Tour Itinerary: Days 18-21
July 2: Turkey
This morning we head to Tel Aviv to catch a late morning flight to Istanbul (TK 7709 at 10:20 am). After a short layover in the Istanbul airport, we will catch a connecting flight to Kayseri (TK 2012) at 12:55 pm.
Dinner and overnight at Uchisar Kaya Hotel in Cappadocia.
July 3: Cappadocia
Discover the wonder of Cappadocia’s unique fantasy-like landscape with its winding valleys, fairy chimneys and carved cave churches decorated with incredible frescoes. This region, which was once the heart of the ancient Hittite Kingdom, is the result of soft volcanic rock that has been eroded through wind and weather to form all sorts of unusual pillars, cones, and other formations. Our first stop will be Uchisar Castle, where we will have a stunning panoramic view of the surrounding area. Next we visit the Goreme Open-Air Museum with its valley houses, churches, and monasteries carved out of rock. Our final stop will be to the most impressive “fairy chimneys” in the Pasabag Valley. If you are adventurous you can even do a little climbing into some of these amazing structures.
Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
July 4: Avanos and the Kaymakli Underground City
Our second day in Cappadocia begins with a stop at the charming town of Avanos, which is well-known for its pottery, a craft that dates back to the Hittite period. After visiting Galip's famous pottery shop, we stop at the Kaymakli Underground City, where Christians fled invading armies from the 7th to the 12th centuries. Kaymakli has eight underground levels, though we will only explore the first four. From here we will take flight to Izmir.
Dinner and Overnight at the Kaya Thermal Hotel in Izmir.
July 5: Pergamum and Thyatira
Today we drive to Pergamum, another of the Seven Churches in Revelation. Pergamum is referred to as the place "where Satan’s throne” is located and where he “dwells” (Acts 2:13). Such a description is fitting since Pergamum was home to many pagan temples and it was also where the first cult of a living Roman emperor arose. At the time John wrote Revelation, Christians were suffering persecution for refusing to worship the emperor Domitian. The archaeological remains in Pergamum are impressive. We will take a cable car to the Acropolis, with its stunning view of the entire region. We will see many temples, and be amazed at the steep mountainside theater, where the stage is 122 feet below the top row of seats. After leaving the Acropolis, we will visit the Asklepion, one of the most famous healing sanctuaries in the ancient world.
Our final stop is the city of Thyatira, which was once a busy trading center and famous as a "seller of purple" in the ancient world. Today it is a famous for Persian rugs. Thyatira is one of the Seven Churches mentioned in Revelations tolerated the false prophetess, Jezebel (Rev. 1: 11; 2: 18-29).
Dinner and Overnight at the Kaya Thermal Hotel in Izmir.