Join us for 8 days on the Journeys of Paul in Greece, starting at $3298 from the New York area on the dates listed below. You will see Thessaloniki, Amphipolis, Philippi, Basilica of Paul, Thessaloniki, Delphi, Corinth, and so much more!
ETS will aspire to fulfill Mass requests based upon priest and location availability.
All-inclusive PACKAGE PRICE INCLUDES:
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All Inclusive Pricing
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First Class Hotels
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Breakfast and Dinner Daily
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Deluxe A/C Motor Coaches
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Fuel Surcharges and Gov't Taxes
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Entrance and Program Fees
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Live Audio Headsets
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Guided Tours
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International Airfare from NY
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Overseas Airport Transfers
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Study Guide
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Gratuities
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Hotel Gratuities
Proposed Itinerary :
DAY 1
Your pilgrimage begins as you depart the USA on your international overnight flight.
DAY 2
Arrive in Tel Aviv and transfer to Bethlehem for dinner and overnight.
DAY 3
Follow in the footsteps of Paul and Silas to Amphipolis and explore the ruins of the many Christian basilicas there. In Philippi is a baptismal site commemorating where God opened the heart of Lydia (a seller of purple from Thyatira) to hear the words of Paul (Acts 16:13 -15). Lydia and her household were the first Christian converts baptized on European soil. View the Roman-era crypt thought to have served as a prison for the Apostle Paul, and explore Philippi’s famous Acropolis, marketplace, the Basilica of Paul, and theater. Today’s last stop is Neapolis (Kavala), one of Greece’s most picturesque mainland ports, where Paul landed with his disciples, Timothy and Silas. See the Roman aqueduct and acropolis before returning to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight.
DAY 4
Discover Thessaloniki, where Paul was accused of turning the world upside down with his preaching of Christ (Acts 17: 3 -6). As you explore St. George’s Basilica, believed to be built over the synagogue where Paul preached, reflect on the two epistles the Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church here. Stroll through the archaeological museum and the beautiful basilicas of St. Sophia and St. Demetrios. St. Demetrios is dedicated to a distinguished Roman proconsul martyred for his Christian faith. Along the Via Egnatia stands the Galerius Arch, where you can look out over the second-largest city in Greece from the Old City Ramparts, some dating back to Roman times. Follow the path of Paul when he fled Thessaloniki for the safety of Veria (Berea), where Jews and some honorable Greeks accepted the new faith (Acts 17: 10 -12). Continue on to Kalambaka for dinner and overnight.
DAY 5
Daily Itinerary As you visit the rock forest of Meteora (“in the heavens above”) in western Thessaly, imagine the Apostle Paul walking that treacherous terrain on his missionary journey. Gaze up at the breathtaking Byzantine monasteries spectacularly perched on soaring, sheer-sided gray sandstone pillars. In the 13th century, monks sought refuge in cliffside caves before fleeing higher to build the original wooden shelters that later became these monasteries. After a monastery tour, travel to scenic Delphi, the religious center of the ancient Greek world and marked by the conical stone called the omphalos (“navel”). Walk the Sacra Via to the Athenian treasury, theatre, and the Temple of Apollo, where the oracle performed her prophetic rituals. As you consider the incredible amount of pagan influence just in Delphi alone, you will gain a new appreciation for the tremendous spiritual opposition the Apostle Paul faced in preaching the Gospel of Christ here. In the museum are many ancient treasures, including the fifth-century, bronzed charioteer so detailed you can see his eyelashes. Continue to Athens for overnight.
DAY 6
Tour the city of Corinth, where the Apostle Paul met fellow tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla and received a vision from the Lord saying, “I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city” (Acts 18: 10). As Paul spoke, Crispus (chief ruler of the synagogue) and many others believed and were baptized (Acts 18:8), establishing the church at Corinth to whom Paul later wrote his two epistles. Discover the archaeological museum, marketplace, and temples. As you walk among the ruins, stand on the Bema, where the Apostle Paul stood before Gallio to face charges brought against him by the Jews. Stop briefly at the port town of Cenchreae, from which Paul later departed for Syria (Acts 18: 12-18). Return to Athens for dinner and overnight.
