The Seven Churches at a Gentle Pace – Single-Base Tour from Kuşadası
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”Revelation 3:20
Anyone who has ever been on a tour with a change of hotel every day knows the feeling: the suitcases set the rhythm. Here it is different. You check into a hotel by the sea near Kuşadası and stay there almost the whole week – you spend just two nights on the road: in Salihli and in the thermal hotel in Pamukkale.
From this fixed base you reach all seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamon, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. In addition there are Priene, Miletus, where Paul took leave of the elders of Ephesus, and Didyma. In summer you can instead cross over to Patmos that day, the island on which John received the Revelation – provided the weather and sea conditions allow.
The evenings belong to the sea, to conversation and to prayer; anyone who would like to skip an excursion simply stays at the hotel. A special moment is the meeting with a local Christian church in Izmir. A state-licensed, English-speaking tour guide leads you through the week.
The Bible reading path
Passages you will read on site
Rev 2:1–7Ephesus
The exhortation to return to the first love, read in the city where Paul worked for about three years.
Rev 2:12–17Pergamon
The letter to the city of kings, where the church did not deny the faith despite persecution.
Acts 16:14Thyatira
Lydia, the seller of purple from Thyatira, opened her heart to Paul's message.
Rev 2:18–29Thyatira
The Son of God knows the church's love, service and patience – and calls it to repentance.
Rev 3:1–6Sardis
A wake-up call to a church that was alive in name only.
Rev 3:7–13Philadelphia
The church without reproach receives the promise of the open door.
Rev 3:14–22Laodicea
The last of the seven letters, with the image of the Lord who knocks.
Col 4:13–16Laodicea
Epaphras laboured in prayer for the Laodiceans, and the Epistle to the Colossians was to be read there too.
Acts 20:15Priene
On the way to Miletus, Paul's ship puts in on the coast of Mycale at Trogyllium – below Priene.
Acts 20:17–38Miletus
Paul calls the elders of Ephesus to him and commends them to God before travelling on to Jerusalem.
Rev 1:9–11Patmos (summer alternative)
On the island John receives the Revelation and the commission to the seven churches.
Rev 2:8–11Smyrna
The promise of the crown of life – in the city where Christians once again gather for worship today.
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 Izmir – a base by the sea
Izmir Airport → hotel near Kuşadası
Your journey begins in present-day Izmir, ancient Smyrna – one of the few cities of the letters that has never ceased to be a living city. Your local tour guide welcomes you at the airport; after a drive of about an hour you reach the hotel near Kuşadası that will be your home for the coming week. Over the welcome drink and dinner you learn what awaits you at the places of the Revelation.
Overnight: Hotel near Kuşadası
Day2
Ephesus and Selçuk – city of the apostles
Kuşadası → Ephesus → Selçuk → Şirince → Kuşadası
A day very close to your hotel. Early in the morning you visit the simple stone house on Mount Koressos (Nightingale Mountain) where, according to ancient tradition, Mary is said to have spent her last years. Then Ephesus opens up: the Temple of Hadrian, the marble-paved streets, the façade of the Library of Celsus, the wide circle of the Great Theatre and the Council Church of 431. Paul worked here for about three years. In the afternoon follow the tomb of the Apostle John in the basilica of Selçuk and the remains of the Artemision; the day draws to a close in the mountain village of Şirince.
John 19:26–27Acts 19Acts 20:31Rev 2:1–7Overnight: Hotel near Kuşadası
Day3
Pergamon and Thyatira
Kuşadası → Pergamon → Thyatira → Salihli
The longest excursion leads north. On the Acropolis of Pergamon you stand among the Temple of Trajan, the library, the steepest theatre of antiquity and the foundations of the Altar of Zeus, which many interpreters link with “Satan's seat”; the Red Hall is also on the programme. In the Asclepion the physician Galen once worked. On the onward journey you stop in Akhisar, ancient Thyatira, at the basilica on the agora – Lydia's home town. In the evening you reach Salihli, where you stay overnight; so Sardis lies right on your doorstep the next morning.
From Salihli it is only a few minutes to Sardis, once the residence of Croesus: you see the gymnasium, the restored synagogue and the mighty Temple of Artemis. In Alaşehir, ancient Philadelphia, stand the pillars of the Byzantine Church of St John – at the place of the church that received no word of reproach. In the afternoon you reach Pamukkale with its limestone terraces and ancient Hierapolis, if possible including the Martyrium of Philip. In the evening, thermal water at around 36 °C awaits you.
