Acts 16–27 · 15 days · Istanbul – Antalya

The Coast of Acts – All the Harbors of Paul

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”Acts 20:24

15 days14 nights

IstanbulStart

AntalyaEnd

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Reading path Enquire →

Luke tells of Paul's journeys with the eye of a fellow traveler: he names harbors, winds and ships, often day by day. Almost every port of call in his accounts between Troas and Attalia lies on today's Turkish coast. Many have long since silted up and now lie among fields and reeds; others have remained small fishing harbors where boats still moor.

The tour begins in Istanbul with the Temple warning inscription from Jerusalem and leads across the Dardanelles to Alexandria Troas and Assos. Via Adramyttium, Smyrna and Ephesus it continues to Miletus, where Paul said farewell, on via Halicarnassus to Cnidus and along the Lycian coast to Patara and Myra – as far as Perga and Attalia, where the first missionary journey ended.

Each day has its key text, read where it took place; a state-licensed tour guide opens up the seafaring, trade and archaeology of antiquity. The Greek islands that Paul's ships sailed past – Lesbos, Samos, Kos and Rhodes – can be seen from the shore on clear days; they are not visited. Christians of all denominations are welcome.

The Bible reading path

Passages you will read on site

Psalm 107:23–31Istanbul (welcome evening)

The seafarers' psalm to open a journey from harbor to harbor.

Acts 21:27–29Istanbul Archaeology Museums

Before the Temple warning inscription: the charge that Paul had brought Trophimus of Ephesus into the Temple.

Acts 16:6–11Alexandria Troas

The call from Macedonia and the departure for Europe.

Acts 20:6–12Alexandria Troas

Breaking bread on the first day of the week, the sermon until midnight, and Eutychus.

Acts 20:13–14Assos

Paul goes on foot, his companions sail – they meet at the harbor of Assos.

Acts 27:1–2Gulf of Edremit

The ship of Adramyttium on which the prisoner's journey to Rome began.

Rev 2:8–11Agora of Smyrna

The letter to the church that is rich in its poverty.

Acts 19:23–40Theater of Ephesus

The silversmiths' riot over Diana of the Ephesians.

Acts 20:15–38Dilek Peninsula and Miletus

From Samos to Miletus – and the farewell to the elders from Ephesus.

Acts 27:7–8Cnidus

Against the wind as far as Cnidus, then south under Crete.

Acts 21:1–3Patara

Via Kos and Rhodes to Patara and onto a ship bound for Phoenicia.

Acts 27:5–6Andriake, harbor of Myra

The Alexandrian ship bound for Italy.

Acts 13:13–14Perga

Arrival from Cyprus – and John Mark turns back.

Acts 14:24–27Old harbor of Antalya

The voyage home to Antioch and the report of the door of faith.

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 – at the gateway between the seas

Istanbul Airport → Istanbul

Your tour guide welcomes you at Istanbul Airport and brings you to the Old City in about an hour. In the late afternoon a short walk leads to the waterfront at Sirkeci: ferries cross between Europe and Asia, freighters pass through the Bosphorus from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. Since antiquity this city has lived from the sea – and the sea is also the setting of much of Acts, whose harbors you will visit over the coming two weeks. At the welcome evening your tour guide presents the route and the key texts. To begin, you read the psalm of the seafarers who “see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep”, and commit the journey to God's guidance.

Psalm 107:23–31Overnight: Istanbul

Day2

From the Temple in Jerusalem to the Dardanelles

Istanbul → Gelibolu → Eceabat → Çanakkale

First thing in the morning, the Archaeology Museums open a window onto Jerusalem: the Greek warning inscription from the Temple forbade Gentiles, on pain of death, to enter the inner precinct. According to Acts 21, it was precisely this charge that led to Paul's arrest – people thought he had brought Trophimus of Ephesus into the Temple. Alongside it you see the Siloam Inscription from King Hezekiah's water tunnel. Then you travel west through Thrace to Gelibolu, Byzantine Kallipolis, with its small museum dedicated to the seafarer Piri Reis. Along the Hellespont you drive to Eceabat and cross by ferry to Çanakkale. The strong current of the strait recalls the psalm's words about the mighty waves of the sea – and about the LORD on high, who is mightier still.

