On the shores of the Sea of Marmara, Europe and Asia touch – and with them the Bible, antiquity, Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire. On this round trip from Istanbul you open the Acts of the Apostles where it happened: in Alexandria Troas, Paul heard the call to Macedonia in a vision in the night – the impulse by which the message of Christ reached Europe; later he travelled on via Assos towards Jerusalem.
In Pergamon we read the letter from Revelation to the church that held out “where Satan's seat is”. In Nicaea, present-day İznik, we remember the First Ecumenical Council of 325, whose creed Christians of all denominations still recite together today. The picture is completed by Edirne with Sinan's Selimiye Mosque, the memorial sites on Gallipoli, the ruins of Troy, the early Ottoman capital Bursa and finally the old town of Constantinople.
A state-licensed, English-speaking tour guide accompanies you for the eight days, and devotions at the biblical sites give space for silence and prayer.
The Bible reading path
Passages you will read on site
Acts 16:6–8Bithynia and Mysia
The Spirit does not allow Paul to go into Bithynia, and so he passes by Mysia and comes down to Troas.
Acts 16:9–11Alexandria Troas
The vision in the night of the man of Macedonia – from here the gospel crosses over to Europe.
Acts 20:6–12Alexandria Troas
Paul preaches until midnight; Eutychus falls from the window and is brought back alive.
2 Tim 4:13Alexandria Troas
Paul asks for the cloak and the books that he left at Troas with Carpus.
Acts 20:13–14Assos
Paul goes on foot from Troas to Assos and there joins his companions on the ship.
Rev 2:12–17Pergamon
The letter to the church that holds fast to the name of Christ where “Satan's seat” is.
1 Pet 1:1Bithynia
The letter greets the Christians in Bithynia – the land Paul was not allowed to enter nevertheless had churches early on.
Tip: bring your own Bible – at each place we open the relevant passage together. Bible quotations: King James Version.
Day by day
Itinerary
Day1
Arrival in Istanbul
Istanbul Airport → hotel
After landing, your tour guide, who lives locally, welcomes you and takes you to the hotel. In the evening you meet your fellow travellers over a welcome drink and receive a first overview of the route around the Sea of Marmara, the biblical sites and the texts that will accompany us. A word of blessing and dinner together conclude the day on the Bosphorus, where three names – Byzantion, Constantinople, Istanbul – stand for three eras.
Overnight: Istanbul
Day2
Edirne – Hadrianopolis and Sinan's masterpiece
Istanbul → Edirne
The drive leads west to Edirne, which Emperor Hadrian founded as Hadrianopolis; in 378 Emperor Valens fell here fighting the Goths, and until 1453 the Ottomans resided in the city. At midday we enter the Selimiye Mosque, which Mimar Sinan himself regarded as his masterpiece. Then follow the Üç Şerefeli Mosque and the foundation of Bayezid II, whose hospital once sought to heal the sick with music and the sound of running water. To finish we visit – where open – the Bulgarian Orthodox Church of St George and the covered Ali Pasha Bazaar.
Overnight: Edirne
Day3
Gallipoli and Troy
Edirne → Gallipoli → Çanakkale → Troy
On the Gallipoli peninsula we visit the battlefields of 1915, the Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial and the ANZAC cemeteries – places of mourning where we remember the dead of all sides and pray for peace. At midday the ferry carries us across the Dardanelles, the ancient Hellespont, from Europe to Asia. In the afternoon you explore Troy with its nine settlement layers spanning some 4,000 years, Heinrich Schliemann's excavations and the modern museum. Overnight in Çanakkale.
Overnight: Çanakkale
Day4
Alexandria Troas and Assos – the call to Europe
Çanakkale → Alexandria Troas → Assos → Ayvalık
Among the baths, city walls and the ancient harbour of Alexandria Troas we open the Acts of the Apostles: here Paul saw the man of Macedonia, here Eutychus fell from the window and was restored to life, here the cloak was left behind with Carpus. The apostle walked from Troas to Assos; we drive up to the acropolis with the Temple of Athena and the view across to Lesbos. Through the Ida Mountains and the olive groves of the Gulf of Edremit we reach Ayvalık with its once Greek-influenced old town.
