Start City: Mardin
NP 110-Grand Biblical Tour(12 Days / 11 Nights)
from 913 $ PP
One and only comprehensive religious tour in Turkey! Only served by Novaportum Travel.
Why do you still wait to seek the seeds of Christianity in where it has been buried and growed? Visit the places where first Christians lived and protected the belief, they are also known as Assyrians. We will take you on a fascinating religious journey from the lands where the seeds of Christianity were planted in Anatolia to the cities where Roman oppression was experienced.
From 7 Churches of Revelation to Assyrian Churches in Mardin in Mesopotamia Region then to the Churches and Monasteries in Fairy Chimneys in Cappadocia region we will visit almost all the important Chiristian sites. Antioch Church was the first of the five major churches of the early pentarchy in Christianity and zero point of history where first religious rituals were held Göbeklitepe are our important visits in our Grand Biblical tour! The first and only organized by Novaportum Travel!
Great and Grand Biblical tour package – 7 Churches of revelation is written in the Bible. Visit 7 Churches of Revelation located in Turkey with the tour packages of biblical tour section of our tour agency. Sacred places of Christianity located in Turkey, try package 7 Churches tour including Istanbul, Cappadocia and Southern Turkey. Mesopotamia Biblical Tour including Assyrian Churches considered as Syriac Orthodox Christians.
HIGHLIGHTS
Mardin, Sanliurfa, Antakya, Mersin, Cappadocia, Hierapolis, Laodicea, Sardis, Philedelphia, Tythira, Pergamon, Ephesus, Izmir, Istanbul
Day 1: Mardin (L)
Visits For Today; Deyrulzafaran – Dara – Nusaybin – Midyat
Our professional tour guide who is expert about history of early Christianity will wellcome you at Mardin Airport. You will meet with your guide and start a full day tour around Mardin region.
After a 15 min. drive you will reach to Deyrulzafaran monastery. Deyrulzafaran- once the ecumenical seat of the Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Congregation dating back to 5th century- is the most important religious centre of the Syriac Orthodox Christians. It is still a running monastery, here you have a guided tour to monastery, after visiting here we will drive another important visit, Dara Ancient City. Drive will take around 40 min. and place will amaze you. Dara ancient city founded 500 BC and it was an important assirian setlement. Here you will see necropolis area and than water cistern and You can be sure that you haven’t seen a place as interesting as this. After this amazing place, we will have 45 min. journey to Nusaybin City. This was Singapour of 5000 B.C.! Amazing trade city and multicultural population. Here we will visit St. Jacob Church, which is a very important place for the historical development of Christianity. After Nusaybin we will drive through one of most beautiful roads and reach to Beyazsu region. We will have lunch by the river Beyazsu. After lunch about 45 min., we will reach to Midyat City. Midyat has the largest assrian population in the region. City is famous with local Assyrian wines, pasteries and silversmiths. After walking around in city center, we will drive back to Mardin and overnight in here.
Day 2: Mardin to Gobeklitepe (L)
Visits For Today; Gobeklitepe
After breakfast in Mardin, early in the morning you will have a short transfer to Mardin Old City center. Mardin is one of the most important cities in southeastern Turkey. The city has large populations of Kurds, Arabs, and Assyrians. Mardin is an important regional trading centre on the east-west trade routes of southern Anatolia. In addition to Turks, the province has large populations of Arabs, Kurds and Assirians.
We will start our tour with old city center which is founded at the top of the mountain. The historical stone streets of Mardin will fascinate you! After Mardin city tour we will have 2 hours transfer to Sanliurfa region and first visit point will be Gobeklitepe. Gobeklitepe which is one of the world’s most important archaeological sites. Gobeklitepe, Neolithic Site near Sanliurfa in southeastern Turkey. The site, believed to have been a sanctuary of ritual significance, is marked by layers of carved megaliths and is estimated to date to the 9th–10th millennium BCE. At 12,000 years old, it was built before the advent of writing or pottery and is believed to be the world’s oldest temple which is causing archaeologists to rethink their vision of early human history. In excavated site you will see a number of T-shaped limestone megaliths, some of which surpass 16 feet (5 metres) in height and weigh as much as 50 tons, are arranged in circular formations.
End of Gobeklitepe tour 30 min. transfer to Sanliurfa city center, check in to the hotel, overnight in Sanliurfa.
