“What a trip! Leading up to visiting Israel we were excited with anticipation, but boy did it exceed anything we had imagined. Our tour guide CJ was outstanding. He broke down the Jewish culture, past and modern history, biblical connections/application, and geography of Israel at every site. It was just so awesome with how many sites and artifacts we were shown and how seamlessly our trip was organized. Throughout the week we were taken well care of. We stayed in very nice hotels, ate great food, and enjoyed a comfortable, air-conditioned bus driven by our expert driver, Happy. Happy made sure we stayed hydrated and took extra special care of us in keeping us safe. CJ and Happy complemented each other wonderfully. With packed days of touring, we enjoyed restful evenings. We also felt safe and secure throughout our travels, allowing us to delve fully into what we were learning and what God was teaching us about Himself.
Besides enjoying CJ and Happys sense of humor, we quickly experienced camaraderie between the rest of our group, which made little things like traveling, eating, and taking pictures fun. Thank you all for loving on us; we thank God for you and this short time we were able to connect. And most importantly we thank God as we recognize all the lessons we learned along the way. He definitely used this trip to reveal new things to us as we learned more about the Bible, God, and ourselves.
Thank you and many Blessings,
Jeanne Jackson
8-Day Turkey Tour
Explore Turkey and learn about its rich heritage in 8 days!
What’s Included
- Airfare from group departure city
- All Transfers
- Baggage Handling
- Breakfast & Dinner Daily
- Entrance Fees to all Sites
- Gratuities
- Itinerary as per Description
- Premium Accommodations
- Professional Tour Guides
- Transportation by Deluxe Motor Coach
Schedule
Day 1 Depart USA
Relax and rest on your flight from the USA.
Day 2 Arrive in Istanbul
Arrive in Istanbul, the stronghold of the first Christians. Our motor coach will transport us from the airport to our hotel to enjoy a group dinner and overnight. Istanbul is the former Byzantium - the powerful capital of the Byzantine Empire.
Day 3 Istanbul / Church of St. Savior
Your unforgettable tour will begin in the ancient capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, featuring the Church of St. Saviour, one of the earliest and most important Christian churches, famous for its mosaics; the Byzantine Hippodrome, St. Sophia Church, the breathtaking Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace home of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years and the Grand Bazaar. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 4 Canakkale
Drive from Istanbul to Canakkale, via the strait of Dardanelles, where Asia meets Europe. Visit Troy, the legendary city of Homer’s ‘Iliad”, see the wooden horse and discover the ancient city among the remains of nine layers dating from the 3rd millennium B.C. to the Roman period. After lunch, drive to Canakkale for dinner and overnight.
Day 5 Izmir
Drive to Alexandria Troas, whence Paul, inspired by a dream, set sail to Neapolis in Macedonia on his Second missionary Journey (Act of the Apostles: 16.9). Continue to Assos, where Paul rejoined his companions after a 20 mile walk (Acts: 20-13). Then on to Pergamum, (one of the Seven Churches of Asia) the ancient center of Greek art and culture, the birth place of parchment paper. Then on to see the majestic Acropolis with the Altar of Zeus (Throne of Satan), the Theater, Temples, Palaces, the Gymnasium, and the Aesclupium (the ancient medieval center). Drive to Izmir via Thyatira, another of the Seven Churches with remains of a Basilica. Drive to Izmir for overnight.
Day 6 Pamukkale
After a short sightseeing tour of Izmir (ancient Smyrna and one of the Seven Churches (Rev: 2-8), drive to Sardes (Rev: 3-1). Visit of the Temple of Artemis, the recently reconstructed gymnasium and the largest synagogue discovered in Asia Minor. On to Philadelphia (Rev: 3-7) and then to Laodecia (Rev. 3-14) to see the last of the Seven Churches. Laodecia was founded by King Antochus II and named for his wife Laodice about 260 B.C. Drive to Pamukkale, famous for its unique stalactite formations and the beautiful natural pools of warm water. Dinner and overnight in Hierapolis (Pamukkale).
Day 7 Izmir / Hieropolis
In the morning visit Hieropolis, with its marvels such as the Necropolis, Baths, Theater and St. Philippe Martyrium. Drive to Ephesus, which was a major city in early Christianity as, the site where St. Paul baptized the twelve disciples and wrote parts of the Epistles while imprisoned there. In Ephesus (Acts: 17 and Rev. 2-1) visit the Basilica of John, the last House of the Virgin Mary, and the site of the Temple of Diana, along with other famous remains. Continue to Miletus, where Paul said farewell to the Ephesian elders on his Third Missionary Journey (Rev. 20-17), Return to Izmir.
Day 8 Return to USA
Relax and reflect on your flight home.
Jeanne Jackson
This was my first time to Isreal, and it was such a fantastic trip due to our guide Adam and our driver Money Mike! Adam is so knowledgeable and was really able to make each site come alive for me. We had a really large group, and I am sure that Adam felt like he was “herding cats” all week, but he kept us together and moving through the areas while sharing so much information. With Mike’s driving and sense of humor, I felt very safe even though the streets sometimes seemed way too narrow for all of the buses and cars! The team of Adam and Money Mike were fabulous, and I would highly recommend them!!
Adrienne Carter
If you’re doing the Holy Land Tour, there’s no question in which company to choose - it’s Travel With Friends! The entire trip was very well planned and wasted no time in getting us in and out of sites while beating the crowds. Ibrahim was a phenomenal guide! He was personable, fun, and incredibly knowledgeable in the Bible and history of the land. Will definitely do this trip again and go through Travel With Friends!
Ellie Hill