Join us for a deeply biblical journey in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, closely following much of the route through Greece that he would have taken on his second missionary journey.
Brief Intended Itinerary
Day 1, October 10: Arrive at the airport in Thessaloniki, gather with the group, and travel by luxury touring coach to our hotel in Kavala (biblical Neapolis).
Day 2, October 11: Visit Lydia (the river and baptismal site), and then the major archaeological site of Philippi. Lunch and then on to our hotel in Thessaloniki.
Day 3, October 12: Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece. We will tour the historical and biblical sites in the morning, and then enjoy free time in the afternoon, returning to our same hotel overnight.
Day 4, October 13: We travel to Veria (biblical Berea) to visit the historic synagogue on the likely site of the first century synagogue of the "noble-minded" Bereans. We'll also visit nearby Vergina, home of the royal tombs of Phillip the Great (father to Alexander the Great) and family, which were recently discovered completely intact. After lunch, we will carry on to our hotel in Kalambaka.
Day 5, October 14: We will visit the breathtaking monasteries of Meteora, which provide such insight into Greek Orthodoxy, and help us as well to understand the Protestant and Catholic traditions. After lunch, we will make a stop at Thermopylae, site of the legendary last stand of the Spartan "300" against the Persian invasion led by Xerxes (Esther's husband). After that, we will continue on to Delphi.
Day 6, October 15: Delphi, though not officially a biblical site, offers clear insight to the nature of first century pagan idolatry and prophecy. A visually stunning location that played such a critical role in philosophy and Greco-Roman history. We'll stop for lunch at the beautiful seaside town of Nafpaktos, and then carry on to our hotel in Olympia.
Day 7, October 16: Ancient Olympia, home of the original Olympic games for almost 1000 years. Worth visiting for its own sake, but also rich in athletic illustration which appears so frequently in biblical literature. After lunch, we will arrive in the quaint town of Nafplion, one of the most picturesque and romantic towns in Greece, where we will enjoy free time and have our overnight stay.
Day 8, October 17: Corinth! The best "open Bible" site in Greece, with so many direct connections between the biblical text and what we can see and experience on the site and the museum. After our tour, we will have lunch in the village of Corinth, we will stop by the remains of Cenchreae and the Isthmus of Corinth before continuing to our final hotel in Athens.
Day 9, October 18: World famous Athens. We will begin with a panoramic bus tour of the downtown area, and then visit the Acropolis of Athens, site of the Parthenon, as well as Mars Hill. You will have the option of visiting the Acropolis museum, shopping in the Plaka, or just exploring this amazing city. We will spend the night in our same hotel.
Day 10, October 19: You will be delivered to the Athens airport for your return flight home, or carry on for the optional Samos/Ephesus/Patmos extension (see below).
---
Day 10, October 19: transit to the airport for our flight to Samos. Upon arrival we will enjoy free time on this beautiful Greek island. Overnight on Samos.
Day 11, October 20: We will travel by charter boat to the Turkish port of Kusadasi, from which we will visit the amazing archaeological site of Ephesus, site of Paul's missionary visits and also a recipient of one of the letters to the Churches of Revelation. We will eat lunch in the nearby modern village, before reboarding our charter boat to return to our hotel on Samos.
Day 12, October 21: We will take a Greek "fast ferry" to the island of Patmos, where the Apostle John was exiled during the reign of Domitian. We will visit the "Shrine of the Apocalypse," the cave where tradition holds John beheld his vision. After lunch and free time, we will return to Samos and our hotel via "fast ferry."
Day 13: October 22: We will take an early flight back to Athens, from where you can connect to your return flight to home.
Rates (below) Include:
- All land travel by luxury touring coach
- Accommodations in 4-star hotels
- Breakfast and dinner daily
- All site admission tickets
- Licensed tour guides on all sites
- Expert biblical teaching from Dr. Bryan O'Neal throughout
- Charter boat and ferry travel for the extension
- Wireless "whisper" audio devices, where available
- Tips for guides and drivers
Rates do not include:
- International flights to Thessaloniki and from Athens
- This trip officially begins at the Thessaloniki airport on October 10, and ends at the Athens airport on October 19 or 22. Once the trip is officially confirmed, you will be informed of a meeting time and place at the Thessaloniki airport, so you can make arrangements to arrive by then; similarly with departure times at the end of the trip. There will also be the possibility of some group members coordinating their arrangement to travel together.
- Lunches each day
- For those on the extension, round trip flights from Athens to Samos (purchased by our partner agency and billed separately)
- Optional / personal expenses
Rates:
Main tour (per person):
- Triple room: $2250
- Double room: $2400
- Single room: $2950
Main tour plus Samos extension (per person):
- Triple room: $3530
- Double room: $3700
- Single room: $4380
Next steps:
If you have questions, you can contact us at bryan@historicalfootsteps.com
If you want to register for the trip, click the link below to access the initial registration form and you will receive an invoice for a deposit of $500 per person and the official registration form via email. Please fill out one form per room.
Once the trip is confirmed you will receive another invoice to bring your paid total to 30% of the overall cost. Remaining balance will be due 45 days before departure. Confirmation of trip will also free you to secure international flights.