Tour Details
Trip Highlights
- Marvel at the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in historic Istanbul
- Walk among the ruins of Pergamum and Thyatira, two of the Seven Churches of Revelation
- Visit Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea – sites of three more of the Seven Churches
- See the thermal terraces of Pamukkale and the martyrdom site of the Apostle Philip at Hierapolis
- Visit the House of the Virgin Mary and the magnificent Library of Celsus at Ephesus
- Travel with a licensed, English-speaking, Bible-focused guide throughout
Itinerary
Day 1: Istanbul – Arrival
Arrival in Istanbul, the city once known as Constantinople and Byzantium – for a thousand years the beating heart of Eastern Christianity. Transfer to your hotel for check-in. Bed and breakfast accommodation.
Day 2: Istanbul – Byzantine & Ottoman Heritage
After breakfast, we depart for a tour of the old city, beginning with the majestic Blue Mosque, celebrated for its exquisite interior tilework. We continue to the Hippodrome, once the social and sporting heart of the Byzantine capital, before visiting the Hagia Sophia – built in the 6th century as the greatest cathedral of the Christian world and, for centuries, the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Following lunch at a traditional restaurant, we visit Topkapi Palace, residence of the Ottoman sultans, renowned for its extraordinary collection of jewels and porcelain. Our final stop is the Grand Bazaar. Return to the hotel for the night.
Day 3: Istanbul – Pergamum – Thyatira – Izmir — Two of the Seven Churches
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for a flight to Izmir. Upon arrival, visit the ancient city of Pergamum (Revelation 2:12–17), one of the great cultural, commercial, and medical centers of the ancient world, and home to one of the Seven Churches to which the Book of Revelation was addressed. We visit the Asclepeion, the famed hospital of antiquity dedicated to Asclepius, god of healing, where the renowned physician Galen once practiced. The sleep-therapy chambers, the small theater reserved for patients, the sacred pools, the long colonnaded street, and the courtyard of Ionic columns all survive from this splendid era. We continue to Thyatira (Revelation 2:18–29), another of the Seven Churches, a small city preserving the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, an ancient colonnaded street, and the remains of a large basilica. We return to Izmir – the ancient Smyrna, itself one of the Seven Churches (Revelation 2:8–11) – for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 4: Izmir – Philadelphia – Sardis — Faithful Under Trial
Departure for Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7–13), the church commended for its patient endurance. Visit the city ruins, including a Byzantine basilica that still preserves fragments of its frescoes. Continue to Sardis (Revelation 3:1–6), where, according to tradition, official currency was minted for the first time in history under the legendary King Croesus. Here we visit the Temple of Artemis, a Byzantine church, the acropolis, a synagogue, and a row of shops from antiquity. Return to Izmir for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 5: Pamukkale – Laodicea – Pamukkale — The Cotton Castle & the Lukewarm Church
After breakfast, visit Pamukkale – the “Cotton Castle” – unique in the world for its brilliant white terraces of calcium-rich thermal pools and petrified waterfalls, with free time to explore. Visit Hierapolis, the Roman city where the Apostle Philip was martyred, before departing for Laodicea (Revelation 3:14–22), the church rebuked for its lukewarm faith. Tradition holds that Christianity first reached Laodicea through Epaphras, a disciple of the Apostle Paul. Tour the ruins of this ancient city before returning to Pamukkale for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 6: Pamukkale – Ephesus – Izmir — The House of Mary & the Great Library
Depart to Ephesus (Revelation 2:1–7; Acts 19). Visit the House of the Virgin Mary, believed by many to have been her last earthly home. Then tour the magnificent ruins of Ephesus, a city once devoted to the goddess Artemis: the Odeon, the Temple of Hadrian, the Terrace Houses, the Library of Celsus, the Agora, Marble Street, and the Great Theater, where Paul once preached. Conclude with a visit to the ruins of the Basilica of St. John, believed to house the tomb of the Apostle. Return to the hotel in Izmir for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 7: Izmir – Istanbul — Returning to the Bosphorus
Transfer to Izmir Airport for the flight to Istanbul. Arrival and transfer to the hotel.
Day 8: Istanbul – Departure
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight, carrying with you the memory of the churches and saints who carried the Gospel across Asia Minor.
What’s Included In This Seven Churches of Revelation Tour?