Acts 16:8–11Acts 20:6–142 Tim 4:13Overnight: Ayvalık
Day5
Pergamon and the road to Bithynia
Ayvalık → Pergamon → Bursa
On the Acropolis of Pergamon you stand among the Temple of Trajan, the library and the steepest theatre of antiquity; at the site of the Altar of Zeus, in which some interpreters recognise “Satan's seat”, we read the letter to the church. Then follow the Red Hall, in which a church later arose, and the Asclepion, where the physician Galen worked. In the afternoon we drive through Mysia to Bithynia – the land that was closed to Paul and in which churches nevertheless soon arose.
Rev 2:12–17Acts 16:71 Pet 1:1Overnight: Bursa
Day6
Bursa and Nicaea – the Ottomans and the Creed
Bursa → Nicaea (İznik) → Istanbul
Bursa, the first Ottoman capital from 1326, shows you in the morning the Ulu Cami with its twenty domes, the Green Mosque and the Green Mausoleum, and on the citadel hill the tombs of Osman and Orhan, the first sultans. At midday we reach Nicaea: behind the Roman gates and walls the Empire of Nicaea preserved the heritage of Byzantium from 1204 to 1261, and in Hagia Sophia the Seventh Council met in 787. On the lakeshore, where the walls of an early Christian basilica lie beneath the water's surface, we remember the creed of 325 in a devotion. Over the Osmangazi Bridge we return to Istanbul.
Overnight: Istanbul
Day7
Constantinople – Hagia Sophia and Topkapı
Sultanahmet → Hippodrome → Topkapı Palace
The last full day belongs to the heart of the old town. In Justinian's Hagia Sophia, a mosque again since 2020, you see the mosaics of the galleries outside prayer times. At the Hippodrome the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column, the Walled Obelisk and the German Fountain tell of chariot races, imperial festivities and uprisings. In the afternoon the way leads through the courtyards, treasury and relic chamber of Topkapı Palace to Hagia Irene, where the Second Council met in 381. At the farewell evening we look back together on the circuit around the Sea of Marmara.
Overnight: Istanbul
Day8
Journey home
Hotel → Istanbul Airport
Depending on your flight time, the transfer takes you to Istanbul airport; alternatively, a beach stay on the Turkish Riviera or the Aegean can be added. What remains in your memory are the call of Troas, the letter to Pergamon and the creed of Nicaea – three stops that show how the gospel found its way to Europe and into the whole church.
⛔ No shopping stops: carpet, jewellery or leather showrooms are not part of this tour.
Included
7 nights in 4- and 5-star hotels with half board (breakfast and dinner buffet)
Round trip in an air-conditioned coach, airport transfers
Ferry crossing of the Dardanelles
State-licensed, English-speaking tour guide (other languages also available on request)
Entrance fees as per programme
Welcome drink on the first evening
Not included
Flights – on request we will enquire about suitable connections for you
Lunches and drinks
Tips (guideline: tour guide approx. €3–5, driver approx. €2–3 per day)
Travel insurance
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
At which places does the Bible come alive?
You encounter Paul in Alexandria Troas (Acts 16 and 20) and in Assos (Acts 20:13–14); in Pergamon we read the letter from Rev 2:12–17. In Nicaea we remember the First Council of 325.
Where does the tour begin and end?
It starts and ends in Istanbul; the tour lasts 8 days with 7 nights. An extension in Istanbul or on the Aegean is possible on request.
How do we approach Gallipoli?
With respect and without glorification: we remember the fallen of all the countries involved and pray at this place for peace and reconciliation.
Can churches and individuals book?
Yes. Groups from churches, home groups and associations travel from 9 people; privately the tour is possible from one person. As a contact office we put you in direct contact with our partners in Turkey.
How much does the round trip cost?
The price is available on request and depends on dates, group size and room allocation. You will receive a personal offer – free of charge and without obligation.
Is the flight included?
No, the flight to Istanbul is not part of the tour. On request we will enquire about suitable connections for you.
Enquiry & booking
Enquire about this tour
Around the Sea of Marmara – Troas, Pergamon and Nicaea
