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Thessaloniki, Ephesus, Athens, Philippi and more!
May 10-21, 2024
$4000
per person, based on double occupancy
$4800
per person, based on single occupancy
$3900
per person, based on triple occupancy
n/a
per person, based on quad occupancy
Guided by Mike Day
11 Day Tour Includes:
- Mike Day providing Apostle Paul insights
- 6 Nights 4 star hotel accommodations
- 11 Breakfasts and dinners at hotels
- 4 day cruise, inside cabin
- Air conditioned motor-coach transportation
- Transfers to and from airports
- All entrance fees to sites we visit
- Listening receivers
- English speaking local guides
- Local tour manager
Not Included:
- Airfare to Thessaloniki and from Athens
- Airline Baggage Fees
- Tips For Coach Driver, Tour Manager and Portage
- Meals Other Than Listed
- Additional Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance (est. $248)
- Shore excursions from cruise other than listed
- exterior cabin upgrade, $210 pp
Itinerary
Day 1
USA
Depart USA for Greece. Prepare yourself for a life-changing experience. Get some rest on the flight…Tomorrow you will be walking where the apostles walked!
Day 2
THESSALONIKI
We arrive in Thessaloniki and check into our hotel. You will have the remainder of the day free to relax or take a stroll along the streets of Thessaloniki to enjoy the flavor of the city. This evening our group will enjoy the first of many delectable European style dinners. Dinner and overnight in Capsis Hotel in Thessaloniki.
Day 3
THESSALONIKI, PHILIPPI, & KAVALA
We begin the day by following the massive battlement Byzantine wall to the citadel for a panoramic view of the city. Next, we will visit Philippi and Kavala. Kavala is Greece’s prettiest mainland port with a most elegant harbor. Paul landed here with his disciples, Timothy and Silas. Luke, the Evangelist, also came here from Troas. This ancient city of Neapolis was later renamed Christopoulos because it was the first European city to accept Christianity. Imagine walking on the same sod as these men of the Bible! We will see the Roman Aqueduct and the ruins of the Acropolis in this beautifully located city, known since the 5th century as Kavala. Continue on to Philippi where Paul preached his first evangelical sermon and baptized the first Christians on European soil. We will view the baptismal site where Lydia surrendered her life to Christ and visit a crypt dating 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. We return to Thessalonica and visit St. Demetrius Basilica, dedicated to a distinguished member of the Roman army and a martyred Christian convert, before returning to the hotel for our overnight. Dinner and overnight in Capsis Hotel.
Day 4
THESSALONIKI CITY TOUR & BEREA TOUR
Before we leave Thessaloniki, we drive through town and see remnants of the original Roman road that spanned the nation during Paul’s time. En route we will view the old city ramparts; 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. Then we continue to Berea to view the ancient synagogue where Paul spoke. The Bema is surrounded by mosaics of Paul and the plaque of scripture regarding the “more noble” church. We spend the night in the Amalia Hotel in Kalambaka.
Day 5
METEORA - THESSALONIKI
Following Breakfast this morning we begin with our tour of the Meteora Monasteries. Here we see the world-famous Byzantine monasteries that are perched precariously on summits of gray rock pinnacles of varied and beautiful shapes. Their history goes back to the 14th century when the monks sought refuge in the cliff side caves then fled higher to build the original wooden shelters, later transformed into monasteries. From there our tour travels southward past Thermopylae where we learn of the famous Spartan battle of 300. Our lodging tonight is at the Stanley Hotel in Athens.
Day 6
EMBARKATION PIRAEUS
Morning transfer to port of Piraeus to embark on our cruise, Celestyal Cruises. We will arrive in Mykonos in the afternoon and be here until late evening. Upon return to the ship we will continue our journey in the Mediterranean Sea as we sleep.
Day 7
EPHESUS - PATMOS
Today we are docked in Kusadasi and head for our excursion towards ancient Ephesus. It is here where Paul first came on his 2nd journey (Acts 18:19-21). Ephesus was one of the most beautiful cities of the ancient world and its former glory can still be appreciated today from its well-preserved streets, temples, fountains, public baths, terraced houses, and theatres. Paul returned to Ephesus on his 3rd journey, staying and preaching for a period of about two years, where “special miracles” were wrought (Acts 19:11-12 & 20:20). We will sail in the afternoon for a short journey to the island of Patmos. In Patmos we will visit the Cave of John and Patmos Monastery.
Day 8
ACROPOLIS OF LINDOS - MEDIEVAL RHODES
Today we are docked on the island of Rhodes. We disembark and head towards the ancient site of Lindos. In Lindos, we will see the ancient ruins of the Acropolis of Lindos and the port of St. Paul. It is here that the Apostle Paul stopped during his last journey to Jerusalem from Miletus.
Day 9
CRETE - SANTORINI
In the morning we arrive in Heraklion, Crete. Here we will have the option to discover the city on our own or spend our time in beautiful Costal beach. In the afternoon, we will sail to Santorini where we will take a transfer to Oia to have the best sunset view in the world.
Day 10
CRUISE DISEMBARKATION - ACROPOLIS & ATHENS
We disembark the cruise this morning and travel into Athens, the foundation of democracy. We visit the new Acropolis Museum and Ancient Agora. We will have free time in the Plaka district for lunch and then continue to the Acropolis of Athens and Mars Hill. We will have some free time in the Monastraki district for shopping and then return to our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Athens.
Day 11
CORINTH - MYCENAE
Morning departure from hotel. Sightseeing of Athens and drive to Corinth. Visit Corinth Canal, the ancient site. Drive to Mycenae and visit the ancient site. Drive back to Athens. Dinner and overnight in Athens.
Day 12
DEPARTURE
Transfer to Athens International Airport for your flight back home.
Ready to get Started?
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Mike Day
Mike Day grew up in Modesto, California. After his mission in Chicago, he met his wife Sonia at Weber State University. They have four songs, one daughter-in-law, and one grandson. Mike co-hosts the podcast Talking Scripture with his colleague Bryce Dunford. He loves to grapple with the “messiness” of the Bible and “geek out” on the original languages and ancient cultural context. Mike is passionate about teaching scripture and has been an instructor for Seminaries & Institutes of Religion since 1993. His current assignment is at the Salt Lake Institute of Religion adjacent to the University of Utah. He earned a Master’s Degree in Education in 2001 and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Utah in World Languages & Cultures, Comparative LIterary & Cultural Studies with an emphasis on Classical Greek and Biblical Hebrew. Mike loves cycling, warm beaches, Tolkein, and all things Star Wars.
Payment Terms
$300 pp deposit at time of booking
Final payment due 90 days before departure
*Rate of Exchange and City Taxes
Legacy Tours are priced to ensure our clients get the most economical price for the tour. In doing so we base our tour price on the value of the US dollar to the Euro when final payment is made. The published price and rate of exchange for the dollar when published is the marker. If the dollar has decreased when the final payment is due, the cost for the tour may be more than the published price. However if the dollar increases in value when your final payment is due, then you will pay less than the price that is published for the tour.
A number of European cities are likely to increase or impose a new tourism tax in the near future. These taxes may be added without warning. These extra taxes may end up being added to the final cost of the tour or it’s possible you will be asked to pay locally on the spot. Barcelona just recently added a city tax that was between 1-3 EU per night. This is just to let you know of this possibility. In any advent you will want to bring some extra Euros to have on hand in case that happens on our tour.