Turkey – The
Seven Churches of the Apocalypse
OBERAMMERGAU
Revelations and Early Christianity Tour of Turkey
15 DAYS
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HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR TOUR
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This tour is offered only as a suggestion.
You may customize this itinerary and any other aspect of this tour.
DAY 1 – NEW YORK • ISTANBUL
Depart from Los Angeles on our flight to Istanbul, Turkey. Meals and
overnight on board. After dinner relax and enjoy the on-board entertainment.
DAY 2 • ISTANBUL • ANKARA
Arrive in Istanbul and connect with our flight to Ankara, the capital
of modern Turkey. Upon arrival we are met and escorted to our hotel
for dinner and overnight.
DAY 3 • ANKARA • CAPPADOCIA
This morning we visit Ankara including the Hititte Museum where we learn
more about the Turkish and Anatolian civilizations. This particular
Museum contains relics from Catal Hoyuk, one of the earliest known human
communities, up through the Roman Classical period. We take an afternoon
drive along the shores of the great Salt Lake to Cappadocia via the
city of Seljuk. Arrive in Cappadocia for dinner and overnight.
DAY 4 • CAPPADOCIA
While in Cappadocia we enjoy the unique landscapes of wind and rain
eroded volcanic formations. We visit the amazing underground cities
which are carved directly into the living rock. There will be a visit
to the ancient underground churches carved into the rocks by early Christians.
Many of these churches are decorated with ancient frescoes depicting
scenes from the Bible or the Apocryphal. We visit the Fairy Chimneys,
Goreme Valley, Villages of Uchisar, Avanos, Urgup and the ruins of Zelve.
Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
DAY 5 • CAPPADOCIA • KONYA
Today we will drive through the beautiful countryside, following the
ancient Silk Road, en route to the Agzikarahan Caravanserai and Konya.
Konya is the biblical Iconium, one of the world’s most ancient
cities. Paul preached in Derbe and Iconium and both cities are frequently
mentioned in Acts. Upon arrival we visit the Mevlana Mausoleum and Museum,
the founder of the Whirling Dervishes Islamic sect. Overnight in Konya.
DAY 6 • KONYA • PAMUKKALE
Drive this morning to Pamukkale to visit the ruins of Hierapolis, celebrated
for its warm baths and where St. Philip is buried. We drive to Laodicea
(Rev. 14) to see the remains of one of the Seven Churches. Laodicea
church was a branch of Ephessus, as were the churches of Hierapolis
and Colossea. Proceed to Necropolis, the Temple of Apollo and the Theater.
We end the afternoon at the snow-white petrified water falls of Pamukkale.
Dinner and overnight.
DAY 7 • PAMUKKALE • EPHESSUS • IZMIR
Today we have a full tour of Ephessus, an important center of Christianity,
though hostile to Paul on his two missions (Acts of the Apostles 17:16,34
and Revelations 2:2.) Visit and explore the Hadrian Temple, Library
of Celsus, and Temple of Diana, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World. Continue to view the Agora, the Marble Way and the Grand Theater.
Paul stayed in Ephessus for two years to spread the word of Christianity.
The Ephessus Church is the first one addressed in Revelations. Also,
visit the Cathedral of St. John whose later life and death are associated
with Ephessus. Late afternoon visit to the House of Virgin Mary, who
spent her last days near Ephessus. Proceed to Izmir for dinner and overnight.
DAY 8 • IZMIR • SARDES • PHILADELPHIA
This morning visit Sardes (Revelations 3:1), the capital of Lydia where
King Croesus ruled. Visit the Gymnasium and the Temple of Artemis. Later
drive to Alasehir, Philadelphia, which was founded by Attalus II. Also
known as the city of “brotherly love”; see the ancient city
wall. Upon returning to Izmir, we visit St. Polycarp’s Church,
which is the oldest church in Smyrna, and has symbolized the community
of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse (Revelation.) Dinner and overnight
in Izmir.
DAY 9 • PERGAMOM • CANAKKALE
Morning drive to Akhisar, Thyatira. The church of Thyatira had tolerated
the works of Jezebel. Continue on to Pergamom, one of the seven churches
and capital of a large and powerful pre-Roman kingdom. It is here that
the first Christian was put to death by the Roman state. Visit the Church
of Pergamom, the Homonym Church and the Acropolis with its pagan temples
including the Altar of Zeus, which is mentioned as the “Throne
of Satan” in the Book of Revelations. After visiting the Asclepium
proceed to Assos and Troas where Paul set sail to Greece. Dinner and
overnight in Canakkale.
DAY 10 • CANAKKALE • ISTANBUL
This morning we visit the Homeric city of Troy, sight of the Epic struggle
in the Iliad. Cross the Dardanelles by ferry boat and drive through
battle grounds of Gallipoli. Continue to Istanbul. Once called Byzantium
in the 7th Century B.C., the city was renamed Constantinople in 326
A.D. by Constantine the Great when he moved the capital of the Roman
Empire to what is now Istanbul. Istanbul received its current name from
Mehmet II in 1453. Istanbul is the only city in the world that spans
two continents. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 11 • ISTANBUL
In the morning we take a city tour visiting the Church of Chora, famed
with Byzantine mosaics and frescoes. Visit the Blue Mosque which was
commissioned by Sultan Ahmet in 1603, and was constructed with the deliberate
intention of rivaling the St. Sophia Mosque, built by emperor Justinian
of the Roman Empire. It was completed in 537 A.D. and ruled as the great
Christian church in the world for more than 1000 years. St. Sophia,
the Hippodrome of Constantinople, is the basilica of all times and seat
for the ecumenical councils. Savor the exotic perfumes in the spice
market, and practice your bargaining powers over ceramics or a fine
carpet in the Grand Bazaar. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 12 • ISTANBUL • MUNICH • OBERAMMERGAU
Depart on our flight to Munich where we are met and transfered to Oberammergau,
site of the Passion Play for dinner and overnight.
DAY 13 •OBERAMMERGAU
Full day in Oberammergau for the Passion Play. A village in the Bavarian
Alps, famous for its woodcarving industry. In the year 1633, the town
was stricken by the plague. In desperation the people of the village
took an oath that they would stage a performance of the Passion of Jesus
every 10 years if the plague would vanish and save their town. The town
was saved and the first performance took place in 1634. From 1690 on,
the play has been performed regularly every 10 years. The play takes
almost eight hours to perform and the 124 speaking parts are performed
by inhabitants of the village. The audience is seated in a roofed auditorium
while the stage is open-air. Lunch and dinner are included.
DAY 14 • OBERAMMERGAU • MUNICH
This morning we depart Oberammergau for Munich. En route we visit the
quaint Alp and Olympic Games Resort of Garmish Parten Kirchen and on
to visit King Ludwig II’s magnificent creation, Linderhof Castle
with its cascades and gardens. Upon arrival in Munich we enjoy a guided
panoramic city tour by bus focusing on the main sights of this cultural
center: Marienplatz, the Palace, the City Hall with its famous Glockenspiel
Clock, and the Olympic Village. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 15 • MUNICH • NEW YORK
Transfer to the airport in Munich where our guide will assist us with
check in procedures. Board our hometown flight and arrive home the same
day.
We can customize any itinerary of your choosing for groups
of 20 or more.
Please contact us to obtain a competitive customized price for this
tour from your home city (800) 213 9155. Lowest airfares from your home
town!
The experts in the planning and delivery of
high quality,
worldwide, custom Christian group tours.
Please email your group request to us tours@friendshiptours.com
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