A Journey of Faith: The Footsteps of Paul

This ten-day faith journey traces Paul's second missionary journey from Thessaloniki and Philippi in Macedonia, through Berea and ancient Corinth, and out across the Aegean on an exclusive three-night cruise. Walk the ruins of the cities that received Paul's letters, stand at the Bema where he faced the proconsul Gallio in Corinth, climb Mars' Hill where he addressed the philosophers of Athens, sail to Patmos where John received the Revelation, and walk the marble streets of Ephesus where Paul spent three transformative years. One of the most complete Pauline journeys available — on land and on the sea he crossed.

What You'll Encounter

• Thessaloniki — where Paul preached three Sabbaths and left behind a church that received two of his letters

• Philippi — the river where Lydia was baptized and the traditional prison of Paul and Silas (Acts 16)

• Berea — where the congregation searched the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:10–11)

• Meteora — 14th-century Byzantine monasteries perched atop soaring rock pillars, a UNESCO World Heritage site

• Ancient Corinth — the Bema where Paul stood before the proconsul Gallio (Acts 18)

• 3-night Greek Islands cruise: Mykonos, Patmos, Crete, and Santorini

• Patmos — the Monastery of John the Evangelist and the Grotto of the Revelation (Rev. 1:9)

• Ephesus — Paul's home for three years, the Library of Celsus, and the great Theatre (Acts 19)

• Athens — the Acropolis, Mars' Hill where Paul preached to the philosophers (Acts 17:22), and the Ancient Agora

The Journey

Day by Day

1. 01

   Arrival in Thessaloniki

   Arrive at Thessaloniki International Airport "Makedonia" where your guide meets you and transfers you by private motor-coach to your hotel. Check-in from 3:00 pm. Thessaloniki was the city where Paul went immediately to the synagogue and for three Sabbaths explained the prophecies of the Old Testament to Jews and Greeks — many believed (Acts 17:1–4). Dinner and overnight.
2. 02

   Thessaloniki — Philippi — Kavala — Thessaloniki

   After buffet breakfast, depart for Philippi. En route, stop at the Lion of Amphipolis for photos. Visit Philippi, where Paul established the first European church and to which he later wrote one of his most personal letters (Acts 16:9–33). See the river where Lydia was baptized, the traditional site of Paul and Silas's prison, the Agora, and the 5th and 6th-century basilicas. Continue to Kavala — ancient Neapolis — the port where Paul first set foot on European soil (Acts 16:11). Panoramic tour before returning to Thessaloniki. Dinner and overnight.
3. 03

   Thessaloniki — Berea — Vergina — Meteora

   Buffet breakfast and check-out. Begin with a panoramic city tour of Thessaloniki — the Egnatian Way, the Triumphal Arch of Galerius, and the Rotunda. Continue to Berea (Acts 17:10–14), where Paul arrived and found a congregation that searched the Scriptures daily. See the Byzantine mosaic commemorating his preaching. Nearby, visit Vergina — the burial place of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, now a remarkable museum. In the afternoon, drive through scenic mountain terrain to Kalambaka. Time permitting, visit one of the spectacular Meteora monasteries — perched atop towering rock pillars, these UNESCO World Heritage sites date to the 14th century and exhibit superb icons and manuscripts. Dinner and overnight.
4. 04

   Kalambaka — Thermopylae — Delphi — Athens

   Buffet breakfast and check-out. Drive to Thermopylae, where 300 Spartans under King Leonidas held the pass against the Persian army in 480 BC — a legend already ancient when Paul arrived in Greece. Continue to Delphi, one of the best-preserved ancient Greek sites in the country: tour the oracle of Apollo and the archaeological museum with its renowned bronze Charioteer. In the evening, arrive in Athens for check-in, dinner, and overnight.
5. 05

   Mycenae — Ancient Corinth — Cenchrea

   Buffet breakfast. Visit Mycenae — the legendary Bronze Age city Homer called "rich in gold" — and see the Tomb of Agamemnon and the famous gold masks. Continue to Ancient Corinth, the great port city where Paul met Aquila and Priscilla and spent eighteen months preaching the Word of God (Acts 18). Visit the archaeological museum, the Temple of Apollo, the Roman forum, and the Bema — the very judgment seat where Paul stood before the proconsul Gallio. Continue to Cenchrea, the small harbor from which Paul sailed to Ephesus (Acts 18:18). Return to Athens for dinner and overnight.
6. 06

   Athens — Embarkation — Mykonos

   Buffet breakfast and check-out. Morning motor-coach transfer to the port of Lavrion for embarkation on your three-night Greek Islands cruise. Sail at 1:00 pm and enjoy lunch on board. First port of call: Mykonos at 6:00 pm — free time to explore the whitewashed flower-decked alleyways, the Church of Paraportiani, the waterfront of "Little Venice," and the famous windmills. Dinner on board. Sail for Kusadasi, Turkey at 11:00 pm. Overnight on board.
7. 07

