Join us for a transformative biblical expedition through Turkey, where ancient history and sacred scriptures come to life. Explore key sites of early Christianity, walk in the footsteps of apostles, and immerse yourself in rich biblical history, stunning landscapes, and vibrant cultures on this unforgettable spiritual journey.

The heart of this expedition is to empower you to become the disciple God is calling you to be. By better understanding the world of the Bible, you will better understand the words of the Bible, transforming your ability to study it, do what it teaches, and share it with others.

Our expeditions, led by an experienced team of expertly trained guides, offer the finest travel experiences, providing you the peace of mind that everything down to the smallest detail has been taken care of so you can immerse yourself in the journey, encounter God, and be empowered to better understand the words of the Bible by exploring its world.

• Walk in the footsteps of Paul and the early church in Laodicea, Colossae, and Hierapolis—where scripture, archaeology, and faith come together.
• Explore key early Christian sites like Pergamum, Sardis, and Thyatira—each connected to the Seven Churches of Revelation.
• Discover Ephesus, the best-preserved ancient city in the Mediterranean, including the Celsus Library, Domitian Temple, Terrace Houses, and the Temple of Artemis.
• Visit the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Underground Cisterns—iconic symbols of Byzantine and Ottoman history in the heart of Istanbul.
• Sail the Bosphorus Strait on a scenic boat tour, taking in panoramic views of Istanbul’s skyline and the meeting point of Europe and Asia.
• Experience the white thermal terraces of Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis, featuring Turkey’s largest necropolis and the martyrium of St. Philip.

Begin your journey as we depart from the United States on an overnight international flight to Turkey.

Arrive at Istanbul International Airport no later than 3pm on September 5th to meet our guide and take a group transfer to the hotel in Istanbul. Any participants arriving after 3pm will need to take a private transfer to the hotel, which is not included in trip costs. Later that evening we will enjoy a group buffet dinner and stay overnight in Istanbul.

Today we will visit the famous Blue Mosque, with its six minarets and sparkling interior. We will visit the Archaeological Museum and nearby Museum of the Ancient Orient — two world class museums where artifacts from all over the Near East have been collected — including the famous Jerusalem Temple Inscription and the inscription from Hezekiah’s Tunnel (also from Jerusalem). Walk through St. Sophia (Hagia Sophia) that, for 1,000 years, was the largest church in Christendom. Built by Justinian (532-537 AD), the church has 107 columns and beautiful glass mosaics. Finally, we will visit the Underground Cisterns before returning to Istanbul where you will enjoy dinner on your own and stay overnight.

This morning we will embark on a leisurely boat tour along the Bosphorus—seeing both the European and Asian shores of Istanbul. We will also visit the Egyptian Spice Market before driving to Çanakkale where we will enjoy dinner at the hotel and stay overnight.

Our morning begins with visiting the legendary site of Troy. Made famous by Homer in the Iliad, we visit the ruins of Troy and see a replica of the famous “Wooden Horse.” From Troy, we travel to Alexandria Troas (Acts 16:6-10; 20:13-16) to visit the harbor and the new excavation area. Our day concludes visiting the site of Assos (where Paul stopped on his third missionary journey; Acts 20:13-14). We will then drive to our hotel in Edremit for dinner at the hotel and stay overnight.

Today we will drive to Bergama to visit the Pergamum, one of the Seven Churches. Its acropolis is set on a hill high above the modern town of Bergama. The site boasts its famous ancient library, the Trajan imperial cult temple, the steepest theater in Turkey, and the foundation of the altar of Zeus. We will also see the healing center at the Asclepium. The famous doctor Galen lived and practiced at the Asclepium for many years. After Pergamum, we will drive to Thyatira and visit the meager Roman remains in the heart of the modern city. Afterward we will enjoy a group dinner at a local restaurant, the Tavacı Recep Usta, and stay overnight in Izmir.

Our morning begins by visiting the ongoing excavations at the Smyrna agora and the ancient acropolis. We then drive to Sardis (Sart), one of the most picturesque sites of the Seven Churches of Asia (Revelation 1:11; 3:1-4) and the capital of the ancient Lydian Kingdom of the 6th century BC. We visit the restored gymnasium and reconstructed synagogue. We will also see the remains of the Temple of Artemis, the royal Persian Road from Susa to Sardis, and the ‘golden’ river Pactolos. On our way to the Lychus Valley, we will visit the few remains of Philadelphia, before continuing to Pamukkale where we will enjoy dinner at the hotel and stay overnight.

We begin the morning visiting Hierapolis that features the largest necropolis in Turkey. Near its theater in Hierapolis, we will always see the newly excavated martyrium of Philip. Paul mentions Hierapolis in his letter to the Colossians. Next, we will visit the new excavations at Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches. Then we will drive to Colossae in the Lycus Valley to see the location of the unexcavated site. Paul wrote two letters to this city – Colossians and Philemon. At the end of our day we will return to Pamukkale for dinner at the hotel and stay overnight.

Today we will drive to Aphrodisias, where archaeological excavations led by New York University have unearthed numerous fine marble statues. We will see the best-preserved stadium in Turkey as well as the temple of Aphrodite. We will also visit the newly opened museum that features statues from the Sebasteion. On our way to Kusadasi, we will visit the ancient site of Magnesia (Tralles) with its forum and large stadium. Afterward we will continue on to Kusadasi, the holiday town on the shores of the Aegean Sea, where we will enjoy dinner at the hotel and stay overnight.

This morning, we drive to Miletus to see the well-preserved theater. At Miletus Paul delivered his speech to the Ephesian elders near one of its four harbors. As we approach Didyma, we will visit the remains of the Sacred Way that linked Miletus to this ancient oracle site at the Temple of Apollo. The Temple to Apollo at Didyma is the finest temple in the Aegean region. At Priene, we will see the best-preserved Hellenistic theater in Turkey. We will also view the remains of a synagogue in the west residential district and the city’s bouleterion. At the end of our day we will return to Kusadasi for dinner at the hotel and stay overnight.

This morning, we will visit the ancient site of Ephesus. Located near the modern town of Selçuk, Ephesus is the best-preserved classical city of the eastern Mediterranean. Paul spent nearly three years in the city during his third journey. At Ephesus, we will see the Domitian Temple, the Temple of Hadrian, Celsus Library, and a theater with a seating capacity for 24,000 people. We will also tour the ongoing excavations at the terrace houses where the rich and famous of Ephesus lived. We will also visit the excellent local archaeological museum, and the site of the Temple of Artemis, the largest religious structure of the ancient world. We then return to the hotel in Kusadasi for dinner and stay overnight.

We will check out of the hotel as a group at 11:00AM and take a group transfer to the Izmir Airport for departure. Return flights should not be booked any earlier than 2:30PM. Any flights booked with a departure time before 2:30PM will require a private transfer to the airport which is not included in trip costs.