Acts 21:27–292 Kgs 20:20Psalm 93:4Overnight: Çanakkale

Day3

Troas and Assos – the call to Europe and the way on foot

Çanakkale → Alexandria Troas → Assos

In the morning you reach Alexandria Troas, the Roman colony by the sea, with the Baths of Herodes Atticus and the silted-up harbor basins. From here Paul followed the call in the night: “Come over into Macedonia, and help us.” Immediately afterwards Luke narrates for the first time in the “we” form. Years later Paul preached in Troas until midnight, and the young Eutychus fell from the window; in a later letter Paul asks for the cloak and the parchments he had left behind here. Paul went alone on foot to Assos, while his companions sailed. On the acropolis with the Temple of Athena from the 6th century BC, you look across to Lesbos, where the ship sailed on to Mitylene. In the evening you descend to the small harbor.

Acts 16:6–11Acts 20:4–142 Tim 4:13Overnight: Assos

Day4

Adramyttium and Smyrna – the prisoner's ship

Assos → Edremit → Ören → Izmir

The drive leads along the foot of Mount Ida to the Gulf of Edremit. Near today's Ören lay Adramyttium, the home port of the ship that Paul boarded as a prisoner in Caesarea to sail along the coast of the province of Asia – accompanied by Aristarchus of Thessalonica. A stop at the bay gives time for the reading from Acts 27. Via Ayvalık you reach Izmir, ancient Smyrna. On the agora, rebuilt after the earthquake of AD 178, you read the letter to the church that is poor and yet rich: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” According to church tradition, its bishop Polycarp remained faithful to this word, around the year 155, even unto martyrdom.

Acts 27:1–2Rev 2:8–11Overnight: Izmir

Day5

Ephesus – a great door and many adversaries

Izmir → Ephesus → Selçuk → Kuşadası

In Ephesus, the capital of the province of Asia, Paul stayed longer than anywhere else on his journeys. You walk down from the Upper Agora along Curetes Street to the Library of Celsus and the great theater with some 24,000 seats. There the Ephesians, stirred up by the silversmiths whose trade in little shrines of Diana was suffering, cried out the name of their goddess for two hours. From the theater the Arcadian Way, the former harbor street, runs dead straight to the west – to a harbor that today lies some five kilometers from the sea in the alluvium of the Cayster. In the afternoon you see the last column of the Artemision and Justinian's basilica over the traditional tomb of John. It was from here that Paul wrote to the Corinthians of the great door that had been opened to him.

Acts 18:19–21Acts 19:8–401 Cor 16:8–9Overnight: Kuşadası

Day6

Trogyllium, Priene, Miletus and Didyma – farewell at the harbor

Kuşadası → Dilek → Priene → Miletus → Didyma → Kuşadası

Early in the morning you stand on the Dilek Peninsula, the ancient Mycale range. Samos lies close enough to touch across the strait – the island where, according to Acts 20, Paul's ship put in; the King James Version also names Trogyllium, the promontory itself. Via Priene, with its grid plan and the Temple of Athena endowed by Alexander, you reach Miletus. In the theater a seat inscription recalls Jews and God-fearers; the Lion Harbor was one of the city's harbors. It was here that Paul called the elders from Ephesus and commended them “to God, and to the word of his grace”; then he knelt down and prayed with them. In the afternoon you stand before the gigantic, never completed Temple of Apollo at Didyma and, with Paul, ask about the God who does not dwell in temples made with hands.

