itinerary
Saturday,
12 June:
DEPART USA
Our scheduled departure from New York City (JFK
Airport) is at 5:50pm on Lufthansa Airlines flight 407 Please
be at the departure gate and check-in with Emmaus staff no later
than 1 hour prior to our scheduled departure. Emmaus and its agents
assume no responsibility should you miss the scheduled departure
flight.
Sunday, 13 June:
ARRIVE ATHENS
Upon arrival in Athens ( 12:55pm local Athens
time) we will transfer to our hotel for check-in. No lunch is scheduled
for this day since our flight from Frankfurt provided a late morning
meal and it will be approximately 2:30pm when we arrive at
the hotel. After check-in your afternoon is free for rest or local
sightseeing. Restaurants abound in the area. It is recommended you
eat a light lunch since we are scheduled for an evening meal at the
hotel. No touring activities are scheduled this day. Dinner and overnight
are at the Hotel
King Jason in Athens . Dinner is at 7:30 pm. After
dinner we will meet as a group at 8:30
pm for introductions, administrative concerns, and program
dynamics .
Monday, 14 June:
INTRODUCTION LECTURES ACROPOLIS MARS HILL AGORA
Lectures begin promptly at 9:00 am ending
at 12:00
noon with a middle
break. The first lecture is a brief historical introduction. The
second is dedicated to Paul's ministry among the God-Fearers. A
group lunch has been paid for and is provided at the hotel at 12:30
pm. At 1:30 pm we journey by bus for a half-day tour
of ancient Athens. We begin with a climb to the marble capped Acropolis and
visit the famous Parthenon and the Erechtheum.
We continue our journey by walking from the Acropolis to Mars
Hill (Areopagus) (Acts 17:22 ) where the Apostle
Paul delivered his soul-stirring sermon on the giants of philosophy,
logic, and learning. We conclude our afternoon journey at the Agora.
Now in ruins, the Agora was formerly the commercial
hub of ancient Athens and birthplace of politics and philosophy.
Here Paul reasoned with the most skeptical audience he met in the
course of his missionary travels. Here, we see the well-preserved
Doric Temple
of Hephaestus (Thesseion) and the Stoa
of Attalos,
a commercial arcade built by Attalos II, King of Pergamum ( Turkey
), used today as a museum displaying statutes, pottery and coins.
We *return* by bus to the Hotel King Jason in
Athens for dinner and overnight.
Tuesday, 15 June:
THEBES DELPHI
At 8:00 am we journey from the hotel by bus, driving
through the fertile plain of Boeotia, and crossing
to the town of Thebes associated
with the tragedy of King Oedipus. We visit the Archeological
Museum of Thebes. Next are the towns of Livadia and Arachova,
famous for their colorful woolen rugs and carpets. We arrive at Delphi the
center of the Ancient world, the omphalos (navel) of the earth whose
prestige extended far beyond the boundaries of the Hellenic world.
On the slopes of Mt. Parnassos, in a landscape of natural
beauty and majesty, lies the archeological site of Delphi.
Following lunch (personal expense) we visit the Sanctuary of
Apollo, the Treasury of the Athenians and the Archeological
Museum. The latter contains such masterpieces of ancient Greek
sculpture as the bronze Charioteer and the famous athlete Aghias.
We *return* to the Hotel King Jason in
Athens for dinner and overnight.
Wednesday, 16 June:
CORINTH THESSALONIKI
We *check out of the hotel* departing at 8:00
am for ancient Corinth. We will journey by bus
along the coastal road of the Saronic Gulf to Ancient Corinth,
stopping at the Corinthian Canal to view the 4-mile
narrow cut of land connecting the waters of the Saronic Gulf with
the Corinthian Gulf . It was Corinth where the Apostle
Paul lived and preached for a year and a half, and to this church
he wrote two of his New Testament letters. We see all of the Greek
and Roman sites associated with his ministry: the Agora,
the Temple of Apollo, the Roman Odeon,
the Bema and Gallio's
Seat. The small Museum here is an eye opener! You
will be given time to explore the local area and to find a suitable
lunch site. Lunch is a personal expense today. After your free time
we then proceed to the Athens airport where we will catch our 5:15
pm flight to Thessaloniki . We will arrive at the Thessaloniki regional
airport at 6:15 pm and transfer to the Hotel Vergina in
Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight.
