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OLBITUR
BIBLICAL TOURS
""On the Footsteps of St. Paul""
(West, South, Central Anatolia and Cappadocia in 15 days
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15 Day Turkey Roundtrip
* · Arrival airport : Ankara
* · Departure airport : Istanbul
* · Trip duration : 15 days
* · Cultivation : Byzantine, Ottoman, Seljuk, Cappadocia
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1.Day : Arrival in Ankara
Arrival at the airport of Ankara. Meet and greeting through
Olbitur tour guide and transfer to the city. Check-in at hotel.
Dinner and overnight stay in Ankara. |
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2.Day : Ankara - Cappadocia
After the breakfast city tour in Ankara, the capital of the
modern Turkey. St. Paul was during one his mission journey in
Ankara. The Museum for Anatolian Civilisations is one of the
highlights of the this trip. (Most of the guide books mention
this museum often only as a Hittitian Museum, although
archaeological founds from the Hithitian Period settle only a
small part of the collection.). Continue drive by passing at
the "Tuz Gölü", Salt Lake to Cappadicia. On the way visit to
the one of the Underground City of Cappadocia, Kaymakli.
Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia. |
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3.Day :
Cappadocia
This bizarrely weathered landscape, running down to the valley
of the Kizilirmak River, was formed by eruptions of Erciyes
Mountain. However, other volcanoes in the region, such as
Hasandag Mountain must have contributed to these huge tuff
masses. The extent to which soft tufa was combined with harder,
rocky volcanic stone determined the steepness of the river
valleys and made it possible for wind and water to wear the
material down such a way that slender rock needless or cones,
often with a stone covering the top, were left isolated in the
landscape. These are the so-called "fairy chimneys". These are
often closed together in groups, or after severe erosion they
are spread out more, or completely isolated on the slopes of
the hills. Already two thousand years ago, the inhabitants
caves systems dug and complete underground cities into soft
stone. The early Christians chiselled here fantastic churches
out. All-day excursion in the Göreme valley between the
peculiar and bizarre landscape. Caves churches with different
paintings, residential zone as well as Zelve valley and visit
handmade art workshops (like z. B. Pottery) complete the
picture of Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight. |
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4.Day :
Cappadocia - Antakya
Early departure over Nigde, Tarsus and Adana to Antakya, the
antique Antioch at the Orontes River. Antioch was one of the
seven world cities the antique and played with its many
theological schools as an intellectual center an important
role. St. Paul was on its mission trips several times here.
Visit of the Cave of St. Peter, that counts as the first
church of the world and in which the first time was used the
concept "Christians". Visit of the universally known Mosaics
Museum of Antakya, in which among other things the mosaics of
the Roman temple "Daphne" are issued. Dinner and overnight.
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5.Day : Aantakya - Tasucu
Drive at the Mediterranean Sea along over Iskenderun, the
antique Alexandrette and the Issos Valley, in which Alexander
overcame the large Darius to Adana. Adana is center of the
largest tree want annex zone of Turkey. Drive to the ruins
Armenian Settlements as well as Korykos and Elaeusa after
Tarsus, one of the important "run sort" of the story,
brightness city of little Asia and place of birth of the St.
Paul. On the way visit both so-called Clician Caves : Paradise
and Hell. Continue drive over the river Göksu, in the emperor
Friedrich Barbarossa I. while the 3rd cross drowned. Arrival
in Tasucu. Dinner and overnight. |
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6.Day : Tasucu - Konya
Drive over Mut and Karaman to Konya. Based on the intensive
activity of Paul and Barnabas. Konya - in the antique Iconium
named - became one of the largest communities, that became
later the Patriarchal Center over 14 cities. On the to Konya
visit to the ruins of Lystra, the homeland of the Tomotheus.
In many places of the environment, There are many churches in
the area that were erected by the communities. Konya became
under the Seljuks noticeable midpoint of an intellectual-religious
development, whose influences we still see today : "Mevlana
and its order of the dancing Derwischess". Then visit to the
Mevlana Museum that was original the cloister of the order.
Dinner and overnight. |
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7.Day : Konya - Antalya
Early morning departure over scenically most attractive areas.
This stretch represents a part of the route, that graduated St.
