Day 2 · September 29
Athens, Greece
Arrival in Athens
Arrive in Athens, transfer to the Royal Olympic Hotel, and settle into the city before the touring program begins.
Flight + Coach
Mode-matched route playback
2 of 13
Journeys of Paul
Journeys of Paul
Request Booking InfoJourney through the ancient world of the Apostle Paul on this 13-day 2026 study tour of Greece and Turkey. From Mars Hill in Athens to Philippi, Corinth, Patmos, and Ephesus, the route connects Scripture to the places where the New Testament story unfolded.
The itinerary combines a land tour across mainland Greece with a Celestyal Discovery cruise through the Aegean, giving travelers access to both Paul's major cities and the wider maritime world that connected the early church.
Along the way, guests visit Athens, Delphi, Meteora, Berea, Thessaloniki, Philippi, Corinth, and a series of cruise ports including Mykonos, Patmos, Rhodes, Crete, Santorini, and Kusadasi for Ephesus. Each stop is designed to make Acts, the Pauline letters, and the world of early Christianity more vivid and concrete.
Pre-trip and on-trip study modules provide the biblical framework for each major location, while the portal gathers the operational information guests need as travel approaches.
Journeys of Paul
Trace the full route
Follow the journey across Greece, Turkey.
Interactive route map
The map loads as you approach this section, keeping the rest of the trip page fast.
13 days, one journey
Select a day to replay its route
- Day 1: travel by Flight to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
- Day 1: travel by Flight to Newark Liberty International Airport.
- Day 2: travel by Flight to Athens International Airport.
- Day 2: travel by Coach to Athens.
- Day 3: travel by Coach to Acropolis and Mars Hill.
- Day 4: travel by Coach to Thermopylae.
- Day 4: travel by Coach to Delphi.
- Day 4: travel by Coach to Larissa.
- Day 5: travel by Coach to Meteora.
- Day 5: travel by Coach to Thessaloniki.
- Day 6: travel by Coach to Amphipolis.
- Day 6: travel by Coach to Philippi.
- Day 6: travel by Coach to Lydia's Baptism Site.
- Day 6: travel by Coach to Kavala.
- Day 6: travel by Coach to Thessaloniki.
- Day 7: travel by Coach to Veria.
- Day 7: travel by Coach to Vergina.
- Day 7: travel by Coach to Athens.
- Day 8: travel by Coach to Lavrion Port.
- Day 8: travel by Cruise ship to Mykonos.
- Day 9: travel by Cruise ship to Kusadasi Port.
- Day 9: travel by Coach to Ephesus.
- Day 9: travel by Coach to Kusadasi Port.
- Day 9: travel by Cruise ship to Patmos.
- Day 10: travel by Cruise ship to Rhodes.
- Day 11: travel by Cruise ship to Heraklion.
- Day 11: travel by Cruise ship to Santorini.
- Day 12: travel by Cruise ship to Lavrion Port.
- Day 12: travel by Coach to Ancient Corinth.
- Day 12: travel by Coach to Athens.
- Day 13: travel by Coach to Athens International Airport.
- Day 13: travel by Flight to Newark Liberty International Airport.
- Day 13: travel by Flight to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
Day by Day Itinerary
Greece & Turkey | September 28 - October 10, 2026
Day 1
Depart Dallas-Fort Worth for Athens
Dallas / Newark / In Transit· September 28
Begin the journey with United flights from Dallas-Fort Worth through Newark to Athens.
Day 2
Arrival in Athens
Athens, Greece· September 29
Arrive in Athens, transfer to the Royal Olympic Hotel, and settle into the city before the touring program begins.
Acts 17:16
D
Day 3
Athens: Acropolis, Mars Hill, and Agora
Athens, Greece· September 30
Explore the Athens of Acts 17 through the Acropolis, Mars Hill, the Agora, the Acropolis Museum, and the city's major landmarks.
