Join me as we return with yet another group to visit ancient Asia Minor, modern Turkey,
the historic birthplace of worldwide Christianity! We’ll visit 6 UNESCO World
Heritage sites, take in stunning landscapes and architectural wonders, and
delight in Turkish food and culture.
September 17-29,
2023
{We are still going! The earthquake, the death toll and the suffering for the survivors is an unspeakable horror. Travellers stimulate the economy - which they need desperately now - and the vast majority of this huge country was physically untouched by the catastrophe.}
Cost (as of today,
could fluctuate a little due to flight variables): $4,444.
$750 single supplement, and $545 for a 2
night extension in Istanbul.
-- includes flights (US to Turkey,
and short flights within Turkey), hotel, breakfast and dinner daily (almost), guide,
driver, tips and taxes.
Our guide will be Gülin
Pazaroğlu, who has become a treasured friend to the Howells and others in our
church family! She is an extraordinary guide and a great friend. You'll love her! Our itinerary will be different from any other, beginning in the
far east and heading west. We begin in:
Originally, we'd planned to begin in Antioch, the cradle of Christianity in Acts. We explore the ancient
“cave church” of St. Peter, and other biblical era remains, staying at the
Museum Hotel. The cave church is just fine, as is the hotel - but the rest of modern Antakya was devastated by the earthquake. This is the one place we sadly won't be able to visit - sad for the people there way more than for ourselves.
So we will begin instead in Tarsus, the birthplace of Paul, and Seleucia, the port where Paul and Barnabas sailed on mission. Then to:
Urfa (ancient
Edessa, the cultural center of early Christianity), taking time to visit
Gobekli-Tepe, Zeugma and Gaziantep, among the most astonishing archeaological
finds ever, rewriting all we’ve known about the early history of humanity. Then
on to:
Cappadocia, the geological wonderland, with cave
churches; the home of the Cappadocian Fathers, the wisest of early
Christianity’s leaders. We’ll stay at Cappadocia Estates, an unforgettable
venue. After a stop in picturesque Aphrodisias,
one of ancient Rome’s grandest cities, we’ll make our way to:
Pamukkale, the visually stunning calcite deposits, with the healing
waters of thermal baths, right next door to Hierapolis and Laodicea,
excavated cities once visited by Paul, and recipients of the Book of Revelation..
We’ll stay at the lovely Doga Thermal Hotel. Then, with a stop at Sardis (another of the “7 cities of
Revelation”), we’ll get to:
Ephesus, the crown jewel of Turkey, where Paul preached and was
imprisoned, where John and Mary lived out their days, the site of one of the
Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis, and its famous library.
Finally, we come to:
Istanbul, ancient Constantinople,
which replaced Rome as capital of the empire, the home base of the Church for
centuries, literally littered with great churches and mosques. This will be a
shorter than usual visit, just a day - which is all many devote to Istanbul anyhow. The beautiful Chora church is closed, and the crown jewel, the Hagia Sophia, has scaffolding and covers over the Christian mosaics... which will be the way it is for years to come.
