Greece Tours, Pilgrimage Tours

GREECE ISRAEL PILGRIM TOUR

GREECE ISRAEL PILGRIMAGE TOUR

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS AND APOSTOLE St. PAUL

This tour takes you to the most sacred Christian destinations in the world. 
Israel: Follow in the footsteps of Jesus in this wonderful Holy Land tour. Let the Bible come to life from the hills of the Galilee to the alleys of Jerusalem. Visit the places you only read about, the Sea of Galilee the Dead Sea, Nazareth, Cana, Capernaum, Jerusalem and more. Live the most comprehensive spiritual and fun Holy Land experience.

Greece: One of the most remarkable religious routes in Greece is “The Route that Apostle Paul Followed in Greece”. He spread the word of Christianity more than anybody else and for this reason he was named “Apostle of the Nations”. The route that Apostle Paul followed in Greece passes through all places where the Apostle preached and constitutes Philippi, where Lidia was the first to be baptized, Thessaloniki, Veria, Athens, Corinth. This tour is an ideal combination of pilgrimage and sightseeing in some of the most beautiful places in Greece.

TOUR DETAILS

Tour Code: ACSM_01
Duration: 10 days / 9 nights
Season: All the year round
Location: Athens, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos islands
Style: Island hopping – History – Nature – Photography

HIGHLIGHTS

See world famous classical landmarks of:

  • Jerusalem, old City and the Hill of Golgotha.
  • Nazareth – The Basilica Of the Annunciation
  • Bethlehem, the birth town of Jesus
  • Sea of Galilee
  • River – Jordan, visit the Baptismal
  • Dead – Sea, the lowest point on Earth
  • Caesarea, Herod’s palace and Stadium

The Route that Apostle Paul followed in Greece:

  • Philippi, Paul prison and the Lydia Baptistery
  • Thessaloniki, Agora where Paul preached
  • Veria, the Vima and the memorial commemorating Paul’s preaching to local Jews
  • Athens “Areopag” where Paul stood and preached to the Athenians.
  • Ancient Corinth where Paul worked, old market and Bema.

The historical places of:

  • Vergina, the King Philip of Macedonia tomb, father of Alexander the Great
  • Delphi, the ancient most important religious center and the oracle
  • Meteora, the rock monasteries
  • Acropolis, the birth place of democracy, the place any civilized person has to visit.

INCLUDED

  • Luxury bus or minivan transfers
  • Experienced En speaking driver
  • Hotels 3*, 4*, 5*
  • Meals Half board (B,_,D)
  • Entrance fees to archeological sites and museums
  • Official En speaking local guides
  • Meet & Greet on the arrival at the airport
  • Greek night

NOT INCLUDED

  • Flight ticket (Domestic flight tickets upon request)
  • Accommodation tax in Greece (0.5€ per day per room for guesthouses -1.5€ per day per room for 3* hotels – 3€ per day per room for 4* hotels – 4€ per day per room for 5* hotels) paid directly by the clients to hotel.                                                                           

*All packages are flexible and dynamic for any changes according to any personal needs and desires upon request.

Shorter itinerary with departure from Thessaloniki can be:
1) Tour days: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and departure from Thessaloniki

Conduct us for more available packages in the area.

Day 1: ARRIVAL TO ISRAEL – MT CARMEL- GALILEE : NAZARETH – CANA (_,_,D)

Arrive Ben-Gurion Airport Israel in the morning. Drive north to Mt Carmel and visit Muhraka Where 2900 years ago Prophet Elijah preformed the test against prophets of Baal And Ashera ( 1 Kings 18 16-40). Cross the Jezrael Valley north to Galilee to Mt Precipice Nazareth: Enjoy the panoramic view of Nazareth and Galilee. Drive into Nazareth and see The Basilica Of the Annunciation (Luke 1 26-38) where Angle Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and where the Word became Flesh! Drive North to the village of Cana and see the Wedding church, where Jesus preformed his first Miraculous signs where he changed water Into wine ( John 2 1-11). Continue east to the Sea of Galilee to your hotel.
Dinner and Overnight at your hotel in the Area of the Sea of Galilee

Day 2: JESUS MINISTRY AT SEA OF GALILEE (B,_,D) 

