Duration: 10 Days
Dates: June 29 - July 08, 2024
Departure City: Atlanta, GA (ATL)

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Detailed Itinerary

June 29 - DAY 1: We will meet at the airport and begin our journey together to Rome Italy.

June 30 - Day 2: Rome/Ostia /Rome
Upon arriving in Rome, we drive towards the sea to visit the site of Ostia Antica the harbor city of Ancient Rome. We explore the well-preserved excavations and step back in time into Roman antiquity. Ostia was a cosmopolitan city. On the way to Rome, the bus will make a stop near the Circo Massimo, from where the guide will talk about the Palatine Hill (located on the left side) where the Emperors had their house, and the Aventino Hill, (located in the right side) where today we find many early Christian churches , among which Santa Prisca. These churches once were house of romans converted and where Christians used to meet and pray. Tradition says Peter worshiped here. When the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome, Aquila was a Jew. As victims of Roman persecution, this couple moved to Corinth and partnered with Paul. (Acts 18, 1 Cor 16:19, Rom 16:3, 2 Tim 4:19). We continue to our hotel, check in, dinner and overnight.

July 01 - DAY 3: Rome. All day in Rome. Morning tour (3.5 hours) - Afternoon tour (3.5 hours)
This tour will show the great “power" of Rome and Emperors who demanded divinity for themselves. While in Rome, this was what the Apostle Paul preached against. From the Trajan's Column, jewel of architecture and sculpture made by Apollodorus of Damascus, our guide will show you along the Via dei Fori Imperiali (street of the Imperial Fora), the ruins of the fori that the great emperors built as lasting memory of their power. We see the Forum of Trajan, the biggest and most splendid of all, whose markets are true forerunners of the modern commercial centers. On foot you will reach the Capitoline Hill, once political and religious center of the town, which today is the seat of the Municipality. A stairway leads you to the Piazza del Campidoglio, whose natural terrace provides the best panoramic point over the valley of the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. Here you’ll find the magnificent result of a single project by Michelangelo, a copy of the most famous equestrian statue in the world, the statue of Marcus Aurelius. Walking through the valley of the Roman Forum, the great Rome, with its important buildings will revive before your eyes; the Curia, seat of the Roman Senate, the State Archive, the basilicas, palaces of justice, the temple of Vesta, and the House of the Vestals, temples, columns, and arches of triumph erected to commemorate gods of Roman history. From the Forum the guide will show you to the place linked to the fabulous origins of Rome, the Palatine. Here, in 753 B.C., Romolus founded the town. Starting with Augustus, the great emperors settled here. From the valley of the Roman Forum, you will explore the ruins of the Imperial Palaces. The Domus Tiberiana, the royal palace, where the emperors placed themselves on the same level as the gods. Leaving the Roman Forum, you’ll find the Arch of Constantine erected to commemorate the victory of the emperor over Maxentius in the 4th century A.D.(tradition says that before the battle the emperor saw a brilliant cross in the sky and said the famous words "in hoc signovinces", meaning "In this sign you will conquer"). The tour ends at the Colosseum, everlasting symbol of the greatness of Rome and the stage for the historical fights of the gladiators. We’ll then continue on the Ancient Appian Way, to visit the Catacombs of Santa Domitilla. The Christian catacombs are extremely important for the art history of early Christians. At first, they were used both for burial and the memorial services and celebrations of the anniversaries of Christian martyrs. Many modern depictions of the catacombs show them as hiding places for Christian populations during times of persecution. We continue the tour visiting Abbey of the Three Fountains, the place of Paul's martyrdom, where tradition has it that three different springs gushed out at each spot touched when Paul's head fell. Legend claims that when St Paul was decapitated, his head bounced three times and fountains miraculously sprang out when it touched the ground. The legend is nice, but the springs were known in pre- Christian times as the Aquae Salviae, and the excavations revealed ancient mosaic pavements. Still, it’s the site of St Paul's martyrdom. It is also said that there was a stone-pine tree at the site of his death, and the identification of this place was strengthened when ancient stone-pine cones were found here during excavations in 1857. To conclude this day in Rome we will visit the place where the bones of Paul have recently been found, Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. It is a Benedictine Abbey which shares its name, origins, and centuries of history, both joyful and sorrowful, with the adjoining basilica. Return to the hotel, for dinner and overnight.

July 02 - Day 4: Rome
Paul was not the only Apostle associated with Rome. Peter was martyred on the Vatican Hill and the memory of the impact of the Apostle John’s lasting ministry before and after his arrest and exile to Patmos by Emperor Domitian. This morning we board our bus and continue our Roman visit at Basilica of St John in Lateran which became among the most important Christian Churches of Rome. When Constantine opened the Roman world to Christianity, his apparent conversion was symbolized by the donation of a significant family property for the Basilica. The important Lateran Baptistery reminds us of the many early converts to the faith and the process of moving it from a rogue influence to a sponsored and ordered faith. Then continue with Holy Steps. According to tradition, these steps (now covered with wooden plants) are the very ones Jesus climbed in the house of Pontius Pilate only to see the Roman governor wash his hands of the self-styled messiah. Martin Luther, on his trip to Rome to meet the Pope, climbed on his knees, a tradition still maintained today. We will visit the Mamertine Prison, the site of Paul’s Incarceration. Enjoy a walking tour through Baroque Rome's monuments: from the Trevi Fountain, passing by the Pantheon till Navona Square. In the afternoon we visit the Vatican Museum, which includes the Sistine chapel and St Peter’s Basilica. Dinner will be served in a panoramic restaurant, with great view over Rome.

