13-08-2018 16DAYS TURKEY & GREECE PILGRIMAGE (JOURNEY OF ST PAUL) Spiritual Director : TBA Departure Date : 12 th OCT 2019 Itinerary:- Day 01/12OCT(Sat): KUALA LUMPUR ISTANBUL 8.35 pm : Assemble at KLIA AIRPORT,Turkish Airlines counter for flight check in 11.35 pm : Flight depart to Istanbul Day 02/13OCT(Sun): ISTANBUL / KAVALA (L,D) Flight will touch down at Istanbul in the morning. After clearance, we will proceed to cross border to Greece Drive to Turkey border crossing Ipsala ( Turkey)/ Kipi Greece Alexandroupolis for lunch Drive to Philippi for sightseeing Kavala Short Panoramic city tours Overnıght Kavala Day 03/14OCT(Mon): KAVALA / THESSALONIKI / KALAMBAKA (B,L,D). Thessalonıkı short panoramic tours Veria ST Paul s Church Visit 02 Monasteries & lunch at local restuarant. Overnight Kalambaka 1
Day 04/15OCT(Tue): KALAMBAKA / DELPHI (B,L,D) Mass at the hotel Visit two monasteries standing amid striking scenery, perched on top of huge rock, which seems to be suspended in midair. Lunch in Kalambaka Drive to Delphi, the centre of the ancient world Dinner and overnight a Delphi Day 05/16OCT(Wed): DELPHI / ATHENS (B,L,D) Depart for Hosios Lukas Monastery, where the main shrine of the monastery is the tomb of St Luke, placed at the juncture of the two churches (Church of the Theotokos, the oldest in the monastery built in the 10 th century, and the Katholikon located adjacent to the Church of the Theotokos) Mass in the vicinity of Hosios Lukas Monastery Drive to Athens for lunch Visit the Acropolis of Athens, an ancient citadel located on a high rocky outcrop outside the city of Athens which contains the Parthenon, Erechtheion, and ancient Greek temple, and Propylea which serves as an entrance to the Acropolis. It is also there that we see the Areios Pagos, the supreme civil and criminal court of ancient Greece where Paul stood to address the people of Athens. Dinner and overnight at Athens Day 06/17OCT(Thu): ATHENS / CORINTH / ATHENS / PIRAEUS (B,L,D) Drive to Corinth, the ancient city where St Paul Worked with Aquila and Priscilla. Visit the archaeological site to see the Bema of St Paul. See the Corinth Canal Back to Athens for lunch. Mass at the Catholic Cathedral of St Dionysus Visit the Benaki Museum to view the artefacts of the Greek civilization as well as that of the Christian faith as it arrived at the shores of Greece. Early dinner and then depart for Piraeus, the port from which the ferry departs for Patmos 2
Day 07/18OCT(Fri): PATMOS / KUSADASI (B,L,D) Arrive in Patmos, disembark from ferry and board coach for transfer to Patmos Skala Hotel for rest After breakfast at hotel, proceed for visit to the Holy Grotto of Revelation. Mass will be celebrated in the vicinity. Visit the monastery of St John, a fortified orthodox monastery Lunch at local restaurant in Patmos Depart for the port to board ferry (private charter) to Kusadasi, Turkey Arrive Kusadasi Dinner and overnight at Kusadasi Day 08/19OCT(Sat): KUSADASI / IZMIR / PERGAMUM / KUSADASI (B,L,D) Visit ancient Smyrna (one of the Seven Churches of Revelation), where Mass is celebrated at St Polycarp Church Visit Pergamum (one of the Seven Churches of Revelation). See the Red Basilica and the archaeological site of the Egyptian Gods Serapis, Isis and Harpocrates. After that, visit the church of Revelation inside the Acropolis were, where the Altar of Zeus and the Temple of Trojan also were. Back to Kusadasi, dinner and overnight stay. Day 09/20OCT(Sun): KUSADASI / EPHESUS / PAMUKKALE (B,L,D) Visit the house of Mother Mary where she stayed until she was assumed into heaven. Mass is celebrated at a chapel there. Proceed to Ephesus (one of the Seven Churches of Revelation). Visit the Ephesus Archaeological Site where you see the splendid façade of the Library of Celcus, the conspicuous Amphitheatre, the commercial agora, the Brothel, and the Temple of Hadrian, among other structures After Lunch drive to Pamukkale Visit the Travetine (Cotton Castle) in Pamukkale, famous for the healing properties of the thermal sacred pool and beautiful cascading snow white terraced cliff side basins and waterfalls Visit the ruins of Hierapolis where St Philip the Apostle was martyred in 1AD. The city also had a significant Jewish community and was mentioned by St Paul in his letter to the Colossians. Dinner and overnight at Pamukkale 3
