Κωνσταντινούπολη: Αγία Σοφία

Upon your arrival in Istanbul, you are met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

Sabanci Merkez Mosque

Today we transfer you to Istanbul Airport for your flight to Adana. We meet you at Adana airport and take you to your hotel in Adana, where you will have dinner and overnight.

The Cave of St. Peter

After breakfast we set off for Antioch-on-the- Orontes, Daphne and Seleucia Pieria. Antioch has been founded in 300BC, and became the craddle of new ideas, philosophical theories and religions. Apostles Paul and Barnabas were the first to visit the city and preach the new Christian religion; as a result, a very important nucleus of Christianity was created here. By the way, the term Christians to define the followers of the new religion was first used in Antioch. The vigorous and wealthy community of Antioch contributed financially to the needs of the Christian community of Jerusalem. Highlights of our visit include the Museum which houses a superb collection of mosaics from Antioch, Daphne and Seleucia Pieria, and St. Peter's Grotto, the cave church that came to be known as the meeting place of the early Christians. We will also visit Daphne. Our next visit will be to the site of Seleucia Pieria, which was the port city of Antioch in ancient days. The most interesting monument here is the Tunnel of Titus, which is a tremendous canal, dug for the purpose of diverting waters of Orontes River. Another highlight here will be the rock tombs with their impressive façades pertaining to the Hellenistic period. Return to Adana for dinner and overnight.

Καππαδοκία

After breakfast we will drive straight to Tarsus, the birthplace of St. Paul. During St. Paul's time Tarsus was a University City surpassing Athens and Alexandria. Cicero was a governor here in 51-50 BC and the romantic meeting between Cleopatra and Mark Anthony took place in Tarsus. Highlights here will be St. Paul's Well, the Tomb of Sardanapulus and Cleopatra's Gate. Then, we drive north to Cappadocia and at first we stop at Derinkuyu. This is an underground city, carved into soft rocks, a huge labyrinth of tunnels, rooms, kitchens, wine cellars and passageways. A huge chimney ventilates this 8-level dwelling, used by the Christians hiding from their Roman and Byzantine persecutors. Their colorful frescoes remain as vibrant as when they were first made; Derinkuyu is a really fascinating site!
Further on we come to Cappadocia, a Grimm's Fairy Tale for adults. What Turks commonly call "Fairy Chimneys" are jutting pieces of volcanic rocks that have been beaten and shaped by the wind and rain. Highlights will be The Apple Church, the Church of St. John the Baptist and the Church with a Buckle in Goreme.

Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.