JOURNEYS OF PAUL IN GREECE

The Experience

Day 1: Your pilgrimage begins as you depart the USA on your international overnight flight.

Day 2: You will arrive in Thessaloniki, Greece, where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Follow in the footsteps of Paul and Silas to Amphipolis and explore the ruins of the many Christian basilicas there. In Philippi, see a baptismal site commemorating where God opened the heart of Lydia (a seller of purple from Thyatira) to hear the words of Paul (Acts 16:13 -15).

Lydia and her household were the first Christian converts baptized on European soil. View the Roman-era crypt thought to have served as a prison for the apostle Paul, and explore Philippi’s famous agora, the Basilica of Paul, and the theater.

Today’s last stop is Neapolis (Kavala), one of Greece's most picturesque mainland ports, where Paul landed with his disciples, Timothy and Silas. See the Roman aqueduct and acropolis before returning to Thessaloniki for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Discover Thessaloniki, where Paul was accused of turning the world upside down with his preaching of Christ (Acts 17: 3 -6). Stroll through the archaeological museum and the beautiful basilica of St. Demetrios, dedicated to a distinguished Roman proconsul martyred for his Christian faith. Look upon the agora.

Along the Via Egnatia stands the Galerius Arch, and you can look out over the second-largest city in Greece from the Old City Ramparts, some dating back to Roman times. Follow the path of Paul when he fled Thessaloniki for the safety of Veria (Berea), where Jews and some honorable Greeks accepted the new faith (Acts 17: 10-12). Continue to Kalambaka for dinner and overnight.

Day 5: As you visit the rock forest of Meteora (“in the heavens above”) in western Thessaly, imagine the apostle Paul walking that treacherous terrain on his missionary journey.

Gaze up at the breathtaking Byzantine monasteries, spectacularly perched on soaring, sheer-sided grey sandstone pillars. In the 13th century, monks sought refuge in cliffside caves before fleeing higher to build the original wooden shelters that later became these monasteries.

After a monastery tour, travel to scenic Delphi, the religious center of the ancient Greek world, which is marked by the conical stone called the Omphalos (“navel”). Walk the Sacra Via to the Athenian treasury, theater, and the Temple of Apollo, where the oracle performed her prophetic rituals.

Considering the incredible pagan influence in Delphi alone, you will gain a new appreciation for the tremendous spiritual opposition the apostle Paul faced in preaching the Gospel of Christ here. In the museum are many ancient treasures, including the 5th-century bronze charioteer so detailed you can see his eyelashes. Continue to Athens for overnight.

Day 6: Tour the city of Corinth, where the apostle Paul met fellow tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla and received a vision from the Lord saying, "I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city" (Acts 18: 10). As Paul spoke, Crispus (chief ruler of the synagogue) and many others believed and were baptized (Acts 18:8), establishing the church at Corinth to whom Paul later wrote his two epistles.

Discover the archaeological museum, marketplace, and temples. As you walk among the ruins, stand on the Bema, where the apostle Paul stood before Gallio to face charges brought against him by the Jews.

Stop briefly at the port town of Cenchreae, from which Paul later departed for Syria (Acts 18: 12 -18). Return to Athens for dinner and overnight.

Day 7: (Note – Cruise extension passengers will depart from the group this morning and head to the cruise port for their cruise ship) Enjoy the rich architectural splendor of the ancient city of Athens as your guide introduces you to the world-renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea, the Parthenon, and the Erechtheum.

Stand on Mars Hill as the apostle Paul did when he proclaimed, "I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you" (Acts 17:23). As you look upon the agora (ancient market place and center of Athenian public life), recall that this was where the Apostle Paul preached "Jesus and the resurrection" (Acts 17:18) to the skeptical Athenians.

Also see the House of Parliament, the Presidential Palace, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This afternoon, you can explore Athens on your own or enjoy an optional visit to the New Acropolis Museum (for an additional cost). Dinner and overnight are spent in Athens.

Day 8: Return home with a new understanding of the apostle Paul's life and ministry.