Paul on its first trip. On its first mission trip to little
Asia, Paul with Barnabas and Markus in Antalya went to country.
In the afternoon visit to the antic city of Perge, where was
one of the first Christian communities of Asia Minor. After
escape out of Antiochien, Paulus with Barnabas came here and
composed the word to Perge. Dinner and overnight in Antalya.
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8.Day : Antalya - Pamukkale
Drive over the western Taurus Mountains to direction northwest.
On the way visit to the Laodicea that was through its
intensive trade, especially through its Wool- and cloth
industry one of the richest cities of Asia Minor. The remnants
of a stadium, Baths and water directions remind of at that
times. Then visit to the Colossae that became a concept
because of the Colossae Letters. Thereafter drive to Pamukkale.
Visit of the Calcified Terraces. Then check-in in at hotel.
Dinner and overnight. |
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9. Day :
Pamukkale - Kusadasi
In the morning visit to the ruins of Hierapolis. Here died
St. Phillips in the year 80, as a martyr and was buried. Long
was Hierapolis bishop seat and Metropolis. Then drive through
remote villages and untouched nature landscapes after
Aphrodisias, one of the prettiest ruins in little Asia, above
all with wonderful Roman statues. In the afternoon arrival in
Selcuk and drive to the mountain, on which the dead house of
the Holy Virgin Mary is located. Here the possibility exists
to read a fair before the Dead House of Virgin Mary. Dinner
and overnight in Kusadasi. |
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10. Day : Kusadasi
In the morning
detailed visit of the usually visited ruins of Ephesus. The
city, that has been excavated or 100 years by the Austrian
Archaeologist is first to ca. 20% excavated. The city has been
established 1200 BC and reached during the Roman time with
200.000 inhabitant the highpoint. In this Capital City of the
province Asia Minor was the second largest city after
Alexandria. The St. Paul preached its community in the Theatre
and until one took caught it on the citadel peak. Then drive
to the Archaeological Museum of Selçuk, in which very
interesting findings are to visit, among other things the
famous statue of Artemis. In the afternoon visit to the
Basilica of St. John, in which nominally a grave chapel of the
St. John be supposed to be stood. This historically and
cultural very interesting day ends with a photo stop at Temple
of Artemis, one of the seven world wonders in the antique.
Dinner and overnight. |
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11.Day :
Kusadasi - Ayvalik
After breakfast drive through Izmir, birth city of Herodot, to
Sardes, the famous capital of Lydien, one of where lived the
largest apokalyp communities . Probably through St. Paul, the
Christianity found prematurely entrance here. After visiting
of the ruins of Philadelphia, continue drive to the antique
city Pergamon, the former capital of the province Asia. Visits
to the Athena Temple, Altar of Zeus, Trajan Temple, the King
Palaces and the steepest Theater of the world. After the visit
of Asklepieion, it goes to Ayvalik. Dinner and overnight
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12.Day :
Ayvalik - Istanbul
Early departure for
Canakkale. Visit of the ruins of Troj and passing the
Dardanelles with the ferry to the European part of Turkey and
drive via the highway to Istanbul. Dinner and overnight. |
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13. Day :
Istanbul
Detailed visits in the old town, beginning with Hippodrome,
which was erected in the year 203 by the Roman emperor
Septimus Severius and became in Byzantine time the midpoint of
the public life. Here not only chariot races , circus game
took place and gladiator battles, but rather also festivals in
honour of the emperor were celebrated. Then it goes into the
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque) that confessed only mosque
in the city with six minarets and because of the turquoise
blue tiles in the internal. The St. Sophia be dedicated by the
Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the year 537 and served more
than 900 years as a church. After the conquest Istanbul
through the Turks in the year 1453, it became a mosque and has
been since 1935 a museum. In the afternoon possibility for
shopping in the largest Bazaar of the world. Dinner and
overnight. |
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14. Day : Istanbul
In the morning
detailed visits of the Topkapi Serail. Between 1520-1855, the
palace served as an official seat of the sultan. It covers an
area of almost 700.000 m2. After the visit boat trip on the
Bosporus along the Asiatic and European coasts of Istanbul
until Sariyer. Dinner and overnight stay. |
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15. Day :
Istanbul - Return flight
After the breakfast transfer to the airport and return
flight. |
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