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Turkey

Seven Churches of Revelation with 4 optional days in Istanbul led by Revd Mark Hunt

All are welcome to join our pilgrimage to  the ancient land of Turkey, which lies at the heart of the New Testament church. Turkey today is a wonderful synthesis of modern life alongside a largely unspoilt land with many fascinating archeological sites, all of which evoke the flavour of the first and second centuries as it struggled to find its place in a frequently indifferent and openly hostile world. Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Muslim influences make western Turkey a melting pot of cultures and history, and we shall have plenty of opportunities to immerse ourselves in all it has to offer.

You may choose to enjoy the whole experience: 4 days in bustling and colourful Istanbul (Sunday 3 - Wednesday 6 May)  followed by 8 days touring the Seven Churches of Revelation (Wednesday 6 - Wednesday13 May); alternatively you may choose either one of these on its own (ie either Istanbul OR the Seven Churches). These seven churches comprised real, physical congregations when John of Patmos wrote the last book of the Bible around 95AD.  "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches, " the Holy Spirit instructed him, "to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."  Whether you choose to visit Istanbul, or the Seven Churches, or both, you will be enthralled by a wealth of amazing and memorable treasures found nowhere else in the world.

 

 

Itinerary

  1. TRAVEL TO IZMIR

    Meet your fellow travellers at London Luton Airport and fly to Izmir. On arrival in Izmir, you will be met by your Local Guide, who will be with you throughout the tour, and be directed to your hotel where you will check-in for a two-night stay – Park Inn by Radisson.

  2. PERGAMUM, THYATIRA AND SMYRNA

    Drive to Pergamon, set on a mountain rising above the azure waters of the Aegean Sea. Today, Pergamon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the steepest sloped theatre of the ancient world, temple of Athena and Altar of Zeus which St. John denounced as a 'Throne of Satan' in his letters to the Seven Churches of Revelation. We continue to Thyatira the fourth of the seven churches that received a spiritual revelation directly from God through Jesus Christ. We then head to Agora, once the ancient Greek city of Smyrna.  Today we also visit the church of St John the Evangelist where we will celebrate a Eucharist in memory of the martyr, St Polycarp. Dinner in the hotel.

  3. SARDIS, PHILADELPHIA AND PAMUKKALE

    We continue our visits to the Seven Churches driving to Sardis which was one of the wealthiest Roman cities in the area. Sardis today features the remains of the Temple of Artemis, a Jewish synagogue, a Byzantine church and evidence of daily Roman life. We then drive to Philadelphia and Pamukkale with its unique white terraces and warm calcium pools. Two-nights at Adem Pira Hotel.

  4. HIERAPOLIS AND THE KLEOPATRA POOL

    Drive to to Hierapolis, founded during the Hellenistic period as a control point of trading routes connecting East to West. Visit the necropolis, baths, theatre and the site of the Martyrdom of St. Philip. In the afternoon we will experience the Kleopatra Pool, situated above the Pamukkale white travertine pools, in a spectacular location fed by warm and clean springs. Here you can bathe in the same waters in which Cleopatra once swam! A professionally run modern spa facility allows you to enjoy these historical healing waters. Dinner in the hotel.

  5. LAODICEA AND APHRODISIAS

    We continue this morning with a drive to Laodicea, a remote spot in beautiful countryside which was, in ancient times, an important Christian site. Our principal visit today is to the Roman city of Aphrodisias, dedicated to Aphrodite. The largely intact remains of its stadium is one of the finest still standing. Three night stay at Richmond Ephesus Resort.

  6. PRIENE, DIDYMA AND MILETUS

    We continue with a circular tour of three important religious sites, beginning at Priene, which overlooks the rich farmland of the Meander Valley. Today's highlight is a visit to the ancient oracle in the Temple of Apollo at Didyma. After lunch, we visit the port of Miletus where much remains intact, including the Lion Harbour and theatre. Here we remember Paul's emotional farewell to the elders of Ephesus.

  7. EPHESUS

    Today, we complete our tour of the Seven Churches with a visit to Ephesus. St Paul lived here for some years and it is one of the most impressive archeological sites in the world. Much has been reconstructed and it is easy to visualise the riot of the silversmiths in the vast theatre. After lunch, we ascend the hills behind Ephesus to visit the traditional house where the Virgin Mary is believed to have spent the final years of her life. We will share in the Eucharist there.

  8. HOME

    We drive to Izmir Airport for our return flight to London Luton.

Essential Information

The cost is £ 2,540 per person sharing a double or twin room. A reduction of £190 per person is granted to people booked on the 4 Days in Istanbul ( 6 - 9 September 2026).

For booking received by 11 November 2025, we offer a LOWER DEPOSIT payment of £300* per person. A second deposit of £200 per person is due 6 weeks from booking.

 

The tour includes:

  • Two nights in Izmir at the Park Inn Hotel
  • Two two nights at the Adempira Hotel in Pamukkale
  • Three nights are at the Richmond Ephesus Resort
  • Daily breakfast and dinner
  • Touring is by air-conditioned coach
  • Hotel baggage porterage
  • Local guide and drivers’ gratuities
  • Personal audio guiding system
  • Services of a knowledgeable Local Guide with you throughout
  • Welcome drink on arrival
  • All entry fees to the sites and museums
  • Optional worship with our travelling Tour Leader

Flights included:

We fly direct to Izmir from London Luton. We return from Izmir to Luton. All flights, airport and security taxes are included.

