Visit some of the most amazing sights Greece and Turkey have to offer!

Itinerary:

DAY 1: FLIGHT FROM YOUR POINT OF ORIGIN TO THESSALONIKI

Flights from your point of origin to Thessaloniki, welcome by our tour guide and bus transfer to Pieria, Katerini for 3 nights. Distribution of rooms, and dinner. After dinner we will meet with a representative of the Church of Katerini. He will tell us about life and what is happening in the Greek Orthodox Church. Overnight in Katerini

DAY 2: KATERINI – KALAMPAKA – METEORA
After breakfast we drive to Meteora. We have a tour of the famous, built on high sandstone rocks, Meteora – Monasteries. Suspended between heaven and earth monasteries arose in the 14th century. We visit 2 of monasteries and have a guided tour, and are told about the significance of the Byzantine Orthodox monasticism in Greece and Eastern Europe. Then lunch at one of the many traditional taverns in Kalambaka. After lunch we continue our drive to the icon workshop PEFKIS. Pefkis is one of the most famous icon workshops in Greece and in its clients it also include the Vatican. Guided tour of the workshop and explanation of the icon painting. In the afternoon we drive to Olympic Beach. Dinner and overnight in Olympic Beach.

DAY 3: VERIA – VERGINA – PANAGIA SOUMELA
After breakfast we drive to Veria. Visit the site where Apostle Paul preached. Continue to Vergina, which is known for the royal tombs, discovered only 30 years ago. These unique findings, the tomb of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, lets us assume that the Vergina(then Aigai) was the first capital of Macedonia. We continue our drive to Vermion mountains to the Monastery of Panagia Soumela. This monastery has one of the three most important icons of orthodoxy. The icon of the Virgin Mary. This monastery was built by Greek refugees in 1913, who came from the Black Sea region to Greece. In the evening we return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay in Katerini

DAY 4: THESSALONIKI – AGIA SOFIA – AGIOS DIMITRIOS – KAVALA
After breakfast we drive to Thessaloniki. Thessaloniki is the second largest city of Greece. During our guided tour of Thessaloniki, we will visit the Byzantine Museum of Thessaloniki, and the Museum of Icons in the Mitropolis of Thessaloniki. Then we will visit the churches of Agios Dimitrios, with its catacombs, and beautiful church of Agia Sofia. Lunch in Thessaloniki and then drive to Kavala. Dinner and overnight in Kavala.

DAY 5: LYDIA – PHILLIPI – ALEXANDROUPOLI
After breakfast we drive to Lydia in Kavala. Lydia is where the Apostle Paul baptized the first Christian woman on European soil. Then we continue to Philippi, the first community of the Apostle Paul (Roman Agora, Theater, b9asilicas). At lunch time we return to the city of Kavala ,then we will go on to the port of the city for a cup of Greek coffee or lunch. In the afternoon we continue to Alexandroupolis. Dinner and overnight in Alexandroupolis.

DAY 6: PANAGIA MONASTERY CHURCH MUSEUM – ISTANBUL
After breakfast visit the monastery of Panagia of Evros in Makri, one of the most beautiful woman-only monasteries in Greece. We have a guided tour of the monastery and its areas of work. Here we are told about the life and work of the nuns. After the tour we receive from the nuns, we have a trip to Alexandroupolis and a city tour with a visit to the Mitropolis church and the church – museum. A priest may join us and tell us about the life and co-existence between Christians and Muslims. In Alexandroupolis Christians and Muslims live alongside each other. In the evening we drive to Istanbul (about 3 hours drive). Distribution of rooms, dinner and overnight in Istanbul.

DAY 7: TOPKAPI – CHORA MONASTERY
After breakfast we start our city tour of Istanbul. We visit the land wall, which is one of the architectural marvels of late antiquity. Afterwards we go to Topkapi Palace, which was the residence of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years. Continue to Chora Monastery (Kariye Camii) on the edge of the old town. It has unique mosaics and frescoes. The mosaics and frescoes are in the style of renaissance era, and they are among the largest and most sophisticated sacred sites worldwide. The church was converted under the Ottomans in the early 16th century into a mosque, restored after 1948 and converted into a museum. In the afternoon we return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 8: BLUE MOSQUE – HAGIA SOPHIA
After breakfast, stroll to the center of Istanbul Old City and visit the main attractions: the Blue Mosque, unique with its blue tiles and six minarets; Hippodrome, the former Sergios and Bacchus Church, like many other churches after the conquest of the city was converted into a mosque. Then we continue to the Agia Sophia, the huge domed basilica of the Emperor Justinian. As a coronation church of the Byzantine emperors and place of important historical events, Agia Sophia has a special bond with Byzantine history. Then we visit the underground Basilica Cistern. At end of the day we will take a walk through the bazaar. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 9: HALKI ISLAND – THEOLOGY SCHOOL (SEMINARY) – PRINGIPOS ISLAND
After breakfast, we drive to the small port of Bostanci and with the boat we go to island of Halki. Then we will have a short coach ride to theology school of Halki. Halki was the Training Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. A large number of Orthodox scholars, theologians, bishops and patriarchs, including Bartholomew I, have completed their studies at Halki. Some are also buried in the school grounds. We are welcomed by the School Director and have tour of the school and the Holy Trinity Monastary and the world famous library with a large number of Christian books. Then we continue to the island Pringipos. We visit the Church of Saint George. Lunch and in the afternoon we return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 10: SUNDAY LITURGY – FREE AFTERNOON
After breakfast, we drive to the church of St. George in the Ecumenical Patriarchate. We participate in the Sunday liturgy. After lunch we have free time. Shopping in Istanbul is a pleasure for ever and ever. Afternoon return to hotel. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 11: DEPARTURE TO YOUR POINT OF ORIGIN
After breakfast, transfer to Istanbul airport and flight back to your point of origin.