In the Steps of Apostle Paul in Greece 6-day tour

Our first day of our tour starts from the most important archaeological site the Acropolis, the so called sacred rock. On the Acropolis you will admire the Parthenon the temple that was dedicated primarily to its patron the goddess Athena, the Erectheion temple with its famous female figures the Caryatides, the temple of Athena Nike (victorious Athena), Propylea, the monumental gateway of the Acropolis, Herodus Atticus Odeum, the ruins of the Theatre of Dionysus and finally the Areopagus (Mars hill) where Apostle Paul was officially invited to speak to the rulers of Athens. The text of his famous speech can be seen, written on a brass plate.

We will continue our tour by visiting the temple of Olympian Zeus, the Arch of Hadrian, the Panathenaic stadium where the first Modern Olympic Games took place in 1896. Proceeding we will drive you to the highest point of Athens, the Lycabettus hill to admire the best panoramic view of the city. Next stop will be Athens Trilogy where you will admire the University of Athens, the Academy of Athens, and the National Library.

Continuing you will be amazed by the change of the Presidential guards that takes place at the Parliament in front of the tomb of the unknown soldier and then we will drive by the National Garden and the former Royal Palace. After lunch, we leave Athens behind us and head towards Corinth, which in antiquity was the richest city in ancient Greece and where Apostle Paul stayed and taught for a long time. Our first stop is the impressive Corinth Canal where you can take pictures and enjoy the breathtaking view by walking on the bridge of the Canal.

After 20 minutes driving, we will arrive to Ancient Corinth where you will visit the archaeological site and admire the monolithic Temple of Apollo, the Pirene and Glafki fountains, the Bema where Apostle Paul was judged, the Ancient Agora, the Ancient Theater, the Roman Odeon and the archaeological museum of Corinth.

Next you will have time to enjoy a walk in the pedestrian street of ancient Corinth or do some shopping. Acrocorinth will be our next stop to take pictures of the imposing fortress and the breathtaking view of the Corinthian Gulf. Next stop is the church of St. Paul, where we will admire the beautiful mosaic, dedicated to the life and visions of the Apostle.

Later we will drive you to the ancient port of Kechries, where Apostle Paul departed from Corinth to sail to Ephesus and then we will continue driving along the coastal line of the Corinthian Gulf and we will cross the Rio – Antirrio bridge which is one of the world’s longest multi-span cable-stayed bridges and longest of the fully suspended type. It crosses the Gulf of Corinth near Patras, linking the town of Rio on the Peloponnese peninsula to Antirrio on mainland Greece by road. We will check in at the hotel in Nafpaktos and overnight.

We will start our second day after you breakfast and head towards Delphi where after 2 hours driving you will visit the archaeological site of Delphi where you will admire the Royal Thrones, the Athenian Treasury, the Roman Agora, the Theater, the Stadium and the Temple of Apollo where the priestess Pythia was giving her prophesies.

Continuing you will admire the exhibits of the archaeological museum of Delphi which is located nearby and the temple of Athena Pronea. After your visit you will relax and enjoy your lunch in a traditional Greek restaurant with an amazing view.

We will continue our tour by driving through the mountains heading towards Lamia town. Continuing further north and passing through beautiful landscapes and the towns of Domokos, Trikala and Karditsa we will arrive in the town of Kalampaka. We will check in at the hotel where you will take some rest and then we will head to Meteora for a sunset tour, later we will drive you back to the town of Kalampaka for dinner.

We will start our third day after your breakfast by visiting the monasteries in Meteora. The route to the monasteries is breathtaking and very scenic among the rocks, we will make several stops to capture in pictures the unique beauty. This wild and inaccessible place attracted Christian hermits as early as the 10th and 11th centuries, with official operation of the monasteries beginning in the 14th century. At their peak, there were about 24 monasteries in operation. However, today only 6 of them remain active. The area has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You will have time to visit the 3 most important monasteries and after numerous beautiful pictures you will take, its time to enjoy your lunch in a traditional restaurant. After lunch we will take the road towards Veria, one of the cities where Apostle Paul visited and taught. You will visit Apostle Paul’s Altar, the “Bema”, located in the city center of Veria, made in honor of the Apostle and the we will check in at the hotel to spend the night.

After breakfast we will start the fourth day of our 6-day Christian tour by visiting Vergina (the site of ancient Aigai) which was the first capital of Macedonia. There, you will admire the tombs of ancient Macedonians and especially the tomb of Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great. You will be amazed by the exhibits made of gold, the atmosphere, the view of the entrance of the tomb is breathtaking! Not far away is the Palace of Philip. Leaving Vergina behind us, we will head northeast, and after about two and a half hours we will reach Philippi.

After your lunch, we will visit the place where Apostle Paul began his teaching in Greece. This place is located next to a small river named Gakitis. It was there that Apostle Paul first taught a small group of women. A woman named Lydia was the first to believe his words and was baptized in the river. At this point a church has been built in honor of her, which we will visit.

We will also visit the archaeological site of Philippi, the city named after Philip II, which flourished during the Roman years. In the archaeological site, you will admire the ruins of the ancient city, the ancient theater, the Roman market, the library, the foundations of the first Christian church founded by the Apostle as well as the prison where he was imprisoned.

Our next stop will be the city of Kavala (known in the ancient times as Neapolis) where you will admire the mosaic in honor of the Apostle made by the inhabitants in recent years. Later we will check in at the hotel to spend the night in Kavala.

After breakfast, we will leave the city of Kavala and head towards Thessaloniki, and we will start our tour by visiting the highest point of the city, the Heptapyrgion and the Vlatades Monastery. The monastery was built at the exact site where Apostle Paul preached and lived.

Our next stop of our tour will be the church of Saint Demetrius, patron saint of Thessaloniki. It was founded in 313 AD and started as a small chapel. Underneath the temple, there are catacombs and crypts where the Saint died as a martyr.

We will continue our tour and we will visit the Roman Agora, the White Tower, the Archaeological Museum, the Galerius Arch, and finally the Rotunda. At the end of the tour we will check in at the hotel for some rest and then you will have time to explore and enjoy at the famous area of Ladadika.

After your breakfast, we will depart from Thessaloniki and head south towards Dion. First we will visit the archaeological site of Dion and then the archaeological museum. The archaeological site is very big and surrounded by big trees. You will see the ruins of the old sacred city of Macedonians, the Roman theater, the temple of Isis, the public baths and the villa of Dionysus. In the museum, there is a prominent position for the “Hydraulis of Dion”, which is considered to be the oldest keyboard instrument in the world.

After you complete your visit we will drive you at the foothill of mountain Olympus, which was considered the house of the Greek Gods. You will have lunch in a refuge while admiring the amazing view. We will have our last stop at the famous battlefield of Thermopylae and you will get the chance to walk on the very same place where the battle between the 300 Spartans and the Persians took place in 480 B.C. and you will also admire the statue of glorious King Leonidas that stands there to remind us the bravery of the Spartans. The tour ends by driving you back to Athens.