Day 10/21OCT(Mon): PAMUKKALE / LAODICEA / COLOSSAE / ANTIOCH / KONYA (B,L,D) Breakfast at Hotel. Depart for Laodicea. Visit the ruins, old Roman Road & Roman Amphitheatre. Continue to Colossae, ruins near Honaz Dag (Mt Cadmus) Pisidian Antioch St Paul s Basilica: Paul preached in a synagogue now buried underneath the basilica. Parts of the city wall, a temple of the God Men, A theatre, collapsed arches of a Roman aqueduct on a barren hill and ruins of the monumental Triple City Gate. After lunch drive to Konya. Dinner and overnight stay in Konya. Day 11/22OCT(Tue): KONYA / DERBE / CAPPADOCIA (B,L,D) Breakfast in the Hotel. Visit, KONYA (ICONIUM) Museums and Ruins (Reach Konya Mevlana Museum before 5.00pm to enter) The Archaeological Museum which includes the Sidemara Sarcophagus After lunch depart for DERBE (Karaman) Derbe, was where Paul preached the gospel and gained many converts, among whom was Gaius (Acts 14:6, 20; 20:4), is some 24 km south-east of Lystra. Group will spend around 20 mins to climb the mountain. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia Day 12/23OCT(Wed): CAPPADOCIA (B,L,D) After breakfast in the Hotel, drive to Goreme early in the morning. Full day CAPPODOCIA Visit the underground city of Kaymaklı, early Christian settlements with chapels, monasteries, tombs and shelters.uchisar Rock Fortress and Pigeon valley. This is an amazing fortress built into solid rock with amazing views of ancient dwellings of Christians and churches. Continue visit to Ucguzeller Valley, Three beauties. Land of the Hittites, which are a tribe mentioned in Genesis 23. Goreme Valley, National park and rock churches. Avanos, with its fascinating pottery and carpets which can only be found in this part of the world. Here you will visit a carpet and pottery factory to see how these are traditionally made. Be treated to an exciting lifetime experience to have a exotic meal in an actual cave. Visit a Cappodocian fairy chimney house and experience what it was like for a Christian living in those times. Zelve Valley. Here the fairy chimneys are unique to the region and the hiking through the valley s numerous cave dwellings will be an amazing experience. Visit of a pottery factory in Avanos to see how traditional pottery are being made. Dinner and overnight in Cappodocia 4
Day 13/24OCT(Thu): CAPPADOCIA / ANTAKYA (ANTIOCH) (B,L,D) Breakfast in the Hotel. Drive to Antakya. Visit the Grotto of Peter the Apostle: Paul and Barnabas were sent on their first missionary journey from this cave church. They sailed from Selucia Peria (Cevlik) Portions of the high walls that girded the city Catacombs and aqueducts. An archaeological museum housing a superbly preserved collection of mosaics dating from the 2nd and 3rd centuries left by the Romans. It is the second largest museum of mosaics in the world. Dinner and overnight in Antakya Day 14/25OCT(Fri): ANTAKYA / ISTANBUL (B,L,D) Early in the morning, drive to Tarsus, the birthplace of Paul. During St. Paul s time Tarsus was a university city surpassing Athens and Alexandria. Cicero was a governor here in 51-50 B.C. and the romantic meeting between Cleopatra and Mark Anthony took place in Tarsus. TARSUS The stone arch, which was probably