Seven Churches in Turkey Tour

Seven Churches of Revelation in Turkey

TOUR  İTİNERARY

DAY 1  İZMİR-PERGAMON-THYATİRA

You will meet with your private guide at the İzmir airport or lobby of your hotel in İzmir or Kuşadası and depart on a 1.5 hour drive from İzmir to Pergamon, which were a great center of culture and the capital of the East Roman Empire. At the Acropolis there are numerous remains including the celebrated Library,the steepest theatre of Anatolia, the Temples of Trojan and Dionysos, the place of the monumental Altar of Zeus, famous for its relief of God and devils, the Sanctuary of Demeter , the Gymnasium stiated on terraces and the lower Agora.After a lunch of local specialties, you will proceed to the Medical center of the ancient world, Asclepion, where the first psychological treatment was used and which was dedicated to Asclepios, the God of Health.Your next visit will be to the Red Basilica ( St.John's Church ).  Then we continue our visit to Thyatira, now called Akhisar , another oneof the Seven Churches of Asia.Afterwards you will drive and check in to your hotel in Kuşadası.

DAY 2 İZMİR - EPHESUS -PAMUKKALE

After breakfast, depart for the site of Ephesus, the premiere Greco-Roman city of the ancient  world.During your tour you will explore the Temple of Hadrian ,Domitians temple, Hercules gate, the famous Celsus Library, Great theatre and more.Next stop is the House of the Virgin Mary, where it is believed she spent her last years.At lunchtime you will be able to sample some more  traditional Turkish food.Your last  visit will be to the Basilica of St. John , which stands over the believed burial site of St. John.

DAY 3  PAMUKKALE-İZMİR

After breakfast, you will check out from your hoteland drive to Laodicea.We know from the late 1st century writings of josephus that there was likely a large Jewish population in the city and from his letter to the people of nearby Colossae  that  Paul was concerned also with the people in Laodicea as well as their neigbors in Hierapolis.Water was supplied to the city from a hot spring about 4 milesaway through an aqueduct that you will see ruins of today, along with others including walls and teples, the stadium,gymnasium and theaters.

From Laodicea, it is a 15 minute drive to the North Gate of Pamukkale (Hierapolis). During our tour of the site you will see the Necropolis (cemetery) of Hierapolis which is one of the biggest ancientcemeteries in Anatolia with 1,200 graves, Roman Bath,Domitian Gate  and the Main Street, Byzantium Gate. Then you walk to the natural warm water terraces, which were formed by running warm water that contains calcium.The temperature of the water is about 35 degrees. You can see the gleaming white travertine terraces of Pamukkale , located next to the ruins of Hierapolis.

We depart Pamukkale and drive to Alaşehir where the ancient Philadelphia Church is located.We then continue to Sardes, ancient capital city of the Lydians and visit the Church of Sardes. Afterwards we will drop you back to to your hotel in Pamukkale or transfer to Denizli airport.