   Kusadasi (Ephesus) — Patmos

   Buffet breakfast on board. Arrive at Kusadasi, Turkey at 7:00 am. Guided tour to Ancient Ephesus — the city where Paul preached and lived for three years (Acts 18:19–21). Walk the marble-paved streets past the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian, and the great Theatre where the riot erupted over the Gospel. Re-embark for lunch on board. Sail to Patmos at 1:00 pm. Arrive around 4:30 pm by tender-boat (weather permitting). Visit the Monastery of John the Evangelist, where he was exiled and wrote the Revelation, and the Grotto of the Apocalypse. Re-embark and sail for Heraklion, Crete. Dinner and overnight on board.
8. 08

   Heraklion (Crete) — Santorini

   Arrive in Heraklion, Crete at 7:00 am (Acts 27:7–13). Optional shore-excursion to the restored Minoan Palace of Knossos — home of the legendary King Minos and the Minotaur, the oldest civilization in Europe. Return to the ship for lunch. Sail for Santorini at noon — optional visit to the spectacular village of Oia with its iconic blue-domed churches, or take the cable car up to whitewashed Thera on the rim of the ancient volcano. Set sail back to Lavrion at 9:30 pm. Dinner and overnight on board.
9. 09

   Athens — Acropolis, Mars' Hill & Plaka

   Arrive at the port of Lavrion at 6:00 am and disembark after breakfast at 7:30 am. Climb to the marble-capped Acropolis and visit the Parthenon and Erechtheion. Walk to nearby Mars' Hill (Areopagus, Acts 17:22), where Paul delivered his soul-stirring sermon to the philosophers of Athens: "The God who made the world and everything in it does not live in temples made by man." Descend to the Ancient Agora — the commercial heart of ancient Athens, where Paul reasoned daily with the most skeptical audience of his travels. See the Doric Temple of Hephaestus and the Stoa of Attalos. Enjoy free time in Plaka, the oldest neighborhood of Athens, before a panoramic drive back to the hotel. Check-in, dinner, and overnight.
10. 10

    Departure from Athens

    Buffet breakfast at the hotel (or breakfast boxes for early departures). Check-out. Escorted group transfer to Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" for your return flight to the USA. You have walked in the cities Paul planted, stood at the Bema in Corinth, sailed the Aegean he crossed, and stood where John received the words of the risen Christ to the seven churches. The journey is over. The transformation is not.

Program Rates Include

What's Included

• 6 nights accommodation with daily buffet breakfast: 2 nights in Thessaloniki (Grand Hotel Palace or similar), 1 night in Kalambaka (Hotel Divani Meteora or similar), 3 nights in Athens (Hotel Amalia or similar)

• Daily dinners at the hotels

• Climate crisis resilience taxes

• Comprehensive sightseeing tours by deluxe air-conditioned motor-coach with free Wi-Fi

• Local government licensed English-speaking, Bible-oriented guide throughout the tour

• All entrance admission tickets to archaeological, historical sites, and museums in the itinerary

• Private motor-coach transfers between airports, ports, and hotels with English-speaking escort

• Bus driver porterage

• Whisper headsets during guided tours

• 2 small bottles of water per person per day

• Local taxes and VAT

• Transfer from Athens hotel to the port of Lavrion for embarkation

• 3-night cruise based on inside cabin (Cat IC, 15 m²) with embarkation in Lavrion

• Port taxes and gratuities to cruise-ship staff

• Full board meals on board (breakfasts, lunches, and dinners)

• Entertainment and daily activities on board

• Unlimited filtered coffee, tea, water, sodas, and juice during restaurant hours with meals

• Complimentary Essential Wi-Fi on board (basic browsing, email, and messaging)

• Three guided shore-excursions: Ancient Ephesus (Kusadasi), Monastery of John the Evangelist and Grotto of Revelation (Patmos), Minoan Palace of Knossos (Heraklion)

• English-speaking escort for the duration of the cruise

• Complimentary shuttle bus to and from Mykonos town

• Tender-boat service where the cruise-ship cannot dock

• Sustainable Development Fee for Greek ports of call

Not Included

• International airfare

• Personal expenses (meals not on board, beverages not included during meals, etc.)

• Baggage insurance

• Travel, medical, health, and accident insurance

• Trip cancellation insurance

• Optional shore-excursions in Heraklion and Santorini

• Tips and gratuities to cruise escort, local guides, and bus drivers during shore-excursions

• Any other items not specifically mentioned as included

Accommodation

Hotels of the Package

• Thessaloniki

  Grand Hotel Palace

• Kalambaka

  Hotel Divani Meteora

• Athens

  Hotel Amalia

Or similar properties of equivalent standard.