“What a trip! Leading up to visiting Israel we were excited with anticipation, but boy did it exceed anything we had imagined. Our tour guide CJ was outstanding. He broke down the Jewish culture, past and modern history, biblical connections/application, and geography of Israel at every site. It was just so awesome with how many sites and artifacts we were shown and how seamlessly our trip was organized. Throughout the week we were taken well care of. We stayed in very nice hotels, ate great food, and enjoyed a comfortable, air-conditioned bus driven by our expert driver, Happy. Happy made sure we stayed hydrated and took extra special care of us in keeping us safe. CJ and Happy complemented each other wonderfully. With packed days of touring, we enjoyed restful evenings. We also felt safe and secure throughout our travels, allowing us to delve fully into what we were learning and what God was teaching us about Himself.
Besides enjoying CJ and Happys sense of humor, we quickly experienced camaraderie between the rest of our group, which made little things like traveling, eating, and taking pictures fun. Thank you all for loving on us; we thank God for you and this short time we were able to connect. And most importantly we thank God as we recognize all the lessons we learned along the way. He definitely used this trip to reveal new things to us as we learned more about the Bible, God, and ourselves.
Thank you and many Blessings,
Jeanne Jackson
5-Day Aegean Cruise Extension
From relaxing on a cruise of the beautiful Aegean Sea to exploring the ancient city of Ephesus, this tour has something for everyone.
What’s Included
- Airfare from group departure city
- All Transfers
- Baggage Handling
- Breakfast & Dinner Daily
- Entrance Fees to all Sites
- Gratuities
- Itinerary as per Description
- Premium Accommodations
- Professional Tour Guides
- Transportation by Deluxe Motor Coach
Schedule
Day 1 Athens and Corinth
Upon arrival in Athens, visit the Acropolis, the Parthenon, and Erectheum before viewing Athens atop Mars Hill where Paul stood and preached the truth to the Gentile nation.
Additional sites that will be seen include the Agora from above (ancient market place and center of Athenian public life), the house of Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Olympic Stadium, and the Presidential Palace. We will leave Athens and drive southwest until we reach the Corinth Canal which connects the Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea. Then drive on and visit the ancient town of Corinth where St. Paul lived and preached for two years. The remains of the City, which include the Agora (market place) and Apollo’s Temple (6th century B.C.) clearly show how rich and important Corinth was in Ancient Times. We then travel to the Site of the Ancient Port of Cechries, where St. Paul disembarked, this will conclude the visit.
Return back to in Athens where you will enjoy dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 2 Cruising Mykonos
We will board our cruise ship and sail this morning from Athens to the quaint isle of Mykonos, called the island of windmills.
This is a stunningly picturesque Cycladic town with a maze of tiny streets and whitewashed steps, lanes, houses and churches, gathered around its harbor in the middle of a wide bay. Experience the waterfront lined with shops and cafes and then stroll the charming walkways. You may choose to explore on your own, before returning to the ship for dinner and evening activities.
Day 3 Ephesus and Patmos
This morning your cruise will be docking in Turkey. You will enjoy a tour of Ephesus (included), the city of the Bible and one of the largest restorations still in progress with miles of ancient treasures. Ephesus was once a thriving port town of 250,000 people. Today you can still see the spectacular excavations of the major streets in this ancient city.
This afternoon we will visit the Isle of Patmos, under statutory protection as a historic monument, you will take a tour to see the fortified monastery of St. John and the cave claimed to be where John received the Revelation. The Cave of the Apocalypse is situated about halfway up the mountain on the Aegean island of Patmos, along the road between the villages of Chora and Skala. This grotto is believed to mark the spot where John of Patmos received his visions that he recorded in the Book of the Apocalypse (Revelation). In 1999, UNESCO declared the cave a joint World Heritage Site together with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian.
Back on the ship you will enjoy the Captain’s dinner before settling into your cabin for the night.
Day 4 Crete and Santorini
You will wake up to visit the island of Crete. Participating in the excursion (included), we will visit the Palace of Knossos and its famous “Labyrinth” which was the Centre of the Minoan civilization. It is absolutely incredible!
Next you will visit the island of Santorini which is perhaps the most breathtaking of all the Greek islands. The town of Thera has white washed houses, narrow streets, and open air cafes that are accessible by cable-car or mules. There will be several optional tours offered in Santorini, including the Essence of Santorini and Akrotiri Village & Excavations, or you may choose to spend the day shopping and exploring on your own.
Again we return to the ship for dinner and evening entertainment.
Day 5 Transfer to Airport
This morning you will disembark from the cruise ship and meet your coach , transfer to the airport to fly back to the USA.
Jeanne Jackson
This was my first time to Isreal, and it was such a fantastic trip due to our guide Adam and our driver Money Mike! Adam is so knowledgeable and was really able to make each site come alive for me. We had a really large group, and I am sure that Adam felt like he was “herding cats” all week, but he kept us together and moving through the areas while sharing so much information. With Mike’s driving and sense of humor, I felt very safe even though the streets sometimes seemed way too narrow for all of the buses and cars! The team of Adam and Money Mike were fabulous, and I would highly recommend them!!
Adrienne Carter
If you’re doing the Holy Land Tour, there’s no question in which company to choose - it’s Travel With Friends! The entire trip was very well planned and wasted no time in getting us in and out of sites while beating the crowds. Ibrahim was a phenomenal guide! He was personable, fun, and incredibly knowledgeable in the Bible and history of the land. Will definitely do this trip again and go through Travel With Friends!
Ellie Hill