Aegean Cruise. The Islands & Ports of St. Paul & St. John BIBLICAL

The Islands & Ports of St. Paul & St. John Aegean Cruise BIBLICAL Athens Corinth Thessalonika Neapolis Philippi Constantinople Nicaea Pergamon Ephesus Smyrna Patmos Syros 11 Days October/November 2018 Led by Canon Gordon Dey

The Dates Sunday 28th October to Wednesday 7th November 2018 Three nights in Athens Seven nights Cruise calling at eight ports THE FLIGHTS (Projected) Touring Highlights OUTWARD OUTWARD Manchester/Athens Morning Departure Afternoon Arrival Athens/Manchester Morning Departure Afternoon Arrival THE HOTEL The Titania Athens Climbing Paul s Mars Hill in Athens Addressing the Bema seat at Corinth Walking the shoreline at Phoebe s Cenchreae Relaxing and sailing the blue Aegean sea Strolling through Paul s Thessalonica Standing by Lydia s River at Philippi Sailing through the impressive Dardanelles Straights Visiting the impressive highlights of Istanbul Sitting in the great theatre at Pergamos Ambling the streets of mighty Ephesus Exploring the caves of St. John at Patmos Encountering the quaint island of Syros Cruising Highlights Optional Lectures on Cruise Sites Aegean Sea Optional Seminars on Acts and Revelation Optional Worship Services THE SHIP Celestyal Cruises

Corinth & Cenchreae Outward Flight Depart the hotel after breakfast by coach to visit - Meet and check-in for the flight departure from Manchester direct to Athens. The Corinth Canal On arrival, travel by private coach to the hotel for room allocation. One of the Seven Wonders of the Modern world. Dinner & Overnight in Athens DAY 10. Tuesday 6th Nov Ancient Corinth The Gentile port of the Isthmus associated with St. Paul, Aquila and Priscilla - extensive excavations reveal something of this major sea port in Gospel days. Cenchreae The Jewish port of the Mediterranean where St. Paul shaved his head and took a vow and where Phoebe was a servant of the church. Overnight In Athens Home! DAY 11. Wednesday 7th Nov To Athens airport for the return flight. DAY 1. Sunday 28th Oct. Athens City DAY 2. Monday 29th Oct Mars Hill The rocky hill where St. Paul defended the Gospel before the city rulers. The Acropolis Stunning Greek architecture dominating the city. Roman Forum The bustling commercial centre in St. Paul s day. The Cruise Board the cruise ship for lunch and cabin allocation and preparation for sailing. Ship sails in the evening.

Macedonian Regions Patmos & Syros Ship docks in Thessalonica in the morning. Ship docks in Patmos in the morning. Disembark for a visit on the Island.. DAY 3. Tuesday 30th Oct DAY 8. Sunday 4th Nov Disembark for a coach journey visiting Pella Originally was a strategic port connected to the Thermaic Gulf by a navigable inlet, but the harbour and gulf have since silted up, leaving the site landlocked. In modern times it finds itself as the starting Patmos point of the Alexander The Great Marathon, This is the place where the apocalyptic book of Revelation was written by John during in honour of the city s ancient heritage. his exile. On the summit of the Island s hill visit the cave of St. John. Then enjoy some Inspect the site and visit the impressive leisure time in the village port. Return to ship for Lunch - ship sails at midday. Museum with its Macedonian artefacts and Syros life of Alexander the Great. Leisure time in one of Greece s smallest and most enchanting islands. Vergina The first capital of Macedonia where Philip II was assassinated and Alexander the Great was proclaimed king. Today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thessalonika Greece s second largest city and captial of Greek Macedonia and co-reigning city of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, alongside Constantinople. It was a free city of the Roman Republic under Mark Antony in 41 BC. Visited by St. Paul on his second missionary journey and to which later he addressed two epistles. To Ano Poli observation point for an impressive panorama of the city that St. Paul knew. Ship sails in the evening. Cape Sounion & Athens DAY 9. Monday 5th Nov Disembark after breakfast and by coach for the best part of the day: Attica Peninsula South to see an ancient Greek temple of Poseidon, perched on the headland, surrounded on three sides by the sea. Then follow the coastal inlets, ports and quaint fishing villages into Athens. Athens Orientation A tour of the city s main highlights. The Agora A visit to an area that St. Paul knew and walk the Cardo to see the well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus once surrounded by numerous potters workshops and metal-working shops. The Plakka Time in Old Athens with its cafes, shops, and squares. Overnight In Athens.

