Arrival and meet at the Izmir Airport with your guide and drive to Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17), and visit to Acropolis and Asclepion. Its majestic acropolis was built on a commanding hill above the modern city of Bergama. Visit the grand theater, which has almost perfect acoustics, the Red basilica and the ancient medical center, the Asclepion. This was the home town of Galen, the second century renowned doctor and surgeon and his temple, the Asclepium was devoted to healing. Then visit the majestic acropolis in Pergamum. Visit Acropolis and Asclepion. Overnight: Izmir
Ephesus (Revelation 1:11, 2:1-7, Acts 18:19-28, 19:1-41, Ephesians) the city dedicated to Artemis, the best preserved ancient city of Asia Minor with its majestic theater, marble road, Temple of Artemis, the Church of the Virgin Mary or the Double Church, the library of Celsus, the stadium, the lecture hall Tyrannus where St. Paul held daily discussions (Acts 19.9). For two years St. Paul taught here from eleven to four during the hottest hours of the day when the hall was empty. Then visit the Church of St. John and his Tomb in Selcuk before driving to the Last Home of the Virgin Mary, who was brought to Ephesus by John, the beloved disciple of Jesus. The home of Virgin Mary on a hill top, where she lived out her days is now visited by over a hundred thousand pilgrims each year. Both Pope Paul VI in 1967 and Pope John Paul II in 1979 have celebrated mass here. Overnight: Izmir.
Drive to Sardis, visit to ancient synagogue, one of the most picturesque areas of any of the churches. Visit the Temple of Artemis, a small Byzantine church, a recently restored gymnasium and the great synagogue and we proceed to Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13) ancient the city of brotherly love, another of the cities of Seven Churches. Afternoon drive to Hierapolis. Have a tour of the spectacular natural site of Pamukkale. Its hot thermal springs of calcium spill over the plateau’s edge creating dazzling white formations, in Turkish called Cotton Castles. Visit the ruins of Hierapolis which also was the home of Papias and Epicitus, early Christian writers and Philip the Evangelist. The Martyrium of St.Philip, an octagonal chamber has recently been discovered. Overnight: Pamukkale.
A short drive from Pamukkale is Laodicea, another site of the Seven Churches of Revelation. (Revelation 3:14-22, Colossians 2:1, 4:13-16), Laodicea was founded in the 2nd C: BC by the Seleucid king Antiochus II Theos who named it for his wife. Laodicea is known as Laodicea-ad-Lycum, since there were many other towns named Laodicea founded by the Seleucid kings. Laodicea soon became a prosperous city after trading its fine quality purple-color wool. Drive back to Izmir airport for flight back Istanbul . Our tour comes to end.
