Today we travel to the Charlotte Airport for our trans-Atlantic overnight fl ight to Athens, Greece, where our breathtaking journey begins.

We arrive in Athens, the capital of and largest city in Greece. We are greeted by our local guide and enjoy an orientation tour as we travel to the hotel where we stay overnight two nights. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Dinner is included this evening at the hotel. (B, D)

With just a short drive, we visit Ancient Corinth and see the Bema where Apostle Paul worked for 18 months with tent makers Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:1-18). Among the ruins see the Temple of Apollo, the Roman Agora, the Bema where St. Paul had to plead his case before the Roman governor Gallio in 52 AD, the pavement inscription of Erastus, the Roman Lechaion Road, and the Fountain of Peirene which is the major source of water for Corinth. Then we return to Athens for a panoramic tour that includes the Parliament House, the Academy, Omonia Square and Panathenaic Stadium. We visit the Acropolis, Parthenon, Areopagus, and Mars Hill where Paul delivered his famous sermon about the identity of “the Unknown God” (Acts 17:15-34). We have a free afternoon in the area of Plaka in Athens. Dinner is included at our hotel. (B, D)

We transfer to the port of Piraeus, outside of Athens, to begin our 3-night Greece and Turkey cruise. The fi rst port of call is the famous island of Mykonos. A free shuttle bus takes us to the capital for free time to explore. (B, D)

This morning we dock at the Turkish port of Kusadasi, and enjoy an included excursion to Ephesus, whose inhabitants were the recipients of Apostle Paul’s famous epistle (Acts 18:19-26; Ephesians) and which was once the capital of the Roman province of Asia and the House of Mary, where the Virgin Mary is said to have spent her last days. Then we return to the ship to sail to Patmos to visit the Monastery of St. John built within the walls of a strong fortifi cation. We see the priceless ecclesiastical treasures housed in the beautiful but small museum: books and manuscripts, mosaics, Icons, splendid medieval textiles and vestments as well as jewelry. We visit the Grotto of the Apocalypse to see the silver niches in the wall that mark the pillow and ledge used as a desk by the author of the Book of the Revelation as well as the three-fold crack made by the voice of God emphasizing the honor of the Holy Trinity. We return to the ship for our evening meal and overnight sailing. (B, D)

Today we dock at Crete which is the largest and the most rugged of the Greek islands. It is also the home of the great Minoan Civilization and the mythological home of Zeus. After a short drive through the town of Heraklion, the capital of Crete, is a former Venetian harbor with representative architecture and art. Our included tour of the city takes us on a short drive to visit the church of St Titus, a disciple of the Apostle Paul and the fi rst Bishop of Crete. And we will visit the Venetian Loggia, Basilica of St Mark, medieval monastery of St Catherine and the Cathedral of St. Minas. We also learn about some of Crete’s leading fi gures, including Nobel Prize winning poet Odysseus Elytis, the painter El Greco and the writer Nikos Kazantzakis. We end at the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion to fi nd out more of the background to the history and culture of Crete We return to the ship and sail to Santorini which is perhaps the most breathtaking of all the Greek Islands. You may choose to take an optional tour of Santorini. This evening our cruise sails back to Athens. (B, D)

This morning we disembark the ship and drive to Athens. Our sightseeing tour of Athens includes more fascinating sights. Later this afternoon we check into our hotel. Take time to shop and explore. Dinner is included tonight at our hotel. (B, D)

Wave farewell to Athens as our journey takes us on to Delphi, the ancient sanctuary of Apollo. Gain a greater understanding of the Greek religious heritage and their infl uence on the early Christian church during our visit. Marvel at the site of the Charioteer, a bronze statue so delicate we can see his eyelashes. Take a few photos of the Temple of Apollo and Castalia Springs. We continue to Kalambaka for another included dinner and our overnight stop. (B, D)

Crowning the rocks of Meteora, the “Hanging Monasteries” seem to be suspended in mid-air. Only six of these twenty-four exquisite examples of Byzantine art are inhabited. Our next stop is at Veria (Beroea of the New Testament), where Paul and Silas were sent by friends after being accused of treason in Thessalonika (Acts 17:5-15). Visit the Bema where Apostle Paul is said to have stood and preached the Gospel to the local community. We continue to Thessaloniki and check into our hotel for a three night stay. Dinner is included tonight. (B, D)

We begin our day with a tour along the ancient route of Apostle Paul to Amphipolis (Acts 17:1). We continue our 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 fi rst 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, we continue to Kavala, ancient port of Neapolis (Acts 16:9-11). Late this afternoon we return to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

Enjoy your day in this seaside city which was considered a world cultural center and an important city of Paul’s activities in Northern Greece. It is where he preached and founded a church and to whom he wrote two epistles (Acts 17:1-9; 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians). We visit the byzantine church of St. Dimitrius and St. Sophia. We see the White Tower along with the Rotonda of Galerius in addition to many other sites. We have free time in the afternoon for walking by the sea or shopping. Our farewell dinner is at the hotel this evening. (B, D)

Today we say goodbye to Greece and transfer to the airport for our departure flight back home.

PLEASE NOTE: Porterage is not available in some of the hotels on this tour. You must be able to carry your luggage to and from these hotels to the motorcoach.

Tour arranged by: Christian Tours & NeTours