Ephesus & Smyrna Kavala & Philippi Ship docks in Kusadasi for departure by coach - Ship docks in Kavala in the morning. Disembark for a coach journey - DAY 7. Saturday 3rd Nov DAY 4. Wednesday 31st Oct Ephesus One of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Perhaps the most impressive archeological site in Turkey, the ancient Greek Biblical City which, according to writers of antiquity, was founded around 3000 B.C. Walk the marble-paved streets, see two theatres, the Library of Celsus and the Temples of Hadrian and Domitian. Time in the palatial Terrace Houses which reflect the life-style of the wealthy in the city. Then sit in the great Amphitheatre where Paul addressed the Ephesians. Smyrna North by coach to this ancient city and visit Old Smyrna which vied with Neapolis/Kavala Ephesus and Pergamum for the title First City of Asia. It was the second The ancient port (Neapolis) where church of the seven churches addressed by St. John with the promise of a Paul, Timothy and Silas landed after crown of life. A Christian church and a bishopric existed here from antiquity, receiving the Macedonian Call. probably originating in the considerable Jewish colony. Bishop Polycarp was Philippi martyred here in AD 153. Next, visit Philippi where Paul lived, preached and was imprisoned. The city controlled the east-west Via Egnatia route between Amphipolis and Neapolis. The site is vast and highlights include the remains of a Greek Theatre, the Agora, Forum, a small Prayer House, the Byzantine Basilica of St. Paul and the remains of the prison. Lydia s River Time for reflection by the nearby Krenides river where Lydia was baptised. Return to ship for lunch. Ship sails in the afternoon.

Constantinople & Nicaea Pergamum by The Aegean Nicaea 325 Ship docks in Dikili in the morning. Focus on the three local Councils Constantinople 381 Chalcedon 451 DAY 5. Thursday 1st Nov Depart the ship by coach visiting Nicaea East to cross the Marmara Sea by bridge and to the shores of Lake Ascanius in Iznik. Here, Emperor Constantine the Great convened the First Ecumenical Council, and the city gave its name to the Nicene Creed. Chalcedon (Kadıköy) Return to the Asian Istanbul and stop at the Church of St. Euphemia to reflect. St. Sofia Built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in 537 A.D. and once the world s largest cathedral for one thousand years. The Sultan Ahmed (Blue) Mosque A fine example of classical Ottoman architecture. The Bazaars/Markets Some free time to catch the bargain of the day. Evening sail through the impressive Dardanelles. DAY 6. Friday 2nd Nov Disembark for a coach journey visiting... Pergamom By coach from Dikili port to this great city of Pergamum and a city of the Book of Revelation. On the Acropolis, the huge base of the Altar of Zeus still stands which was probably Revelation s throne of Satan. Close by is the Temple of Athena, Hadrian s monument to Trojan and the impressive Library for which parchment was invented. The 10,000 seated theatre built into the hillside has perfect acoustics. Ship sails in the evening.

Constantinople & Nicaea Pergamum by The Aegean Nicaea 325 Ship docks in Dikili in the morning. Focus on the three local Councils Constantinople 381 Chalcedon 451 DAY 5. Thursday 1st Nov Depart the ship by coach visiting Nicaea East to cross the Marmara Sea by bridge and to the shores of Lake Ascanius in Iznik. Here, Emperor Constantine the Great convened the First Ecumenical Council, and the city gave its name to the Nicene Creed. Chalcedon (Kadıköy) Return to the Asian Istanbul and stop at the Church of St. Euphemia to reflect. St. Sofia Built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in 537 A.D. and once the world s largest cathedral for one thousand years. The Sultan Ahmed (Blue) Mosque A fine example of classical Ottoman architecture. The Bazaars/Markets Some free time to catch the bargain of the day. Evening sail through the impressive Dardanelles. DAY 6. Friday 2nd Nov Disembark for a coach journey visiting... Pergamon By coach from Dikili port to this great city of Pergamum and a city of the Book of Revelation. On the Acropolis, the huge base of the Altar of Zeus still stands which was probably Revelation s throne of Satan. Close by is the Temple of Athena, Hadrian s monument to Trojan and the impressive Library for which parchment was invented. The 10,000 seated theatre built into the hillside has perfect acoustics. Ship sails in the evening.