7 Churches of Asia Minor, Istanbul, Cappadocia Small Group 10 days Tour

Watch ancient history take shape before you on this 10-day Mini Group tour, featuring historic churches that date back to Biblical times. Departing from Istanbul, combine the early history of Christianity with pre-Christian heritage, including Cappadocia and 7 Churches of Asia Minor (Ephesus, Pergamum, Sardis, Smyrna, Thyatira, Philadelphia and Laodicea) with your Bible-oriented tour guide. Do not miss this opportunity to see all these wonders in 10 days. This tour takes you to a huge variety of distinct and antique sites. Perfect for travelers who are short on time or people who hate planning, all logistical details, including domestic flights, accommodation, and most meals, are included and accounted for.
* Selected centrally Located Boutique and 4 star Hotels
* Small group ensures personal service
* Informative, friendly and professional guide
* Small-group tour by minibus
* Domestic flights included.
* Option with Private Tour for your family

7 Churches with Istanbul and Cappadocia

DAY 1: Arrival to Istanbul
Welcome to Turkey. Arrive in Istanbul Airport, Our representative will meet you at the airport with your name sign and private transfer to the hotel for the overnight stay in Istanbul.

DAY 2: Full Day Istanbul Tour ( Breakfast )
09.00 a.m. After breakfast, pick up from the hotel and Our journey begins in Istanbul, the only city in the world situated on two continents. Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul – its three names span more than 2600 years, nearly 1600 of them as the capital of two of the greatest empires the world has known, Byzantine and Ottoman. We visit the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Hippodrome, where chariot races and the Byzantine riots took place. Visit Grand Bazaar for shopping. Overnight in Istanbul. 
Please note: Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays, When Day 2 is Sunday, Spice Market will be visited instead.

DAY 3: Istanbul – Cappadocia Tour ( Breakfast - Dinner )
Pick up from the hotel and transfer to Istanbul airport for flight to Cappadocia. Arrive in Cappadocia. Meet by your guide and transfer to your hotel. Leave your luggages at the hotel and start for your Cappadocia tour. First meeting with Cappadocia, visiting Three Sisters Fairy Chimneys in Urgup which are the most popular and seen on advertisements. Then we head on to Pigeons Valley, Pigeons have been always important for Cappadocian people. That’s why people carved some pigeon houses to keep them in certain places. You will see that the houses for the pigeons are like the houses for the people. Then we descend into the center of the earth in the Kaymakli Underground City one of the largest and the deepest of 200 others in Cappadocia. After the tour program, drive to your hotel. Overnight in Cappadocia

DAY 4: Cappadocia Tour – Cappadocia  ( Breakfast – Dinner )
After breakfast take our second day private Cappadocia tour. Drive to Devrent Valley, take a walk through this lunar landscape where different rock formations can be seen. Seeing the best examples of the fairy chimneys at Pasabag Fairy Chimneys Valley, we drive further to Avanos Town, which is famous for tile and pottery workshops. After lunch, our next stop is Goreme Open Air Museum where you will enjoy the fantastic rock churches and beautiful frescos from various centuries decorating the walls of the churches. Then we drive to the Uchisar Rock Castle, which is the highest and the most dominant point, giving us a breathtaking panorama. We end the day visiting Esentepe Windy Hill for a panoramic view and taking photos.  Overnight in Cappadocia.

DAY 5: Cappadocia – Izmir   ( Breakfast )
Pick up from hotel and morning transfer to airport for flight to Izmir. Arrival and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Izmir.

Day 6: Pergamum – Thyatira – Izmir (Breakfast)
After breakfast we drive to Pergamum, actually called Bergama. It is one of the sites of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:12]. Here we explore the impressive Acropolis, the steepest theatre in the world, the Asklepion, famous medical Centre of classical times, see the Altar of Zeus which is mentioned as the «Throne of Satan» in the book of Revelation, the marble columns of the Temple of Trajan and the Library which was foremost in the world and was long a rival of the equally famous Library of Alexandria in Egypt. Its wealth of volumes was estimated at over 200,000. It inspired the invention of parchment.

Then we continue our visit to Thyatira, now called Akhisar, another one of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:18-24; Acts 16:14]. It was a city famous for purple dyes. We visit the remains of a basilica and some architectural fragments from the Roman period. Lydia, the seller of purple in Philippi, was from Thyatira.

After the tour, drive back to your hotel for overnight.

Day 7: Izmir – Sardis – Philadelphia – Laodicea – Hierapolis (Breakfast – Dinner)
Today we depart early in the morning to one of the most picturesque areas of any of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:1-4], Sardis, presently Sart. This was the capital of the ancient Lydian kingdom of the 6th century BC, portrayed as a dying church. We visit the great Temple of Artemis and restored gymnasium and reconstructed Synagogue. We also see the last several meters of the royal Persian Road from Susa to Sardis built by Cyrus the Great and the «golden» river Pactolus.

Then we continue our journey to Philadelphia, nowadays called Alasehir, another church of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:7], and the only church not censured. There we see the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of brick, with a bit of high arch and some 11th-century frescoes. Continue to visit Laodicea. The city established in the C3 BCE by the Seleucid Antiochus II, the city was named after his wife Laodicea. Built on the Lycus Tributary of the Meander River, it was surnamed Laodicea on Lycus, to distinguish it from other similarly named cities. Laodicea is the last of the seven churches. As a crossroads of two important roads, this city had an important commercial and logistical position. Then, visit the ancient city of Hierapolis & Pamukkale with the Theatre, Apollo Temple and magnificent Necropolis, the graveyard . and The travertine terraces at Pamukkale are one of the most spectacular natural wonders we ever have seen from various mineral springs in a vast white cliff side, about 200 m overlooking the plain, calcite-laden waters have dripped down over a series of terraced levels and created a fairyland of bizarre solidified cascades and shell-shaped basins. It looks like creations from snow or like balls from cotton, which gave the scenery the Turkish name Pamukkale (cotton castle): Moreover the water in the basins is changing its color according to how the light enters. Check-in at hotel for dinner and overnight in a Thermal Hotel.

Day 8: Ephesus – Kusadasi (Breakfast – Dinner)
Drive to Ephesus, visit the ancient city of Ephesus including the Basilica of St. John. The Apostle Paul preached to the Ephesians and lived here for three years. This church also received an epistle from him. We tour the spectacular ruins where excavations still continue in this once great and important city, which was founded in the 10th century BC.
/br> Walk through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, among them the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian and the Theatre. The Temple of Diana of the Ephesians, another of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was built in this city. We visit the Basilica of St. John. Visit The House of Virgin Mary before drive to Kusadasi. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 9: Izmir – Istanbul (Breakfast)
After breakfast and transfer to Izmir airport for noon flight to Istanbul. Arrival and our representative will transfer to your hotel. Afternoon Free in Istanbul to explore the city on your own. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 10: Home ( Breakfast)
Transfer to Airport to connect to your international flight and leave Turkey.
The end of our services.