Seven Churches Tour from Izmir

Day 1 · Transfer to your hotel from Izmir airport

1. 1

   Izmir

   Passing by

   Our guide will welcome you from the airport of Izmir and transfer you to your hotel . You'll have the rest of the day to explore Izmir by yourself with the hints that the guide has given.

4 star hotel in the city of Izmir

Day 2 · Symrna-Pergamon-Tyhatira

1. 1

   Pergamon Ancient City

   3 hours Admission included

   We ll start the day with the visit of Smyrna Agora and than head for Pergamon and visit the Acropolis(Revelation .1:11;2.12). Well see Trajan Temple, Zeus Altar(The Seat of the Satan), Second biggest library of the ancient World, The steepest theatre of the whole World, Asklepion ( the most sophisticated hospital of the ancient times), make a photo stop of Red Basilica and get our lunch.

2. 2

   Stop 2

   45 min

   Then we continue with Tyhatira another one of of the seven churches of Asia (Revelation1:11;2:18-24Acts 16:14). This was a city famous for its purple dyes. We visit the remnants of a Basilica and some fragments that remains from the Roman times.

   On our way to the hotel we make a panaromic tour of Izmir.

4 Star hotel in Izmir

Day 3 · Ephesus- Virgin Mary House- Basilica of St. John

1. 1

   Virgin Mary's House

   one hour Admission included

   Today we make our departure towards Ephesus and first visit is the House of Virgin Mary, the last house where she lived [John 19:26–27].

2. 2

   Stop 2

   3 hours Admission included

   Then we continue with Ephesus, the crown in the tour which gives you the idea and feeling of what it is like to walk the same road with John the Evangelist and St. Paul of Tarsus. The Apostle Paul preached and lived here for three years [Acts 18:19–21; Acts 19:1–41; 1 Corinthians 15:32; 1 Timothy 1:3; Revelation 1:11; 2:1–7]. We will see the great Hadrian Temple [Acts 19:23–27], the third biggest theatre of the ancient world where the riot against Paul took place [Acts 19:29–31], and many more.

   We get our lunch and continue with our visit of the Basilica of St. John, where he is traditionally believed to be buried [John 19:26–27]. At the end of our tour we go to our hotel in Pamukkale, near Hierapolis [Colossians 4:13].

4 Star Hotel near Pamukkale

Day 4 · Sardis- Philadelphia-Laodicea-Hierapolis

1. 1

   Laodicea

   2 hours Admission included

   Today we start early and make the visits of Laodicea (present name Denizli), yet another of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor [Rev. 1:11; 3:14; Col. 2:1; 4:13 - 16]. We see the ancient theatre, the remains of a basilica and ancient stone water pipes.

2. 2

   Hierapolis & Pamukkale

   one hour Admission included

   We continue to the healing city of Hierapolis, actually Pamukkale, the white «cotton fortress» where hot mineral water bursts from the earth and cascades over steep cliffs forming pools, channels and stalactites. The therapeutic waters were known to the founders of Hierapolis and of Laodicea in 190 BC. In Hierapolis [Col. 4:13] we visit the Martyrium of the Apostle Philip where he was martyred during the persecutions ordered by Domitian.

3. 3

   Sardis (Sardes)

   one hour Admission included

   Then our journey takes us to Sardis, presently Sart, the capital of the ancient Lydian kingdom of the 6th century BC, portrayed as a dying church [Rev. 1:11; 3:1–4]. We visit the great Temple of Artemis and the Temple of Cybele, which became a Byzantine Church. We will also visit the restored gymnasium and reconstructed Synagogue. We also see the last several meters of the royal Persian Road from Susa to Sardis built by Cyrus the Great and the «golden» river Pactolos. Lunch en route.

4. 4

   Philadelphia Siesean Kilisesi

   one hour Admission included

   Finally, we arrive at Philadelphia, nowadays called Alasehir, another church of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:7], and the only church not censured. There we see the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of brick, with a bit of high arch and some 11th century frescoes. In the evening we drive to Selcuk for overnight.

Boutique Hotel in Selcuk

Day 5 · Transfer to Izmir airport

1. 1

   Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport

   Passing by

   We make your transfer in your comfortable vehicle to Izmir airport. This will be the end of our tour.