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Anglican Tour in the Footsteps of St Paul & St John.

2nd September - 15th September, 2014

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Optional 4 day Cruise to Greek Islands & Turkey "Iconic Aegean" (15th September 19th September, 2014)

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COST AUD $6385.00 per person twin share. Plus: AUD $668.00 Ticket & Fuel Tax per person Plus: AUD $234.00 Tipping per person Plus: USD $60.00 Turkey Visa payable on arrival.

Anglican Tour in the Footsteps of St Paul & St John. 2nd September 15th September, 2014 Tour Cost: $6385.00 per person BASED ON TWIN SHARE ACCOMMODATION

FEATURING: TURKEY: Istanbul, Gallipoli, Ephesus, Ancient Smyrna GREECE: Philippi, Thessaloniki, Berea, Vergina, Meteora, Athens, Mars Hill, Patmos, and Corinth. ITINERARY

TUESDAY 2nd September, 2014

Depart Australia for Istanbul Turkey. (Meals on flight).

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WEDNESDAY 3rd September

Arrival in Istanbul where you will be met and transferred to your chartered coach. Your guide will take you to visit St. Sophia (Hagia Sophia) which was the largest church in Christendom for a 1000 years. End up our tour with a pleasant walk among 4,000 shops at the covered Grand Bazaar where we will try our bargaining skills. After the visits you will check in to your hotel. Overnight Istanbul. (B-D)

THURSDAY 4th September

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Visit the Archeological Museum, the Underground Cisterns, Blue Mosque with its six minarets and sparkling interior and the Chora Museum. You will take a late evening flight to Izmir for dinner and overnight. Overnight Izmir. (B-D)

FRIDAY 5th September

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Today You will visit Ephesus, one of the Seven Churches of Revalation (Rv. 1:11) and once a burstling port town of 250.000 people and visit also the St. Johns Basilica. After Ephesus visits you will continue to Izmir, the ancient Smyrna and after your visit to the Smyrna Fortress you will continue to Pergamum for dinner and overnight. Overnight near Bergama. (B-D)

SATURDAY 6th September

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Today Visit Pergamum another of the Seven Churches mentioned in the revelation (Rev. 2:12), the fabled Acropolis 1000 feet above the town and commanding a spectacular panorama, foundations of the Zeus Temple, the Temple of Athena, ruins of the library which held 200.000 parchments. Also you will see the Gymnasium and the Health Center called Asclepion, Assos, and Troy. Overnight Canakkale. (B-D)

SUNDAY 7th September

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Depart early hours of the morning to arrive at the GALLIPOLI PENINSULA to visit the ANZAC COVE. Visit the Lone Pine cemeteries, see the old trenches and view the monument to Kernal Ataturk (1881-1938) the founder of the Turkish Republic. Then continue to Keshan to be transferred to Greece over the border. Your Greek guide and bus driver will greet and meet the group at Kipi, the Greek side of the Turkish/Greek border and drive via Alexandroupolis to Neapolis (present day Kavala), Greeces most picturesque mainland port.

Paul arrived in this city (Acts 16:11) with his coworkers Timothy (Acts 16:1-3; 17:14-15; 18:5; 20:4, 5) and Silas (Acts 15:22-35, 40, 41; 16:25-40; 17:4, 14, 15). Check-in at hotel. Overnight Kavala. (B-D)

MONDAY 8th September

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Breakfast at hotel. Check-out. Drive to Philippi (Acts 16:12-40; 20:6). Over there Paul preached his evangelistic sermon to women who had gathered at the river. You will visit the river where Paul baptized Lydia, a purple fabric merchant, who became the first Christian woman to be baptized on European soil (Acts 16:14, 15, 40). You will see a crypt, dating from the Roman period, which according to church tradition may have been the place where Paul was flogged and imprisoned. Also at Philippi you will see, the ancient Roman Agora (Forum) built during the time of Augustus and mentioned in the Book of Acts as the place where Paul was publicly punished after he healed the demonpossessed girl (Acts 16:19). You will see the Basilicas and the Greek Theatre (4th century BC), which was converted into an arena by the Romans and used during the persecutions of the early days of the church. Pauls letter to the Philippians was addressed to the local Christians 14 years after his first visit there. On the way back to Thessaloniki you will see the remains of the ancient famous road Via Egnatia. You will pass by the ancient cities of Amphipolis and Apollonia, which are mentioned in the Book of Acts (Acts 17:1). Check-in at hotel. Overnight Thessaloniki. (B-D)

