Depart USA
Dinner and Overnight: Thessaloniki
See the landmarks of the city; the Walls of the Byzantine Acropolis, the House of Jason where Paul lived and the Agora where he preached. View the newly excavated Forum, St. George Church, an ancient Roman monument which was transformed into a church and the Galerius Arch which rises over the famous Via Egnatia.
Continue to Philippi where Paul lived, preached his first evangelical sermon and baptized the first Christians on European soil. See the baptismal site of Lydia, where the first baptism on European soil took place. See a crypt from the Roman period that is thought to have served as a prison for Paul. See the famous Acropolis, the Market Place, Basilica, and the Theatre.
Drive to Kavala (ancient Neapolis), the site where Paul, Timothy and Silas landed on the coast of Thrace. Luke also came here from Troas. This ancient city of Neapolis was later renamed Chris Tou polis because it was the first European city to accept Christianity.
See the Roman Aqueduct and the Ruins of the Acropolis.
Return to Thessaloniki and visit St. Demetrius Basilica, dedicated to a distinguished member of the Roman army and a martyred Christian convert.
Dinner and Overnight: Thessaloniki.
Drive to Veria-ancient Berea- to the memorial commemorating Paul’s preaching to the local Jews in 54 AD. View the ancient synagogue where Paul spoke, and the Bema surrounded by mosaics of Paul and the plaque of scripture regarding the "more noble" church.
Continue to Meteora - the world-famousByzantine monasteries, perched precariously on summits of gray rock pinnacles of varied and beautiful shapes. They go back to the 14th century when the monks sought refuge in the cliffside caves then fled higher to build the original wooden shelters, later transformed into monasteries. Drive to Kalambaka.
Dinner and Overnight: Kalambaka
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2025: DRIVE TO ATHENS
After checking into our hotel: We visit the famous Plaka with its multitude of shops, cafes and restaurants.
Dinner and Overnight: Athens
Visit the Acropolis, the Parthenon, and Erectheum before viewing Athens atop Mars Hill where Paul stood and preached the truth to the Gentile nation. From atop Mars Hill we view the Agora below, the ancient marketplace and center of Athenian public life. We view also the House of Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Olympic Stadium, and Presidential Palace.
Dinner and overnight: Athens
Visit ancient Corinth where Paul worked and preached. See the Archaeological Museum, the Market Place, the agora where Paul was on trial at the Bema, the Fountain of Peirene and the Temple of Apollo. We then stop at Diolkos to view the paved trackway which enabled boats to be moved overland across the Isthmus of Corinth and the Corinth Canal.
Dinner and overnight: Athens
Transfer to the Airport for flight to Rome
Fly to Rome Arrive Rome. Check into our hotel.
Transfer to the Airport and fly to Rome. Arrive Rome and
transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, walk through Via
Del Corso, Piazza de Spagnia, and enjoy the Trevi Fountain,
Pantheon and Piazza Navona.
Dinner and overnight: Rome
Travel to the heart of the Renaissance. We visit Michangelo’s masterpiece, David, and the Santa Croce Church where famous Italians such as Michelangelo
Galileo, and Machiavelli are buried. We also see Duomo with Brunelleschi's famous dome and the exquisite bronze doors of the Baptistery. There is time for shopping, perhaps on the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge over the Arno River.
Dinner and Overnight: Rome
Visit the Arch of Titus that commemorates Titus' conquest of Judea and the Mamertine Prison. Tradition says is where the Apostle Paul was imprisoned. Visit the Coliseum that first opened in AD 80 and is famous as a place of spectacle and death. See the Circus Maximum, a huge stadium that seats 250,000 spectators. Visit the Roman Forum, an ancient meeting place, marketplace, religious and political center, and the ruins of Ostia Antica – that provides an example of city life in classical times.
Dinner and Overnight: Rome
Paul wrote to the Christians of Rome, and he eventually went there where his ministry continued, although he was technically a prisoner. Discover the Vatican Museum, home to many of the world's masterpieces In the Sistine Chapel, view Michelangelo's frescoes, which have been restored to their full, colorful glory. Tour St. Peter's Basilica where Michelangelo's "Pieta" -- the only work signed by the master -- will be just one of many highlights. Travel the famous Appian Way. Walk through the Catacombs of San Sebastiano. Visit Tre Fontane, where Apostle Paul was beheaded. See the Abbey of the Three Fountains and the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls, the site of Paul’s tomb.
Dinner and Overnight: Rome
After breakfast, we are transferred to the airport for our flight home
