Greece

Pilgrimage Itinerary



14 May - Day 1: Arrive Thessaloniki

Depart Dublin airport and arrive at the airport in Thessaloniki, & transfer to the hotel. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant this evening.

15 May - Day 2: Thessaloniki - Amphipolis - Philippi - Kavala - Thessaloniki

After breakfast, travel to ancient Amphipolis. Here you will find the Amphipolis lion monument, amongst other preA.D. remains. Explore the remains of ancient Philippi afterward. Highlights of the site include the Christian basilicas, the Forum, & the jail where Paul & Silas were imprisoned, as told in the New Testament. Visit the Baptistery of Lydia, where Paul's European baptism ministry began. Enjoy a brief visit to nearby Kavala, where you'll see its Byzantine castle. Afterward, return to Thessaloniki for the evening.

16 May - Day 3: Thessaloniki - Veria - Kalambaka

Enjoy a half-day city tour of Thessaloniki this morning. Visit the Arch of Galerius, the 4th-century A.D. Rotunda, & one of the city's most notable landmarks, the White Tower of Thessaloniki. Next you will head to the Hagia Sophia church. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is known for its centuries-old mosaics. Before leaving the city, enjoy a walk through the sanctuary & crypt of the Church of Saint Demetrius. Continue to drive to Veria (Beroea of the New Testament), where Paul and Silas were sent by friends after being accused of treason in Thessaloniki (Acts 17:5-15). Visit the BEMA where Paul is said to have stood and preached the Gospel to the local community. Under the Hill of (the Great Tumulus) in Vergina, Greece, are the Royal Tombs of Vergina. This is the final resting place of the father of Alexander the Great, King Philip II of Macedon who was assassinated. We will visit this UNESCO World Heritage site before continuing to Kalambaka. Dinner and overnight in Kalambaka.

17 May- Day 4: Kalambaka - Meteora

Today features a visit to some of the most unique monasteries in Europe, the Meteora Monasteries. You'll be amazed as you head up to the top of steep pinnacles to tour these holy buildings. We will see the famous hanging monasteries situated atop vast rocks, the 14th-century monasteries compose one of the most breathtaking sites in the world. Inside the monasteries, discover many historical and religious treasures. Continue to Delphi. Dinner and overnight in Delphi

18 May - Day 5: Delphi

Spend the majority of the day in Delphi. Here you will see an ancient theatre, built amidst breathtaking landscapes, & the Temple of Apollo. Other highlights of the ancient Delphi tour include the Athenian Treasury & the Archaeological Museum. Afterward, leave for Athens. On our way to Athens we will visit the Holy Monastery of Hosios Loukas - Hosios Loukas is a historic walled monastery situated near the town of Distomo, in Boeotia, Greece. Founded in the mid-10th century, the monastery is one of the most important monuments of Middle Byzantine architecture and art, and has been listed on UNESCO's World Heritage Sites since 1990, along with the monasteries of Nea Moni and Daphnion. Continue onto Athens. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant in Greece's capital city.

19 May - Day 6: Athens

Discover the wonders of Athens today. Head up to the Acropolis to see one of the most notable landmarks in all of Greece, the Parthenon. Afterward, stand on Mars Hill where the Apostle Paul once preached a sermon, as told in the Book of Acts. Other highlights of the tour include visits to the Temple of Zeus, Athens' former Olympic stadium, & the Agora. After the tour, spend the remainder of the day at leisure.

20 May - Day 7: Athens - Corinth - Athens

Leave Athens for a few hours to visit the ancient city of Corinth. The site features the ruins of several temples, a museum, & the Bema where the Apostle Paul stood trial. Before returning to Athens, visit nearby Cenchreae, where Paul left Greece by boat. Enjoy a farewell dinner this evening in Athens.

21 May - Day 8: Depart

Today we depart from Athens and return home to Dublin