Greece, Turkey & Italy · March 24 to April 4, 2028
Footsteps of Paul
with Calvary Chapel Lake Stevens
Twelve days in Greece, Turkey and Italy with Pastor Shane Algard, from Philippi, Berea and Corinth to Ephesus, Pergamum and Rome.
- From
- $5,995 per person, double room
- Duration
- 12 days March 24 to April 4, 2028
- Hotels
- 5 hotels Thessaloniki, Athens, Kusadasi, Izmir and Rome
- Hosted by
- Pastor Shane Algard Lead Pastor & Elder, Calvary Chapel Lake Stevens
- Departs in
- days March 24, 2028
Your host
Group leader
Pastor Shane Algard
Lead Pastor & Elder, Calvary Chapel Lake Stevens
Greece, Turkey & Italy, March 24 to April 4, 2028
12 days, day by day. Meals and the hotel for each night are listed at the end of each day.
Begins in Thessaloniki, ends in Rome
Thessaloniki, Kavala and Philippi, Berea and Vergina, Athens, Corinth and Cenchreae, Kusadasi and Ephesus, Pergamum, Izmir (Smyrna) and Rome.
Athens to Izmir, and Izmir to Rome.
Two nights in Thessaloniki, two in Athens, two in Kusadasi, one in Izmir and three in Rome.
- Day01
Friday, March 24
Depart the U.S.
Our journey begins today as we depart the U.S. for Greece.
Meals in flight. Overnight in flight.
- Day02
Saturday, March 25
Arrive in Thessaloniki
We arrive today at Thessaloniki’s “Makedonia” Airport (SKG), where our local guide and driver welcome us for the transfer to our hotel.
Dinner included. Overnight Thessaloniki. Holiday Inn or similar.
- Day03
Sunday, March 26
Kavala, Philippi & Thessaloniki
After breakfast we drive to Kavala, ancient Neapolis, the port where Paul first set foot on European soil after his vision of the man of Macedonia pleading, “Come over and help us” (Acts 16:9). From there we continue to Philippi, the Roman colony where Paul met Lydia, the seller of purple cloth who became the first recorded convert in Europe (Acts 16:14-15), and where he and Silas were later imprisoned, sang hymns at midnight, and saw their jailer come to faith after an earthquake shook the prison doors open (Acts 16:16-34). We return to Thessaloniki (biblical Thessalonica) where Paul reasoned in the synagogue for three Sabbaths (Acts 17:1-9).
Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight Thessaloniki. Holiday Inn or similar.
- Day04
Monday, March 27
Berea, Vergina & Athens
This morning we travel to Berea (modern Veria), where Paul found an audience Scripture itself commends: the Bereans searched the Scriptures daily to test what he taught (Acts 17:11). We visit the Bema of Paul monument marking this legacy before continuing to Vergina, ancient Aigai, capital of the Macedonian kings and burial place of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, whose conquests spread the Greek language that would one day carry the New Testament across the known world. In the afternoon we drive south to Athens.
Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight Athens. Athens Avenue Hotel or similar.
- Day05
Tuesday, March 28
Athens
A full day in Athens, the intellectual capital of the ancient world. We will enjoy a tour of Athens’ greatest landmarks, including a climb to the Acropolis and the Parthenon, and a visit to Mars Hill (the Areopagus), where Paul addressed the philosophers of Athens directly: “What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23). We will have some time at leisure in the Plaka district, beneath the Acropolis.
Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight Athens. Athens Avenue Hotel or similar.
- Day06
Wednesday, March 29
Corinth & Fly to Kusadasi
This morning we visit the impressive Corinth Canal, while en route to Ancient Corinth, the bustling, worldly city where Paul spent eighteen months building one of the most significant, and most troubled, churches of his ministry (Acts 18:1-18). We see the Bema, the judgment seat where Paul stood before the proconsul Gallio and was released, and consider the church that would go on to receive two of his most searching letters. We will visit Cenchreae, the location of the ancient port where Paul cut his hair in fulfillment of a vow, and then sailed toward Asia Minor. We then drive to Athens airport for our flight to Izmir. Upon arrival, we continue by coach to Kusadasi on the Turkish coast.
Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight Kusadasi. Charisma De Luxe or similar.
- Day07
Thursday, March 30
Ephesus
We spend a full day in Ephesus, among the best-preserved ancient cities anywhere in the world. We walk the marble-paved streets past the Library of Celsus and the Great Theater, where a riot broke out against Paul after his preaching threatened the trade of the local silversmiths who profited from the worship of Artemis (Acts 19:23-41). Christ’s letter to this church in Revelation 2:1-7 commends their perseverance, yet calls them to return to the love they had at first.
Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight Kusadasi. Charisma De Luxe or similar.
- Day08
Friday, March 31
Pergamum & Smyrna
We depart this morning for Pergamum, dramatically perched on its acropolis, one of the seven churches addressed in Revelation. Christ commends this church for holding fast to His name even where, as He puts it, “Satan’s throne is” (Revelation 2:13), a reference to the great pagan and imperial temples that once dominated the hillside. We also visit the Asclepion, the ancient world’s foremost center of healing. In the afternoon we continue to Smyrna (modern Izmir), the only church in Revelation to receive no word of rebuke, called instead to remain faithful and promised the “crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).
Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight Izmir. Hilton Garden Inn or similar.
- Day09
Saturday, April 1
Depart Izmir, Arrive Rome
After breakfast we transfer to Izmir’s Adnan Menderes Airport for our flight to Rome. On arrival at Fiumicino (FCO), our local assistant meets us for the private transfer into the city and check-in at our hotel. This evening’s dinner together marks a turning point in our journey: from the churches and cities Paul planted and shepherded by letter, to the city where his ministry, and ultimately his life, would be offered up.
Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight Rome. Hotel Fleming or similar.
- Day10
Sunday, April 2
Ancient Rome
After breakfast, our guide leads us into the Rome of emperors and martyrs. We visit the Colosseum, completed in 80 AD, a monument to the same imperial power that opposed the early church; we walk through the Roman Forum, the civic heart of the empire Paul appealed to as a Roman citizen; and we see the Mamertine Prison, held by tradition to be where Paul awaited his execution. We also stop at the Circus Maximus.
Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight Rome. Hotel Fleming or similar.
- Day11
Monday, April 3
Baroque Rome
This morning our guide leads us through the Rome of fountains and popes: the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon, a pagan temple originally built to honor “all the gods” that was later consecrated as a Christian church, standing today as a quiet witness to the gospel’s ultimate triumph over Rome’s own pantheon. We have some time free for shopping and personal reflection before our final dinner together this evening.
Breakfast and dinner included. Overnight Rome. Hotel Fleming or similar.
- Day12
Tuesday, April 4
Departure
After breakfast (if flight time permits) and check-out, we transfer to Rome’s airport for our flight home, carrying with us the memory of having walked from Paul’s first steps onto European soil to his final witness in Rome.
Breakfast included if flight time permits.
What is included
- Economy-class group airfareIncluding the flights from Athens to Izmir and from Izmir to Rome. One checked bag, one carry-on, and one personal item on all flights
- 4-star hotel accommodations
- Ground transportation in air-conditioned motorcoach
- Breakfast & dinner daily as per itinerary
- Christian Expedition tour director/licensed guide
- Entrance fees as per the itinerary
- Audio headsets when touring
- All tips
- All airport and hotel taxes
- Name badge & luggage tag
- 9am to 6pm (ET) reservation support
- 24/7 travel emergency support
Not included
- Lunches
- Drinks at mealsBeyond basic drinks like water, and coffee or tea at breakfast
- Personal expensesSouvenirs, laundry, etc.
- Porterage at airports
- Card feesThe listed prices are cash-discounted, and payments made by card will be subject to a 3% card fee
- Travel insuranceAvailable at registration (cost dependent on age)
- The cost of meeting any travel or national entry requirementsIncluding but not limited to the cost of obtaining or renewing a passport or the cost of obtaining a Visa, eVisa, or Travel Authorization if and when required. Travelers otherwise exempt from the necessity of obtaining a Visa will likely need to obtain an EU ETIAS at an approximate cost of 20 euros.
