Webinar: Paul, the Jewish People, and Greece itinerary

Itinerary

Day 1 - October 22 - Depart the USA

Depart the USA on your overnight transatlantic flight. (B, D)

Day 2 - October 23 - Arrival at the Thessaloniki Airport – Thessaloniki Overnight

Upon arrival, meet and greet your guide and check-in at the hotel. Enjoy a welcome dinner out and an overnight stay. (D) 

Day 3 - October 24 - Amphipolis - Philippi – Kavala – Thessaloniki Overnight

 After breakfast, we will depart to visit the Ancient Colony of Philippi. It was built in 356 B.C. by Alexander’s father, Philip II. We will see the Ancient Theatre, the Church of Philippi, founded by Apostle Paul in 49 A.D. It was the first church in European territory. We will visit the Baptistery of St. Lydia (Acts 16:13-15), and recall her story. Next, we proceed to Kavala for a panoramic view of the Port of Neapolis, the first place in Europe where Paul set foot (Acts 16:7-11). Return to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay. (B, D) 

Day 4 - October 25 - Thessaloniki City Tour – Thessaloniki Overnight

After breakfast, the group will depart for a Jewish heritage tour in Thessaloniki, known as the “City of Ghosts”. First, visit the Monastirioton Synagogue, and then explore the Jewish Museum. After lunch, the group will enjoy a panoramic tour of the city and stop at the Holocaust memorial. View the Arch of Galerius, the 4th-century A.D. Rotunda & one of the city’s most notable landmarks, the White Tower of Thessaloniki. Next, you will head to the Hagia Sophia church. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is known for its centuries-old mosaics. Following that, we will visit the White Tower and the Upper Town, where we will have a panoramic view of Thessaloniki. Return to our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay. (B, D)

Day 5 - October 26 - Veria – Meteora – Trikala Overnight

After breakfast, depart for Veria (Berea): visit the ancient synagogue, descend to the river below it to say “kaddish” (Jewish memorial prayer), and look at the foundations. Tour the Jewish neighborhood. Then visit the Bema of Paul. After lunch, enjoy your drive to Meteora. See the prefecture built in a rare geological phenomenon of Meteora. The name Meteora is attributed to the monk of the monastery, Agios Athanasius the Meteorite. We will have the chance to enjoy the panoramic ride and, time permitting, even see one of the six visited monasteries. Check in to the hotel, dinner, and overnight stay. (B, D) 

Day 6 - October 27 - Mount Metamorphosis - Holy Monastery of Jerusalem - Delphi Overnight

Drive up to Mt. Metamorphosis and enjoy the panoramic view of the Gulf of Kamena Vourla. A short walk will bring us to the Monastery commemorating Jesus’s Transfiguration. Free time for prayer and contemplation. Visit the monastic garden and the church with the famous description of Jesus’s Transfiguration. Then, drive to Delphi. Visit the archaeological museum to see the Gallio inscription, on which the dating of Paul’s life is based (Acts 18:12), the Sphinx of Thebes, and the Temple of Athena, the goddess of Wisdom (the philosophical background of Paul, as a Hellenized Jew/Citizen of Rome). Arrival at our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay. (B, D) 

Day 7 - October 28 - Delphi – Athens Overnight

After breakfast, departure for Athens. Upon arrival, we will have a panoramic city tour starting at the Panathenaic Stadium, known as Kallimarmaro (in Antiquity, it was used for the celebration of the Panathenaia in honor of the goddess Athena). Then depart to see the Zappeion Hall, the Greek Parliament, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the symbolic monument in memory of the Soldiers who died for their country. Then, visit the Acropolis with magnificent monuments such as the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, the Propylaea, the Ancient Agora, the theatre of Dionysus, and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (Acts 17:16-34). We will have the chance to walk around the Parthenon, a monument built in the 5th century BC by the architects Ictinus and Kallikrates. Visit Areopagus, also known as Mars Hill, where the Apostle Paul delivered his pivotal sermon to the Athenians, as recorded in Acts 17:16-34. In the evening, drive along Panepistimiou Street, one of the most central streets of Athens, and see the triad of neoclassical buildings: The Library, the Academy, and the University. Arrival at our hotel. Dinner and overnight stay. (B, D)

Day 8 - October 29 - Ancient Corinth – Cenchreae – Athens Overnight

After breakfast, we will depart for the Peloponnese. Our first stop will be the Isthmus of Corinth. It is a narrow strip of land 6 kilometers long joining Central Greece with Peloponnese. Free time for photos. Then visit Ancient Corinth, an important city-state in Ancient Greece that dates back to the Neolithic Period (5.000-3.000). We will visit one of the largest museums in Greece, in terms of the wealth and quality of the findings (Acts 18:1-18, 19:22). We will see the bema of Gallio and the Erastus inscription. Also, we will visit AcroCorinth and briefly stop at Cenchreae on the drive to Athens (Acts 18:18). Return to Athens and enjoy a wonderful dinner and some free (shopping) time in the traditional area of Plaka (a district in the centre of Athens just beneath the Acropolis). Return to the hotel to pack and enjoy your overnight stay. (B, D) 

Day 9 - October 30 - Departure from the Athens Airport

Return home with the best memories. (B)