2012 Fall Tour ItinerariesMajestic Places Tour to IsraelDAY 1: October 14 NYC / ISTANBUL Those travelling with Back to the Bible Journeys to Israel today are welcomed for your departing flight to Istanbul via wide-body jet arriving the next day. Meals are served on board. DAY 2: October 15 TEL AVIV / JAFFA This morning we will arrive in Istanbul and go through "transit" to our flight to Tel Aviv. Upon arrival in Tel Aviv we are met by our guide who will be with us the whole time we are in the Holy Land. We will travel through Tel Aviv, the largest city in Israel and stop at Jaffa (Joppa), the city of Jonah and where Peter had his housetop experience at the home of Simon the Tanner. We proceed to our hotel on the Mediterranean Sea. 
DAY 3: October 16CAESAREA / MT. CARMEL / MEGIDDO / NAZARETH / TIBERIAS Today we drive north to Caesarea, capital of the Roman governors of Judea. We'll visit the Roman port, Roman theater, ancient aqueduct and more. We continue to Muhraka on Mt. Carmel where Elijah challenged Baal's priests. Here we'll be challenged from the Word as well. After a Middle Eastern lunch, we proceed to Megiddo which overlooks the famous Valley of Armageddon and we have some time to reflect on what will take place in that valley. Then it's on to Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus and a panoramic view of the entire southern Galilee. Finally we drive to the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight at our hotel. DAY 4: October 17 SEA OF GALILEE / MT. OF BEATITUDES / CAPERNAUM / GADARA We begin our day with a relaxing boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. We'll stop in the middle of the sea for a time of worship and study in the Word. Then we dock at Ginossar to see a first-century fishing boat extracted from the mud of the Sea of Galilee. We continue to Capernaum, the village Jesus made the center of His ministry. Then visit Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes for further reflection on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. After lunch we will drive around the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee to the "other side" and the region where Jesus cast the legion of demons out of the Gadarene and into the herd of swine. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. 
DAY 5: October 18BET SHEAN / JERICHO / BETHLEHEM / SHEPHERDS' FIELD / CHURCH OF NATIVITY This morning we travel via the Jordan Valley to Bet Shean where the bodies of King Saul and his sons were pinned to the walls after being defeated in battle. We'll see the ancient theater, the Circus Maximus and the Cardo Maximo. Later we drive further south to a spot near where John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. Then it's on to Jericho, where the walls came tumbling down. We'll visit Ancient Jericho and relive the story of that famous battle. We'll also have lunch in Jericho. Then we begin to climb the hills of Judea and make our way to the "little town of Bethlehem." We'll see the Church of the Nativity and celebrate Christmas in the Shepherds' Field by singing Christmas carols and enjoying a study in the Word. Afterward we'll give you time to shop for olive wood carvings, nativity sets and other items native to Bethlehem. Finally we drive the short distance to the Golden City, Jerusalem, to check into our hotel. DAY 6: October 19 MASADA / EN GEDI / JERICHO We begin our day today by driving to Masada along the Dead Sea and ascend by cable car to the magnificent ruins of the fortress where, from 70 to 73 AD, Jewish defenders made their last stand in the Judean revolt against Rome. We see the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a sixth-century Byzantine church. Returning north along the Dead Sea, 1300 ft. below sea level--the lowest spot on earth–we arrive at En Gedi. Here we'll take a short walk through the En Gedi Nature Reserve to see some ibex and the caves where David hid from King Saul. Then we stop for lunch and a swim in the Dead Sea. You simply must do it. Bring swimwear and water shoes with you. We'll continue to Qumran and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Finally we'll ascend the hills to Jerusalem once again to return to our hotel for dinner. DAY 7: October 20 MT. OF OLIVES / THE UPPER ROOM / GETHSEMANE / HOUSE OF CAIAPHAS We start this glorious day with a breathtaking panoramic view of Jerusalem from the top of the Mount of Olives. Then we walk down the traditional Palm Sunday Street where Jesus received an enthusiastic welcome upon entering the city of Jerusalem at the beginning of His Passion week. We'll stop at Dominus Flevit where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. We continue to the Garden of Gethsemane. Here you'll have a few minutes to meditate and pray. Next we drive to the Dung Gate where we walk to the Southern Wall excavations, including the steps where Jesus and the disciples walked. A short drive to Mt. Zion takes us to the Upper Room and King David's Tomb. Finally, we'll stop at the House of Caiaphas where Peter denied his Lord three times. 
DAY 8: October 21OLD CITY / GARDEN TOMB After breakfast we visit the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site. We’ll ascend to the Dome of the Rock located on the Temple Mount, near where Solomon's Temple once stood. Just to the north we find the Pool of Bethesda (John 5) and St. Anne's Church, perfectly preserved from the Crusader period, and Pilate's Judgment Hall. We then follow the Via Dolorosa through the bazaars and Arab Souks. After lunch we visit the Garden Tomb. This will be the perfect and most meaningful ending to our journey to the Holy Land. After seeing a "place of the skull"--Golgotha or Calvary--we'll enter an empty tomb and reflect on the meaning of "He has risen” (Mark 16:6). We conclude our visit with a communion service in the Garden Tomb. You'll never forget it. It's a memory that will last forever and bring a tear to your eye. We return to our hotel for dinner. DAY 9: October 22 JERUSALEM / NYC It's our final day in the Holy Land. We will transfer to the Tel Aviv airport for our flight home, but our hearts and minds will be filled with images of the things we have seen that we will remember always. What a journey we've been on. *For those continuing to Turkey, see Day 9 schedule below. Day 9: October 22 JERUSALEM / ADANA If you are continuing on to Turkey, your Day 9 will be a flight from Tel Aviv to Istanbul and then a flight to Adana. See Day 2 below beginning with Adana. Mysterious Places Tour to TurkeyDay 1: October 21NYC / ISTANBUL Tour members meet at JFK Airport for the flight to Istanbul via wide-body jet arriving the next day. Meals are served on board. 
