Turkey Travel Itinerary

Arrive in Istanbul, where your group is warmly welcomed by our local team and transferred to your hotel. Although Istanbul is not directly part of Saint Paul’s recorded missionary route, it offers a powerful introduction to the Christian, Roman and Byzantine world that would later shape the history of the faith.

After time to rest, gather for a welcome dinner overlooking the Bosphorus or in one of the city’s historic neighbourhoods. Your guide introduces the journey ahead: from the great imperial city of Istanbul to the landscapes of ancient Cilicia, Pisidia, Lycaonia and Ionia, where Paul preached, travelled, suffered, taught and encouraged the first Christian communities.

Meals: Dinner

After breakfast, fly to southern Turkey and continue toward Antakya, ancient Antioch, one of the most important cities in early Christian history. This is where Paul and Barnabas were sent out on mission, making Antioch a deeply meaningful starting point for a journey through Paul’s ministry in Asia Minor.

Depending on local conditions and access, visit key heritage areas connected with Antioch’s Christian memory. Antakya has been undergoing extensive recovery following the devastating 2023 earthquakes; recent reporting notes that much of the historic centre was destroyed, and restoration work continues around places such as St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church. For this reason, visits here should be handled sensitively and confirmed close to travel.

The day may include a meeting with a local historian, cultural expert or community representative to understand Antioch not only as a biblical city, but as a place of layered Christian, Muslim and Jewish heritage.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, travel to Tarsus, the birthplace of Saint Paul and one of the most significant stops on this itinerary. Begin with the Church of Saint Paul, now a memorial museum. Turkish Museums notes that Tarsus is the birthplace of Saint Paul and that several churches dedicated to him were built there from the 5th century onward, with one surviving today.

Continue to Saint Paul’s Well, traditionally associated with the area of Paul’s house. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism describes the well and its surroundings as a protected archaeological area with Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman cultural layers.

Also visit the ancient Roman road in Tarsus, where preserved paving and wheel marks offer a tangible connection to the world of Roman travel, trade and civic life. After lunch, enjoy an authentic local experience: a tasting of regional products, a visit to an old Tarsus house, or a small culinary encounter highlighting southern Turkish flavours such as pomegranate, citrus, bulgur, spices and slow-cooked local dishes.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, depart Tarsus and travel north through the dramatic Taurus Mountains, following the ancient passage known as the Cilician Gates. This route connected Cilicia with the interior of Anatolia and helps travellers understand the physical demands of Paul’s journeys: mountains, plains, distance, weather and the constant movement between Roman cities.

Continue toward the Konya region, ancient Iconium, with possible stops connected to Derbe and Lystra depending on group interest and archaeological accessibility. These places are associated with some of Paul’s most intense missionary moments in Acts 14, including preaching, opposition, healing, persecution and the strengthening of early believers.

Arrive in Konya and check in at your hotel. Dinner introduces the group to the cuisine of central Anatolia, with dishes such as oven-baked lamb, flatbreads, yoghurt-based preparations and local desserts.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Begin the day in Konya, ancient Iconium, where Paul and Barnabas preached and where early Christian communities began to form. The visit may include the archaeological museum, local remains and contextual interpretation from your guide to help connect the modern city with its ancient past.

Continue toward the area traditionally associated with Lystra, where Paul’s ministry included both miraculous reception and violent opposition. This is also connected with Timothy, one of Paul’s closest companions, giving the day a strong theme of mentorship, discipleship and spiritual courage.

In the afternoon, visit Sille, a historic village near Konya with old stone houses, churches and a layered Greek, Christian and Anatolian past. Depending on access, include the Church of Saint Helena or a local heritage walk. For a cultural experience, the evening may include a carefully interpreted Mevlevi music or whirling dervish presentation — not as part of Paul’s story, but as a way to encounter Turkey’s broader spiritual and artistic heritage.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, travel to Yalvaç to visit ancient Pisidian Antioch, one of the most important biblical sites in Turkey connected with Saint Paul. Acts records that from Perga, Paul and his companions went to Pisidian Antioch, where Paul spoke in the synagogue and delivered one of the major sermons recorded in Acts.

Explore the archaeological remains with your guide, including the ancient city layout, Roman structures and the area traditionally associated with the synagogue context of Paul’s preaching. This is one of the most powerful reflection points of the journey, especially for pastors or spiritual leaders who may wish to offer a short teaching or devotional moment.

Lunch is arranged locally, with simple regional dishes that reflect the rural character of central Anatolia. Continue toward Antalya in the late afternoon, descending from the highlands toward the Mediterranean coast.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, visit Perge, the ancient city where Paul and his companions arrived after sailing from Cyprus. Acts places Perga in the first missionary journey narrative, before Paul continued inland toward Pisidian Antioch.

Walk through the ancient streets, gates, baths, agora and theatre, imagining the Roman urban world through which Paul moved. Continue to Antalya, ancient Attalia, the port city from which Paul and Barnabas later sailed back toward Antioch after completing part of their mission.

To balance the archaeological focus, enjoy a local Mediterranean experience: a harbour walk in Antalya’s old town, a visit to a small producer, or a meal featuring olive oil, herbs, citrus, grilled vegetables, seafood and regional pastries. The evening is free to rest by the coast.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, travel by air or road toward Izmir and continue to the Ephesus region. Ephesus is one of the most important stops on any Footsteps of Saint Paul itinerary. Acts 19 describes Paul’s ministry in Ephesus, where he taught, encountered disciples, preached boldly and became part of a dramatic confrontation with the city’s religious and commercial life.

Explore the ancient city of Ephesus, including the Library of Celsus, the theatre, marble streets, agora, public buildings and areas connected to daily Roman life. UNESCO describes Ephesus as an exceptional testimony to Hellenistic, Roman Imperial and early Christian cultural traditions, with remains including the Library of Celsus, Terrace Houses, Church of Mary and Basilica of St. John.

In the afternoon, visit the Basilica of Saint John or the surrounding early Christian heritage of Selçuk. For an authentic local experience, enjoy dinner in a nearby village such as Şirince, known for stone houses, local food traditions and a slower village atmosphere.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, visit Miletus, one of the most moving locations connected with Paul’s later ministry. Acts 20 records that from Miletus, Paul sent for the elders of the church in Ephesus and gave them a deeply personal farewell address.

Walk through the ancient theatre and archaeological remains, pausing for reflection on themes of leadership, humility, service, farewell and spiritual responsibility. This is an ideal place for a pastor, priest or group leader to offer a short teaching moment connected with Paul’s words to the Ephesian elders.

After the visit, enjoy a countryside lunch with regional produce, olive oil, herbs and seasonal dishes from western Turkey. Depending on group pace, the afternoon may include Priene, Didyma or a relaxed coastal stop before returning to the Ephesus / Izmir area.

In the evening, gather for a farewell dinner. The group reflects on the journey from Antioch and Tarsus to Perge, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Ephesus and Miletus — a route of courage, teaching, movement and faith.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, transfer to Izmir Airport for departure, or connect via Istanbul for international flights.

You leave Turkey having followed Saint Paul through some of the most important landscapes of his missionary life: from his birthplace in Tarsus to the ancient roads of Anatolia, from the synagogue context of Pisidian Antioch to the great urban world of Ephesus, and finally to the emotional farewell at Miletus. Along the way, you encountered Roman roads, early Christian memory, local hospitality, regional cuisine, sacred reflection and the living cultural depth of Turkey.

Meals: Breakfast