 

4 OPTIONAL DAYS IN ISTANBUL (6 - 9 September 2026)

For people flying to Izmir on 9th September to join the Seven Churches tour, the cost is £ 1,370 per person sharing a double or twin room.

For people flying back to London Luton on 9th September, the cost is £ 1,410 per person sharing a double or twin room.

The tour includes:

  • Three nights in Izmir at the Royan Hotel Hagia Sophia
  • Daily breakfast and dinner
  • One lunch on Day Three
  • Touring is by air-conditioned coach
  • Services of a knowledgeable Local Guide with you throughout
  • All entry fees to the sites and museums

Flights included:

For people joining the Seven Churches of Revelation pilgrimage: direct flights  from London Luton to Istanbul  and from Istanbul to Izmir. All flights, airport and security taxes are included.

For people returning to London Luton on 9th September: direct flights between Luton and Istanbul.

Flight times are confirmed with your final paperwork

Our team in Turkey

This holiday includes a qualified local guide to bring the history of Turkey, St. Paul's, St. John's and St. Barnabus' time in the region, as well as the wonders of ancient empires, to life. They will be staying with you and escorting you throughout. Each departure also includes a faith leader who will offer optional opportunities for worship and reflection for all during and after these moving visits.

Not included

Travel insurance: this is essential. We require all travellers to have adequate coverage for their journey.

Single rooms: a limited number of single rooms are available at a supplementary cost. Details below:

4 Optional Days in Istanbul, 3 - 6 May 2026: £225 per person

Seven Churches of Revelation, 6 - 13 May 2026: £335 per person

Practical information

Entry requirements

British Citizen and EU Citizen Passport holders can currently enter Turkey freely with no restrictions or other documentation required. Stays can be up to 90 days (can be spread over multiple visits) within any 180-day period.

Please note your passport must be valid for 150 days after your return from Turkey.

Full details of entry requirements and any required vaccinations will be detailed in your final paperwork 14 days before departure.

For the latest and most up to date travel advice including entry requirements please consult the Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office travel advice website.

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

Health & wellbeing

If you haven't had a booster in the last ten years it is recommended that you be vaccinated for Tetanus and Polio. Food and waterborne diseases are more common, so we recommend vaccinations for typhoid (valid 3 years) and Hepatitis A (validity varies). Vaccination, Covid-19 and health information can change so please contact your local health care provider for the most up to date information. We will send up to date information on entry requirements with your final paperwork approximately 14 days before departure.

Adequate insurance cover will be required for all hospital emergencies and doctors’ visits.

Clothing

Dress is cool and casual throughout your time in Turkey. You may wish to take one or two smarter items for the evenings. Casual clothing is recommended in the day-time with evenings being smart/casual. As this tour requires a certain amount of gentle to intermediate walking, we suggest you take a pair of lined shoes or boots with decent grip. Sports shoes or trainers are fine as well as walking boots. It is advisable to bring just a couple of warmer items for the evenings as well as coastal walks where the wind may reduce the temperatures.

Mobility

There is a certain amount of walking, light undulations with just one or two steep sections but a number of stairs involved on a daily basis during your time in Turkey so please make sure you pack comfy footwear for this so that you are prepared. Your Local Guide will keep you updated on a daily basis with what to expect the following day. If you are finding it difficult to keep up then please make sure you tell your Local Guide who can help you to find places to rest and relax and then you can re-join the group at a later stage.

Some streets in towns and villages that you will visit will be cobbled and ancient sites can have some uneven ground. We suggest you take a pair of comfortable shoes with good grips or trainers.  You must be prepared to be on your feet for up to 90 minutes without the necessity to sit down and walk up to a mile and be able to climb two to three flights of stairs unaided. Hiking sticks are fine.

The McCabe Educational Trust

The McCabe Educational Trust is an independent registered charity with the aim of helping inspiring people we meet on some of our pilgrimages. As ‘the haves’ encounter the ‘have nots’ the Trust has become a practical tool for one to help the other.

McCabe Pilgrimages invite all travellers to become partners in this work. A £20 voluntary donation to the Trust’s work is added to every pilgrim’s invoice and all money raised in this way is given in full to the projects the Trust supports. This scheme is voluntary and confidential with nobody put under any pressure to participate.

Travel insurance

Ensuring that your holidays are appropriately protected is one of our main priorities. That’s why we have specifically chosen Holiday Extras as our *preferred travel insurance provider to ensure that you are protected before and whilst you are travelling. Holiday Extras offer McCabe Travel guests favourable rates for single trip, multi-trip and annual policies.

For more information or to obtain a quote click below for their website

https://www.holidayextras.com/travel-insurance

Or call them on 0800 083 3551 to speak to a friendly advisor.

Please quote AG628 upon calling to receive the best rates

Full financial security

All money paid to McCabe is fully secure. Holidays including flights are covered by our ATOL license from the Civil Aviation Authority, and holidays without flights are protected by our membership of the ABTOT bonding scheme. If a pilgrimage is cancelled, for instance through lack of numbers or for political considerations, McCabe will promptly refund all monies paid.

AITO Quality Statement

McCabe Pilgrimages is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. The Association represents Britain’s leading independent tour operators and encourages high standards of quality and service. McCabe abides by the Association’s Code of Conduct and adheres to the AITO Quality Charter.

You can read McCabe reviews on the AITO website here

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Dates

Upcoming Pilgrimages

We have no tours scheduled to this destination at present.

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