Thursday, 17 June:
THESSALONIKI PHILIPPI VIA
EGNATIA NEAPOLIS ALEXANDROUPOLIS
We *check out of the hotel* departing
by bus at 8:00 am. The day begins with a brief stop at the
waterfront of Thessaloniki. Here you can view the famous White
Tower Thessaloniki
's most recognizable landmark. Our next historical stop is ancient Philippi,
about a 2.5 hours drive. Here, the apostle Paul came and worked (Acts
16:19 -40), establishing a strong church. To this congregation, later
he sent his Philippian letter. Of all the churches Paul founded,
probably none was so near and dear to him as the church at Philippi a
city built by Philip II of Macedonia the father of Alexander the
Great. We visit the ruins of the Agora (market place;
Acts 16:19 ), and a Prison where tradition says Paul
and Sylas had been kept. A short drive brings us to the local river
(just outside Philippi ) where it is thought Lydia
was baptized (Acts 16:14 -15). We have provided a box
lunch for
your today. By the river's edge (?) we will enjoy our lunch and Dr.
Notley will share some thoughts on first century AD baptism. We continue
our bus journey eastward stopping for a brief visit at a portion
of the Via Egnatia (the Roman Road used to connect
Europe to Asia). We continue to the port city of Kavala (ancient Neapolis) where
the Via Egnatia terminates; Acts 16:11 ) . We now
begin a 3-hour bus journey to Alexandroupolis for
a late dinner
(8:00 pm) and overnight at the Hotel Alexandroupolis
Beach.
[This is a long bus day. We will take travel breaks as scheduling
permits.]
Friday, 18 June:
ALEXANDROUPOLIS CANAKKALE
We *check out of the hotel* departing at
8:00 am for our 1-hour bus ride to the Greece-Turkey border
crossing at Kipi ( Greece ) Ipsala ( Turkey ). It will take about
2 hours to complete the border crossing, after which we have a 3-hour
bus and 1-hour ferry ride to reach Canakkale. Arrival
time at the Hotel
Akol in Canakkale is approximately 5:30 pm.
[We will take several breaks as we travel. No historical sites are
scheduled. This is a travel day. Lunch is a personal expense today.]
Saturday, 19 June:
TROY TROAS ASSOS
We *check out of the hotel* departing at 8:00
am for the ruins of ancient Troy. Level VI (1425-1300
BC) of Troy was immortalized in Homer's epic
the Iliad.
On our way to the Acropolis of the city we will
see its ancient city walls, a temple,
and residential
quarters. A reconstruction of the Trojan Horse (mentioned
in Homer's Odyssey) stands in commemoration
of the legendary battle for the beauty of Helen of Troy.
We continue to Troas, a thriving 1st century AD seaport
harbor city. Here Luke joined Timothy and Paul on
his Second Missionary Journey. It was at Troas that
Paul received his Macedonian Call (Acts
16:6-10; see also Acts 20:5-12; 2 Cor. 2:12; 2 Tim. 4:13). From here
Paul set sail to Neapolis and then continued by
foot along the Via Egnatia (Roman Road) to Philippi
and Thessalonica.
A box lunch is provided for you today. At Troas you
will see the ancient harbor, portions of several cardo
streets, and the numerous fallen columns that
one graced this proud historic harbor city. Paul again visited Troas during
his Third Missionary Journey. On this occasion Paul
left Troas by
foot traveling south for Assos [our next stop],
a 35-mile trek (Acts 20:13). Luke and others in
Paul's company made the trip by ship (Acts 20:5-14). We visit Assos and
climb to the hilltop ruins of the 6th century AD Doric-Ionic style Temple
of Athena. Sitting among the ruins and overlooking the Aegean
Sea, a quiet time is offered. Cascading down the slopes are the
ruins of an Agora, Gymnasium, and Theatre.
Time permitting, exploration and shopping will be allowed in the
village. Dinner and overnight in Assos is at the Hotel
Eden Gardens . Approximate arrival time at the hotel is
7:00 pm.
Sunday, 20 June:
PERGAMUM
We *check out of the hotel* departing at 8:00
am for the ruins of Pergamum, the third church
of seven mentioned in John's Revelation (2:12 -17).
