| Day 1 - Monday 28 Sept 2020 |
| Welcome To Thessaloniki! |
You will be met, on arrival and transferred to your hotel.
Discover vibrant Thessaloniki, a city at a unique crossroads of civilizations, where East meets West, and where cultures and religions have mixed for thousands of years. Take the afternoon to soak up the thriving culture of Greece's beloved Northern capital with its idyllic sea views, tree-lined streets and colorful bazaars. In the afternoon meet your fully-trained and professional Tour Director for a meeting.
We’ll kick off the tour in style with a lovely welcome dinner to follow and stay overnight in Thessaloniki.
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Dinner |
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| Day 2 - Tuesday |
Thessaloniki To Kavala
sightseeing cruise of Mt.Athos |
Today your journey takes you to the biblical port city of Neapolis, now known as Kavala, where St. Paul first set foot in Europe.
En route to Kavala you have the opportunity to see the mountain peninsula UNESCO world heritage site that is widely considered the holiest place in Modern Greece: Mount Athos. We will take a guided cruise of the epicenter of Eastern Christian Orthodox Monasticism.
You will have a chance for reflection, spending the morning cruising the very same pristine Aegean waters that Paul, Silas and Luke passed through on their long journey from Troy. After lunch we continue on to Kavala, where in 45 AD, Paul docked and began his mission. Take the afternoon to visit the atmospheric old town with its famous aqueduct, Byzantine castle and neoclassical mansions. Enjoy dinner at a picturesque seaside taverna and settle in for the night.
Overnight in Kavala.
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Breakfast and Dinner |
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| Day 3 - Wednesday |
Philippi to Thessaloniki
sightseeing Philippi and Amphipolis |
After breakfast we will officially commence following the footsteps as we travel, just as St. Paul and his companions did, from Kavala to Philippi,
where he preached his first sermon and baptized the first Christians on European soil.
Our licensed expert will guide us through the monumental ruins, including the site where Lydia was baptized and where St. Paul was imprisoned.
We will visit the Acropolis, the theater and the remains of the first Christian Basilica established in Europe.
We will continue our journey in chronological order, stopping in Ancient Amphipolis, before returning to dynamic Thessaloniki for another nights stay.
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Breakfast and Dinner |
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| Day 4 - Thursday |
Thessaloniki to Kalambaka
sightseeing Thessaloniki |
The prolific words from Paul's letters to the Thessalonians will play through our minds as we are led through the very places where he lived, preached and wrote about. Our local expert guide will expose Thessaloniki’s ancient roots, taking us through the Arch of Galerious built over the Egnatian Way, to the neighboring Rotunda and through the ruins of the Ancient Agora. We’ll also visit the beautiful churches St. Demetrious and St. Sophia before setting off, as Paul and Silas did, for Veria. At nearby Vergina, we’ll see the burial site of the kings of Macedon, including the tomb of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great.
After an enlightening day, we’ll make our way to Kalambaka, home of the breathtaking Meteora Monasteries, for dinner and an overnight stay.
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Breakfast and Dinner |
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| Day 5 - Friday |
Kalambaka to Athens
sightseeing Meteora |
When you awaken to see the awe-inspiring rock formations unfold before your eyes, you will easily understand why we call this place Meteora, which means "suspended in the heavens above." Today we will climb above the charming mountain villages of Kastraki and Kalambaka to visit two of the six surviving Monasteries of Meteora, a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in the world. Though Paul passed through Greece long before hermits began cave-dwelling here in the 9th century, one cannot deny that the message of his mission is alive and is exceptionally well-preserved here.
We will see how the monks live today and enter some of the most captivating Byzantine basilicas in Greece.
In the afternoon we’ll head south to the world-famous capital city of Athens for dinner and your overnight stay.
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Breakfast and Dinner |
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| Day 6 - Saturday |
Athens
sightseeing Athens and the Plaka |
Today we will explore the fascinating city of Athens, a city whose deeply spiritual citizens have
dedicated themselves to Gods for over 4,500 years, leaving behind countless places of worship to visit.
We will begin our morning climbing up the rock of the Acropolis,
while our experienced guide uncovers the stories behind the Temple of Athena Nike,
the Erectheum, the Propylae, and perhaps the most perfect piece of architecture ever built, the majestic Parthenon.