Greek Isle Cruise Extension - starting from $1749.00

Pricing ranges from $1,749-$2,199 per person, depending on the season. 

Day 7: EMBARK IN PIRAEUS & MYKONOS  
Board the ship and sail the blue waters of the Aegean Sea. In the evening, you will arrive at the world-famous Greek island of Mykonos, where gleaming, white-washed buildings seem to climb atop each other to reach the azure sky.
Excursions today are on your own. They can be purchased on the ship. 

Day 8: EPHESUS & PATMOS  
This morning, you arrive in Kusadasi, Turkiye, and journey to Ephesus, where the apostle Paul spent three years of his ministry. He planted a church here and later wrote to them in his Epistle to the Ephesians. Many of the ruins of Ephesus (known as “the marble city”) have been restored to show the city as it was in the apostle Paul’s time. Visit the agora and imagine where Demetrius, the silversmith, sold his silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. Stroll through the great theater where Paul witnessed faithfully for Christ. View one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World”, the ruins of the Temple of Diana (Artemis), before setting sail for the Island of Patmos to visit the Monastery of St. John, high on the mountain overlooking the entire island. Walk down to the Grotto of the Apocalypse and the caves where it is believed that the exiled Apostle John lived and was inspired by God to write the Book of Revelation and other letters to the early church.

Day 9: CRETE & SANTORINI
Dock this morning in Crete’s port of Heraklion, just three miles away from the fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos. Discovered in 1899 and partially reconstructed, the elaborate Palace is believed to be the mythical Labyrinth of King Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. Disembark at Santorini, one of the most beautiful of the Greek islands, where picturesque, whitewashed villages topped with brilliant blue domes stand in stark contrast to the sheer drop cliffs overlooking the Aegean Sea. The island perches on the edges of a volcano whose eruption 3,500 years ago is thought to have led to the collapse of the Minoan civilization.
Excursions today are on your own. They can be purchased on the ship. 

Day 10: ATHENS 
Enjoy the rich architectural splendor of the ancient city of Athens as your guide introduces you to the world-renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea, the Parthenon, and the Erechtheum.  Stand on Mars Hill as the apostle Paul did when he proclaimed, "I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.  Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you" (Acts 17:23). As you stroll the Agora (ancient marketplace and center of Athenian public life), recall that this was where the Apostle Paul preached "Jesus and the resurrection" (Acts 17:18) to the skeptical Athenians. Also see the House of Parliament, the Presidential Palace, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This afternoon, you can explore Athens on your own or enjoy an optional visit to the New Acropolis Museum (for an additional cost).  Dinner and overnight are spent in Athens. 

Day 11: RETURN TO USA
Return home with a new appreciation of the Apostle Paul's life and ministry. 

Package Deposit & Payment Schedule

Trip Deposit & Payment Schedule

• A payment of $300.00 per person is all that is due to secure your spot for this pilgrimage. This includes a $100.00 per person non-refundable cancellation fee. SEE CANCELLATION POLICY BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS
• $1500.00 per person is due 120 days prior to travel.
• Full payment for your trip is due 80 days prior to travel.
• Payments towards your balance can be made monthly. Hidden Gem Travel sends out monthly statements on the 1st of each month after you have submitted your registration fee, where you can optionally apply a payments that work for you. 
• If you would like a single stay, there is an additional supplement of $798.00 for the tour; $999 - $1349 for the Greek Isle Cruise Extension. These single supplement fees are in addition to the full price per person for your trip and will guarantee you will not share a room or stateroom during your trip.

Ability to Travel

Passengers registering for this tour accept the responsibility for being in good health and able to walk and travel on this tour. Because many of the sites are not accessible to the physically challenged, those needing oxygen, wheelchairs, or other ambulatory assistance will find the tour extremely limiting to their experiences.

