FOOTSTEPS OF APOSTLE PAUL PLUS MALTA EXTENSION
Day 1 - (Sat.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight. Day 2 - Arrive in Athens, Greece. (Sun.) Transfer to your hotel. Balance of the day is at leisure. At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director, then enjoy this evening's welcome dinner with your traveling companions. (D) Day 3 - Athens'Thessalonika. (Mon.) Journey north to Thessalonika. Enjoy guided sightseeing of this city, named after Alexander the Great's sister, and which figures prominently in the New Testament at which time this provincial capital was considered a world cultural center. This community was the center of Paul's activities in Northern Greece. It is where he preached and founded a church and to whom he wrote two epistles (Acts 17:1-9; 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians). (B,D) Day 4 - Thessalonika. Excursion to Philippi and Kavala. (Tue.) Full-day excursion along the ancient route of Apostle Paul to Amphipolis (Acts 17:1). Journey to ancient Philippi, which was named after the father of Alexander the Great. This busy Roman colony boasted a great library and theater. In Philippi, Paul preached, established the first church in Europe, and was to whom he wrote one of his epistles while imprisoned in Rome (Acts 16:11-40; Philippians). It was in this area that Paul met Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She and her household accepted Christ and were baptized in the nearby river (Acts 16:11-15). Next, continue to Kavala, ancient port of Neapolis (Acts 16:9-11). (B,D) Day 5 - Thessalonika'Veria'Kalambaka. (Wed.) This morning, stop in Veria (Beroea of the New Testament), where Paul and Silas were sent by friends after being accused of treason in Thessalonika (Acts 17:5-15). Visit the BEMA OF APOSTLE PAUL, where Paul is said to have stood and preached the Gospel to the local community. Continue to Kalambaka. (B,D) Day 6 - Kalambaka'Meteora'Athens. (Thu.) In Meteora, visit VARLAAM and ST. STEPHEN'S MONASTERIES. Situated atop vast rocks, the 14th-century monasteries compose one of the most breathtaking sites in the world. Inside the monasteries, discover many historical and religious treasures. Return to Athens. (B) Day 7 - Athens'Piraeus (Embarkation)'Mykonos. (Fri.) Begin your 3-night Greece and Turkey CRUISE with a visit to the mountainous island of Mykonos. Free time to explore the island before returning to the ship for evening entertainment. (B,L,D) Day 8 - Kusadasi, Turkey'Patmos, Greece. (Sat.) Visit the Turkish port of Kusadasi, and enjoy an included excursion to the RUINS OF EPHESUS, whose inhabitants were the recipients of Apostle Paul's famous epistle (Acts 18:19-26; Ephesians) and which was once the capital of the Roman province of Asia, and to the House of Mary, where the Virgin Mary is said to have spent her last days. Continue your cruise to Patmos, with free time to discover the ?Jerusalem of the Aegean?. You may wish to join an optional tour to the Monastery of St. John and to the Cave of the Apocalypse, where John the Evangelist wrote the Book of the Revelation during his exile (Rev. 1:9-11). (B,L,D) Day 9 - Heraklion'Santorini. (Sun.) Early arrival in Heraklion on Crete. A few miles away is Knossos, the center of the 3000 BC Minoan civilization, and an optional excursion can be booked. Afternoon call (weather permitting) at Santorini, the ?Black Pearl of the Aegean.? The optional shore excursion is available to the cliff-top village of Thera for one of the world's most breathtaking panoramas. (B,L,D) Day 10 - Piraeus, Greece (Disembarkation)'Corinth'Athens. (Mon.) Disembark, and continue to Corinth for a guided visit of the EXCAVATIONS where Apostle Paul worked for 18 months with tent makers Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:1-18). Return to Athens, and enjoy sightseeing with a Local Guide. Visit the ACROPOLIS with the Parthenon and AREOPAGUS, where Paul delivered his famous sermon about the identity of ?the Unknown God? (Acts 17:15-34). (B) Day 11 - Athens'Valletta (St. Julian's), Malta. (Tue.) Transfer to the airport for your flight to Valletta, Malta. After a welcome meeting at your hotel in beautiful St. Julian, enjoy a half-day included excursion to THE TALES OF THE SILENT CITY OF MEDINA. (B,D) Day 12 - At Leisure in Valletta. (Wed.) A full day at leisure. An optional excursion to Gozo with lunch is available. (B) Day 13 - Valletta. (Thu.) City sightseeing in Valletta featuring the Upper Barracca Gardens, St. John's Cathedral, and the Malta Experience show. Later, enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D) Day 14 - (Fri.) Homebound flight. (B) |
