Days 1-2. Depart JFK/Newark and arrive in Athens. We have a short tour of Athens before checking into our hotel

Day 3. Today we visit the Acropolis and its temple to Athina, the Acropolis Museum, the Parthenon, the ancient Agora and Mars Hill (where Paul preached of the “unknown God”)

Day 4. Departing Athens, we make our journey to the spectacular sanctuary site of Apollo at Delphi. We will see where the “oratories” of Delphi dispensed words of the gods to faithful pilgrims (and learn their not-so-holy secret), the museum containing artifacts dating back nearly three millennia and the Athina Pronaia before continuing to Meteora

Day 5. We will trek (by stairs from the edge of the road) to the mountain-top monasteries of Meteora, taking time to tour the Grand Monastery, built on top of the region's highest rock, St. Steven’s, the only women’s convent among the monasteries, and, time permitting, the beautiful Varlem Monastery, which houses a trove of relics, icons, crosses and ecclesiastical treasures. Drive to Delphi, the ancient site of homage and pilgrimage.

Day 6. We leave early in the morning from Meteora for Athens. In the afternoon, we will tour the Temple of Zeus and see Adrian’s Arch, Syntagma (Constitution) Square and Agios Dionysios Areopagitis Catholic Cathedral of Athens before sampling ancient Greek cuisine at a traditional Greek restaurant

Day 7. Today we visit Corinth, where Paul preached and lived for two years. We will spend time walking among the ruins of the ancient agora before continuing to the 2nd Millennium BC city of Mycenae, viewing its ancient acropolis and famous beehive burial before returning to Athens for our farewell dinner

Day 8. Return to JFK or continue with a three-day cruise. Those taking the cruise will depart from Port Nauplion, arriving early evening on the island of Mykonos to take in the island’s breathtaking seascape, narrow cobblestone streets, and multiple shops and cafes. Late night return to the ship

Day 9. In the early morning, we arrive in Kusadasi Turkey and continue to Ephesus, where St. John the Apostle spent the bulk of his ministry. We will visit the remains of the Basilica built over his grave before touring the ancient city of Ephesus. There, we will see the theatre where Paul preached, the Fountain of Trajan and the remarkably preserved remains of the ancient Library of Celsus. Afterwards, we visit the home of Mary where she lived with St. John until her death. In the afternoon, we stop at the island of Patmos, where we will visit the 12th century Monastery of St. John and the Grotto of the Apocalypse, where John wrote Revelations

Day 10. We begin the day on the island of Crete, where we have an opportunity to visit the ancient Palace of Knossos. In the afternoon, we stop on the spectacular island of Santorini, where you may view the blue-top roofs cascading down a mountain leading to the sea and shop at its exclusive boutiques

Day 11. Depart Athens for JFK/Newark

From $3,195 including base airfare from New York