Acts 20:15–382 Tim 4:20Acts 17:24–25Overnight: Kuşadası

Day7

Halicarnassus and Myndos – harbors of the Carians

Kuşadası → Euromos → Bodrum → Myndos → Bodrum

At Lake Bafa, which once lay as a bay of the sea in front of Miletus, the drive into Caria begins. At Euromos, 16 columns of the Temple of Zeus from the 2nd century AD stand among olive trees. In Bodrum, ancient Halicarnassus, you see the foundations of the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the World – of the tomb that was meant to outlast the ages, little more than the foundation pit remains. The Knights of St John used its stones to build the Castle of St Peter; today the Museum of Underwater Archaeology there displays wrecks and cargoes of ancient ships, including the Bronze Age Uluburun wreck. Off the harbor lies Kos, where Paul's ship called according to Acts 21. In the late afternoon you visit Myndos, which, like Halicarnassus, is named in 1 Maccabees, a book of the Apocrypha.

Eccl 1:4Acts 21:11 Macc 15:23Overnight: Bodrum

Day8

Cnidus – where the wind held the ship back

Bodrum → ferry → Datça → Cnidus → Datça

Early in the morning the car ferry leaves Bodrum and crosses the Gulf of Gökova to the Datça Peninsula in about two hours; outside the ferry season you travel overland via Marmaris instead. A narrow road leads through almond groves to the outermost tip and Cnidus. The city had two harbors on either side of an isthmus and lay at one of the busiest corners of the Mediterranean. According to Acts 27, the ship carrying Paul the prisoner struggled this far from Myra; then the wind would not let it go further, and it veered south under Crete. Cnidus, too, is named in 1 Maccabees of the Apocrypha. At the cape you read of the wind that blows where it wills. On clear days Symi and Rhodes appear on the horizon.

Acts 27:7–8John 3:81 Macc 15:23Overnight: Datça

Day9

Marmaris and Kaunos – the harbor in the reeds

Datça → Marmaris → Dalyan → Kaunos → Fethiye

The road winds across the Datça Peninsula to Marmaris, from whose bay the Ottoman fleet set out in 1522 against the Rhodes of the Knights of St John. In Dalyan you board a boat and glide through the reeds of the river, past rock tombs with temple façades from the 4th century BC. Kaunos was a wealthy port city on the border between Caria and Lycia; its harbor is now a reed-filled lake, far from the open sea. Between the theater and the temple terrace it becomes clear why so many harbors of the Bible now lie inland. Here you read of the prophet Jonah, who sought to flee from God across the sea, and of the psalm that knows: even in the uttermost parts of the sea, God's hand would lead him. In the evening you reach Fethiye.

Jonah 1:3–6Psalm 139:7–10Overnight: Fethiye

Day10

Xanthos, Letoon and Patara – the ship to Phoenicia

Fethiye → Letoon → Xanthos → Patara → Kaş

In the Fethiye Museum stands the trilingual stele from the Letoon: a decree from the 4th century BC in Lycian, Greek and Aramaic. Aramaic, the administrative language of the Persian Empire, is also found in parts of the books of Ezra and Daniel. In the Letoon, the federal sanctuary of the Lycians, and in Xanthos with its pillar tombs, you encounter the world of this people. In Patara, the chief harbor of Lycia, Paul changed to a ship bound for Phoenicia on his return from his third journey. The lighthouse that Emperor Nero had built a few years later and the council house of the Lycian League stand by the silted-up harbor. According to tradition, Nicholas, later bishop of Myra, was born in Patara. In the afternoon you drive along the cliffs to Kaş.

