The Seven Apocalyptical Churches

Following breakfast at your hotel, embark on a full-day city tour. The morning features an exterior visit to the iconic Hagia Sophia, followed by exploration of the vast Topkapi Palace, complex (closed Tuesdays), the residence of sultans from 1478 to 1856. This monumental site is composed of pavilions, gardens, and courtyards in the historic district near the entrance of the Golden Horn. Next, visit the famous Blue Mosque with its six minarets. After lunch, the afternoon includes the ancient Roman Hippodrome and free time at the Grand Bazaar (closed Sundays and religious holidays) before returning to your hotel for an overnight in Istanbul.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Begin your day tour with a delicious breakfast before visiting the Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar) in the historic Eminönü district, an ideal place to buy spices, dried fruits, teas, and Turkish delights. Then, take a cruise along the Bosphorus Strait aboard a regular boat, sailing between the Asian and European shores while admiring landmarks like the Dolmabahçe and Çırağan Palaces and the Rumeli Fortress. Continue to the historic neighborhoods of Fener and Balat, perfect for wandering romantic cobblestone streets, finding charming themed cafés, and photographing the famous colorful houses—an area well-known as a filming location for Turkish TV series. Your tour includes an exterior visit to the magnificent Bulgarian Orthodox Church of St. Stephen, notable for its cast-iron construction, and you will also see the Church of the Orthodox Patriarchate. Conclude the day at the legendary Pierre Loti Café, once favored by the French writer Pierre Loti, for stunning panoramic views of the Golden Horn, then transfer back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, depart for Akhisar, known in antiquity as Thyatira—a city mentioned in the Book of Revelation as one of the seven churches to which the Apostle John addressed letters, whose historical importance may have included the production of purple dye or textiles, among other industries. The next visit will be to the remains of a basilica from the Roman Empire before transferring to Pergamon, one of the oldest known places where parchment was used during the Hellenistic period, as the city's library played a significant role in its development, eventually leading to the term "parchment" being derived from "pergamenum." Visit the Acropolis, featuring the steepest amphitheater in the world, where you will see the Temple of Trajan, the Temple of Athena, and the Great Altar of Pergamon. The final visit of the day is to the impressive Red Basilica, believed to have been a temple dedicated to Egyptian gods, before transferring to your hotel in Izmir for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, visit the Agora of Izmir, a central public space in ancient Greek cities used as a marketplace and meeting place for civic, social, and commercial activities. Depart for Sardis, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, which later became an important city in the Persian Empire and during the Roman period, boasting landmarks such as the Temple of Artemis, a gymnasium, a synagogue, and a large Roman bath complex, and historically significant as one of the first places where standardized gold coins, known as "croesids," were minted. The final visit of the day is to Philadelphia, founded in the 2nd century BC, notable for its historical significance as one of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse; after visiting the Church of St. John, transfer to Laodicea, founded by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, in the 3rd century BC, and one of the seven churches of the Book of Revelation. Finally, transfer to the hotel in Pamukkale for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, visit Pamukkale, the 'Cotton Castle,' known for the surreal appearance created by its calcium-rich travertine terraces formed over millennia by mineral-rich thermal waters; the site is also home to the ancient city of Hierapolis, where well-preserved ruins, including theaters, temples, and a necropolis, offer a glimpse into the region's ancient history—the theater is the largest necropolis in Anatolia and is accompanied by the Martyrium of St. Philip, a site honoring the Christian apostle. Depart for Ephesus, an ancient Greek and Roman city of great historical and cultural importance, once a prosperous port city with 250,000 inhabitants, famous as a center of trade, culture, and religion in the ancient world; its remarkable landmarks included the Library of Celsus, the Great Theater, and the Temple of Artemis (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World). Ephesus was also significant in Christian history, believed to be where St. Paul preached and where the Gospel of John may have been written; the last visit of the day is to the Basilica of St. John, built during the Byzantine period in the 6th century AD by Emperor Justinian I and dedicated to John the Apostle, who is traditionally believed to have been buried there, before finally transferring to the hotel in Kuşadası for dinner and an overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, the next visit is to Iznik, a city of great historical and religious significance, including its connection to early Christian history and the Ecumenical Councils of the Christian Church, which became notably important due to the First Council of Nicaea held there in 325 AD—a crucial event convened by Emperor Constantine the Great to address theological issues and establish important doctrines within Christianity—followed by the final visit to the Hagia Sophia Museum, before some time to relax near Lake Iznik and your transfer to the hotel in Istanbul.

Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast at the hotel. At the agreed time, transfer to Istanbul airport for your departure flight.

Meals: Breakfast