Destination Guide

Turkey — Istanbul & Asia Minor

Hagia Sophia. Ephesus. The House of the Virgin Mary. The Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Seven Churches of Revelation. The birthplace of the early Church — and the city that was Constantinople for a thousand years.

✝ Catholic · Orthodox · Pauline programs 9 days Izmir → Ephesus → Istanbul Ecumenical Patriarchate visit
9
Day program
$3,100
Wholesale from
Izmir → Istanbul
One-way routing
7 Churches
of Revelation accessible

The Program

This 9-day itinerary enters at Izmir (ancient Smyrna — one of the Seven Churches of Revelation) and works south through Ephesus and the House of the Virgin Mary before heading north through Pergamon, Troy, and into Istanbul / Constantinople for the final three days. The routing is logical — it follows the geography of the early Church's spread through Asia Minor.

Turkey — 9 Days, Izmir + Ephesus + Istanbul

Seven Churches of Revelation · House of the Virgin Mary · Hagia Sophia · Ecumenical Patriarchate
8 nights Biblical & Historical Sites Izmir in / Istanbul out
DayLocationSites & Experiences
Day 1
USA → Izmir (ADB)
Evening departure, overnight flight to Izmir / Adnan Menderes Airport.
Day 2
Izmir / Smyrna — Arrival
Transfer + hotel check-in · Afternoon: Kordon seafront promenade, Clock Tower Square (Konak), neoclassical waterfront · Old Rum (Greek) neighborhoods of Bornova and Boudja — the historic Greek presence in Asia Minor · Welcome dinner + overnight
Day 3
Ephesus + House of the Virgin Mary
Ephesus: Marble Road, Library of Celsus, the Great Theatre (where St. Paul stirred the city — Acts 19) · Mount Koressos: House of the Virgin Mary (veneration + prayer at the place of tradition) · Selçuk: Basilica of St. John the Theologian (built over the Apostle's tomb) · Return Izmir
Day 4
Pergamon → Ayvalik
Pergamon Acropolis: Temple of Athena, Library (second only to Alexandria), Theatre carved into the hillside · Asclepieion (ancient healing complex — sacred springs, colonnaded halls) · Continue to coastal Ayvalik (calm islets, olive groves — restful overnight)
Day 5
Troy → Silivri → Istanbul
Troy (UNESCO World Heritage — successive walls, myth meets archaeology: nine layers of civilization) · Cross the Dardanelles · Silivri: birthplace of St. Nektarios of Aegina (1846–1920) — brief veneration + remembrance · Evening arrival Istanbul
Day 6
Istanbul — Imperial City
Hagia Sophia (AD 537 — dome like "light upon light," 30 million gold mosaic tesserae) · Hippodrome (Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column) · Blue Mosque (17th-century Iznik tilework, 6 minarets) · Basilica Cistern (6th century — Medusa heads, 336 columns) · Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı — 4,000 shops, 1461)
Day 7
Princes' Islands — Halki + Büyükada
Sea of Marmara sail to Halki / Heybeliada: Theological School grounds (1844, closed 1971 — a symbol of hope and loss for the Orthodox world) · Büyükada: Victorian villas, pine forests, horse-drawn carriages — the largest of the Princes' Islands · Return Istanbul
Day 8
Istanbul — Phanar + Blachernae + Baloukli
Ecumenical Patriarchate at Phanar: Church of St. George (Divine Liturgy, relics of St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Euphemia — brought from Chalcedon) · Blachernae (the Akathist Hymn was first chanted here in 626 AD) · Life-Giving Spring / Baloukli (hagiasma, the fish of tradition, Patriarchs' tombs) · Optional evening: Bosphorus sailing — Europe and Asia reflected on the water
Day 9
Istanbul (IST) → USA
Final morning stroll through the Queen of Cities · Transfer to Atatürk / Sabiha International Airport · Return flight home
Geographic logic: Istanbul and Ephesus are separate hotel bases — they cannot be combined as a day trip (they are 550+ km apart by road). The program is structured so Izmir/Ephesus is covered in the south (Days 2–4), then the route moves north through Pergamon and Troy before arriving in Istanbul for the final three days (Days 6–8). This is the operational reality, and it creates a natural geographic narrative from Asia Minor to Constantinople.

Everything That's Included

4-Star Hotels
Izmir, Ayvalik, and Istanbul — central locations, breakfast daily.
Private Coach Throughout
Own fleet — modern, Wi-Fi, restrooms. No shared transport.
Expert Local Guide
Full-time guide with deep knowledge of Byzantine history, Orthodox theology, and Pauline geography.
Princes' Islands Ferry
Private boat transfer to Halki and Büyükada — included on Day 7.
Patriarchate Visit + Divine Liturgy
Visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate at Phanar arranged directly. Divine Liturgy at the Church of St. George.
European Travel Insurance
Full coverage included in every package.

Why Flock for Turkey

Decades of operating in Istanbul and Anatolia — and direct access to the Patriarchate.
Direct
Patriarchate access
A visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate requires advance coordination and established relationships. After 65+ years of operating in the region, we have them. A cold email to the Patriarchate's office rarely yields the same experience.
1
US operator combining Ephesus + Patriarchate
Most US operators offer either a secular Turkey tour or a Greece + Turkey combo. A program connecting Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, Pergamon, and the Patriarchate in a single 9-day arc is rare.
Combinable
Extends naturally into Greece
Turkey pairs logically with the Greece + Istanbul / Mount Athos program or with a Holy Land extension. Partners who want a 2-week combined program for ambitious groups can request a custom combined itinerary.

Other Destinations

Holy Land
9–11 days from $3,400
Greece
8–11 days from $3,050
Italy
8–9 days from $2,800
Egypt
9–10 days from $3,200

Ready to bring your group to Turkey?

Submit a trip request and receive a complete custom proposal within 3 business days. No commitment required.