Ezra 4:8Dan 2:4Acts 21:1–3Matt 5:16Overnight: Kaş

Day11

Kekova, Andriake and Myra – the grain ship to Italy

Kaş → Üçağız → Kekova → Andriake → Myra → Demre

In the morning a boat takes you from Üçağız across the tranquil bay of Kekova. Beneath the surface of the water, the walls and steps of sunken houses can be made out; above the village of Kaleköy the castle of Simena stands enthroned. Around midday you reach Andriake, the harbor of Myra. Hadrian's mighty granary now houses the Museum of Lycian Civilizations; beside it lie the harbor basin and the remains of a late antique synagogue. Here, according to Acts 27, the Roman centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put Paul on board. Above the theater of Myra the Lycian rock tombs open up, and in Demre you visit the church over the traditional tomb of Bishop Nicholas. In the evening you read Paul's word in the storm: “be of good cheer: for I believe God”.

Acts 27:5–6Acts 27:21–26Overnight: Demre

Day12

Olympos, Chimaera and Phaselis – fire and harbors of Lycia

Demre → Finike → Olympos → Chimaera → Phaselis → Antalya

The coast road leads from Demre to Finike, ancient Phoenicus amid orange groves, and then up into the mountains. In a wooded valley lie the ruins of Olympos, one of the great cities of the Lycian League. Above Çıralı you climb a short, steep path to the Chimaera: from crevices in the rock burn flames of natural gas, said to have served ancient seafarers as a landmark. There you read the promise that neither water nor fire shall overwhelm the one who belongs to God. In the afternoon comes Phaselis with its three harbors and its colonnaded avenue among the pines – a city that 1 Maccabees, a book of the Apocrypha, names among the recipients of a Roman letter. In the evening you reach Antalya.

Isa 43:1–31 Macc 15:23Overnight: Antalya

Day13

Perga, Aspendos and Side – Pamphylia

Antalya → Perga → Aspendos → Side → Antalya

Paul and Barnabas came to Perga by ship from Paphos on Cyprus; here John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. On the way back they preached in Perga and then went down to Attalia. You walk through the Hellenistic gate and along the colonnaded street with its water channel and stand in the stadium for some 12,000 spectators. Here you read the word about the race: “So run, that ye may obtain.” In Aspendos one of the best-preserved theaters of antiquity awaits you, built in the 2nd century AD by the architect Zenon. In the afternoon you reach Side with its Temple of Apollo by the sea – Side, too, is named in 1 Maccabees of the Apocrypha. In the evening you return to Antalya.

Acts 13:13–14Acts 14:24–251 Cor 9:24–27Overnight: Antalya

Day14

Attalia – from here they sailed home to Antioch

Antalya → Museum → Kaleiçi → Old Harbor

The last full day belongs to Attalia, today's Antalya, founded in the 2nd century BC by King Attalus II of Pergamum. In the museum you see the statues and sarcophagi from Perga and finds from all over Lycia and Pamphylia – a look back at the world through which you have traveled. Through Hadrian's Gate, built for the emperor's visit in AD 130, you enter the old town of Kaleiçi and go down to the old harbor below the city wall. From here Paul and Barnabas sailed back to Antioch at the end of their first journey, “for the work which they fulfilled”. At the closing devotion you hear how they reported to the church that God had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. The farewell dinner brings the journey to a close.

Acts 14:24–27Overnight: Antalya

Day15

Departure from Antalya

Antalya → Antalya Airport

Depending on your flight time, there is still time in the morning for a last stroll to the cliffs above the sea. Then the transfer takes you to Antalya Airport in about half an hour. You take with you what has come together over these two weeks: the harbors of Troas, Assos and Miletus, the silted-up basins of Ephesus and Kaunos, the cape of Cnidus, the granary of Andriake – and a Book of Acts that you will now read with new eyes. If you are not yet ready to go home, you can extend your stay with beach days on the Turkish Riviera or with a hike inland on the St Paul Trail.

