DAY 1: Wednesday, January 2 - Travel
Travel day.
DAY 2: Thursday, January 3 - Athens
We arrive in Ancient Athens in the morning and are met at the airport by our tour guide for the day. We leave the airport and take a half day guided tour of this famous city including MARS HILL where Paul preached, and the many other famous archaeological sites. We return to the airport and prepare for our short flight to Cyprus. We arrive at the Larnaca airport where we are met by our guide who escorts us to the hotel where we will stay during our entire Cyprus tour.
DAY 3: Friday, January 4 - Nicosia/Kyrenia
This is the capital of the island with a rich history that can be traced back to the Bronze Age. We will visit the Byzantine museum, the largest collection of icons on the island, the AGIOS IOANNIS CATHEDRAL within the Archbishopric area, the FAMAGUSTA GATE, and the OLD CITY OF NICOSIA with a brief stop at the American Academy. A short visit to KYRENIA in the Turkish area is planned. Dinner included at hotel.
DAY 4: Saturday, January 5 - Pafos District
We start our day visiting the birthplace of Aphrodite (PETRA TOU ROMIOU), the goddess of love and beauty. We then go to AGIA PARASKEVI CHURCH, one of the most interesting Byzantine churches on the island. We will visit the houses of Dionysos, Theseus, and Aion. We will marvel at the mosaic floors of these noblemen’s villas dating back from the third century. We will visit the TOMBS OF THE KINGS and the monastery of AGIOS NEOFUOS which was founded in 1159 AD. Dinner included at hotel.
DAY 5: Sunday, January 6 - Church/Free Afternoon
We will attend a local church service (Trinity Christian Community Fellowship, affiliated with the R.P. church). The rest of the day is free. Dinner included at hotel.
DAY 6: Monday, January 7 - Larnaca District/Lefkara
We will visit the ANGELOKTISTI church, which means built by the angels. This 11th century Byzantine church was erected over the ruins of an early Christian basilica. We will also see the HALA SULTAN MOSQUE built in 1816 over the tomb of Umm Haram. We will tour AGIOA LAZAROS CHURCH, named for the patron saint of Larnaca, Lazarus. We continue to STAVROVOUNI MONASTERY. Stavrovouni means Mountain of the Cross. It was founded in the 4th century by Saint Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great. Part of the day will be spent in Lefkara shopping for the famous Lefkara Lace. Dinner included at the hotel.
DAY 7: Tuesday, January 8 - Famagusta
Possible ½ day trip to Famagusta located in Turkish Cyprus in the ancient part of the island. Breakfast and dinner included at the hotel.
DAY 8: Wednesday, January 9 - Kykkos Monastery/Troodos Mountains
We will be touring KYKKOS, the most famous and richest monastery in Cyprus. Founded in 1100 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it possesses one of the three surviving icons ascribed to Saint Luke. We will visit a number of Byzantine churches in the Troodos Mountains dating from the 11th to the 17th century. Dinner included at the hotel.
DAY 9: Thursday, January 10 – Free Day
Free day. Breakfast and dinner included at the hotel.
DAY 10: Friday, January 11 - Kourion/Omodos
We start our day to visit KOLOSSI CASTLE a fine example of military architecture constructed in the 13th century, then to the important ancient city Kourion, and one of the most spectacular archaeological sites of the island, then to SANCTUARY OF APOLLO YLATIS, god of the woodland, was the protector of the city of Kourion. We’ll stop in OMODOS, a wine producing village once the property of SIR JOHN DE BRIE prince of Galilee, with the monastery of Stavros. Here is the Holy Cross standing in stone-paved square. The monastery contains old icons and wood carving.
DAY 11: Saturday, January 12 – Athens
We depart our hotel for the airport and our very early morning flight to Athens. We are met at the airport by our guide and we begin our full day of touring Athens. We will visit the important archaeological sites, the ACROPOLIS, the UNIVERSITY, the ACADEMY, the NATIONAL LIBRARY, the TEMPLE OF ZEUS, the PANATHENIAN STADIUM, OMONIA SQUARE, CONSTITUTION SQUARE and the ROYAL PALACE. We will check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 12: Sunday, January 13 Church/Corinth
We will worship this day with a local church recommended by Cypriot Christians. After church, we will drive along the beautiful coastal road to Corinth where the apostle Paul lived and preached for two years. We will make a brief stop at the Corinth Canal, then on to the ancient Museum, the BEMA OF ST. PAUL, the DORIC TEMPLE OF APOLLO, the ASKELEION, AGORA and the PEIRENE FOUNTAIN. After this full day we will head back to Athens for dinner and overnight.
DAY 13: Monday, January 14 – Athens/USA
Travel home.