With Laodicea the circle of the seven churches closes. The theatre, stadium and basilicas bear witness to a prosperous city whose lukewarmness the letter rebukes – and to which Christ at the same time promises that he stands at the door and knocks. Paul knew the church from afar: his co-worker Epaphras laboured for it, and the Epistle to the Colossians was to be read here too. Afterwards you stop at the still unexcavated settlement mound of Colossae, to whose church Paul wrote and where Philemon was at home. In the afternoon you visit Aphrodisias, the city of sculptors: the Tetrapylon, the Temple of Aphrodite – converted into a church in Byzantine times – and one of the best-preserved stadiums of antiquity. Then you drive through the Meander valley back to your familiar hotel.
Rev 3:14–22Col 2:1Col 4:13–16Col 1:1–2Overnight: Hotel near Kuşadası
Day6
Priene, Miletus and Didyma – Patmos in summer
Kuşadası → Priene → Miletus → Didyma → Kuşadası
In the morning you climb the slope of Mount Mycale at Priene: a model Ionian city with streets laid out at right angles, a small theatre and the columns of the Temple of Athena high above the Meander plain. On this coast, at Trogyllium, Paul's ship also put in on its way to Miletus. In Miletus, the theatre, the Baths of Faustina and the agora lead you to the place where Paul saw the elders of Ephesus for the last time and commended them to God and to the word of his grace; later he left Trophimus here sick. In the afternoon you reach Didyma with the mighty Temple of Apollo at the end of the Sacred Way. In summer there is an alternative: the crossing to Patmos with the Cave of the Apocalypse, the Monastery of St John and Chora – depending on weather and sea conditions, to be booked separately.
Acts 20:15Acts 20:17–382 Tim 4:20Rev 1:9–11Overnight: Hotel near Kuşadası
Day7
Smyrna yesterday and today
Kuşadası → Izmir → Kuşadası
A day for past and present. From Kadifekale, the “Velvet Castle” on Mount Pagos, you look out over the Bay of Izmir and remember Polycarp, disciple of John and later Bishop of Smyrna. In the afternoon you meet Christians who live and believe in Izmir today – with time for fellowship and prayer together. This makes it tangible that the story of the seven churches goes on. You spend the last evening at the hotel by the sea.
Rev 2:8–11Overnight: Hotel near Kuşadası
Day8
Farewell to the Aegean
Kuşadası → Izmir Airport
After a week of almost no packing, it is now time to pack after all. Depending on your flight time, the transfer takes you to Izmir airport in about an hour. Anyone who would like to stay longer can extend by a few days by the sea. In your luggage you carry not only pictures of columns and theatres, but also the memory of Christians who live today where the seven letters were first read aloud.
⛔ No shopping stops: carpet, jewellery or leather showrooms are not part of this tour.
Included
Half board every evening: five nights at the hotel near Kuşadası, one night in Salihli, one night at the thermal hotel in Pamukkale
Airport transfers from/to Izmir and all excursions in an air-conditioned coach
State-licensed, English-speaking tour guide
Entrance fees as per programme
Meeting with a local Christian church
Welcome drink
Not included
Flights – on request we will enquire about suitable connections for you
Lunches and drinks
Excursion to Patmos (summer alternative, optional)
Tips
Travel insurance
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
What does “single-base tour” mean?
Apart from two nights, you stay at the same hotel near Kuşadası and set out from there on day excursions. After Pergamon and Thyatira you spend the night in Salihli, and between Sardis and Laodicea at the thermal hotel in Pamukkale.
Do I have to take part in every excursion?
No. Anyone who would rather spend a day by the sea or the pool simply sits it out.
How does the excursion to Patmos work?
In the summer months Patmos can replace the excursion to Priene, Miletus and Didyma, provided the sea allows the crossing. It is not included in the tour price; simply mention it in your enquiry.
What is the minimum number of participants?
A group can travel from nine participants, for example a church or a home group; as a private tour it is possible for just one person.
Is the flight included?
No, the flight is not part of the tour. We will gladly enquire about suitable connections to Izmir for you.
How much does the tour cost?
The price is on request. You will receive a personal offer based on dates, group size and room allocation – free of charge and without obligation.
Enquiry & booking
Enquire about this tour
The Seven Churches at a Gentle Pace – Single-Base Tour from Kuşadası
