simply that it is disgusting, in contrast to the more directly useful “hot” and “cold” water.

Jesus thus finds the church in Laodicea to be other than what he desires (Isa. 5:2–6).

In today’s English, he is telling the self-satisfied church in Laodicea: “I want water that will refresh me, but you remind me instead of the water you always complain about.”

Revelation 3:14-22