Day 3: Sanliurfa City Center (D)
Visits For Today; Sanliurfa Archeologhy and Mosaic Museums, Pool of Abraham (Balikligol)
After breakfast in your hotel, you will walk to Sanliurfa City Center and tour around Balikligol. We will visit Sanliurfa Archeologhy and Mosaic Museums, where you can findings from Gobeklitepe and surroundings. Then we will visit Sanliurfa City Center. Sanliurfa is a city of huge religious significance, believed to be the birth place of the prophet Abraham/ Ibrahim, and the site of one of the most important events in the Bible and the Quran. Sanliurfa, with its wealth of Biblical associations, is known as the “Jerusalem of Anatolia” and regarded as a holy site by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. According to the Old Testament, the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), “The Father of Three Monotheistic Religions”, was born in the city of Ur and he, together with his family, migrated to Harran- the “Home of the Patriarchs”. Christianity reached Edessa about 150 CE, and the city became the seat of what was soon the most important bishopric in Syria. A sizable body of early Christian literature in the Syriac language was produced at Edessa. You will have free time in city center. You can discover in the old city center, Balikligol area and end of the day transfer to hotel and overnight here.
End of the day overnight in Sanlıurfa.
Day 4: Antakya (L,D)
Visits for today; Church of St. Peter, Antakya Archeology Museum
After breakfast you will have a 4 hours journey to Antakya. First and most important visit here is church of St. Peter, one of the earliest churches of Christianity. After the visit of St. Peter Church, you will visit Antakya Archeology Museum. We will also visit a hotel which is built over the largest floor mosaic. Antakya is one of the gastronomy cities in Turkey so after a delicious dinner in a special local restaurant you will drive to hotel and overnight in Antakya.
Day 5: Tarsus
Visits For Today; Church of St. Paul, Mersin Harbour Area, St. Antuan Latin Catholic Church
After breakfast you will have a 3 hours journey to Tarsus city. Christianity can not be understood without St. Paul. First, we will visit the Church of St. Paul In the city center later we will have 10 min. journey to the city center. After visiting city center of Tarsus, we will drive 30 min. to Mersin City Center; one of the most important port cities in Turkey. After a walk in Mersin Harbour Area and visit St. Antuan Latin Catholic Church transfer to hotel and overnight in Mersin.
Day 6: Cappadocia (L)
Visits for today; Gumusler Monastery, Kaymakli Underground City
After breakfast you will have 2 hours journey to Gumusler Monastery. The Monastery is carved out of a large rock and one of the best preserved and largest of it’s kind in Cappadocia region. Capadocia is a very special place with its history and natural beauty. Starting from 60 thousands years ago with volcanic eruptions, ashes and lava covered a huge area. Within many centuries climate chances, wind, rain had been forming Cappadocia land. As the ash plaque is softer than lava and stones, during many centuries nature formed fairy chimneys. As it is easy to dig and shape this land, people used this for their benefits. They dig caves, deposits, churces, houses…
Ancient people dig undergroud city to run away from wild animals or threat of other nations. First Christians used this undergroud cities to run away from the threat of Pagan Romans. First three centuries of Christianity was uneasy. Because the Roman empire who were ruling whole Minor Asia was Pagan and Christianity was illegal for them. Even for all oppressions, Capadoccia became a home for the first christians where they can breathe and live their religion. All these made capadocia a very magical place for visitors. After Gumusler monastery you will have a 1-hour journey to Kaymakli underground city. There are more than 150 underground cities in Capadocia, and we will visit the largest and most beautiful underground city; Kaymakli UC. It is not very clear when and why people needed to dig these underground cities but we are sure that early Christians use underground cities for hiding and live their religion without any fear. After visit, we will have 40 min. drive to Urgup and overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 7: Cappadocia (L)
Visits For Today; Goreme Open Air Museum, Cavusin Village, Pasabag Valley, Guvercinlik Valley, Dervent Valley
After breakfast in your hotel, you will start your 1st day in Cappadocia region. Visits for today; Goreme Open Air Museum, Cavusin Village, Pasabag Valley, Guvercinlik Valley, Dervent Valley. Goreme Open Air Museum is the most important visit in Cappadocia to be able to understand monestery life and monks. This place housed thousands of monks and students from IV century to XIII century. As reading was onething that only high society can reach, monks thought people Christianty with frescos in this monestry. So, walking and visiting this place where first Christian communities learned the religion is so special. Cavusin Village is a abandoned Christian Village which is formed as cave houses and churches. A very special and unique town. Visits to valley gives you chance to walk where monks used to walk and you can see pigeon holes, that monks collected pigeon dung to give poor public. First christians of the area used pigeon dung as a fertilizer in their farms. This help made Christianity more caring for people. We will have a lunch in a local restaurant.
End of the tour transfer to the hotel.
Day 8: Journey to Pamukkale
After breakfast and check out from hotel early in the morning you will have a quite long journey to Pamukkale. On the way you will see the biggest Caravanserai of Anatolia. Caravanserai was a roadside inn where travelers (caravaners) could rest and recover from the day’s journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information and people across the network of trade routes covering Asia, North Africa and Southeast Europe, most notably the Silk Road.
End of the journey check in to your thermal spa hotel and overnight.