Day 2: October 22ISTANBUL / ADANA This morning we will arrive in Istanbul and transfer to our flight to Adana in south central Turkey. Upon arrival our guide will transfer us to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Day 3: October 23 ANTIOCH / SELEUCIA After breakfast we'll visit Adana, the "biggest village in Turkey", before proceeding to Antakya, which in the Bible is Antioch on the Orontes River. Christians from Jerusalem fled here after the stoning of Stephen (Acts 11:19-27). Paul and Barnabas taught in Antioch for a year and built a strong church here. Later, Antioch became the sending church for the first missionary teams (Acts 13:1-2; 14:26; 15:22-41; 18:22-23). Here Jesus' followers were first called "Christians." We'll visit the grotto Church of St. Peter which tradition says belonged to St. Luke who donated it to the Christian congregation as a place of worship. We'll also stop at the beach from where Paul often sailed on his missionary journeys. In the afternoon we visit the Church at Seleucia Pieria that occupied a prominent position near the main colonnaded street leading to the harbor. After a big day we return to Adana for dinner and overnight. 
Day 4: October 24 TARSUS / CAPPADOCIA Today we visit Tarsus, birthplace of Saul of Tarsus who became the Apostle Paul (Acts 21:39-22:3). We'll see St. Paul's Well and the foundation stones of what is believed to be Paul's family home in Tarsus. Then we head north over the Taurus Mountains to Cappadocia. Already we can see the terrain changing from the coastal lowlands to the highlands of central Turkey. Cappadocia is like no other place on earth. You'll never forget the days you spend here. It's almost surrealistic. We arrive at our fabulous hotel in time for dinner. Day 5: October 25 GOREME VALLEY / ZELVE Successive eruptions of now extinct volcanoes have left Cappadocia covered in multi-colored layers of volcanic rock. This soft rock has been transformed by the winds into a haunting landscape of caves, columns and canyons. For a thousand years Christians cut chapels and houses in the rock. In New Testament times Cappadocia was known as Galatia; Paul wrote one of his epistles to the Christians in this area. We begin our exploration in the Goreme Valley which contained a monastic community and several rock-hewn churches dating from the 9th-13th centuries. We'll walk through the underground city of Kaymakli, where an entire village of Christians lived. Finally, we'll visit Zelve which features the most intensive chimney rocks formed in the volcanic tufas. This land is like no other on earth. At the end of this amazing day we'll return to our hotel for dinner. Day 6: October 26 SOGANLI / AVANOS / KAYSERI In Soğanlı we will visit churches and unusual dovecotes that have several valleys, and we'll get off the beaten path. There is a real traditional Turkish village at Soğanlı, with people living mostly as they have for centuries. Local women hand-make "Soğanlı dolls" we may purchase. We continue to Turkey's Red River Valley and the village of Avanos, famous for its pottery workshops and carpet weaving traditions. Then drive to Kayseri to check into our hotel for dinner and overnight. Day 7: October 27 KAYSERI / ISTANBUL After breakfast we visit the ancient city of Kayseri on the eastern edge of Cappadocia. It has outstanding Seljuk Turkish architecture (1100s to 1200s) and interesting bazaars. Set in the shadow of Erciyes Dağı (Mount Argeus, 12,848 feet), Kayseri's historic buildings contrast with the sparkling ski slopes on Erciyes. Most of Kayseri's grand old buildings are made of dark, somber volcanic stone so different from the sunny volcanic tufa of Cappadocian buildings. This afternoon we transfer to the airport for our short flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival we will be taken to our hotel for dinner and overnight. 
Day 8: October 28ISTANBUL / TOPKAPI PALACE / THE BLUE MOSQUE / HAGIA SOPHIA Today we begin our day in incomparable Istanbul with a tour to the magnificent Topkapi Palace. Once home to the great Sultans, it is filled with treasures and antiquities including twelve thousand pieces of fine Chinese porcelain. Then we visit the unique Blue Mosque built in 1609 by Sultan Ahmet. The interior walls are covered with twenty thousand blue Iznik tiles. Our sightseeing continues with the ancient Hippodrome and the Basilica of St. Sophia, which has inspired architects and religious leaders for over fifteen hundred years. Constructed in 326 by Constantine the Great, it has been a cathedral, a mosque, and now a museum. We return to our hotel for our final night in beautiful Turkey. Day 9: October 29 ISTANBUL / USA / HOME You will board your wide-bodied jet at Istanbul and fly back to New York and then home, but you will do so with unforgettable memories to cherish always. You have walked in the footsteps of Paul, Barnabas, Luke and the early Christians across Cappadocia. If you've been to Israel before, Turkey is the perfect complement to your Bible Lands journeys. Except for the events of the gospels, most of the New Testament took place in Greece and Turkey. You'll be surprised by how much you learn and how much you will enjoy Turkey.
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