Go on a round trip around Greece before spending a few wonderful days in beautiful Turkey!

Itinerary:

DAY 1: FLIGHT TO ATHENS
Flights from your point of origin to Athens, welcome by our tour guide and bus transfer to our hotel for 2 nights. Distribution of rooms, and dinner. Overnight.

DAY 2: MYCENAE, EPIDAURUS, ANCIENT CORINTH, CORINTH CANAL
In the Morning we drive to Corinth Canal (world famous and was built at the end of the 19th century as an artificial connection between the Saronic Gulf and the Gulf of Corinth) 15 minute photo stop.We continue the trip to Ancient Corinth. Visit the Ancient site, the Agora, the Temple and the Museum. Driving past vineyards and ancient, gnarled olive trees we reach Epidaurus, the shrine of Asclepius and Treatment Centre. Visit the museum and theater, famous for its acoustics. Many summer festivals take place here (Festival of Epidaurus). Continue to Mycenae. Visit the well-preserved Cyclopean walls, the Royal Tombs, and the magnificent Lions Gate, the earliest form of monumental sculpture in Europe. Here, the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann began (in 1874) with his excavations and discovered the Royal Tombs of the Ancients and the huge gold treasures. Return to Athens to our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Athens.

DAY 3: ATHENS CITY TOUR, ACROPOLIS, DELPHI
After breakfast we start our city tour in Athens. In the morning, drive over the Omonia- and Syntagma Square, past the Panathenaic Stadium (photo stop), the Royal Palace, Temple of Zeus, the Acropolis. Visit the Propylaea, the Erechtheum, the temple of Nike and the Parthenon. Free time and lunch in Plaka. Then drive on the University Road, past Schliemann’s house, the Academy, the University and the National Library. In the afternoon we continue to Delphi. Hotel for 1 night. Distribution of rooms and dinner. Overnight in Delphi.

DAY 4: OSIOS LOUKAS, DELPHI
After breakfast we visit Delphi. The town owes its fame to the oracle. We will visit the Temple of Apollo, and among other things, the Treasury of the Athenians, the theater, and the museum with the famous bronze charioteer. After lunch we drive to Saint Lukas to visit the monastery church, one of the greatest examples of the construction and mosaic art of the 11th century. In the evening we continue our drive to Kalambaka . Distribution of rooms, dinner and overnight in Kalambaka.

DAY 5: KALAMPAKA, METEORA, KATERINI
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 6: 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 7: 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 8: 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, basilicas). 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 9: MONASTERY PANAGIA, RELIGIONS MEUSUM, 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 eachother. In the evening we drive to Istanbul (about 3 hours drive). Distribution of rooms, dinner and overnight in Istanbul.

DAY 10: 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 11: BLUE MOSQUE, AGIA 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 12: ISLAND HALKI, THEOLOGY SCHOOL (SEMINARY), ISLAND PRINGIPOS
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 13: 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 14: DEPARTURE TO YOUR POINT OF ORIGIN
After breakfast, transfer to Istanbul airport and flight back to your point of origin.