Acts 17:16-34
BD
Day 4
Thermopylae, Delphi, and Larissa
Thermopylae / Delphi / Larissa, Greece· October 1
Travel north from Athens through Thermopylae and Delphi before an overnight stay in Larissa.
BD
Day 5
Meteora and Thessaloniki
Meteora / Thessaloniki, Greece· October 2
Visit a Meteora monastery, then continue through central and northern Greece to Thessaloniki.
Acts 17:1-9
BD
Day 6
Amphipolis, Philippi, Lydia's Baptism Site, and Kavala
Amphipolis / Philippi / Kavala, Greece· October 3
Follow the Via Egnatia to the sites associated with Paul's first ministry in Europe.
Acts 16:11-15Acts 16:16-40Acts 17:1
BD
Day 7
Veria, Vergina, and Return to Athens
Veria / Vergina / Athens, Greece· October 4
Visit biblical Veria and the royal tombs at Vergina before returning to Athens.
Acts 17:10-12
BD
Day 8
Embark Celestyal Discovery and Visit Mykonos
Lavrion / Mykonos, Greece· October 5
Board Celestyal Discovery in Lavrion and begin the four-night Aegean cruise with an evening call at Mykonos.
BLD
Day 9
Kusadasi and Ephesus, then Patmos
Kusadasi, Turkey / Patmos, Greece· October 6
Visit Ephesus from Kusadasi in the morning, then sail to Patmos for an afternoon and evening call.
Acts 19:1-41Ephesians 1:1Revelation 1:9-11
BLD
Day 10
Rhodes
Rhodes, Greece· October 7
Spend a full day in Rhodes, with optional routes to Lindos and St. Paul's Bay or through Rhodes city.
Acts 21:1
BLD
Day 11
Crete and Santorini
Heraklion / Santorini, Greece· October 8
Visit Heraklion on Crete in the morning and Santorini in the late afternoon and evening.
Titus 1:5Acts 27:7-13
BLD
Day 12
Disembark and Visit Ancient Corinth
Lavrion / Corinth / Athens, Greece· October 9
Disembark in Lavrion, visit Ancient Corinth, and close the journey with dinner at Varoulko in Athens.
Acts 18:1-171 Corinthians 13
BD
Day 13
Depart Athens for Dallas-Fort Worth
Athens / Newark / Dallas· October 10
Return to Dallas-Fort Worth on United flights through Newark.
B
Your Scholar
Dr. Mark Turman
Executive Director, Denison Forum
Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum, a nonprofit organization that seeks to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day through the lens of Scripture. With decades of pastoral and academic experience, Dr. Turman brings a unique combination of scholarly insight and practical ministry leadership to every endeavor.
An experienced Bible study tour leader, Dr. Turman has guided multiple groups through Greece, Turkey, and the biblical lands. His tours are distinguished by their integration of rigorous biblical scholarship with immersive, on-the-ground experiences that bring Scripture to life.
Dr. Turman holds advanced degrees in theology and ministry and has served in pastoral roles for over 25 years. His passion for helping people understand the Bible in its historical and geographical context makes each journey a transformative educational experience.
- Executive Director, Denison Forum
- Experienced Bible Study Tour Leader
- Advanced Degrees in Theology and Ministry
- 25+ Years of Pastoral Ministry
What's Included
Included
- Round-trip airfare from Dallas-Fort Worth
- Deluxe hotel accommodations in Greece
- 5-day, 4-night Celestyal Discovery cruise
- Daily breakfast and dinners except one dinner in Athens
- All cruise gratuities and port taxes
- All shore excursions while on the cruise itinerary
- Land transportation by private air-conditioned motor coach
- Comprehensive sightseeing with licensed local guide and entrance fees
- Tips for local guide and driver
- Hotel, cruise, and restaurant taxes and service charges
Not Included
- Airline taxes, fuel surcharges, and government fees
- Lunches
- Beverages beyond standard included service
- Optional excursions not listed in the program
- Passport fees
- Excess baggage fees
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
- Single supplement for travelers requesting a private room or cabin