The Social World of the Apostle Paul:

Italy, Greece, and Turkey under Roman Rule

JUNE 16-JULY 5, 2012

OPTION 2: GREECE (JUNE 21 to 25)

Jun 21 Thur DEPART HOME COUNTRY

Fly from home city to Athens, Greece (travelers arrange their own flights)

Jun 22 Fri ARRIVE IN ATHENS (ATH)

Those who are joining the tour at this point will be given instructions about how to get to the hotel where the group will be staying. After resting from the flight, you will be free to walk around the city until the group from Italy arrives in the early evening. The tour will begin after dinner with an introductory lecture on the Greek heritage of Paul and his world. Dinner and overnight in Athens.

Jun 23 Sat NATIONAL MUSEUM – ACROPOLIS – MARS HILL – AGORA – ACROPOLIS MUSEUM

In the morning we will visit the National Archaeological Museum to learn about the history of Greece from ancient times to Paul’s day. From there we will proceed to the Acropolis to view its famous temple, the Parthenon, and Mars Hill, where the apostle Paul preached to the Greek philosophers of his day (Acts 17:16-34). Afterward we will tour the ruins of the agora (civic center) of ancient Athens and visit the Acropolis Museum, where we will view some of the materials that have been unearthed in excavations of the Acropolis. Overnight in Athens.

Jun 24 Sun ELEUSIS – CORINTH – CENCHREAE – EPIDAUROS

Today we will travel to the site of ancient Corinth, an important city where the apostle Paul lived and worked (Acts 18:1-18) and where the Christians addressed in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians lived.  Along the way, we will tour the ruins of Eleusis, where ancient mystery rites were held to honor the Greek goddess Demeter, and stop for a view of the historic Corinth Canal, which was begun in Paul’s day but not completed until the 19th century. Later in the day we will visit Cenchreae, the ancient seaport of Athens from which the apostle Paul set sail for Ephesus (Acts 18:18), and Epidauros, the site of a famous healing center dedicated to the god Asclepius.  Overnight in Athens.

Jun 25 Mon DELPHI

Our journey today will take us northward to visit the ruins of the famous oracle of Apollo at Delphi, which Greeks and Romans alike consulted for divine guidance. In late afternoon we will return to Athens to catch a flight to Istanbul, Turkey, where we will be met by our guide and taken to our hotel. Overnight in Istanbul. (NOTE: Those who wish to end their tour after the Greece segment will fly home on this day rather than to Istanbul.)