Days 1 & 2 – Arrival
Depart US, arrive Thessaloniki, Greece

Our pilgrimage begins as we depart the United States on our international flight. We are met in Thessaloniki and transferred to our hotel for dinner and a relaxing evening. (D)

Day 4 – Philippi and Neapolis (modern day Kavala)

Today we continue our journey in the footsteps of Paul and his companions, Silas, Timothy, and Luke. We make our way to the riverside of Philippi and spend a few moments recalling Paul’s words to Lydia (Acts 16). It was in this stream that Paul baptized her and welcomed her into the Christian community. With its marvelous acoustics, we gather in the baptistery of Lydia and join in singing hymns of praise to the Lord.

Following lunch, we make our way to the ancient city of Philippi, walking through the Roman forum, with its basilicas and Roman theater. We pause at the cell of Paul and Silas and reflect on their prison ministry as they shared the words of salvation with the jailer. We then travel to the port city of Neapolis (Kavala), Greece's most picturesque mainland port. Paul arrived at this harbor when landing in Greece. Here we view a modern mosaic depicting Paul's “Macedonian Vision” and his arrival at Neapolis. We return to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Day 6 – Meteora

Nestled in western Thessaly lies the rock forest of Meteora where famous Byzantine monasteries perch precariously on summits of soaring, sheer-sided gray rock pinnacles of varied and spectacular shapes. Hermits began meeting in this area in the 9th century and in the evolving centuries formed community life, first in wooden shelters and later transformed into monasteries. We visit the Grand Meteoron with its Hall of the Martyrs, Independence Museum, Kitchen, and Ossuary. We enjoy lunch and then off to Delphi for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Day 7 – Delphi

Considered by the ancient Greeks to be the center of the world and the most sacred of precincts, today Delphi is a quaint village lined with shops and cafes. We traverse the Sacred Way of the ancient site to witness the Athenian Treasury, the Theater and the Temple of Apollo after our visit to the Museum where, among other treasures, we behold the unique 5th century B.C. bronze charioteer. From our lunch venue, we take in an amazing panoramic view of the valley below filled with over a million olive trees. In the afternoon we head to our hotel at the foot of the Acropolis in legendary Athens. (B,L,D)

Day 9 – Athens Free Day

Enjoy this free day by ambling through the historical district of the Plaka, noted for its shops, cafes, taverns, and colorful people. Explore one of the many museums of Athens. Relax and soak up the sites and sounds. Today lunch and dinner are on your own. Find a sidewalk café or a rooftop restaurant to enjoy souvlaki or moussaka. (B)

4 DAY CRUISE

Day 3 – Veria and Vergina

When Paul arrived in Veria (Berea), he went immediately to the Jewish synagogue and shared the message of the Messiah with them, proving that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies (Acts 17).  We visit the traditional rostrum where Paul delivered his sermons, and the remnants of the Jewish quarter housing the synagogue.  
  
Then we are off to Vergina, one of the most fascinating sites of recent discovery. In the mid-seventies, the tomb of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, was discovered containing silver vessels and golden crowns. The royal tombs also house one of the few remaining paintings from the Macedonian period. In the afternoon we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Day 5 – Thessaloniki

Paul addressed two New Testament letters to the Thessalonians. In this city, we see the old city ramparts, the landmark White Tower proudly adorning the harbor, and the Arch of Galerius that rises over the Via Egnatia. We visit the fourthcentury basilica of St. Demetrius, built over the site of his martyrdom under the persecution of the Roman Emperor Galerius. As part of our appreciation of modern Greece, we visit the bustling open-air market with its wide variety of Greek olives and feta cheese. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Day 8 – Athens

The architectural splendors of this ancient city are magnificent. We begin the day at the new Acropolis Museum, which contains innumerable treasures from the Classical Age of Greece, including the legendary Parthenon Marbles. On our way to the Parthenon we visit the Theater of Dionysus, the birthplace of drama and comedy, as well at the grand Propylaea entrance.  On top of the Acropolis, we stand in awe of the Parthenon, which has awed visitors for nearly 2,500 years. We then descend to the Areopagus (Mars Hill) and read the sermon that Paul addressed to the Athenians (Acts 17). From there we stroll through the Athenian Agora and into the modern marketplace district, the Plaka. (B,L,D)

Day 10 – Corinth and Canal

On our way to Corinth, we visit the isthmus that boasted two major ports and controlled the flow of goods in ancient times, one reason that Corinth was the leading commercial city of the Greek mainland. Paul spent a year and half in this community and later wrote letters to them, the first of which contains his famous “love” chapter (I Cor. 13). We visit the archaeological museum, the marketplace, Bema and temples. As did Christians 2,000 years ago, we celebrate communion among the ruins of this great city. In the evening, we return to Athens for a celebratory dinner of our last night on the mainland. (B,L,D)

Our cruise introduces to us the shimmering Aegean Sea. We cruise through the most beautiful waters in the world to enchanting destinations. Stroll along the marble streets of Ephesus; visit the grotto of St. John on the isle of Patmos where he wrote his apocalyptic "Revelation"; wander the whitewashed alleyways of Mykonos; explore the Venetian city of Heraklion; and marvel at the breathtaking view from Santorini.  Only their natural beauty rivals the history of each of our ports-of-call.