TUESDAY 9th September

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Breakfast at hotel. Check-out. First we enjoy a panoramic city tour of Thessaloniki (Acts 17:1-13). Paul wrote two epistles to Thessalonians, both in the canon of the New Testament. Here you will try to visit the Roman Agora (Forum) and the Basilica of Saint Demetrios. You will see the White Tower, the statue of Alexander the Great and the remains of the Palace complex of Galerius (late 3rd century AD). The Arch of Galerius and Rotonda was later converted to the Church of Saint George. You will also see the City Walls and the Great Gate, which connects the city with Via Egnatia (Via Egnatia was the transcontinental east-west road of the Roman Empire built on the 2nd century BC). Then we will travel to the recently discovered archaeological site of Vergina, the old capitol of the Macedonian Kingdom (5th to 2nd centuries BC). There you will visit the grave of Philip the 2nd, the father of Alexander the Great, which was found intact. Vergina is the birth place of Macedonia and located very close to the biblical city of Berea which you may be able to visit as well along with the Jewish synagogue (if the time allows). Drive to Kalambaka. Overnight Kalambaka. (B-D)

WEDNESDAY 10th September

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Breakfast at hotel. Check-out. In the morning we visit the wonderful place of Meteora monasteries at the top of exotic rocks. This is a tremendous introduction to the Eastern Orthodox Church. You will continue your travel to Athens. Overnight Athens. (B-D)

THURSDAY 11th September

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Breakfast at hotel. Check-out. Today we have a full day visit of the architectural splendors of this ancient city are majestic. You will visit the world-renown hill of Acropolis along with the new Acropolis Museum. Special emphasis will be on the visit to the Areopagus (Mars Hill) where Paul gave his famous speech to the Athenian philosophers (Acts 17:18-34). You will also be visiting the Ancient Agora (Forum), where Paul met the Philosophers, the Stoa of Attalus and the Temple of Hephaestus. The meanings of democracy, city assembly (ecclesia) and reasoning (logos) were first conceived and practiced in this part of the world. Many of the terms used by the Athenian Democracy were incorporated in the churchs terminology. (ecclesia, logos). You will eat dinner at a local restaurant in Athens before your transfer to the port of Piraeus to embark on the ferryboat bound for the island of Patmos around 7:00 p.m. Overnight crossing. You will arrive around 3:15 a.m. and stay overnight in a local hotel. Overnight Patmos. (B-D)

FRIDAY 12th September

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Breakfast at the hotel. Spend the whole day in Patmos visiting the Greek Byzantine Monastery of John the Evangelist and the Grotto of Revelation. You will have time to enjoy the wonderful city of Patmos and have dinner in a typical island restaurant. Embarkation on the ferryboat sailing to Piraeus at 11:55 p.m. Overnight crossing Overnight crossing. (B-D)

SATURDAY 13th September

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At 8:15 a.m. arrive at the port of Pireous and be picked up by your bus in order to visit Corinth (Acts 18:1-18). Corinth is the city where Paul stayed for one and a half years during his first visit, the longest he stayed in any of the cities he visited except Ephesus. Paul wrote at least four letters addressed to the church of Corinth two of which are found in the New Testament. From Corinth he wrote three and possibly four epistles addressed to the first Christians in Rome, Thessaloniki and Galatia. You will be visiting the archaeological museum, the Ancient Agora (Forum) and the bema where Paul stood in front of Gallio (Acts 18:12-17), the Roman Pro-Consul of Achaea. You will see the inscription of Erastus, the treasurer of the city, mentioned in the epistle to Romans.

(Acts 19:22; Romans 16:23; 2 Timothy 4:20) You will also enjoy seeing the Temple of Apollo and the hill of Acrocorinth, where during the time of classical Greece used to be the famous Temple of Aphrodite. Drive back to Athens. Check-in at the hotel, followed by dinner and overnight. Overnight Athens. (D)
(Note: Breakfast not included in Ferry Crossing. However we arrive at Corinth Canal about 09:00am and you can buy breakfast at one of the coffee shops overlooking the historic Isthmus of Corinth)

SUNDAY 14th September

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Breakfast at the hotel. Visit St Pauls Anglican Church for the 10:15am morning service then have free time in the city of Athens for souvenir shopping in Plaka. You will take a guided tour at Cape Sounio in the afternoon to visit the Temple of Poseidon. You will also have a special Greek night at Cosmovision Center. Overnight at your hotel Overnight Athens. (B-D)

MONDAY 15th September

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Breakfast at hotel. Check-out. Transfer from the hotel to Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos for departure flight home back to Australia!

