Seven Churches of Revelation and the Footsteps of Paul 2026 – Turkey & Greece with Teresa Gardner

Depart from Washington Dulles on Turkish Air at 1:20PM, to Istanbul with a two-hour layover.

Arrive Kayseri 12:30PM. You will be met and transferred to the Garimasu Cave Hotel, which is quite unique and actually has a small church within it! Each of the rooms are very different as the cave room area is also hewn from stone. You will be able to unwind and explore this unique cave hotel and the tiny city around it with its whimsical, natural buildings. You will enjoy a time of fellowship and teaching around the pool—which has a spectacular view—and have dinner at the hotel.

You will have time after breakfast to walk around the unique property and depart later in the morning for Göreme National Park. You will then have a sumptuous, Turkish lunch, followed by a visit to Derinkuyu, the world-renowned, mysterious underground city. You will be returned to your lovely hotel for dinner and overnight.

You will have the (optional) opportunity for ballooning in the early morning hours (approximately $300 per person—paid in Turkey). You will be returned to your hotel for breakfast and then enjoy free time for fellowship, reflection, and to take a walk in unique surroundings. At 1:00PM, you will be returned to Göreme National Park for a 2-hour walk.  You will be driven to the airport at 6:15PM this evening for your trip to Izmir (via Istanbul). Upon arrival in Istanbul, you will transfer into the city at 10:10PM for dinner and overnight in nearby Smyrna at the Kaya Prestige Hotel.

You will have an impressive day visiting the first set of Seven Churches: Smyrna, Thyatira, and Pergamum. You will stay this evening at the Aliaga Radisson Blue Hotel. Lunch will be provided, and dinner will be served at the hotel.

Today, you will visit the Seven Churches sites of Sardis and Philadelphia, and then the New Testament sites of Colossae and Hierapolis. You will stay overnight at the Doga Hotel and soak in the hot thermal pools. These unique thermal pools are from the waters that cascade from the site of Pumakkale. 

You will visit the second-to-the-last of the Seven Churches early today: Laodicea, and then walk to the spectacular nearby site of Pumakkale. Following a nice drive over the mountains—over which Paul would have walked—you will arrive at the port city of Kusadasi for your overnight at the Illayda Hotel. Both your lunch and your dinner will be provided.

The crown jewel of the Mediterranean: Ephesus! After informative teachings, you will be able to relax and enjoy a nice lunch. After lunch, you have an opportunity to also visit Miletus, facing the sea with a view of Patmos in the distance. You will be returned to your lovely hotel in Kusadasi for dinner and overnight.

You will have breakfast at the hotel and then depart Kusadasi this morning on a 4-hour boat charter to the Island of Patmos. It is recommended that you bring snacks for your journey, although, the snack bar on the private boat will also be open for purchases, and coffee, water, and drinks will be served. You will arrive on the island of Patmos at around 3:00PM, where you will be met and transferred to your nearby hotel, the Skala or Chris Hotel. You will have time to enjoy a lovely walk down the expanse of the semi-circle beach that incorporates the tiny town of Skala and the harbor area. It is dotted with small fishing boats and an isolated coffee shop or church in the vicinity. You can also walk to the area that is designated with a memorial to the place where John baptized the locals during his stay on the island. You will have dinner at your hotel this evening.

You will visit the cave and monastery this morning on a 3-hour tour before the arrival of the cruise ships! You will have your afternoon free to again enjoy some hikes or walks around the tiny island and inlets and enjoy a little later check-out today. You will have dinner in town this evening and leave the hotel at around 11:00PM in order to join the midnight ferry to Athens tonight. Your overnight sleeping cabins are already booked, but all meals onboard the ferry are at your expense. Your breakfast is the only meal included in your itinerary today.

You will arrive at the massive port of Piraeus this morning and then transfer to the tiny beach area near Corinth and Cenchrea. There are quaint restaurants that dot the waterfront at which you may enjoy a lunch or even enjoy a poolside rest. You will not be able to check into your accommodations until 3:00PM today. You will have time, however, to see the historic Corinth Canal and familiarize yourself with the grounds and beachfront. Your dinner tonight is included at your hotel.

After breakfast this morning, you will be driven up to Akro Corinth.  If you would like to take the time to hike from the main gate, you can hike a bit further up the mountain in order to see the ruins. You will then come down the mountain to the site of ancient Corinth. Lunch will be on your own today, and then you will be returned to your hotel for rest and dinner.

You will have breakfast at the hotel and then be driven to Athens. Your bags may be left on board the bus, or you may leave your bags in a local locker so that you can visit both Mars Hill and the Parthenon. You will then have a break for lunch in the Plaka and time to see the fascinating Agora before departing for the Archeological Museum. You will depart the city at 5:30PM and be driven to the Athens airport. You must be at the airport by 8:00PM, though your flight departs at 10:00PM. You will arrive in Istanbul at 11:40PM, where you will be met and transferred to the Kaya Airport hotel for an overnight.

You will be met at your airport hotel at 5:00AM, for your 7:50AM departure to Washington, Dulles—arriving at 11:45AM.