Day
1
Arrival
Arrival to Athens airport, meeting our escort after luggage collection and start our way to the city. We will have the rest of the day for leisure to balance. Dinner and overnight in our hotel.
Day
2
Corinth-Athens
Today we will have a short drive to Ancient Corinth to visit the site where Apostle Paul worked for 18 months with tent makers Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:1-18) and visit the Museum, the Bema of St. Paul, along with the Doric Temple of Apollo, the Asklepion and the Agora. Paul stayed in Corinth for one and a half year and sailing from the port of Cenchreae, started his journey to Ephesus. We will have a stop at the handmade Corinth Canal before driving back to visit the most important and famous sites in Athens. We will visit Acropolis Hill, Parthenon, and Mars Hill where the Apostle Paul delivered his well-known sermon. You will also have a panoramic tour to see the Parliament House, the Academy, Omonia Square and Panathenaic Stadium-Kalimarmaro. You will have some free time in Plaka area at the foot of Acropolis to explore its narrow paths and local stores. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Day
3
Athens-Delphi-Kalabaka
This morning we will depart from Athens and start our tour to Delphi, where most of the ancient leaders worldwide flocked to see the Oracle and ask for its advice. Delphi was believed to be the center of the world, the navel of the earth. We will visit the Temple of Apollo, the Athenian Treasury, the Theater, the Castalian fountain, the Stadium and the Tholos of Athena Pronaia. It’s worth see the Archeological Museum, full of ruins and statues, and the first monument built in ancient world dedicated to “One God”. Then we will continue to the town of Kalabaka, central Greece, for dinner and overnight.
Day
4
Kalabaka-Veria-Thessaloniki
Depart our hotel after breakfast to explore the unique hanging Byzantine monasteries from the 11th century. There are 24 but only 6 are inhabited nowadays and if time permits, we will visit one to have an idea of the monastic life through the years. Continue our journey to Veria (Berea), where St. Paul escaped the hostility he encountered at Thessaloniki. We will see the monument built to the Apostle Paul at the southern part of the city, also known as the Bema and learn about his presence here. Our final destination is Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece and where St. Paul preached and founded a church and to whom he wrote two epistles (Acts 17:1-9; 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians). We will see the White Tower, the Arch of Galerius, the churches of St. Demetrius and St. Sophia, the Roman Forum and Rotonda. We will then check in at our hotel, have dinner and overnight.
Day
5
Thessaloniki-Mount Athos
Today we will have the unique experience to see the Holy Mountain “Mount Athos“ with plenty of Monasteries located on the high mountain that are accessible only to men. We will pass through the famous area of Halkidiki to the small village of Ouranoupolis, the closest point we can get to Mount Athos. Here we’ll take the ship for a short sailing trip around this peninsula and see the monasteries as close as we can. Continue to Kavala for dinner and overnight.
Day
6
Philippi-Kavala
Today we will drive along the ancient route of Apostle Paul to Amphipolis (Acts 17:1). Journey to ancient Philippi, which was named after the father of Alexander the Great. This busy Roman colony boasted a great library and theater. In Philippi, Paul preached, established the first church in Europe, and was to whom he wrote one of his epistles while imprisoned in Rome (Acts 16:11-40; Philippians). It was in this area that Paul met Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She and her household accepted Christ and were baptized in the nearby river (Acts 16:11-15). Next, continue to Kavala, ancient port of Neapolis (Acts 16:9-11), to see the city and port. Dinner and overnight.
Day
7
Kavala-Turkish Border
This morning we will depart from our hotel to the Turkish borders, say goodbye to Greece holding our best experience and memories back home.