Optional 4 day Cruise to Greek Islands & Turkey Iconic Aegean

(15th September 19th September 2014) Cruise Cost: $1,685.00 per person BASED ON TWIN SHARE ACCOMMODATION

MONDAY 15th September

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At 8:30 a.m. we are transferred to the port of Piraeus for the 4-Day Cruise Iconic Aegean to the Greek Isles & Turkey. Embarkation and sail for Mykonos at 11:00 a.m. Lunch on board. In the afternoon (6:00p.m.), call at Mykonos. (Disembarkation either by tender-boats or the ship will dock at the port of Tourlos). Mykonos, the Pearl of the Aegean Sea combines international jetset atmosphere and a very active nightlife. You can stroll at leisure through the whitewashed, flower-decked alleyways, climbing to the sculpture church of Paraportiani and then along the waterfront of Little Venice to the well-known windmills. Sail for Kusadasi, Turkey at 11:00 p.m. Overnight on board. (L-D)

TUESDAY 16th September

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Breakfast on board. At 7:00 a.m. our cruise-ship will at the port of Kusadasi in Turkey. Leisurely walk at Kusadasi port and the market place. At 12.30 sail for Patmos. Lunch on board. At 4p.m. we arrive at Patmos. (Disembarkation either by tender boats or the ship docks, sea and weather permitting).

Free time for browsing in the town. Dinner & overnight on board. Sail for Rhodes. Overnight on board. (B-L-D)

WEDNESDAY 17th September

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Breakfast on board. At 7:00 a.m. we call at Rhodes. This stronghold was built by a Crusading Order, which originated from Palestine, and in older days, it boasted of another achievements of the then known world The Colossus of Rhodes! Our optional half-day excursion takes us to visit the Temple of Athena on the majestic rocky Acropolis of Lindos, with the blue Aegean Sea beneath it and the sophisticated, whitewashed artists colony at its foot. Local tradition has it that on his way to Rome; Pauls vessels spent some time here in the small harbor (Acts 21:1). Lunch on board. Then we have the afternoon free in Rhodes for a most delightful experience. You can stroll around the medieval walled city; enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere from one of the elegant cafes in the marina. Sail for Heraklion, Crete at 6:00 p.m. Overnight on board. (B-L-D)

THURSDAY 18th September

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Breakfast on board. At 7:00 a.m. we dock at the port of Heraklion Crete, (Acts 27:7-13) where we can take an optional excursion to visit the Minoan Palace of Knossos, legendary home of the Minotaur (half bull and half man). At 11.30 sail for Santorini. Lunch on board. At 4:40p.m. arrive in Santorini (Disembarkation by tender-boats, sea & weather permitting).

There are three options to reach the white-washed town of Fira: a) take a donkey or mule (at 5Euro per person), b) the cable-car (at 4Euro per person one-way), c) by walking a very strenuous 45minutes walk (599 steps) uphill, on a path you will share with the mules. The town of Fira is perched high on the rim of the ancient volcano. In the town of Fira white-washed houses, narrow streets, open-air cafes and glittering boutiques cling to steep cliffs. The eruption of the volcano in 1,600 BC literally buried a flourishing Bronze Age town which has now been excavated at Akrotiri. Free time for taking photos, browsing, shopping and enjoying the unique view. Sail for Piraeus at 9:00 pm. Overnight on board. (B-L-D)

FRIDAY 19th September

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At 6:00 a.m. arrive at Piraeus. We disembark after breakfast. At 7.45 meet the local escort who will assist with transfer to Athens Airport. (B)

SATURDAY 20th September

Arrival home with a new understanding of the Bible and memories to last a lifetime! (Meals in Flight).

SUMMARY OF TOUR
Price includes Round trip airfare from Australia to Istanbul via Dubai and return from Athens. All airport assistance, touring expenses in all countries visited with an English speaking tour guide in modern air-conditioned coaches, nightly accommodation in 3 or 4 star hotels, majority of hotel and airport baggage handling, meals where indicated (Breakfast Lunch Dinner), and all entrance. Price does not include Beverages with meals, drinks, Visa cost (if applicable), or Travel Insurance.

COST AUD $6385.00 per person twin share.

Plus: AUD $668.00 Ticket & Fuel Tax per person. Plus: AUD $234.00 Tipping per person. Plus: USD $60.00 Turkey Visa payable on arrival. (Cost subject to a minimum of 15 adults travelling). SINGLE room supplement costs are available on request.

Optional 4 day Cruise to Greek Islands & Turkey COST AUD $1,685.00 per person twin share
TOLL FREE AUSTRALIA 1800 074 426

Business Class Upgrade quotes available on request. Additional Travel/Tours, Extensions and/or Stopover options available on request.

NB. Any additional travel/upgrade expenses must be booked & paid in full 60 days prior to Australian departure. A minimal fee shall apply for Travellers deviating flights from the return date of the group. This tour is being made possible through Inner Faith Travel and Father John Mathes & Carolyn Mathes. Every effort is made to provide accurate prices however, Tour costs remain subject to change at any time at the discretion of Inner Faith Travel due to currency fluctuations, flight rescheduling or airfare/land operator increases since the time of publication (10/10/13).

Inner Faith Travel

20 Grandview Terrace, Tallai, QLD 4213, Australia
(61) 07 5530 2900
Fax to (61) 07 5530 3911

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