TURKEY AND ISRAEL
Following the footsteps of of Apostle Paul, The Churches of Revelation in Turkey and Jesus in the Holy Land.
Day 1, Departure from the US to Istanbul.
Dinner, breakfast and in-flight entertainment on board.
Day 2, Arrival to Istanbul,
we are met, assisted and escorted to our hotel. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Day 3, Istanbul
,also known as Byzantium and Constantinople, the city reflects two cultures: at one time, it was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and a site of Christianity. Seven Ecumenical councils were held in Turkey between the 3rd - 8th centuries, three of them in Istanbul. At another time it was the stronghold of the Ottoman Empire, embracing Islamic ideals. Our day of sightseeing will include visits to the famed TopkapiPalace, the Blue Mosque (so-named from its decorative blue-shaded tiles, glass and gemstones), the Church of St. Savior in Chora, Aqueducts of Valens and the Grand Bazaar. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.
Day 4, Istanbul - Canakkale
After breakfast we will depart toward Canakkale. Enjoy the panoramic scenery and the explanations of your guide. Check in to our Canakkale hotel. Dinner and overnight.
Day 5, Troy - Pergamum - Izmir:
Today we visit the ancient Troy, the famous old city of nine levels. The city is famed for the "Iliada" of Homer and the war of Troy with its famous Trojan horse. We continue to Pergamon considered the most favorable of the Seven Churches (Rev 2:12-17). We visit the Acropolis, the Temple of Atheana, the library and the great theatre. Continue to Izmir. Dinner and overnight in Izmir.
Day 6, Izmir / Sardis / Philadelphia / Laodicea / Pamukkale
.Today we start our day visiting Izmir (also known as Smyrna - another one of the Seven Churches). Continue our pilgrimage visiting two more of the Seven Churches, Sardiswith its immense synagogue and the temple of Artemis (Rev 3:1-6) and Philadelphia a pagan center (Rev 3:7-13). We end the day for dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.
Day 7, Pamukkale / Ephesus / Kusadasi.
We leave Pamukkaleand continue to Ephesus, the city which had a population of 250,000 during the first and second centuries AD (Acts 19:1-41). Apostle Paul visited here between 55-58 AD. His ministry included preaching, conversion and baptism. We visit the AdrianoTemple, the Roman baths, the library, the Odeon and the theater.Mary was entrusted to Apostle John's care after the crucifixion of Christ and moved with John to Ephesus. We will visit her house. We continue to Kusadasi for dinner and overnight.
Day 8,Tel Aviv / Tiberias
. Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport. We are met, assisted and escorted to our hotel by aviatours staff. We meet for dinner.
Day 9: Capernaum/ Tabgha / Mt. of Beatitudes / Magdala / Megiddo
After breakfast, we descend and take a boat ride to Capernaum (Luke 4:31) to visit the ruins of an ancient synagogue and the Byzantine chapel at the site of Peter's House. We then continue to Tabgha (Matt 14:17, 19), the site of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fish, Mount of Beatitudes (Matt 5-7) and Magdala - home of Mary Magdalene. Our last visit today will be to Megiddo- the Biblical city overlooking the Valley of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 10:Cana / Nazareth / Haifa / Caesarea / Jerusalem.
We start the day visiting the place where Jesus performed his first miracle – turning water into wine in Cana (John 2:11). Continue to Nazarethto visit the place where he lived as a young boy and visit a typical house of his time. In the afternoon, we reach the beautiful BahaiIGardens inHaifa. Drive to Caesarea(Acts 10:1ff),the port-city built by King Herod. Apostle Paul was put in prison here until he was expelled to Rome. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem
Day 11:Jerusalem
Our first stop will be the Mount of Olives (Mark 13:3) with a panoramic view of both the "old" and "new" Jerusalem. We follow the path down the Palm Sunday road to the Gardenof Gethsemane (Matt 26:36) and the nearby Church of All Nations. We then take a short drive through the Kidron Valley to tomb) and the Upper Room (John 13:1ff), site of the Last Supper. Nearby is the house of Caiaphas . We reach our hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 12: Jerusalem / Bethlehem
.After breakfast we visit the modern city of Jerusalem, the famous Menorah near the Israeli Parliament (Knesset), the Yad Va Shem Museum (the Holocaust Museum). We will visit the Wailing Wall (the Western Wall) - the last remains of the Temple built by King Herod and the Rabbi’s Tunnel whichexposes to you the unique size of the Wailing Wall. Afternoon visit to the "little town of Bethlehem..." and its' Church of the Nativity and Milk Grotto(Luke 2:15). Our day ends with a farewell dinner and overnight in our hotel in Jerusalem.
Day 13: Qumran / Dead Sea/ Masada/ Jerusalem.
We drive south to the Dead Sea through Qumran, to visit the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We’ll then continue to Masada, the palace-fort built by King Herod. Here, in 73 A.D., 960 Jewish zealots committed suicide rather than surrender to the Romans. The plateau is reached via a cable car ride with a spectacular view of the plains surrounding it. We’ll also dip in the Dead Sea – rich with minerals, God’s gift to your skin. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem. (If your flight departs at midnight, you will be transferred to the airport after dinner).
Day 14: Flight back home!
Transfer to the airport for our flight back home, (or to an extension to neighboring Jordan or Egypt). Arrival home in the U.S.A. on the same day. Welcome back. You have just returned from a lifetime experience.
THIS PROGRAM MAY BE ALTERED TO FIT THE NEEDS OF YOUR GROUP.
For more information about this program and prices email us at info@aviatours.net or call us during our office hours (weekdays 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM EST) at 1(800) 950-0747.