July 03 – Day 5: Flight to Athens
Today, we will take our flight to Athens, Greece.

July 03, 2024: Day 5: flight to Athens, arrival on the same day.

July 04, 2024 : Day 6: Full day Athens.
Breakfast is served from 6am. Tour to begin at 8. 30am.Tour to begin with the city tour drive or the Acropolis. Lunch at a local restaurant near the Acropolis and the museum around 12.30-1.00 pm depending on traffic on clients’ own expense. Afternoon tour of the Acropolis Museum. Return to hotel at approximately 4.00 pm. Remainder of afternoon at leisure to walk around, shop or rest. Dinner at 7.00 pm at hotel.

July 05, 2024 Day 7 - 10: Depart for port to board cruise ship.

July 05, 2024: Day 7 Athens (Greece) - Depart: 11:00 Mykonos (Greece) - Depart 23:00
You may want to disembark at Mykonos and do a walking tour of the island on your own.

July 06, 2024: Day 8 Kusadasi (Turkey)
Kusadasi, Turkey - Tips for the Terrace Houses Tour Code KUS-07
Every step we take in Ancient Ephesus brings us closer to the Hellenistic, Roman and early Christian eras. We will enjoy a truly exceptional experience in one of the most important and complete classical cities in Europe, even though only a fraction of it has been uncovered. We pass through the Magnesian Gate and wander through the Agora, Odeon, the magnificent and restored Library of Celsus, the marble-paved Main Street of Curetes, Baths of Scholastica, The Great Theatre, Trajan’s Fountain, the Houses of the Patricians, Prytaneum and the Temple of Hadrian. Opposite Hadrian’s Temple, at the foot of the Bulbul Hill and the covered part of the archaeological site, protected from the heat and natural elements, lie the Houses of Koressus or Terrace Houses. It was here that the wealthy families of Ancient Ephesus lived. These villas are excellently preserved, especially the interior decor. The oldest houses so far unearthed date from the 1st Century BC, were built on two storeys and even had hot and cold water and a heating system, clay pipes under the floor. The houses were constructed to a city plan in which roads intersected with each other at right angles. Ephesus, which became the second largest city in the Roman Empire, was dedicated to the goddess Artemis and the magnificent temple built to honor her took 120 years to complete. It is one of six of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that have long gone. Our tour includes time to shop for carpets, souvenirs, jewelery, leather and other goods. Depart: 12:30 Patmos (Greece) - Depart 21:00 Patmos, Greece - A Personal Pilgrimage Tour Code PAT-01 This excursion takes us to a small but fascinating island with connections to the Bible and to the Gods. Patmos in the Aegean is among the northernmost islands of the Dodecanese. It is has a long been a place of pilgrimage because Patmos is mentioned in the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Christian Bible. It records that St John the Evangelist received a vision from Jesus here. Visitors can see the location where John is said to have had the revelation, the Cave or Grotto of the Apocalypse. Meanwhile a number of churches are named after the apostle and we are able to call at the Monastery of St John. The picturesque alleyways wind up to the Monastery which was founded by St. Christodoulos in 1088. We are able to enter the yard, where the monks take their meals and the old bakery. Of exquisite beauty is our tour of the Byzantine Church of St John, adorned with a wood-carved icon screen, important frescoes from several periods of history. Next we stop at a small museum which is home to priceless religious treasures including manuscripts, medieval textiles and vestments. Behind the chapel of St Anne lies the entrance to the Grotto of the Apocalypse. We will see the cross engraved by St John and the triple fissure in the wall where John is said to have heard God telling of the Apocalypse. You may feel the historical and religious enormity of this special moment. In Greek mythology Patmos originally existed at the bottom of the sea but Zeus was persuaded to allow it rise from the waters. The sun dried the land and people from the region began inhabiting the island they named Letois after the goddess Artemis.

July 07, 2024: Day 9 Santorini (Greece) - Depart 20:00
Santorini, Greece - Shop For Souvenirs Tour code SAN 01
If you are a first time visitor to Santorini she will take your breath away. And even if you are a regular visitor, with her soaring landscapes and whitewashed houses she will still do that every time. She is regularly described as one of the most beautiful places on the planet. There are plenty of magic moments on our excursion. One of the greatest spectacles is Oia village perched on the rim of the Caldera, the remains of a volcanic eruption Santorini is a ring of rock around the sea. Think of it as the rim of an old volcano. First we head to Megalochori, one of the most authentic and unspoiled villages on the island, retaining its distinctive architecture, character and charm. Our trip continues eastwards through a number of traditional communities like Firostefani and Imerovigli until we arrive at Oia. On our journey we will have had the lace-like caldera to our west, the little islands of Thirasia, Palea and Nea Kameni and an incredible, unsurpassed panoramic view. There is plenty of time in Oia to explore, stroll the marble-paved alleys, visit the adorable shops and capture the moments on camera. Admire the traditional buildings carved into the rocks and the unusual captain’s manors, the settlement of Ammoudi at the foot of the caldera.

July 08, 2024 : Day 10 Athens (Greece) - Fly back home.