It is a 2.5 hour drive to Pergamum. Chastised for
false religions, for eating food offered to idols, for immoral practices,
and for being a stumbling block to the faithful, Pergamum is
an extensive city (30,000 acres) and famous for its grand Hellenistic
architecture and its control of a major crossroads in antiquity.
Buildings of interest include a Theatre seating 20,000
occupants, a Library that housed 200,000 volumes,
a Temple
to Hadrian, an Altar to Zeus, and a large
ancient medical complex dedicated to Asclepius the patron
god of medicine and healing. After lunch (personal expense) we continue
to Dikili for an afternoon arrival, dinner, and overnight
at the Hotel Mysia .
Monday, 21 June:
SARDIS PHILADELPHIA
We *check out of the hotel* departing at 8:00
am for Sardis. It is a 3-hour drive to Sardis
. This fifth condemned church (Rev. 3:1-6), was noted as being dead in
faith matters and would be visited by the angle of the Lord as a
thief in the night. Here we find remnants of ancient shopping stalls,
a 3rd century AD Synagogue (restored), and a Gymnasium.
After Sardis we will view Philadelphia,
the sixth church to be mentioned by John (Rev. 3:7-13). Little remains
of ancient Philadelphia 's former buildings. After a 2-hour drive
we arrive for dinner and overnight in Pamukkale at
the Lycus
River Hotel . Approximate arrival time at the hotel is 4:00
pm. [This hotel is a resort spa hotel. You have had a busy travel
schedule the past week. You deserve a well-earned break. Pamper yourself
with a hot mud-bath, spend time in a jacuzzi, have a massage (very
inexpensive), or relax by the pool. We are here for two overnights.
Do you need to send out any laundry? If so, do it before the evening
meal. Lunch is a personal expense today.]
Tuesday, 22 June:
HIERAPOLIS COLOSSAE LAODICEA
We journey from the hotel at 8:00 am to visit nearby Hierapolis,
a city founded during the 2nd century BC, mentioned briefly in Colossians
3:13 along with Laodicea, and noted for
its hot
springs and extensive Necropolis (burial
grounds). Tradition connects Philip with this city.
Among the ruins is the Plutonium a shrine honoring
the god of the underworld. Nearby is found the Temple of Apollo.
After lunch (personal expense) we visit Colossae.
Although Paul himself probably did not visit Colossae,
he challenged the city to keep the truth of the Gospel pure, not
falling victim to the heresy of a syncretism of Judaism with pagan
worship. No doubt Paul received knowledge of the church at Colossae from
his friend Onesimus the
slave of Philemon, a resident of Colossae and
from Epaphras, a fellow prisoner (in Rome or Caesarea
). Although unexcavated, some remains are noticeable, including the
cavea of a Theatre, and some walls of a Citadel atop
the Acropolis. We continue to the site of Laodicea,
the seventh church chastised in Revelation for being neither hot nor cold in
matters of their faith, but lukewarm ( 3:14 -22). We will see evidence
of Laodicea's greatness as we visit an ancient
water Aqueduct, a related Water Tower and a large Stadium.
We *return* to the Lycus River Hotel in Pamukkale for
dinner and overnight. [If sent out, request your laundry upon your
return. We leave this hotel in the morning.]
Wednesday, 23 June:
APHRODISIAS MUSEUM EPHESUS
We *check out of the hotel* departing at 8:00
am for Aphorodisias, a city dedicated to Aphorodite,
the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility (motherhood), equated
with the Assyrian goddess Ishtar and the Persian
goddess Astarte.
The city has numerous restored buildings for our architectural benefit.
The ancient Temple to Aphorodite was converted into
a Christian
basilica in the 5th century AD. Another monumental building
dedicated to Aphrodotie is the Sepasteion, were Roman
Emperors were also worshiped, including Octavian, Tiberius,
and Nero. The intersection of two major streets is
crowned with the restored Tetrapylon. After a museum visit
and lunch (personal expense) we journey on to Ephesus,
perhaps the most impressive of Turkey 's Hellenistic-Roman-Byzantine
sites. Paul spent time here at the close of his Second Missionary
Journey (Acts 18:18 -22) and almost three years here during
his Third Missionary Journey (Acts 19:1-20). After
his death in Rome it was the Apostle John who took over Paul's ministry
in Ephesus. In Revelation 2:1-7 Ephesus is
the first of the seven churches in Asia Minor to receive spiritual
admonishment. Here met the Third Ecumenical Council in
431 AD. Restored architectural structures abound; too many to describe.
Of special interest to our visit are the Roman baths (1st
century AD), the Temple to Emperor Domitian (1st
century AD), and the Temple of Hadrian (1st century
AD). We continue to the Public Toilets and the Library (2nd
century AD). Carved into the steps of the Library we
find a Menorah perhaps
offering a directional signal to the yet undiscovered Synagogue of
the city. Adjacent to the Library is found a monumental Triple
Arch Gate leading into the Agora. The gate
was consecrated to Augustus Caesar in 3 or 4 BC.
