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DAY 01: NORTH AMERICA / EUROPE.
Tour members will
gather at the ticket counter at the airport two hours prior to their
departure to Europe.
DAY
02: ATHENS / THESSALONIKI.
Paul came to
Thessaloniki with Silas and following his usual custom, he went to the
Synagogue where he used the Jewish scriptures as the source for his
preaching (Act 17:2-4).
 Considered the second capital of Greece, Thessaloniki was
founded in 31 BC by one of Alexander the Great's generals, Cassander,
who was married to Alexander's step-sister, Thessaloniki. In her honor,
he named the town built in the form of an amphitheater at the head of
Thermaikos Gulf. Dinner and overnight in Thessaloniki.
DAY 03: KAVALLA / PHILIPPI.
"Setting sail
therefore from Troas, we made a great voyage to Samothrace and the
following day to Neapolis” (Act 16:11)
“And from thence to
Philippi which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a
colony; and we were in that city abiding certain days
(Act 16:12)
 We visit the beautiful city of Kavala (ancient Neapolis),
and from there on to Philippi, which was a Roman garrison town and the
chief city in the province of Macedonia. It was here that Paul won his
first European convert, a woman named Lydia from the city of Thyatira, a
seller of purple goods. Visit the Baptistery of Lydia., the market place
(where Paul and Silas were brought before the rulers), the cistern which
tradition identifies as the place where St. Paul was imprisoned. We
return to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight.
DAY
04: THESSALONIKI / MT. OLYMPUS / KALAMBAKA.
Continue to Mt. Olympus - traditionally regarded as the heavenly abode
of the Greek gods and the site of the throne of Zeus, Olympus seems to
have originally existed as an idealized mountain that only later came to
be associated with a specific peak. The early epics, the Iliad and the
Odyssey (composed by Homer around 700 BC) offer little information
regarding the geographic location of the heavenly mountain and there are
several peaks in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus that bear the name Olympus.
The most favored mythological choice is the tallest mountain range in
Greece, the Olympus massif, 100 kilometers southwest of the city of
Thessaloniki in northern Greece. Time at leisure here for hiking.
Continue to Kalambaka for dinner and overnight.
DAY 05: KALAMBAKA / ATHENS / FERRY.
The small town of
Kalambaka is built at the foot of the majestic grey rocks, at the point
where Pinios river flows down from the Pindus range. In Kalambaka one
should not miss the cathedral church of the Dormition of the Virgin
(first half of the 12th century), built on a low hill. After our city
tour we continue to Athens and the port of Piraeus to board our
overnight ferry to the island of Kos. Dinner and overnight on ferry.
 DAY
06: KOS / KALYMNOS.
Early morning arrival to the island of Kos and then a short ferry ride
to Kalymnos, which is best known as the island of some of the word’s
finest sponge divers. The sea has always been a focal element in the
local life, which has preserved its traditional character, color and
style to a great extent. Its picturesque landscapes, its clear blue seas
and the hospitality of the locals are just a small sample of what the
island can generously offer its visitors. Situated between Kos and Leros
rises the fourth largest island in the Dodecanese-Kalymnos! Surrounded
by other smaller islets, Kalymnos adorns the Northern part of Dodecanese
islands with it’s mountains landscape. One can find a great variety of
herbs such as thyme, sage, thrimbe and oregano, while exploring the
Kalymnian slopes. The above also constitutes the best ingredients for
the production of the famous Kalymnian honey. The island has a number of
fertile valleys, “Vathi” being the most famous. It is full of citrus
orchards for local consumption and export. Today is at leisure to
explore the island. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 07: KALYMNOS / PATMOS.
Today we ferry over to
the island of Patmos. (Due to ferry schedules, we may have to go via the
island of Kos and then on to Patmos.) Considered a holy island for the
Christian religion it was here in Patmos where John the Divine, while in
exile, wrote the Apocalyptic Revelations which constitute the last part
of the new Testament. Our tour takes us up to the monastery of St. John
which still keeps its character of a medieval fortress. Inside the walls
you will be able to admire the Byzantine wealth of the Christian
Orthodox religion while from its ramparts you will have the most
stunning panoramic view of the luminous sea. Return to Kalymnos for
dinner and overnight.
DAY 08: KALYMNOS / KOS / PIRAEUS.
Today is a free day in
Kalymnos. In the afternoon we board our ferry for our return cruise
back to Athens. Overnight and dinner aboard ship.
.jpg) DAY
09: PIRAEUS / ATHENS.
"Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way
you are religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of
your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription ‘to an unknown
God’. What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you
. . .”
Today we visit Athens, one of the most glorious cities in
the world and the cradle of western civilization as we know it today.
For twenty five centuries, the panorama of this city is dominated by the
rock of the Acropolis; we see the ruins of the Parthenon, the Erectheum
and the Propylae. Thereafter, we will ascend Mars Hill where Paul spoke
to the ancient Athenians about the one and only God. From here we have
an excellent view of the ancient agora; former center of the Athenian
public life. We continue for a drive through the city to see the House
of Parliament on Syntagma Square, the evzones in their picturesque
uniforms guarding the Presidential Palace and Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier. We also see the Library, the University, the Panathenaic
Stadium where the first Olympics of the modern era were held, the temple
of the Olympian Zeus and Adrian's Arch. This afternoon is at leisure
for activities of our own. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 10: ATHENS / NORTH AMERICA.
Transfer to the airport for your flight home, the end of a marvelous
tour. |
