Our new Greece itinerary is packed full of incredible sites and activities, from the first day you arrive in Thessaloniki to the time you leave Athens. Book your trip now or check out the daily itinerary below!
On the first day of our tour we take off from New York for our flight to Istanbul - meals served on board!
Named after Alexander the Great’s sister, this city features prominently in the New Testament, at which time this provincial capital was considered a world cultural center. It's where Paul preached and founded a church, and he wrote two epistles to the people of Thessaloniki (Acts 17:1-9; 1 Thessalonians; 2 Thessalonians).
Day 3 of our new Greece itinerary takes us to ancient Philippi, which was named after the father of Alexander the Great. This busy Roman colony boasted a great library and theater. In Philippi, Paul preached and established the first church in Europe, and it was the people of Philippi to whom he wrote one of his epistles while imprisoned in Rome (Acts 16:11-40; Philippians).
Day 4 of our Greece itinerary features visits to Veria, Bema, and finally Kalambaka to see the striking scenery of the “Hanging Monasteries”! Perched on top of huge rocks that seem to be suspended in mid-air are ageless monasteries where we can see exquisite specimens of Byzantine art. There are 24 monasteries in total, with 6 currently inhabited.
On Day 5 of our new Greece itinerary we go to Athens! We stop at Thermopylae, the location where the Greeks victoriously fought for their freedom during the Greco-Persian wars in 480 BC. We see the statue of Leonidas, king of the Greek city-state Sparta. Next we continue to Athens, where we have a panoramic orientation tour and may have some free time to explore the Plaka.
On Day 6 of our Greece tour we'll spend the day exploring Athens! We visit the Acropolis, the Parthenon, Areopagus, and Mars Hill (Acts 17:15-34). We see the Acropolis Museum, then have a panoramic tour of the Parliament House, the Academy, Omonia Square, Panathenaic Stadium, and more!
For our final full day in Greece, we go to Corinth to visit the archaeological site where the Apostle Paul worked for 18 months with tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:1-18). We also see the handmade Corinth Canal connecting the Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea. Next we make our way to the beautiful seaport town of Nafplio, the first capital of Greece and a location rich in Venetian architecture, cobbled squares, and towering castles with commanding views of the Argolic Gulf. What a beautiful way to end our trip!
Today we say goodbye to Athens as we drive to the airport for our flight back home, filled with great memories of our time in Greece.