St. Paul’s Route Tour

You will have your assistance upon arrival to Istanbul and our tour guide will transfer you to the 5 star hotel for overnight.

The city is built on a triangle promontory between the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus, and is enclosed by huge Byzantine walls on the landward side. After breakfast, go sightseeing for the rest of the day. Hagia Sophia and Sultan Ahmet are on the itinerary. After having lunch in a Turkish restaurant, we will go to Topkapi Palace. The enigmatic maze of Topkapi Palace, the seat of the Ottoman Sultans for 300 years, occupies the old city. We will continue to the Grand Bazaar. A variety of Turkish crafts can be found inside this labyrinth of shops. After a day of sightseeing in Istanbul, return to your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, our tour guide will transfer to you to the airport and flight to Adana. Transfer to the hotel for overnight.

An all-day excursion to Antakya (Antioch), where Jesus' disciples were first referred to as Christians. Sleucia on Pieria, one of Alexander the Great's commanders, had established and called Antioch after taking the region after the battle of Ipsus in 301 B.C. Visit St. Pierre, the world's first church, before heading to Adana for the night.

We will drive to Silifke, which features an imposing crusader fortress, after breakfast. The ancient Calycadons, which pass through Silifke, are where Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, leader of the Third Crusade, died in 1190. Narlikuyu, just outside Silifke on the Mersin route, has a lovely Roman mosaic depicting the Three Graces. And then, we will visit Cennet-Cehennem (Heaven and Hell) on the way to Silifke, and the Asthma Cave is close. Two medieval castles, one on the coast and one on an island, can be found in the lovely resort of Korykos. After that, spend the night at your hotel along the Mediterranean coast.

After breakfast, we drive to Side, a small fishing village nestled between two sandy beaches on a promontory. Beautiful ruins, such as a theater city, fountain, and agora, can be found in Side. Anamur, with its majestic castle set between two beaches and built by the Emirs of Karaman in 1230, is located on the stunning road from Silifke to Side. Alanya, which is magnificently located below a Selcuk fortress that crowns a promontory, is another fascinating resort town along the way. After such a long ride, we spent the night in Side.

Continue driving along the turquoise coast to Antalya after breakfast. Visit Perge on the way, which includes the stunning Pamphylian city ruins. A stadium with a capacity of 12.000 people, a theatre with a capacity of 15.000, and angora are among the remains. There is a turnoff from the main road to the Pamphylian city of Aspendos on the banks of the ancient Eurymedan at the village of Serik. The large 2nd Century A.D. theater is Turkey's ancient monuments, and performances are organized here every year in early June. After that, you'll travel through Antalya, one of the most stunning cities on the Mediterranean coast.

Excursion to Termessos, which contains the ruins of Termessos, a noble city that Alexander the Great refrained from assaulting. The ruins are located in a romantic mountain fortress, with the theater perched on a cliff above the water. After this journey, your driver coach will carry you to your hotel in Pamukkale for the night.

After breakfast, drive to Hierapolis, which was established by Eumenes II, King of Pergamon, in the latter half of the 2nd century B.C. and rapidly became a busy manufacturing center, according to the oldest inscription discovered so far. In the region, paganism was based on Cybele, Apollo, Artemis, Men, Poseidon, and Pluto. The Plutonium, a void in the earth from which a noxious gas still emerges, has been discovered underneath the Temple of Apollo. Between the lake, where the hot spring emerges, and the large theater on the hillside, the temple is located. A long avenue of tombs runs along the surface of the plateau to the north. After this exciting tour, you can relax at your room.

We will drive to Kusadasi, an Aegean coastal city, after breakfast. Visit Ephesus along the way, which represents imperial strength and eastern opulence. Our tour starts with a stop in Selcuk, where the ruins of one of the world's seven wonders, the Temple of Artemis, can be found just outside the town. The Isa Bey Mosque is a short distance from the Artemission. The citadel and the basilica of St. John are located at the top of the hill on which the mosque is built. Three kilometers from Selcuk, on the road to Kusadasi, a road leads to Ephesus, which is located at the foot of Mount Pion. And then we will visit the Double Church of the Virgin, the Arcadian Way, and the Virgin Mary's House. Following your tour of Ephesus' riches, you'll return to your hotel. Overnight will be in Kusadasi.

Our driver will transfer to the Izmir Airport for your flight back home.