Itinerary
Sunday, May 27
Arrive in Athens, Greece
Welcome to Athens! At 6 p.m., meet Dr. Barry Huff, your tour director, and traveling companions. Then enjoy a welcome dinner at our hotel to celebrate the start of our journey.
Monday, May 28
Athens–Thessalonika
We'll head north to Thessalonika this morning for guided sightseeing. Named after Alexander the Great’s sister, the city figures prominently in the New Testament. This was the center of the Apostle Paul’s activities in northern Greece—where he preached and founded a church, to which he directed two epistles (I and II Thessalonians).
Tuesday, May 29
Thessalonika
Our excursion to Philippi and Kavala begins along Paul’s route via Amphipolis, a wealthy city in ancient Macedonia where a large number of Christian churches were built in the 5th and 6th centuries. Next, we'll travel to Philippi, a busy Roman colony with an impressive library and theater. Here, Paul preached and established the first church in Europe, and he wrote an epistle (Philippians) to the church here while he was imprisoned in Rome. After visiting Philippi, we'll head to Kavala, the ancient port of Neapolis.
Wednesday, May 30
Thessalonika–Veria–Kalambaka
This morning, we'll stop in Veria (called Berea in the New Testament), where Paul and Silas were sent by friends after being accused of treason in Thessalonika. We'll see the Bema of Apostle Paul, where he preached the gospel to the local community before continuing on to Kalambaka, home to the awe-inspiring Meteora monasteries.
Thursday, May 31
Kalambaka–Meteora–Athens
Situated atop soaring cliffs and rock faces, the Meteora monasteries form one of the most inspirational sites in the world. We'll visit the Holy Monastery of Varlaam, the second-largest of the monasteries, and the Holy Monastery of St. Stephen, which was bombed by the Nazis during WWII but was later reconstructed by nuns. Along with their architectural beauty, the monasteries contain many historical and religious treasures. We'll return to Athens for the night.
Friday, June 1
Athens–Lavrion/Piraeus (Embarkation)–Mykonos
Today, we begin your three-night cruise around the Greek Isles and Turkey. We'll head first to mountainous Mykonos with its iconic windmills and brilliant whitewashed houses. Be sure to watch for Petros the Pelican, the island’s most famous resident since 1954!
Saturday, June 2
Kusadasi, Turkey–Excursion to Ephesus–Patmos, Greece
We'll visit the Turkish port of Kusadasi for an included excursion to the ruins of Ephesus, the former capital of the Roman province of Asia. Here, we'll walk in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, who lived and preached here, and meditate on what life must have been like for the early Ephesian Christians in this pagan society. We'll also see the House of Mary, where the Virgin Mary is said to have spent her last days. Our cruise then continues to the island of Patmos, the “Jerusalem of the Aegean,” where we'll visit the Monastery of St. John and the Cave of the Apocalypse, where John received the visions that he recorded in the book of Revelation while in exile.
Sunday, June 3
Cruising: Crete, Heraklion–Santorini
Our first port of call today is Heraklion on Crete. An included excursion is available to nearby Knossos, the center of the 3000 BC Minoan civilization and historic site of mythology’s tales about the Minotaur and the labyrinth. In the afternoon, weather permitting, we'll see Santorini, the “Black Pearl of the Aegean.” An optional shore excursion goes up to the cliff-top village of Oia for one of the world’s most glorious panoramic views.
Monday, June 4
Lavrion/Piraeus (Disembarkation)–Corinth–Athens
We'll disembark and travel to Corinth to visit the excavations where the Apostle Paul worked for 18 months with the tent-makers Aquila and Priscilla. We'll learn about this ancient city-state and its early church, where Paul directed two epistles (I and II Corinthians). Then, we'll return to Athens for sightseeing, including the Acropolis with the Parthenon and the Areopagus, where Paul delivered his famous sermon about the identity of the “Unknown God.” Tonight, we'll be together for a final evening of fellowship and celebration at a farewell dinner at our hotel.
Tuesday, June 5
Athens
Our trip ends with breakfast this morning.