Afterward, we will ascend the Areopagus, Mars Hill, where Paul spoke to the Athenians who were gathered in the Ancient Agora below.
We’ll continue on to the Panathenaic Stadium, the Temple of the Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch. To follow we will see the National Gardens, the Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma Square, the University of Athens, and finally the National Library.
Take a walk through the enchanting Plaka and pass by some of the city's most precious Byzantine churches afterward.
The evening is at your leisure in lively Athens, until our group dinner at a lovely local restaurant.
Overnight in Athens.
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Breakfast and Dinner |
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| Day 7 - Sunday |
Corinth
sightseeing Corinth and Kechries |
After Athens, Paul went to Corinth. At the foothills of the Corinthian Acropolis, he lived, worked as a tent maker and taught the word of God for 18 months. We will visit the ruins of the ancient city, walking in the same paths that he walked thousands of years before while our guide reveals the ruins of the 6th century BC Temple of Apollo, the Fountain of Peirene, the Agora where Paul's trial by Gallio took place and where the famous Bema stands.
Afterward we will pass by the ancient port of Kechries, where Paul departed from for Ephesus and later on we’ll marvel at the engineering feat of the Corinth Canal, designed in Paul’s time, but finally realized in the late 1890s.
We’ll return to Athens for a special last evening together, as our steps on land will have come to an end.
Tonight enjoy our special highlight farewell dinner!
Overnight in Athens.
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Breakfast and Dinner |
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| Day 8 - Monday 5 October 2020 |
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As your footsteps of St.Paul tour ends, say farewell to the vibrant city of Athens.
Enjoy a nice breakfast at the hotel.
Time at leisure until your flight.
Depending on the time of your flight we shall arrange a transfer for you to the Athens airport.
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Breakfast |
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Alternatively you may continue the tour taking advantage of the very special offer for a four day cruise.
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Show more about the cruise
| Day 8 (Optional Cruise Extension to the tour) |
Monday 5 October 2020
Sailing to Mykonos |
| After breakfast at the hotel we will transfer to the port of Piraeus to embark on the Aegean cruise. From the busy port of Piraeus, we set sail to the cosmopolitan island of Mykonos, famous for its characteristic Cubist architecture and lovely port. With its charming landscape and golden beaches this beautiful island is one of the ‘must see’ islands of the Aegean.
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| Day 9 (Optional Cruise Extension to the tour) |
Tuesday
Sailing to Kusadasi & Patmos |
Dock at Kusadasi in Turkey, and find yourself surrounded by all sorts of merchandise: Clothes, carpets, souvenirs, pottery, watches, anything and everything under the sun.
Furthermore, from there you can also visit the archaeological site of Ephesus, an ancient city which has withstood the ravages of time and much is still standing. Famous in antiquity as the sight where the temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the world, once stood. St.Paul's epistles to the Ephesians are part of the new Testament.
We depart from Kusadasi to set sail to Patmos. In the island of Patmos you can visit the venerable monastery of St.John where it is said that the 'Book of Revelation' was written. The visit to the cave were St.John wrote the book is a truly mystical experience.
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| Day 10 (Optional Cruise Extension to the tour) |
Wednesday
Sailing to Rhodes |
Set sail to Rhodes, the island of the Crusader Knights of St.John.
Stroll around the fascinating medieval old town of Rhodes with its mighty castle, where the appearance of a knight in shiny armour would not seem out of place. Visit the ancient ruins of Lindos, where its acropolis and temple stand impressively on sheer cliffs and from there marvel at the stunning coastal views.
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| Day 11 (Optional Cruise Extension to the tour) |
Thursday
Sailing to Heraklion & Santorini |
Arrive at the port of Heraklion in Crete. Join an optional excursion to the Palace of Knossos, the probable site of the labyrinth and dwelling of the Minotaur a creature of Greek mythology with the head of a bull and the body of a man or explore the town and visit the Archaeological museum, which houses the most important collection of Minoan antiquities.
Later we sail to the island of Santorini. Experience the island’s capital, Thira, with its cliff top restaurants and cafes, breathtaking views & spectacular sunset!
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| Day 12 (Optional Cruise Extension to the tour) |
Friday 9 October 2020
Return to Athens |
Disembark this morning at the port of Piraeus.
As your footsteps of St. Paul tour has come to an end, you are transferred to Athens International Airport.
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