Persons using C-Pap machines requiring distilled water will need to inform Hidden Gem Travel ahead of time, so we can work with local operators to prepare as it is not always available. We reserve the right to refuse or revoke travel to anyone who is, in the sole judgement of us, incapable of group travel without causing undue demands upon the staff or other tour participants. Accessible rooms are very limited and subject to confirmationn after receiving the registrant's written request.

Traveling with Children

Children under the age of 13 at the time of travel are unable to attend this trip. Any person under the age of 18 must be traveling with a parent or legal guardian.

If you are interested in bringing children, simply add them to the registration form and select one of the rooming options. 3rd and 4th guests will be priced at a separate rate.

-Very Important - Please Read-

Reservation Cancellation Policy

Those registering for this pilgrimage should be aware of the following cancellation penalties: 

From the day of registration to 105 days prior to travel, you will be charged the $100.00 non-refundable cancellation fee plus any airline & land fees. Additionally, thereafter, you will be charged any airline penalties, land penalties and a single room supplement if your cancellation forces your roommate plus the following per-person charges: 104 - 60 DAYS PRIOR TO TRAVEL = $400.00; 59 - 45 DAYS PRIOR TO TRAVEL = $600.00; 44 - 31 DAYS PRIOR TO TRAVEL = 40% total cost of trip; 30 DAYS OR LESS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE = 100% NON-REFUNDABLE. Cancellations must be submitted in writing no later than 12pm CST on the day of cancellation.

Registrations reveived within 115 days prior to travel will have additional fees, starting at $100.00 per person. Additional fees will be advised after registering.

Statements of Responsibility

Hidden Gem Travel and ETS Tours do not accept responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air schedules, hotel overbookings, other hotel related problems or causes, and/or travel supplier cancellations or postponements. Travel suppliers include all tour operators, cruise lines, airlines, hotels, bus companies, entertainment venues, agencies, and any other travel supplier used to operate the tour.

All such losses or expenses will be the responsibility of the passenger. ETS Tours reserves the right to make adjustments to the itinerary as deemed desirable by us, and we reserve the right to cancel any tour prior to departure. If a tour is canceled beyond the control of us, ETS Tours will provide a refund or a future travel credit to be used two years from the date of issuance for the value of all funds paid by the passenger less nonrefundable travel supplier prepaid deposits, travel supplier change fees, nonrefundable travel protection premiums, and a $150 administration fee collected by ETS Tours.

Travel Insurance

**If you have any questions about the travel insurance please call Travel Insured at 1-800-243-3174. We (Hidden Gem Travel) are not a licensed insurance company and cannot legally answer any insurance-related questions.**

Not purchasing travel protection could result in the loss of your travel money and/or require more money to correct the situation. Without protection, there is no way to recoup any costs, losses, or expenses incurred.  The price of Travel Protection is NOT included in the price of room selections and is non-refundable once purchased.

Having travel protection is definitely important and we recommend it for everyone. However, the choice to have travel protection is solely up to you, and you are welcome to purchase through any company you like.

Click here to purchase travel insurance.

When you click the link, you will need to answer a few questions about your trip, and you'll be redirected to a page with their policy plans and pricing.

The website offers plans like the "Worldwide Platinum Trip Protector" plan with optional add-ons like CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason), Optional Bed Rest to cover any quarantine expenses, and more. Travel Insured is the company we personally use and we highly recommend them for travel insurance needs.

If you want the CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason) benefit you will have to add it to the policy and you must purchase insurance no later than 20 days after you make your initial payment. CFAR is not available to NY residents.

The basic "Worldwide Platinum Trip Protector" plan which does not include CFAR can be purchased at any time, including more than 20 days after your first payment, but it will not cover the Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion Waiver or the Bankruptcy/Default of an airline, cruise line, tour operator or any other travel vendors. However, you can still cancel for a covered reason and potentially receive up to 100% in refunds as long as it's a covered reason.

Depending on the reason for canceling, travel insurance will cover 75-100% of your trip cancelation and many other things like medical services, trip delay, lost luggage, and more.

We strongly suggest you call and verify which policy will be best for your travel needs. You can reach an insurance agent at 1-800-243-3174.