Arrival to Istanbul Meet at the airport, transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.

Today we start our day with a visit to the impressive Topkapi Palace (closed on Tuesdays so on Tuesdays we visit Underground Cistern), which served as the palace of the Ottoman Sultans between the 16th and 19th centuries. It has a superb position overlooking the Bosphorus. (Harem not included) We also pay a visit to the magnificent Haghia Sophia (St Sophia’s Basilica-closed on Mondays) built by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century. It is one of the world’s greatest architectural marvels. After lunch (not included) we will visit the fascinating and impressive Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii), famous for its six minarets, its beautiful blue Iznik tiles, unique architecture and marble latticework. Then visit the Byzantine Hippodrome, the centre of Byzantine life for 1000 years, where chariot races and competitive athletic events took place. Then we will finish the day with a visit to Grand Bazaar (closed on Sundays) which is the world’s biggest and the oldest shopping venue. Afternoon we will turn back to the hotel for overnight.

Early departure from the hotel and leaving Istanbul behind, your drive takes you to the Northern Aegean city of Canakkale along the sea of Marmara and across the Dardanell. Visit the legendary city of Troy, immortalized by Homer in the stories of King Priamus, Hector, Paris and the beautiful Helen. See the archaeological excavations that have revealed nine separate periods of settlement and the ruins of city walls, house foundations, a temple and a theatre. Also see the symbolic replica wooden Trojan horse that commemorates the epic war machine that was constructed in the 13th century BC. Drive to Assos.

Early morning we proceed to visit the the ancient kingdom of Pergamon, where we visit the Acropolis, the Temple of Athena and the famous library, before viewing the ruins of Asklepion. Transfer afterwards to Thyatira, where you’ll visit another of the Churches of the Revelation mentioned in the book of Revelation by St. John, see the ruins of the early Christian basilica, a colonnaded road and a large church. Then we will proceed to Izmir.

Leave the hotel for our visit to Ephesus. Enjoy a full day tour of the ancient city of Ephesus.Visit the House of Virgin Mary, and then the Basilica of St. John (who accompanied Virgin Mary to Ephesus), the Celsus Library, the marble paved Arcadian Road, the Brothel, the Roman Baths, the Theatre where St. Paul preached, the Temple of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), and see the statue of Ephesian Artemis while touring the Archaeological Museum of Ephesus in Selcuk. Enjoy free time for exploration afterwards, or shopping in the bazaar before transfer to Kusadasi for dinner and overnight.

Didyma is an ancient Ionian sanctuary containing a temple and oracle of Apollon, the Didymaion. In Greek didyma means twin. Next to Delphi, Didyma was the most renowned oracle of the Hellenic world. Didyma was the largest and most significant sanctuary in the territory of the great classical city Miletus. To approach it, visitors would follow the Sacred Way to Didyma, about 17km long. Miletus was an ancient city on the western coast of Anatolia (in what is now Aydin Province, Turkey), near the mouth of the Meander River in ancient Caria. Evidence of first settlement at the site has been made inaccessible by the rise of sea level and deposition of sediments from the Maeander. In the early and middle Bronze Age the settlement came under Minoan influence. Legend has it that an influx of Cretans occurred displacing the indigenous Leleges. Priene was an ancient Greek city of Ionia (and member of the Ionian League) at the base of an escarpment of Mycale, about 6km north of the then course of the Maeander (now called the Buyuk Menderes or "Big Maeander") River and 25km from Miletus. It was formerly on the sea coast, built overlooking the ocean on steep slopes and terraces extending from sea level to a height of 380 m (1247 ft) above sea level at the top of the escarpment.

First drive to Aphrodisias which was dedicated to the ancient goddess Aphrodite. After a visit to this beautiful ancient city continue to Laodicea. Laodicea contains many acres of ruins to visit including a stadium and remnants of a sophisticated water system. Nearby Colossae is well-known throughout Christian circles as the receiver of Paul's letter to the Colossians. Today, the town has fallen into obscurity and nothing remains. Then we drive to Pamukkale which was ancient Hierapolis. Hierapolis, meaning "Sacred City," was an ancient center for pagan cults until it was transformed into a Christian center in the first century. According to tradition, the Apostle Philip lived and was martyred in Hierapolis. It was likely the hot springs of Hierapolis in contrast to the cold mountain springs near Colossae that combined to bring application to the "luke warm" Laodiceans. (Rev 3:14-22) This connection between the cities lies behind Paul’s reference to Hierapolis and Laodicea in his epistle to the Colossians (Col 4:13). Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.

Depart for Philadelphia, where you’ll visit another one of the Seven Churches of the Revelation. The tour continues to Sardis, one of the most picturesque sites of the Seven Churches of the Revelation and the capital of the ancient Lydian Kingdom during the 6th century B.C. Here you will also visit the Temple of Artemis, the Temple of Cybele, ancient Lydian houses, the restored gymnasium and the reconstructed Synagogue. Last visit to the ancient Agora of Izmir (Smyrna)