Day 9: Hierapolis & Laodicea (L)
Visits For Today; Leodicea Ancient City, Hierapolis Ancient City, Pamukkale
Christianity is 2000 years old religion and to be able to be a good believer it is a must to understand first Christians. how was the environment they lived? How much they sacrificed? How much they suffered? So next days in our tour we will visit 7 churches of revelations and try to understand the environment in early Christianity. Also, we should clearly understand that when we say church you should not expect to see church buildings because in The Book of Revelation when it is mentioned about Ephesus Church, Symrna Church it reffers to the Christian community, so in many visits you are not able to see a standing church but will talk and feel about first Christians. 9. day in our tour will start with Leodicea Ancient City which is 15 min. drive from your hotel area. After breakfast in your hotel, you will meet with your guide and driver and drive to ancient city Leodicea. We will have lunch in a local restaurant.
Laodicea, thanks to its great location on the meeting point of important trade routes became a very rich and important ancient city. With the last excavations and restoration an amazing city raised. From the enterance of the city espectacular Syrian Street welcomes you which leads you to Ephesus Street. Two sides of the street amazing buildings with beautiful details lead you the theather of the city. And the church building is a must-see place! This city was mentioned in The Book of Revelation as one of the Seven Churches of first Christians. Leodicea was a prosperous city, famous for its black wool, banking services, and medical achievements so you can obviously see this abundance from the church of the city. After leodicea, we will visit Pamukkale & Hierapolis.
Pamukkale with ancient name Hierapolis, which is “Cotton Castle” in Turkish is a very special place where history meets with natural beauty. Naturally area has permeable soil and underground hot spring water runs close to the surface. Only in Pamukkale museum part there are 17 points where water comes to the surface. Today Pamukkale Museum is one of the most popular museums but actually this tourism movement runs here for many centuries and started with discovery of ancient people, they discovered curative properties of this hot spring water here. From 500 B.C. people visited Pamukkale to cure their diseases, and from 300 D.C. they founded a city that they called Holly City ‘Hierapolis’. Today ruins of the ancient city lies by the limestone terraces formed by the action of the hot springs. During your visit you can see beautiful ancient theather of the city, great hamam building which is converted to a museum, main street of the ancient city, necropolis (cementery), Cleopatra Pool (enterance is extra) and spend time in limestone terraces. Hierapolis is also important in Christianity era because one of the apostles of Jesus, St. Philip was martyred in here. After the tour drive to hotel and overnight in Pamukkale.
Day 10: The Adulterous Church, The Dead Church, The Faithful Church
Visits For Today; Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Pergamon
After breakfast in the hotel, you will leave Pamukkale and 1 and half hour journey to Philadelphia, a very small part of Church and ancient city survived today. After a short visit and interpretation of the letter of St. John journey to Sardis. Except it is importance as a one of The Seven Churches of Revelation, the ruins of the Ancient Sardis are magnificent. First of all, you will visit Sardis gymnagium, which is a monumental building and one of the best places that you can take photos to remember you visit in Turkey. Next to this place you can see one of the most important synagogues in Anatolia and also ancient shops of those times. After here with 5 min. drive, you arrive to Artemis Temple and next to the temple ancient church that is mentiones as Dead Church in The Book of Revelation. After lunch break in a local restaurant here in Sardis, you will have a 45 min. journey to Thyatira and visit very few ruins left here and read the letter.
Thyatira, which became a trade center where there was a strong Jewish comunity. Today there is not much left to visit from the ancient city but the message in the letter is important. After Thyatira you will have 1 hour journey to Pergamon. Pergamon Ancient City was founded by Greek colonists after the great Greek colonization started 800 B.C. This city became the only kingdom between these colonized cities and Pergamon kings gave great importance to agriculture, this how they built great irrigation systems. Pergamon kings paid great importance to education and phylosophy, this is how second biggest library of the ancient world after Alexandria Library, founded here. Also, in this city one of the most impressive temples dedicated to Zeus is built here, which is moved to Berlin Museum today. That’s why this in The Book of Revelation this church Christian community mentiones as compromising and where the seat of Satan is. Here you will visit ruins of Red Bazilica and then you will visit one of the first healing center of ancient world. Asklepieion, been one of the first healing center of the ancient world where dead was not allowed to enter! And hometown of many treatment methods that we widely use today such as aromatherapy, phytotherapy etc.
End of the tour drive to hotel and overnight in Bergama.
