7 CHURCHES OF THE REVELATION

Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul Upon arrival at Istanbul Airport, you will be greeted by your guide and drive to your hotel. Check In. Fresh an up. Late afternoon cruise on Bosphorus. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 2: Sultanahmet and Walking Tour Balat Visit to the Haghia Sophia Church, the pride and glory of the Byzantine architecture; the Blue Mosque, famous for its architecture as for its blue tiles; the Byzantine Hippodrome, where chariot races were held. After lunch we drive to Balat for walking tour. Visit St. John the Baptist; the Metochian of Mount Sinai, Yanbol Synagogue, Surp Reşdagabet Gregorian Armenian Church and the Ferruh Kethuda Mosque Here the houses are painted in a myriad of colors, washing lines are strung between buildings, kids play in the streets, and traces of Jewish, Armenian, and Orthodox communities still stand

Day 3: Arrival to Izmir After breakfast we drive to Airport for İzmir. Upon arrival at Izmir Airport, you will be greeted by your guide and drive to your hotel. Check İn. Overnight in Izmir.

Day 4: Pergamum Upon breakfast at the hotel, meet your tour guide and drive to Pergamum. There you explore the impressive Acropolis, the actual ancient city and see the Altar of Zeus which is mentioned as the throne of Satan’, Temple of Trajan and the third biggest Library of antiquity. Later continue to Asklepion, famous medical center of classical times, we also visit the Red Basilica (St. John’s Church). Then we continue our drive visit to Thyatira, now called Akhisar. There we see the remains of a basilica and some architectural fragments from the Roman period. Upon driving back to Izmir before we check-in at the hotel in Izmir, we enjoy a panoramic ride of , the third-largest city in and one of the sites of the Seven Churches of Asia. Overnight in Izmir.

Day 5: Hierapolis, Sardis, Philadelphia and Thyatira Today we depart early in the morning to Sardis, There you see, the great Temple of which became a Byzantine Church later. We will also visit the restored gymnasium and the Synagogue. Then we continue our journey to Philadelphia, called Alasehir and the only church not censured. There we see the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of bricks, with a bit of high arch and some 11th-century frescoes. Afterward we drive to the healing city of

7 Mezher Street-Antelias - Beirut – Lebanon T: +961 4 712 037 Fax: +961 4 715 196 P.O. Box: 60-233 Zip Code: 1241 2020 R.C. 1035 Baabda VAT No 8721-601 http://www.ventnouveau.com [email protected]

Hierapolis, actually Pamukkale, where hot mineral water bursts from the earth and cascades over steep cliffs forming pools, channels, and stalactites, There we visit the Martyrium of the Apostle Philip. Then we drive to Laodicea. We get walk among the ancient streets of the city and see the ancient structures. Check in. Overnight in Pamukkale.

Day 6: Ancient Drive to Ephesus and visit the ancient city of Ephesus. Here we walk through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings such as the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian and the Theatre. Later we drive to the House of Virgin Mary where she spent her last days and the assumption took place. After that, you visit the Basilica of St. John and Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. After the tour drives you to your hotel. Check in. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 7: , Miletus, Didyma Today we depart early in the morning to Priene: was a very important city in ancient times because on its territory stood the Panionium, the central meeting-place and sanctuary of the Ionian Confederacy. The theatre, the Temple of , the Agora, the Bouleterion and the temenos of Zeus Olympus will be the steps of this visit. Miletus: Miletus was the principal port and the richest imperium at the Aegean coast. Thales of Miletus believed that there was a fundamental unity beneath the apparent disorder and complexity of nature and he postulated that water was the basic material for all things. The theatre of Miletus is by far the most impressive of the town’s surviving monuments. There is also the council-chamber, marketplace, temples, baths and Islamic monument: Ilyas Bey Mosque to be visited. After lunch at the local restaurant continue to Didyma Apollon Temple. Didyma was an ancient Ionian city, the modern Didim, Turkey. The town formed just outside of the sanctuary containing a temple and oracle of Apollo, the Didymaion. Didyma was a neighbour of Miletus. To approach it, visitors would follow the Sacred Way to Didyma. Both and Pausanias dated the origins of the oracle at Didyma before the Ionian colonization of this coast. At the end of the tour drive you back to your hotel. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 8: Departure Day Upon breakfast at the hotel check out and according to your flight time, transfer to Airport. End of the service.

Available Language (s): • Tour guide throughout the tour • English

7 Mezher Street-Antelias - Beirut – Lebanon T: +961 4 712 037 Fax: +961 4 715 196 P.O. Box: 60-233 Zip Code: 1241 2020 R.C. 1035 Baabda VAT No 8721-601 http://www.ventnouveau.com [email protected]