- Anything not mentioned as included
Your hotels
Subject to change.
“Our guide was incredible, and every detail of the trip was thoughtfully organized.”
“They really take care of you and do their best to create the experience you’re dreaming about.”
Questions travelers ask
- How much walking is there?Expect about 2 to 3 miles of walking on a typical touring day, much of it on uneven ancient paving, with some climbs at the Acropolis and Pergamum and time to rest along the way. Arrival, flight and departure days have very little walking, and we travel between cities by motor coach.
- Traveling alone?You can have a room to yourself, with a single supplement of $1,450, or share a room. If you would like to share, we will do our best to match you with a traveler of the same gender and a similar age. If no match is found, the single supplement applies.
- What will I spend beyond the price?Lunches, drinks beyond water, coffee and tea, travel insurance if you choose it, and your own shopping. A typical lunch costs about $15 to $20. Tips are already included on this trip. We recommend paying for most things by credit card: cards are accepted almost everywhere you will go, and credit card purchases usually come with protection that cash does not. We suggest bringing a couple hundred U.S. dollars in cash for emergencies and small purchases. When a card machine or ATM asks whether to pay in dollars or in the local currency (euros in Greece and Italy, lira in Turkey), choose the local currency; it is almost always cheaper.
- What if I need to cancel?Cancel in writing. Up to December 25, 2027 (90 days before departure), everything you have paid is returned except $200. After that date, the $450 deposit and any costs we cannot recover are kept. Travel insurance may cover a cancellation, depending on the reason.
- Who is going?This expedition is organized for Calvary Chapel Lake Stevens and led by Pastor Shane Algard.
More answers in our Traveler Support Center, or call us at (877) 234-3002.
Price per person
Payment schedule
Today
$450 due per person
$200 per person is non-refundable.
December 25, 2027
Remaining payment due
If you cancel less than 90 days before departure, the $450 deposit plus any charges imposed by our vendors is non-refundable. In the event of postponement, this still applies.
Group flights
- Seattle (SEA)Included
- I plan to book my own flights−$1,100
Can I book my own flights?
You are always welcome to arrange your own flights. Arranging airfare on your own gives you the ability to spend personally-earned airline miles for your ticket, handpick your seats, upgrade directly with the airline, or deviate from the group in other ways.
What is group airfare?
We work with airlines on booking group airfare from anticipated departure airports. This allows us to get the best rates to fly you and the rest of the group to and from your destination. Group air contracts do not allow deviations, date changes, or upgrades, and in some cases issuing tickets at individual rates may be necessary.
Select your preferred departure airport during registration. If you don’t see your preferred airport listed, please select “send me a flight quote”.
Can I apply TSA PreCheck or Global Entry?
If you have booked airfare through us and would like to apply your Known Traveler Number (for TSA PreCheck) and/or your CBP PASSID (for Global Entry), you may provide it to us during registration. Forgot your KTN? Retrieve it here: https://tsaenrollmentbyidemia.tsa.dhs.gov/ktn-lookup
Can I use frequent flyer miles or airline vouchers?
We cannot book your airfare using earned frequent flyer miles or airline vouchers. However, if the airfare we book for you coincides with an airline you are a member of, we are happy to apply your frequent flyer # to your booking for any mile accrual (if applicable).
Can I upgrade my flights and/or depart earlier/return later than the group?
Absolutely. If you would like to arrive earlier/depart later than the group and/or upgrade your airfare, please contact us at hello@christianexpedition.com
When will I receive my flight schedule?
The group’s flight schedule will be provided to you digitally and in the mail about 30 days before the trip.
Reserve your place
Footsteps of Paul with Calvary Chapel Lake Stevens, March 24 to April 4, 2028. Reserve today with a deposit, or call us at (877) 234-3002 with any questions.