DAY 7
(Note – Cruise extension passengers will depart from the group this morning and head to Piraeus for their cruise ship) Enjoy the rich architectural splendor of the ancient city of Athens as your guide introduces you to the world-renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea, the Parthenon, and the Erectheum. Stand on Mars Hill as the Apostle Paul did when he proclaimed, “I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom, therefore, ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you” (Acts 17:23). As you stroll the agora (ancient marketplace and center of Athenian public life), recall that this was where the Apostle Paul preached “Jesus and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18) to the skeptical Athenians. Also, see the House of Parliament, the Presidential Palace, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This afternoon, you are free to explore Athens on your own or enjoy an optional journey to Sounion to visit the famous Temple of Poseidon (an additional $75). Dinner and overnight is spent in Athens.
DAY 8
Return home with a new understanding of the apostle Paul's life and ministry.
Enhance Your Journey
Greek lsle Cruise Extension-starting from $1695
Days 7-11 i Starting at $1,695* Day 7 – EMBARK IN PIRAEUS & MYKONOS Board the ship and sail the blue waters of the Aegean Sea. In the evening, you will arrive at the world-famous Greek Island of Mykonos, where gleaming white-washed buildings seem to climb atop each other to reach the azure sky. *Shore excursions today will be booked directly through Celestyal Cruise Line and are not included Day 8 – EPHESUS & PATMOS This morning, you arrive in Kusadasi, Turkiye, and journey to Ephesus, where the Apostle Paul spent three years of his ministry. He planted a church here and later wrote to them in his Epistle to the Ephesians. Many of the ruins of Ephesus (known as “the marble city”) have been restored to show the city as it was in the apostle Paul’s time. Visit the agora and imagine where Demetrius the silversmith, sold his silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. Stroll through the great theater where Paul witnessed faithfully for Christ. Not far away is the stadium where chariot races took place and gladiatorial combats were held. Tradition has it that the Apostle Paul himself fought here against wild beasts. Visit the ruins of St. John’s Basilica, where early Christian tradition tells us the “disciple whom Jesus loved” was buried. View one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World”, the ruins of the Temple of Diana (Artemis) before setting sail for the Island of Patmos to visit the Monastery of St. John, high on the mountain overlooking the entire island. Walk down to the Grotto of the Apocalypse and the caves where it is believed that the exiled Apostle John lived and was inspired by God to write the Book of Revelation as well as other letters to the early church. Day 9 – CRETE & SANTORINI Dock this morning in Crete’s port of Heraklion, just three miles away from the fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos. Discovered in 1899 and partially reconstructed, the elaborate Palace is believed to be the mythical Labyrinth of King Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. Disembark at Santorini, one of the most beautiful of the Greek islands, where picturesque whitewashed villages topped with brilliant blue domes stand in stark contrast to the sheer drop cliffs overlooking the Aegean Sea. The island itself perches on the edges of a volcano whose eruption 3,500 years ago is thought to have led to the collapse of the Minoan civilization. *Shore excursions today will be booked directly through Celestyal Cruise Line and are not included Day 10 – ATHENS Enjoy the rich architectural splendor of the ancient city of Athens as your guide introduces you to the world-renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea, the Parthenon, and the Erectheum. Stand on Mars Hill as the Apostle Paul did when he proclaimed, "I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you" (Acts 17:23). As you stroll the agora (ancient marketplace and center of Athenian public life), recall that this was where the Apostle Paul preached “Jesus and the resurrection" (Acts 17:18) to the skeptical Athenians. Also, see the House of Parliament, the Presidential Palace, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This afternoon is free to explore Athens on your own or enjoy an optional journey to Sounion to visit the famous Temple of Poseidon (an additional $75). Dinner and overnight are spent in Athens. Day 11 – RETURN TO THE USA Return home with a new appreciation of the Apostle Paul’s life and ministry
*The trip will take place in case of a group of 16 people
* * The route, as well as the order of visiting places, may be changed due to quarantine restrictions, as well as for safety reasons or due to the weather, road repair work etc.