Pete Hill Itinerary: Turkey and the Holy Land

Sunday February 18th

Enroute

Today we leave on Turkish Airlines flight 006 from Chicago to Istanbul, where we get our connecting flight to Izmir airport.

Monday February 19th

Kusadasi

Upon our arrival at Izmir airport at 2:00 PM.

We’ll meet at the airport and drive to Kusadasi.

We’ll enjoy dinner at the hotel as a group.

Overnight, Kusadasi.

Tuesday February 20th

Ephesus / Kusadasi

After breakfast, we’ll enjoy a full day tour of Ephesus which was once a thriving port town of 250,000 people. Today you can still see the spectacular excavations of the major streets in this ancient city where we view the Library, the Agora, the Temple of Artemis, the Theatre, many colorful mosaics, and a panoramic view of the surrounding ancient port area.

We’ll also visit the House of the Virgin Mary and the Basilica of Saint John.

We’ll return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Overnight, Kusadasi.

Wednesday February 21st

Cannakale

In the morning we’ll take a tour of Izmir including the Church of St. Policarp which is the oldest church in ancient Smyrna, it symbolized the community of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse.

Then we’ll visit Alexander the Great's Velvet Castle overlooking the Bay of Izmir.

Afterwards we continue to Thyatira to view the ancient church, roadway, and period columns.

Next we’ll visit Pergamum which was praised for its forbearance (Rev. 2:12-17). It was here that the first Christians were executed by Rome.

We'll visit the fabled Acropolis, pass through the Royal Gates, view the foundations of the Temple of Zeus and visit the ruins of the Library, which once held 200,000 volumes.

Afterwards, we proceed to Canakkale.

There we enjoy dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Overnight, Canakkale.

Thursday February 22nd

Canakkale / Istanbul

After breakfast we’re going to explore the area around Canakkale, a town perched on the Dardenelle Straits which has been a very strategic location for centuries, given that the straits provide the only sea passage from Europe to Asia via the Mediterranean Sea.

We’ll be visiting the ancient site of Troy, immortalized in Homer’s epic poem The Illiad about the Trojan War.

We’ll also travel across the straits to see the site of Gallipoli where the infamous First World War battle took place.

In the evening we’ll move onto Istanbul we’re we’ll enjoy a group dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight, Istanbul.

Friday February 23rd

Istanbul / Bat Yam

After breakfast we’ll enjoy a tour of the stunning city of Istanbul, the modern city on the ancient site of Constantinople.

We’ll visit the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome to see where the famed chariot races took place, and the Hagia Sophia whose majesty was nearly ruined by pillagers during the Fourth Crusade.

In the afternoon we’ll enjoy shopping for goods and spices at the Grand Bazaar.

In the evening, we’ll enjoy a group dinner together before we transfer to the airport to catch our Turkish Air flight 1192 departing at 11:05 PM.

Upon our arrival in Tel Aviv we will be transferred to our hotel in Bat Yam.

Overnight, Tel Aviv.

Saturday February 24th

Coastal Route

After enjoying a huge Israeli breakfast at our hotel, we’ll begin our tour northwards to the Galilee.

We travel first to the sea-side town of Bat Yam before heading to see King Herod’s great port city of Caesarea. The amazing Roman ruins were built when Jesus was a carpenter in Nazareth, and thanks to a myriad of multimedia forums, we can see the city come alive as it once was.

Thereafter we drive past Mount Carmel, where the prophet Elijah defeated the false priests of Baal, and onto Haifa where we can capture a beautiful panoramic view of the city with the Mediterranean below. We’ll also visit the stunning Bahai Hanging Gardens.

In the afternoon we’ll drive inland to Megiddo, mentioned in the Book of Revelations as the site of the Battle of Armageddon.

We proceed to Nazareth, the boyhood home of Jesus, before heading to Cana, the site of Jesus’s first miracle of turning water into wine.

We continue onto Tiberias to get a stunning view of the Sea of Galilee before heading to our hotel for overnight.

Overnight, Tiberias.

Sunday February 25th

Golan

Today we’ll be exploring the beautiful North of Israel.

We start by taking a boat ride across the majestic Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, the home of St. Peter.

Then we move on to Tabgha, the site of the multiplication of loaves and fishes, and the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount.

Afterwards we’ll visit the archeological site of Hazor, mentioned in the Old Testament as one of Solomon’s three main cities where he kept his famous horse stables. Next we’ll take a drive through the Golan Heights, stopping to see a bunker that the Israelis used in the ’67 and ’73 Wars.

Afterwards we head northwards to the nature reserve of Banias, which not only houses the largest waterfall in Israel, but is where Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus then replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven" and gave Peter the keys to the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16: 13-20).

In the evening we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Overnight, Tiberias.

Monday February 26th

Galilee / Ein Gedi

After breakfast we start our long trip southwards to Ein Gedi on the Dead Sea.

On the way we stop in Yardenit, the traditional baptismal site of Jesus in the Jordan.

We’ll also stop to see the ancient site of Beit She’an, which is full of archeological treasures.

We’ll proceed then to Qumran to see where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

Next we’ll continue onto the Dead Sea resort of Ein Gedi and enjoy a relaxing float on the buoyant Dead Sea waters.

Overnight, Dead Sea.

Massada

Tuesday February 27th

Massada / Jerusalem

Upon leaving our hotel, we’ll go first to Massada, site of Herodian palaces that were used as the Zealots’ last stand against the Romans in the years following 70 A.D.

Next we’ll visit the archeological remains at Lachish, and Beit Shemesh.

In the evening we’ll head to Jerusalem.

The balance of the day will be at your leisure.

Overnight, Jerusalem.

Wednesday February 28th

Jerusalem

We start the day with a visit to the model of the Old City of Jerusalem, where we can see Jerusalem as it was during the Second Temple period. We then continue to Yad Vashem Memorial and Museum, dedicated to the 6 million Jews that perished in the Holocaust.

Afterwards we’ll drive past the Knesset, Israel’s parliament building, to the Israel Museum. While there we’ll visit the Shrine of the Book to see the priceless Dead Sea Scrolls.

Afterwards we’ll drive past the Monastery of the Cross where it is believed the wood for Jesus’ cross was found.

In the afternoon we’ll travel to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, for a visit to the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd’s Fields.

Then we’ll return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Overnight, Jerusalem.

Thursday March 1st

Jerusalem

Today we will enjoy a walking tour of the Old City of Jerusalem.

We’ll start our tour at the Damascus Gate and walk to the Lion’s Gate.

We’ll continue along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

We’ll then proceed to the Temple Mount to see the Dome of the Rock, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Western Wall.

Next we’ll see the Burnt House and part of the excavation dating from the time of Jesus.

We’ll proceed to the Cardo, an excavation of Roman Ruins, and the Jewish Quarter.

Afterwards we’ll be able to enjoy shopping in the Arab Shuk, or marketplace.

In the afternoon we’ll partake in a prayer service at Gethsemane or the Garden Tomb, where Jesus suffered the Agony and was taken prisoner.

We’ll return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Overnight, Jerusalem.

Friday March 2nd

Enroute

Today we leave Israel with memories to cherish for a lifetime.

For more information regarding tour costs and extensions, contact Gil Travel by email or phone 800.223.3855.