the Sea Gate to the old walled city. It is popularly known as Cleopatra's Gate; some call it St. Paul's Gate. St Paul's well, situated at the house where the Apostle Paul lived. The city of Tarsus put up a plaque by the well in 1980 commemorating the work of Paul. Some excavations in the city revealing a mosaic floor, a basalt street and columns along one side of the street, apparently from the Roman period. East of the city is the River Cydnus, which had once brought Cleopatra to Tarsus to meet Mark Antony. The stone-arched bridge built during the time of the Emperor Justinian (6th century). Evening flight to Istanbul. Arrive, dinner and overnight stay in Istanbul. Day 15/26OCT(Sat): ISTANBUL (B,L,D ) Mass at the Church of St Peter and St Paul Visit the Hagia Sophia, the former See of Constantinople during the Byzantine era which was seized during the Ottoman Empire and converted into a mosque, and which now stands as a museum. 5
Visit the Church of St Anthony of Padua, the biggest active Catholic Church in Turkey. It is under the custody of the OFM Conventuals. After lunch, walk along the Hippodrome Square, a horse racing track that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople Visit the Topkapi Palace, the imperial residence and administrative centre of the Ottoman Sultans for more than 400 years Day 16/27OCT(Sun) ISTANBUL KUALA LUMPUR (B/L) Breakfast and Mass at church Check out and proceed to the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest covered markets in the world with over 58 streets and 4,000 shops for some last minute shopping. Depart for Istanbul Airport for departure flight after midnight at 1.55am (28 th Oct) back to Kuala Lumpur. Arrive Kuala Lumpur next day morning at 5.20pm with fond memories of Greece & Turkey pilgrimage. End of Pilgrimage PROPOSED AIRLINE & SCHEDULE: TURKISH AIRLINES MALAYSIA AIRLINES SECTOR DEPART ARRIVE 12 OCT MH 2641 KK-KUL 1530 hrs 1805 hrs 12 OCT TK 061 KUL-ISTANBUL 2355 hrs 0620 +1 (next morning) 25 OCT Domestic HATAY ISTANBUL 1800 hrs 1945 hrs 28 OCT TK 060 ISTANBUL-KUL 0155 hrs 1720 hrs 28 OCT MH 2606 KUL-KK 1700 hrs 2150 hrs 6
RECOMMENDED HOTELS (4 star Total 14 nights) LOCATION HOTEL NO OF NIGHTS KAVALA Hotel Galaxy or similar 01 KALAMBAKA Divani Hotel or similar 01 DELPHI Amalia Hotel or similar 01 ATHENS Titania Hotel or similar 01 KUSADASI Belmere Hotel or similar 02 PAMUKKALE Ninova Thermal Hotel or similar 01 KONYA Bayir Hotel or similar 01 CAPPADOCIA Yiltok Hotel or similar 02 ANTAKYA Antalya Anemon Hotel or similar 01 ISTANBUL Courtyard by Marriott Hotel or similar 02 Note: One night (overnight cruise SUPERFAST XII) Patmos to Kusadasi. PACKAGE COST (All Inclusive) 16 Days 14 Nights GREECE & TURKEY TWIN/TRIPLE SINGLE EX- Kuala Lumpur RM 12,900.00 RM 15,300.00 EX- Borneo RM 13,400.00 RM 15,900.00 PRICE INCLUDES: 1) Return international economy class air ticket Ex Borneo or Ex KLIA + ALL airport taxes based on current rate. 2) Hotel Accommodation with daily breakfast 3) ALL meals as mentioned in itinerary 4) All transfers in air conditioned car/van/coach 5) Experienced English speaking accompanying guide 6) ALL sightseeing as mentioned in itinerary including Entrance fees 7) Border taxes between Turkey and Greece. 8) Mineral water supply. 9) All Tips & Gratuities. 10) Experienced Professional Tour Manager from Topaz 11) Travel Insurance only for Malaysian passport holders aged below 70 yrs. Above 71 yrs surcharge apply 12) Complimentary Travel Gift Pack & Personal Bag Tag Early Bird Discount Register before 30 th SEPT 2018 and get a discount of RM 500 per couple PRICE EXCLUDES: 1) Traveling insurance, Personal expense such as drinks, telephone, souvenirs and laundry etc. 2) Others not mentioned nor specified above not to be included in the tour price. 7