After breakfast drive to Mt of Beatitudes :visit the church of Beatitudes and see the place From where Jesus delivered the ceremony on the Mt ( Matthew 5 1-12). Continue to the North- West side of the Sea of Galilee to Tabqa : Visit the church of loaves and fish, where He Fed the 5000 with five loaves of bread and two fish ( Matthew 14 13-21), and the church of Mensa Christi (Peter’s primacy), where according to John 21 1-19, Jesus appeared to his Disciples for the 3rd time after he arose from the dead and said to Peter : “Feed my sheep”. Drive to the North side of the lake and visit Capernaum : his own town. See the remains of Peter’s mother in law’s house , remains of the houses of the fishermen and the ancient Synagogue . Drive to the North –East side of the lake and visit Beitsaida : see the remains of The 2000 years old home- town of Peter, Andrew and Philip, where Jesus healed the blind Man (Mark 8 22-26). Drive South along the East side of the lake, via Kursi -where Jesus Healed the Demon possessed man (Luke 8 26-39), to the southern side of the lake to the River – Jordan : visit the Baptismal site on the River Jordan where Jesus was baptized by John The Baptist (Matthew 3 13-17). End the day with a boat ride in the Sea of Galilee. Dinner and Overnight at your hotel in the area of the Sea of Galilee.

Day 3: IN HIS FOOTSTEPS TO JERUSALEM : JORDAN VALLEY-JERICHO-TRIUMPHAL ENTRY TO JERUSALEM (B,_,D)

After breakfast, we will say Goodbye to the Sea of Galilee and drive South along the Jordan –Valley
To Jericho: the oldest and the lowest city in the world. Visit Tel-Jericho and learn About Joshua and the fall of Jericho (Joshua 5 13- 15, 6 1-27). See the remains of the Canaanite’s city. View Mt of Temptation where Jesus was tempted by the devil for forty days (Luke 4 1-13). Continue to the center of Jericho and see Zacchaeus” sycamore tree where Jesus talked with Him and said :”Zacchaeus , come down immediately. I must stay at your House today” (Luke 19 1-10).   Drive South to the Dead – Sea: the lowest point on Earth. Swim in the Dead Sea. Continue up hill to Jerusalem, along the ancient 2000 year old Jericho-Jerusalem road and Visit the Good Samaritan Inn (Luke 10 25-37). View Bethany and Bethphage on your way to Jerusalem to the top of Mt Of Olives: enjoy the panoramic View of Jerusalem, and join the Palm Sunday route that goes from top of Mt Of Olives dawn To Dominus Flevit ( Luke 19 41-44), and then to the foot of the Mt, to Kidron Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane : visit the Garden, see the 2000 years old olive trees, the place of the Agony of Jesus ( Luke 22 39-53) and the Church of all Nations Continue to your hotel in Jerusalem Dinner and Overnight at your hotel in Jerusalem.

Day 4:BEITLEHEM –MT ZION- OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM- HILL OF GOLGOTHA (PLACE OF SKULL)  (B,_,D) 

After breakfast we will drive South to Manger square Bethlehem. Visit the Basilica of the Nativity and see the place where Jesus was born (Luke 2 1-7). Continue to St Catherine church And see the house of St Jerome( who lived in Bethlehem 1600 years ago), where he Made The first translation of the Bible from Greek into Latin . Drive back to Jerusalem to Mt Zion : visit the traditional upper room of the last supper where Jesus had the last supper With his Disciples (Luke 22 7-38), and the traditional King David’s Tomb. Walk into the Old City of Jerusalem: visit the most Holy place in the world for the Jews – the Western wall. Walk to Bethesda and visit the site: see the remains of the 2000 years old pools where Jesus Healed the man who was paralytic for thirty- eight years (John 5 1-14). Continue to Ecce- Homo and see the place where Jesus was condemned to death, mocked, humiliated and Where he was forces to carry the cross (Matthew 27 11-32). Walk along the Via –Dolorosa. See all 14 station, and Church of the Holy Sepulchre: visit Hill of Golgotha (place of Skull) where he was crucified, suffered and died on the Cross (Matthew 27 33-52). Next to Golgothe – visit the ancient Tomb where Jesus was Buried and resurrected (Matthew 27 57-66, 28 1-20). Drive back to your hotel. Dinner and Overnight at your hotel in Jerusalem

Day 5: OLD JOPPA- CAESAREA MARITIMA-ATHENS GREECE (B,_,D)

After breakfast we will say Goodbye to Jerusalem and drive West to the coast line to Old Joppa: visit the old city and the ancient port from where Jonah tried to escape to Tarshish (Jonah 1-4). Learn about Aeneas and Dorcas (Acts 9 32-40) and about Cornelius calling to Peter and about Peter’s vision (Act 10-1-23). Drive North along the Coast line to Caesarea Maritima: visit the ancient beautiful Roman port city built by King Herod 2000 years ago . See the remains of the 2000 years old Theatre, Herod’s palace and Stadium and learn About Peter and Cornelius at Caesarea (Act 1024-48). Continue to the remains of the 2000 Years old port built by King Herod and learn about Saul’s conversion (Act 9 1-19). Later on Saul became known as the Apostle Paul. See the remains of the port from where Paul Sailed to Greece to his ministry there.
At noon, we will drive to Ben-Gurion Airport, say Goodbye to Israel, and fly to Athens Greece. Athens welcome, transfer to your hotel.

