Greece, Italy & Turkey 2025 | Biblical Mediterranean Christian Cruise | Randy Mantel

Depart San Francisco or New York this morning for Rome.  You can also arrange your own airfare and take our air credit.

We will arrive in Rome this morning. Upon arrival, if taking our group transfer, you will stop and walk a bit on the Via Appia, the same street that Paul walked on as he entered Rome. After we check into our hotel, we will walk to Trevi Fountain and then back to our hotel for a casual dinner.

This morning we visit the spectacular Coliseum of Rome, the Forum, the Mamertine Museum where Paul and Peter were imprisoned, and then make our way to the ship. Our first dinner together is this evening!

An entire day spent at sea. Sleep in this morning and enjoy the ship’s wonderful surroundings with a walk around the pool deck and breakfast at the huge outdoor buffet. Meet together from 3:00PM to 5:00PM for a study of Paul’s time in Rome today. Dinner with the group or at your leisure.

Morning study together on the top deck focused on studying Paul’s second time in Rome, this time as a prisoner. Lunch aboard the ship and then the ship will drop anchor at the lovely island of Santorini. Your time here is at your leisure. The best thing to do in Santorini is to take the fast cable car to the top of Fira town and then grab a beautiful place to see one of the most beautiful views on earth. You can also take a beach visit, take a taxi around the island, shop, or even take a snorkel tour. An adventure that previous travelers have thoroughly enjoyed is a four-wheeler tour of the island! You do not have to re-board the ship until 11:00PM this evening!

This is the site of Paul’s first letter to the churches in the Book of Revelation. Archeologically, it is considered the pearl of the Mediterranean, as it is the most magnificent archeological site. It is so easy to visit, yet it is full of Biblical truths. Ephesians 1:1-2, and Acts 19 will come alive. Especially compelling is the remaining Temple to Diana or Artemis that is still standing today. In addition, you will sit in the theatre where the Apostle Paul gave one of his most compelling sermons. You will walk the same streets that Jesus’ mother Mary walked and where the Apostle John spent much of his time. Ephesus is only 35 miles from Smyrna and only a 5-hour boat trip to the island of Patmos where John received the Book of Revelation. The day will be very memorable we will end it with a sumptuous Turkish farm meal and lively carpet demonstration. You will have plenty of time to shop and perhaps have a coffee along the waterfront.

We reboard our ship for dinner and sail on past the tiny islands where the Early Church first took root.

This is “the” vacation island destination for Greek families. It is considered to be their “Maui.” You will have so much to do here! You can rent bicycles, grab a towel and hit the beach, meander the dozens of quaint streets filled with shoppers and holiday seekers, or take a trip outside of town to see how the Greeks utilize farming successfully on the islands. This is a day of relaxation for you. For those of you who return early (4:30PM), we will have a study together on the Early Church and Judaism within these islands.

Another glorious day at sea. If you are up to it, we will have fellowship and worship on the aft top deck before breakfast. We will also get together again this afternoon at 4:30PM for another teaching on Paul’s final journey that took place in the waters we will be passing through and his amazing shipwreck that took place in Acts 27. It is a riveting story and we will be able to trace its steps while aboard ship and discuss the many things that transpired during Paul’s life.

Today you can step off the ship and enjoy the city where Pizza was invented or join our optional full-day tour which visits the small port of Puteoli where Paul arrived for his evangelistic church planting, his imprisonment, and, finally, his death. We will also visit the amazing site of Pompeii today. It is a city of decadence that was caught in a volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 BC. We return to the ship for our farewell dinner together.

The ship arrives at 5:00AM. Those not taking the Athens and Corinth post-tour extension and who have taken the group air program will receive an airport transfer to the Rome FCO airport this morning. Flights back to New York and San Francisco arrive the same day.

Disembark the ship this morning and you have an appointment at St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Vatican, and the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel. After your visit, we take a walking tour of the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and then have free time at the Spanish Steps. Transfer to the airport for your 5:00PM flight to Athens. Upon arrival in Athens, we drive towards the Aegean Sea for our lovely boutique hotel.

Enjoy breakfast this morning and then we depart for Ancient Corinth. We will be visiting both Upper and Lower Corinth with a great view of Acro Corinth. We will then visit a rarely-visited spot called Cencherea where the Apostle Paul took his Nazarite vow on the beach. We’ll be provided with a lovely lunch in the countryside and then we transfer into the bustling city of Athens. Once in Athens and checked into our hotel, we will walk to the oldest section of Athens called Plaka. Here we will have an outdoor dinner together.

This morning we will first visit Mars Hill. It is at Mars Hill that the Apostle Paul said these words Men of Athens: “You worship many idols but you don’t even know the real God.” Acts 17:22-31. Then we will walk up the Acropolis to the Parthenon. Our teaching will discuss how the faith of many Greeks today is due to the applied wisdom of the Apostles through the Word that was given to them. This afternoon you will have some free time to either visit the Archeological Museum or enjoy the quaint streets of Plaka very near our hotel. We will have a farewell dinner overlooking the Parthenon this evening.

Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport. Flights will return to San Francisco and New York the same day.