Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.  Today we will be exploring of one of the most interesting  regions in Turkey – Cappadocia, which is also incredibly  important in Christian history. In the morning we will drive to visit  Eskigumus Monastery, the most impressive and most southerly  of all Cappadocian monasteries, lost in history and rediscovered  only in the mid-20th century. It is very well preserved and has some of the best-preserved frescoes in all of Cappadocia. As  short drive from the Eskigumus monastery, there are remains of  the church of St. Constantine and Helen. Remains of the Ancient  Basilica and the walls of the medieval church still preserve  wonderful Byzantine frescoes. In the afternoon we will visit the carpet shop. While under no obligation to buy  anything, you are welcome to enjoy a wonderful presentation and to wonder at the skill of the local carpet weavers. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Cappadocia. 

Meals: Breakfast and dinner. Optional hot air balloon ride early in the morning. Today we will visit Urgup, known as Prokopi to the Greek  population. Urgup was a place of the pious labors of St. John the Russian. We will visit a house with the stable where  he worked and lived and the church were his relics were before they were taken to Greece by resettled local  townsfolk. Then on to the Pasabagi Valley with the  cave hermit dwellings and the Goreme Open Air Museum. Many of the dwellings in this wondrous  region were inhabited up until the 1920s, monasteries  were populated and churches were in use. The sad  events of the early 20th century turned most of the  once densely populated villages into ghost towns  and “open air museums”. Later in the afternoon we  will board our plane for a flight to Istanbul.  Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Istanbul 

This morning we will start our journey from the region of Cappadocia toward the Mediterranean sea. Our first stop will be at the Derinkuyu underground city. Such underground structures served  as refuge for hundreds of locals and their livestock  during the times of invasions. Multi-level structures  were completed with kitchens, storage places, barns, and even chapels. Next stop will be at the Agzikarahan Caravanserai, build in the 13th century as the safe haven on the major trade route.  Later in the afternoon we will arrive to our hotel in Konya. 

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner. This morning we will start our transfer toward the Mediterranean coast, crossing the range of the Taurus mountains en-route. On our way we will visit the sites of two ancient cities - Aspendos and Perge. Both cities are located some miles away from Antalya and both of them were considered important centers during the Roman and Byzantine  periods. While Aspendos is known for its well-preserved  theater and large aqueduct, Perge has some important  surviving ancient monuments. It is known that Perge was visited by the Apostle Paul during his missionary  journeys. Dinner and overnight in Antalya. 

In the morning we will transfer to Myra (Demre), the  town where St. Nicholas was bishop and where his  relics rested till the time when his remains were  taken away to Bari in Italy. The city of Myra was a  very important historical center as in the day it was  one of the prime cities of the province of Lycia.  Later in the afternoon we will board a private boat  for lunch and the exploration of the sunken city of Simena. The place that we will visit is truly unique.  Stairs of ancient long-since-abandoned buildings  descend straight into the water. More adventurous  folks may take a swim in pristine turquoise waters  of the little gulfs where the boat will be moored. For dinner and overnight we will return to Antalya 

In the morning we will attend Divine Liturgy at the local Greek Orthodox Church of Antalya. After a short stroll through Antalya's old town, we will visit on of the best archeological  museums best  in all of Turkey, boasting a magnificent  collection of the artifacts found (mainly) at the sites of Perge and Aspendos. In the afternoon we will transfer to Pamukkale, or Ancient Hierapolis. Hierapolis was a prominent city in the Roman Empire, known for its arts, philosophy, trade, hot springs and the oracle. 

Hierapolis is also a place of the martyrdom of the Apostle Philip. The remains of his martyrium are still could be seen above the city ruins.

Hierapolis was also known as the "Sacred City" and was part of a tri-city area with Laodicea and Colossae in the 1st century. Paul's epistle to the Colossians (Col 4:13) refers to both Hierapolis and Laodicea.  Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale 

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner. In the morning we will explore the travertines and the ruins of the Ancient Hierapolis. With some luck we may visit the very site of the martyrdom of St. Philip and the site of his tomb. From Hierapolis we will proceed to the site of Ancient Laodicea. Among many other  things, it is important as a host place of a Council that in the mid-4th century formulated the biblical  Canon. In recent years, an ancient house was excavated  with a strange room which had been expanded for  communal use. Some of the scholars believe that this is the remnant of the ancient house church, where the faithful were gathering for prayers and possibly Eucharistic meals. After a visit to the site, we will transfer to Kusadasi a pleasant seaside town on the Aegean Coast. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi. 

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner. The Island of Patmos* is mentioned in the Book of Revelation that is ascribed by the earliest Christian  tradition to St. John the Theologian. In the book it is  stated that St. John was on the Island of Patmos when  he received his revelation, and hagiography  completes that account by stating that St. John was  expelled to Patmos from the city of Ephesus where he  resided and preached for a long time. The most  important pilgrim destinations on the island are the  Cave of the Revelation and the Monastery of St.  John. We will visit both and then we’ll stop for lunch  at a traditional Greek tavern at the port village. *Please note: our trip to Patmos is weather dependent. In case of  inclement weather or high winds, a substitute land tour will be offered. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Kusadasi. 

**Please note that this will be a very long day, as the boat trip to the island and back may take over four hours each way, depends on the weather.

Meals: breakfast and dinner. We will spend a full day exploring the ancient city of Ephesus. It is impossible to overstate the importance of this city in the historical context. The city is closely associated with important New Testament and Early Church historical figures; two of the Seven Ecumenical Councils recognized by the Orthodox Church were conducted in this city. The antiquities of the city are very well preserved and in some sense rival those of Pompeii in Italy. Among many other sites, we will visit the site of the Artemision (one of the Seven Wonders of the World), the Museum, and Basilica Tomb of St. John the Theologian. Our dinner will be enroute to the airport. Evening flight to Istanbul (about one hour). Transfer to the hotel.  

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner. Istanbul-Constantinople is in no need of introduction. We will start our visit of the glorious imperial city with a visit to what was once the heart of Eastern Christendom, the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia, and its older “neighbor” the church of Hagia Irini. We will continue the exploration of the city with the most beautiful Chora Church with its world-famous mosaics and frescoes. Overnight at the hotel in Istanbul.

Today we will continue our exploration of the Great City with the visit to Church of the Mother of God at Blachernae, famous for the miraculous apparition of the Mother of God, celebrated during the Feast of Protection and the church of Sergius and Bacchus, known also as “Little Hagia Sophia”. We will make a stop at the Spice Market and will finish our day at the Archeological Museum. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Istanbul.  

Meals: Breakfast. 

Transfer to the airport in Istanbul. Our pilgrim tour is over. We'll see you next time, and hope soon!