Day 2 Arrive in Athens and transfer to the hotel. Travel in time, exploring a city with a history of more than 5,000 years! Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight stay in Athens
Day 3 – Athens and Corinth
This morning, we depart for our morning tour out of Athens. On the way, we stop at the historic Corinth Canal. It was Corinth (Acts 18:1-18) where Apostle Paul lived and worked, established a thriving church, and subsequently sent two of his epistles now part of the New Testament. After visiting the sites associated with Apostle Paul’s ministry, we returned to Athens for an afternoon city tour. Climb up to Acropolis Hill to see the famous Parthenon Temple, Erectheion, and Temple of Athena Nike. Then walk to nearby Mars’ Hill (Areopagus) (Acts 17:22) where Apostle Paul spoke to the Athenians about the one and only God. Our tour will finish with a panoramic bus tour to see the city's highlights. Dinner will be served at the hotel.
Overnight stay in Athens
Day 4 – Cruise to Mykonos
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Piraeus port to embark on the Greek Islands cruise. Sail at 11 am and enjoy lunch on board. Our first port of call is Mykonos, where we have free time to walk and explore the town. Stroll on your own through the whitewashed, flower-decked alleyways, climbing to the sculpture church of Paraportiani or along the waterfront of “Little Venice” to the famous windmills. Enjoy dinner on board and at 11 pm we sail for Kusadasi, Turkey.
Overnight stay on board
Day 5 – Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey and Patmos, Greece
Arrive at Kusadasi port in Turkey, the starting point for our tour to Ancient Ephesus (Acts 18:19-21). Apostle Paul preached to the Ephesians and lived and worked here for a number of years. We tour the spectacular ruins in the city which was founded in the 10th century B.C. After the visit, we return to the port at lunchtime and sail to Patmos. Arrive in Patmos (Rev 1:9) in the afternoon and enjoy a tour of the Monastery of St. John where he was exiled and wrote the Book of Revelation. We also visit the Grotto of the Revelation (Cave of Apocalypse) before embarking on the cruise ship. Sail to Heraklion, Crete, and enjoy dinner on board.
Overnight stay on board
Day 6 – Crete and Santorini
At 7 am we arrive at Heraklion, Crete (Acts 27:7-13). You can join the optional excursion to the Minoan Palace of Knossos, home of King Minos and the legendary Minotaur (half-bull and half-man). After a few hours, we sail for Santorini, the island with the most magnificent landscape! Ride the cable car up to the white-washed town of Thera, perched high on the rim of the ancient volcano. Set sail back to the port of Piraeus around 9 pm.
Overnight stay on board
Day 7 – Athens, Meteora Monasteries, Kalambaka
Disembark after breakfast on board. Meet the local guide and board the bus for a journey to Central & Northern Greece! Upon arrival in the town of Kalambaka, we enjoy a spectacular drive up to visit two Meteora Monasteries which are built on the top of colossal symmetrical gray and reddish boulders. They are perched precariously high above the ground and they were first built in the 14th century by monks seeking isolation and salvation.
Overnight in Kalambaka
Day 8 – Berea and Thessalonica
We depart from Kalambaka and continue our journey to Thessalonica. On our way, we will stop in Berea (Acts 17:10-15) to see the mosaic monument commemorating Apostle Paul's preaching. Later in the afternoon, check in at the hotel in Thessalonica. Enjoy the evening at your leisure. Take a walk by the seaside promenade and explore the beautiful city center.
Overnight stay in Thessalonica
Day 9 – Philippi and Kavala
In the morning, we start for a city tour of Thessalonica. We see the Old City Walls, the White Tower, the Galerius Arch, and the Rotunda. Continue with a drive to Philippi, the site where Apostle Paul established a strong church. To this congregation, he sent his letter (Acts 16:9-33). We see the river where Lydia is said to have been baptized, the ruins of a prison where Apostle Paul and Sylas had been kept, the Agora, the 5th and 6th-century Basilica, and the Theater. After the visit, we continue to Kavala, the ancient port of Neapolis (Acts 16:11) where we enjoy a panoramic tour before returning to Thessalonica overnight.