- 7 nights’ hotel accommodation including daily breakfasts
- Domestic flight from Istanbul to Izmir
- Assistance at the airport upon arrival and departure
- All transfers between airports, hotels and touring sites
- Sightseeing in a modern air-conditioned motor coach
- Service of a licensed, English-speaking, Bible-focused guide throughout
- Entrance fees according to the itinerary
Useful information
- Currency: the Turkish Lira (TRY). Major credit cards and US dollars/euros are widely accepted in tourist areas, but it is useful to carry some local currency for smaller purchases.
- Wi-Fi: available in all hotels and most restaurants and cafes.
- Cell phones: local SIM cards are available at the airport if you wish to stay connected during your trip.
- Suggested tipping on group tours is recommended at $5-10 per person per touring day for the guide and $3-5 per person per driving day for the driver.
- Weather: check updated conditions a few days before departure and pack accordingly – coastal Izmir and Pamukkale can be noticeably warmer than inland Cappadocia.
- Clothing: when visiting mosques, shoulders and knees should be covered, and women may be asked to cover their hair.
- Documents: your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your travel dates. Most nationalities can obtain a Turkish e-Visa online in advance – check with us for your specific requirements.
- Electricity: Turkey uses 220-230 volts at 50 Hertz, with the European two-pin (Type C/F) plug.
Optional Extension: Cappadocia – A Refuge of the Early Church
Extend your pilgrimage with three unforgettable days in Cappadocia, a region shaped by ancient volcanic eruptions into a surreal landscape of stone – and, for the early Church, a hidden sanctuary in times of persecution. This extension can be added to the end of the 8-day tour, for a total of 11 days / 10 nights.
Cappadocia is named among the regions reached by the Gospel in the earliest years of the Church – its believers addressed directly in the opening words of the Apostle Peter’s first epistle (1 Peter 1:1), and its people numbered among those present at Pentecost (Acts 2:9). In the centuries that followed, Christians carved entire underground cities and hundreds of churches directly into the region’s soft volcanic rock – a landscape of faith unlike anywhere else in the world.
Cappadocia Highlights
- Descend into a multi-level underground city built as a refuge for early Christians
- Explore the rock-hewn churches and Byzantine frescoes of the Göreme Open-Air Museum
- Discover the fairy chimneys and troglodyte villages of Paşabağ, Ürgüp, and Avanos
- Visit the natural fortresses of Uçhisar and Ortahisar
- See traditional carpet weaving and semi-precious stone artistry up close
Ext. Day 1: Cappadocia – Underground Refuge of the Early Church
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Cappadocia. Upon arrival, visit one of the region’s remarkable underground cities. Built as refuges by early Christians fleeing persecution, these subterranean complexes descend through several levels, ventilated by hidden chimney shafts, and include communal bedrooms, kitchens, and dining halls carved entirely from the rock. Dinner (included) and overnight stay in Cappadocia.
Ext. Day 2: Cappadocia – Rock Churches & Fairy Chimneys
The entire day is dedicated to exploring this extraordinary region, unique in the world for its lunar landscape of dramatic rock formations, shaped by the eruption of Mount Erciyes and centuries of erosion. Scattered throughout are countless small towns and churches carved directly into the stone. Visit the Göreme Valley, a remarkable Byzantine monastic complex of rock-hewn churches adorned with beautiful frescoes, along with the troglodyte village of Paşabağ and the natural fortresses of Uçhisar and Ortahisar. Pass through a local workshop for semi-precious stones, then continue to Ürgüp to see its famous fairy chimneys – tall stone cones capped with flat boulders – before visiting Avanos, a town renowned for its pottery workshops and traditional weaving. Close the day with a visit to a traditional carpet workshop. Dinner (included) and overnight stay in Cappadocia.
Ext. Day 3: Cappadocia – Departure
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
Trusted Reviews
There are many companies to choose from when it comes to a tour operator. For me, what distinguished Israel Christian Tours was Rebecca. I wrote to quite a... read more
IrwinseetJuly 29, 2018
One of the best companies to use. I also went a few years ago with another on a 9 day Christian Tour to Israel group. They were really good. Several... read more
David TMay 8, 2018
Excellent - Excellent tour of Israel and Jordan!! Very pleasant and knowledgable tour guides and staff. My travel went very smooth with following all covid protocols. I would like to... read more
December 21, 2021
