September 20, 2025
FOOTSTEPS OF PAUL GREECE
The Itinerary
Day 1 – Depart the USA
Your pilgrimage begins as you depart the USA on your international
overnight flight.
Day 2 – Arrive in Greece
You will arrive in Thessaloniki, Greece, where you will be met by our
representative and transferred to your hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 3 – Amphipolis, Philippi, And Neapolis (Kavala)
Follow in the footsteps of Paul and Silas to Amphipolis and explore the
ruins of the many Christian basilicas there. In Philippi is a baptismal
site commemorating where God opened the heart of Lydia (a seller of
purple from Thyatira) to hear the words of Paul (Acts 16:13 -15). Lydia
and her household were the first Christian converts baptized on European
soil. View the Roman-era crypt thought to have served as a prison for
the Apostle Paul, and explore Philippi’s famous agora, the Basilica of
Paul, and theater. Today’s last stop is Neapolis (Kavala), one of Greece’s
most picturesque mainland ports, where Paul landed with his disciples,
Timothy and Silas. See the Roman aqueduct and acropolis before
returning to Thessaloniki for dinner and your overnight stay.
Day 4 – Thessaloniki And Veria (Berea)
Discover Thessaloniki, where Paul was accused of turning the world
upside down with his preaching of Christ (Acts 17: 3 -6). Stroll through
the archaeological museum and the beautiful basilica of St. Demetrios,
dedicated to a distinguished Roman proconsul martyred for his Christian
faith. Look upon the agora. Along the Via Egnatia stands the Galerius Arch,
and you can look out over the second-largest city in Greece from the Old
City Ramparts, some dating back to Roman times. Follow the path of Paul
when he fled Thessaloniki for the safety of Veria (Berea), where Jews and
some honorable Greeks accepted the new faith (Acts 17: 10 -12). Continue
on to Kalambaka for dinner and your overnight stay.
Day 5 – Meteora and Delphi
As you visit the rock forest of Meteora (“in the heavens above”) in western
Thessaly, imagine the Apostle Paul walking that treacherous terrain on his
missionary journey. Gaze up at the breathtaking Byzantine monasteries
spectacularly perched on soaring, sheer-sided gray sandstone pillars.
In the 13th century, monks sought refuge in cliffside caves before
fleeing higher to build the original wooden shelters that later became
these monasteries. After a monastery tour, travel to scenic Delphi, the
religious center of the ancient Greek world and marked by the conical
stone called the omphalos (“navel”). Walk the Sacra Via to the Athenian
treasury, theatre, and the Temple of Apollo, where the oracle performed
her prophetic rituals. As you consider the incredible amount of pagan
influence just in Delphi alone, you will gain a new appreciation for the
tremendous spiritual opposition the Apostle Paul faced in preaching
the Gospel of Christ here. In the museum are many ancient treasures,
including the fifth-century, bronzed charioteer so detailed you can see
his eyelashes. Continue to Athens for your overnight stay.
Day 6 – Corinth and Cenchreae
Tour the city of Corinth, where the Apostle Paul met fellow tentmakers
Aquila and Priscilla and received a vision from the Lord saying, “I am with
thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in
this city” (Acts 18: 10). As Paul spoke, Crispus (chief ruler of the synagogue)
and many others believed and were baptized (Acts 18:8), establishing the
church at Corinth to whom Paul later wrote his two epistles. Discover the
archaeological museum, marketplace, and temples. As you walk among
the ruins, stand on the Bema, where the Apostle Paul stood before Gallio
to face charges brought against him by the Jews. Stop briefly at the port
town of Cenchreae, from which Paul later departed for Syria (Acts 18:12-
18). Return to Athens for dinner and your overnight stay.
Day 7 – Athens
(Note – Cruise extension passengers will depart from the group this
morning and head to Piraeus for their cruise ship)
Enjoy the rich architectural splendor of the ancient city of Athens as your
guide introduces you to the world-renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea, the
Parthenon, and the Erechtheum. Stand on Mars Hill as the Apostle Paul
did when he proclaimed, “I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE
UNKNOWN GOD. Whom, therefore, ye ignorantly worship, him declare I
unto you” (Acts 17:23). As you look upon the agora (ancient marketplace
and center of Athenian public life), recall that this was where the Apostle
Paul preached “Jesus and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18) to the skeptical
Athenians. Also, see the House of Parliament, the Presidential Palace, and
the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This afternoon is free to explore Athens
on your own or enjoy an optional visit to the New Acropolis Museum ($20).
Dinner and your overnight stay are spent in Athens.
Day 8 – Return to the USA
Return home with a new understanding of the Apostle Paul’s life and
ministry.
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Day 7 – Embark in Piraeus & Mykonos
Board the ship and sail the blue waters of the Aegean Sea. In the evening,
you will arrive at the world-famous Greek Island of Mykonos, where
gleaming white-washed buildings seem to climb atop each other to reach
the azure sky. Shore excursions today will be booked directly through
Celestyal Cruise Line and are not included.
Day 8 – Ephesus & Patmos
This morning, you arrive in Kusadasi, Turkiye, and journey to Ephesus,
where the Apostle Paul spent three years of his ministry. He planted a
church here and later wrote to them in his Epistle to the Ephesians. Many
of the ruins of Ephesus (known as “the marble city”) have been restored
to show the city as it was in the Apostle Paul’s time. Visit the agora and
imagine where Demetrius, the silversmith, sold his silver shrines of the
Greek goddess Artemis. Stroll through the great theater, where Paul
witnessed faithfully for Christ. Not far away is the stadium where chariot
races took place and gladiatorial combats were held. Tradition has it that
the Apostle Paul himself fought here against wild beasts. Visit the ruins
of St. John’s Basilica, where early Christian tradition tells us the “disciple
whom Jesus loved” was buried. View one of the Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World, the ruins of the Temple of Diana (Artemis), before setting
sail for the Island of Patmos to visit the Monastery of St. John high on the
mountain overlooking the entire island. Walk down to the Grotto of the
Apocalypse and the caves where it is believed that the exiled Apostle John
lived and was inspired by God to write the Book of Revelation as well as
other letters to the early church.
Day 9 – Crete & Santorini
Dock this morning in Crete’s port of Heraklion, just three miles away
from the fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos. Discovered in 1899 and
partially reconstructed, the elaborate palace is believed to be the mythical
Labyrinth of King Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. Disembark
at Santorini, one of the most beautiful Greek islands, where picturesque
whitewashed villages topped with brilliant blue domes stand in stark
contrast to the sheer drop cliffs overlooking the Aegean Sea. The island
itself perches on the edges of a volcano whose eruption 3,500 years ago
is thought to have led to the collapse of the Minoan civilization. Shore
excursions today will be booked directly through Celestyal Cruise Line
and are not included.
Day 10 – Athens
Enjoy the rich architectural splendor of the ancient city of Athens as your
guide introduces you to the world-renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea,
the Parthenon, and the Erectheum. Stand on Mars Hill as the Apostle Paul
did when he proclaimed, “I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE
UNKNOWN GOD. Whom, therefore, ye ignorantly worship, him declare I
unto you” (Acts 17:23). As you look upon the agora (ancient marketplace
and center of Athenian public life), recall that this was where the Apostle
Paul preached “Jesus and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18) to the skeptical
Athenians. Also, see the House of Parliament, the Presidential Palace, and
the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This afternoon is free to explore Athens
on your own or enjoy an optional visit to the new Acropolis Museum ($20).
Dinner and your overnight stay are spent in Athens.
Day 11 – Return to the USA