We make our way along the street known as the Marble Way ending
up at a 25,000 seat Theatre. After an archaeological
introduction to the theatre Sunday fellowship time is available.
You will be given free time and a designated time and place to meet
the bus for our departure. From the Theatre the Arcadian
Way leads
to the ancient harbor. Exiting Ephesus,
we make our way to modern Kusadasi for dinner and
overnight at the Pine Marina Hotel. Arrival time
at the hotel is approximately 6:00 pm. [After the evening
meal the bus will provide transportation into town for shopping.
There is a $2 bus fee for this optional extra-curricular activity
provided as a courtesy by your guide and driver.]
Thursday, 24 June:
PRIENE MILETUS DIDYMA MARMARIS
We * check out of the hotel* departing at 8:00
am for Priene. Here again, Hellenistic life and
times are brought to mind through well-preserved architecture. The
oldest structure is a Temple to Athena (4th century
BC), in part funded by a contribution from Alexander the Great,
who later was co-worshiped here with Athena. The Bouleterion places
us within the assembly of the town council. Nearby is a 4th century
AD Christian basilica having some original frescos.
Within a residential quarter, and in ruins, are the remnants of a
very early Jewish synagogue. The builders of Priene spent
much effort to establish their city in a grid fashion having perpendicular
streets. We journey on to visit the ancient site of Miletus,
a river port city. It was here that Paul boarded
ship at the end of his Third Missionary Journey (Acts
20:15-38) as he was hurrying back to Jerusalem in
time for Pentecost (May-June).
We begin our exploration at the Theatre where numerous inscriptions indicate
proper seating assignments, including one inscription for the God-Fearers of Miletus.
The main part of the city is on low ground and often flooded. Such
is the case with the Temple of Apollo, the ancient
harbor (guarded by two Lion statues in
place during Paul's visit), and a nearby Synagogue.
We end our day of exploration at ancient Didyma.
Here we find the Temple
to Apollo which served as the religious center for the
inhabitants of Miletus. Located 20 kilometers distance
from Miletus,
the Temple to Apollo has a long and checkered history (6th
Century BC to 4th Century AD). The two sites are connected by a Sacred
Road, a portion of which can be seen about half a kilometer
from the temple. After our exploration of Didyma, we continue
on to modern Marmaris for dinner and overnight at
the Aqua Hotel .
Friday, 25 June:
MARMARIS ( Turkey ) to RHODES ( Greece )
We *check out of the hotel* departing at 8:00
am to connect to our 1.5 hour watercraft ferry ride to the Greece
island of Rhodes. After customs we will transfer
to the old Medieval Town of Rhodes where we
will have lunch (personal expense). Our guide will meet us in the
old city where we will visit the Palace of the Knights and
the museum. We will exit the historic Medieval
Town via
the Kolona Gate and continue with a panoramic drive
in the modern town of Rhodes. We will visit Monte
Smith,
the Acropolis of Rhodes and the ancient Stadium.
After touring we will journey to the Hotel Kypriotis for
dinner and overnight. After dinner we will have a brief administrative
meeting and our final group fellowship.
Saturday, 26 June:
RHODES ATHENS USA
We *check out of the hotel* at 5:30 am
(!!). After a 45-minute bus ride to the Rhodes airport,
we take our 7:20 am flight to Athens and
connect to our 1:55 pm international return flight
back to the USA . Coffee, sweet rolls and a sack-breakfast will
be available at the Rhodes hotel prior to departure.
The very early hour departure from Rhodes is a result
of greater security checks for all international planes scheduled
to arrive into JFK. We have a lengthy security check at the Athens airport
before we can board the plane for our return to New York.
Please put on your happy face this day and fill your pockets and
heart with grace and patience. This day will be very demanding
on all of us.
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