Day 6: ATHENS – ANCIENT CORINTH (B,_,D)

We will start our day with a fresh Greek breakfast and continue our journey by following the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, starting at the Coast of Faliro where Paul first arrived in Athens by ship, then we will visit the biggest churches in Athens of St. Paul, and next on to the Acropolis “Areopag” where Paul stood and preached to the Athenians. Then drive to Corinth, one of Paul’s most beloved cities, the town that inspired many of Paul’s letters. As we keep following his steps, we will arrive at the Cathedral of St. Paul, wander the nearby market and walk the same paths that the Apostle of Nations walked and preached hundreds of years earlier. Our final stop will be a view of the Corinth Canal, and then the group will return-back to Athens for dinner at the hotel or a selected restaurant/tavern in the old city of Plaka.

Day 7: ATHENS – METEORA MONASTERIES (B,_,D)
After breakfast, we will say Goodbye to Athens, and drive to Meteora, where we visit the breathtaking rock tower monasteries of the 11th century! Among other monasteries that we will tour, the Great Meteoron Monastery founded in 13 century, Varlaam was founded in the 16th century and is located on the top of a rock at 380 meters high! The Monastery of Saint Stephen, also built on the top of another rock, is where we will admire a small treasure of Byzantine and Christian items at the museum inside the monastery. We will end our day by driving to your hotel in Kalambaka for dinner and a good night’s rest. Overnight: Kalambaka.

Day 8:VERIA – VERGINA – THESSALONIKI (B,_,_)
After breakfast morning driving to Veria where you will see the church of Apostle Paul and the “Vima of Apostle Paul” mural made of marble. This church is believed to be the location that Paul preached to the people from one of his beloved towns for many days. We will progress onwards to the ancient town of Vergina and to the King Philip tomb, Alexander’s the Great’s father. Our final stop of the day will be traveling to the city of Thessaloniki, currently the second largest city of Greece and was once the capital of the province of Macedonia. Thessaloniki cultivates a reputation as a carefree Mediterranean seaside resort, with its wide avenues plunging towards the sea. It’s a city of contrasts, cheerfully blending the trappings of a modern city with 23 centuries of continuous history. After a short city tour we will check in at the hotel. The evening is free to walk and enjoy the town and the coast of Thermaikos Gulf. Overnight: Thessaloniki.

Day 9: PHILIPPI – KAVALA( B,_,D)
Once we finish our morning breakfast at the hotel in Thessaloniki we will drive to Kavala and then to Philippi. Kavala was the port of Philippi. Paul passed through with Silas on his way from Asia Minor to Philippi. The city was visited by the Apostle Paul. From the Acts of the Apostles and the letter to the Philippians, early Christians concluded that Paul had founded their community. We will explore the ruins of the ancient sites with Forum, the Ancient Market, the Basilica and Theatre. In Philippi preached Paul his first evangelical sermon and baptized the first Christians in Europe. You will see the “Baptismal” site where Lydia was baptized as the first European woman and the crypt where Paul was imprisoned. To end the day, we will travel back to your hotel in Thessaloniki for dinner in a selected tavern at Ladadika. Overnight Thessaloniki.

Day 10: THESSALONIKI—DELPHI—ATHENS (B,_,_)
In the morning, we will say Goodbye to Thessaloniki and drive south to Delphi, the hometown of the famous oracle. In antiquity times, Delphi was one of the most important religious centers. The city was built above the River Pleistos gorge against the backdrop of Mount Parnassus, attracting hordes of pilgrims who came to consult the oracle of Delphi. Our tour through Delphi will take us to the agora, or marketplace, the first stop along the Sacred Way, the main road that winds through the lavish complex of ancient ruins at Delphi. Along this path, we see the remains of the “treasuries” of the Athenians, a bouleuterion, the Tripod of Plataea, the Temple of Apollo, a stadium and the museum –all structures still standing from the ancient time. Then drive to Athens. Check in at your Athens hotel. As we have reached the end of the Israel-Greece tour, we will celebrate together for a final dinner at a Greek tavern with Greek dishes, wine, and folklore show. Overnight: Athens.

Day 11: DEPART ATHENS (B,_,_)
Depending on your departure time, OPTIONAL guided visit to Acropolis OR walk to Ermou st with its fascinating small shops for last minute shopping. Explore underground at the metro stations where you’ll see parts of ancient Athens. Stroll in the narrow and cobbled streets of Plaka and have a coffee at a small café, Agora, Psiri, Monastiraki flea market. Then transfer to Athens airport for your flight back home.