Day 11: Ephesus and Surroundings
Visits For Today; Ephesus Ancient City, House of Mother Mary, Basilica of St. John
After breakfast we will pick you up from reception and start the tour. Ephesus had been a trade centre of the ancient world, because Ephesus was in that location where trade roads end by land. Trade continued from the harbour of the city to Europa by sea. Other reason is Ephesus always been an important cult center of mothergoddes, Kybele or Artemis in Greek period and later all these female figures converted in to Mother Mary. And also Ephesus is considered to one of the most well preserved ancient city from Greko-Roman period where you can imagine easily how people lived 2000 years ago. Visit to ruins of Ancient City Ephesus is the most important visit of the day. You will walk through the original streets of the city which is 2000 years old. You will enter city from upper gate from the official part of the city. Firstly you will visit bouleterium, the parliament building of the city. So do not expect to see a palace of a king here because Ephesus never been a kingdom.
After Greek colonization city was a Greek federation, 1 century B.C. Ephesus became a state of Roman Empire. That’s how you will see Greek and Roman style together in this city architecture. After you will walk down to Domitianus Square, you will see beautiful Nike Relief. Then you will pass through the Hercules Gate where you have a general look to the city center. You will walk by the Trojan Fountain, Hadrian Temple, public toilets and reach to the most important monument in Ephesus Library of Celsus. Last visit point will be great public theather which has a capacity of 25.000 people, one of the biggest in the world. Other visit during the tour will be The House of Virgin Mary. As it is beleived when Jesus crucified, he left his mother to the guard of St. John the Evangelist and because of his mission St. John travelled to Ephesus with Mother Mary where she spent her last days and deceased. The Vatican has recognized this small house as the final resting place of The Virgin Mary. You will have lunch in a local restaurant.
As before the Christianity period Ephesus was the major center of Artemis worship one of the most spectacular temple of all the times built for Artemis here in Ephesus where we call Artemision or Temple of Artemis. Artemis Temple had been a pilgrim center for Pagans of those times and been the very first example of banking in history as merchants letf their valuable things to the mercy of Artemis. Today only one column left from the temple but the view from the temple is spectacular. In Selcuk city which is a Turkish town next Ephesus Ancient City, you will see Bazilica of St. John. After crucification of Jesus, John had to do his visits for his mission. And very logical decision he did, he came to Ephesus which was one of the most populated cities of the time, a port city and the center of Pagans piligrams. So, John came here with Mother Marry. As he was not allowed to live in Ephesus City center all his life he lived on the hill which is Bazilica of St. John sits today. After visiting ruins of bazilica you will drive to hotel and overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 12: The Suffering Church Smyrna
Visits For Today; Smyrna Agora, St. Polycarp Church, Kemeralti Bazaar, Konak Square
After breakfast and check out you will have 1 hour journey to Izmir city center, the third largest population of Turkey and most modern city. Firts you will visit old city center. Smyrna became a trade center after Ephesus lost its importance. Smyrna was the main port city in late Roman period and still today is one of the most important ports of Turkey. Izmir city center where you will visit the ruins of Agora of Ancient Smyrna which is one of the largest agoras of Roman Empire and listen to your guide about the atmosphere of those times of first Christians. After that you will visit the old bazaar, Kemeralti, a very authentic old trade center where you will also have lunch. After lunch you will drive to St. Polycarp Church which is dedicated to St. Polycarp 2nd century Bishop Policarp who was burned alive at the age of 85.
End of the tour transfer to the airport end of the service.
Thank you!
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Important Information
Price Includes
Price Excludes
Prices
Child Rate Policy :
0-2 FOC
2-8 %50 of adult rates
ABOVE 8 years FULL Price
| NUMBER OF PAX | |||
| 1-2 PAX | 3-4 PAX | 5-6 PAX | 7-8 PAX |
| 2465 $ PP | 1431 $ PP | 1086 $ PP | 913 $ PP |
Important Notes
- All above rates are in US DOLLAR currency
- Topkapı Palace is closed every Tuesday
- Grand Bazaar is closed every Sunday
- Hot Air Balloon ride is forbidden for children under 6 y/o and for pregnant woman due to safety.
*Please note that %30 of the payment required on booking, the rest will be received as cash at airport.
PAYMENT ON CREDIT CARD : %3 Transaction fee and %20 V.A.T will be added in total amount on CC will be paid by your side.
MONEY TRANSFERS VIA BANKS : 10 $ International Money Transfer Fee and %20 V.A.T will be added in total amount on bank transfer. International Money Transfer Fee will be paid by your side.
%18 V.A.T will be charged even in case of refund.
When the trip is canceled by the client 60 or more days prior to the start of the trip, he/she shall be able to request and receive a full refund. When cancellation happens between 59 and 30 days prior to the start of the trip, the client will be able to obtain a refund of 50% of the trip price. When cancellation is requested less than 29 days prior to the start of the trip, he/she will not be able to obtain any refund whatsoever.
FAQ
Is there any shopping opportunity during the tour?
Yes, you’ll hear the opportunities from your tour guide.
What’s the Duration of the tour?
12 days in total.
What’s the walking difficulty level?
3 out of 5, please wear comfy shoes for walking in ancient cities, sacred places.
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