The route

On the map

1Istanbul Airport2Istanbul3Gelibolu4Çanakkale5Alexandria Troas6Assos7Edremit (Adramyttium)8Izmir (Smyrna)9Ephesus10Kuşadası11Dilek Peninsula (Trogyllium)12Priene13Miletus14Didyma15Euromos16Bodrum (Halicarnassus)17Myndos18Datça19Cnidus20Marmaris21Kaunos (Dalyan)22Fethiye23Xanthos & Letoon24Patara25Kaş26Kekova27Myra & Andriake28Finike29Olympos & Chimaera30Phaselis31Antalya (Attalia)32Perga33Aspendos34Side35Antalya Airport

Inclusions & price

What the tour price includes

Price on request

The tour price depends on dates, group size and room allocation. You will receive your personal offer – free of charge and without obligation.

Enquire →

⛔ No shopping stops: carpet, jewellery or leather showrooms are not part of this tour.

Included

14 nights in good mid-range and 4-star hotels with half board (smaller hotels in Assos, Datça and Demre)
All journeys by air-conditioned coach, airport transfers in Istanbul and Antalya
State-licensed tour guide
Admission fees as per the program
Ferries Eceabat–Çanakkale and Bodrum–Datça (seasonal, otherwise overland)
Boat trips to Kaunos and at Kekova (weather permitting)
Welcome and farewell evenings

Not included

Flight
Lunches and drinks
Tips
Travel insurance
Personal expenses

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Is the flight included in the tour price?

No. You fly into Istanbul and return from Antalya (open-jaw flight). On request we will look into a suitable connection for you.

What does the tour cost, and are there fixed dates?

The price depends on the date, group size and room allocation and is available on request. The tour is planned for churches, groups or private travelers on the date of your choice – offered free of charge and without obligation.

In which language is the tour guided?

A state-licensed tour guide accompanies you – in English or in any of 25 languages. We have been guiding guests since 1989.

Are the Greek islands of Acts visited as well?

No. Lesbos (Mitylene), Samos, Kos and Rhodes can be seen from the coast on clear days, while Samothrace and Chios lie further off – they are not part of the program, because border crossings and ferry schedules would stretch the route beyond its limits.

Are really all of Paul's harbors included?

All the harbors of Acts on the Aegean and Mediterranean coast between Troas and Attalia. Seleucia, the port of departure of the first journey, lies some 900 kilometers further east near Antakya and is part of our tour “Paul – All the Way to Antioch on the Orontes”.

Do we also travel by boat?

Yes, on short stretches: by ferry across the Dardanelles, by car ferry from Bodrum to Datça (seasonal only, otherwise overland via Marmaris) and by boat to Kaunos and at Kekova – these boat trips are weather-dependent.

How strenuous is the tour?

Several days involve driving times of four hours or more. At the excavation sites you walk on uneven marble and dirt paths; in Assos and up to the Chimaera there are short, steep climbs. A normal level of fitness is sufficient.

When is the best time to travel?

April to June and September to October. In July and August it is very hot on the coast; in winter the Bodrum–Datça ferry does not operate.

Enquiry & booking

Enquire about this tour

The Coast of Acts – All the Harbors of Paul

The Coast of Acts – All the Harbors of Paul

Passages you will read on site

Itinerary

Arrival in Istanbul – at the gateway between the seas

From the Temple in Jerusalem to the Dardanelles

Troas and Assos – the call to Europe and the way on foot

Adramyttium and Smyrna – the prisoner's ship

Ephesus – a great door and many adversaries

Trogyllium, Priene, Miletus and Didyma – farewell at the harbor

Halicarnassus and Myndos – harbors of the Carians

Cnidus – where the wind held the ship back

Marmaris and Kaunos – the harbor in the reeds

Xanthos, Letoon and Patara – the ship to Phoenicia

Kekova, Andriake and Myra – the grain ship to Italy

Olympos, Chimaera and Phaselis – fire and harbors of Lycia

Perga, Aspendos and Side – Pamphylia

Attalia – from here they sailed home to Antioch

Departure from Antalya

On the map

What the tour price includes

Price on request

Included

Not included

Frequently asked questions

Enquire about this tour

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