Biblical Tour of Turkey 2027: Seven Churches, St Paul Route, Costs

A biblical tour of Turkey covers the Seven Churches of Revelation and the places St Paul passed through on his missionary journeys: five days is enough for the seven churches alone, and about ten days if you add Istanbul, Cappadocia and Paul's route through central Anatolia. Our private biblical tours start at $1,800 for 5 days and $2,750 for 10 days with Istanbul and Cappadocia (per person, international flights not included), with domestic flights, hotels, entrance fees and a licensed biblical guide included.

Before you build a route yourself, the ready-made options are the easiest way to compare. For a short trip there is the 2-day biblical Ephesus and Pamukkale tour; for the churches, the Seven Churches of Revelation 5-day tour; for the full picture, the 10-day Istanbul, Cappadocia and Seven Churches biblical tour; and we combine any of them with other regions in our Turkey tour packages.

Entrance fees are from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's 2027 tariff, published in September 2026. Tour prices vary by season, hotel and group size, so send us your dates for a confirmed quote.

Biblical tour of Turkey: which places to visit

Turkey holds more New Testament sites than any country except Israel. Paul's home town of Tarsus, Antioch where the disciples were first called Christians, Ephesus where Paul stayed three years, and all seven churches of Revelation are inside modern Turkey.

You cannot see all of it in one trip. Most pilgrim groups build around Ephesus and the seven churches in the west, then add central Anatolia (Cappadocia, Konya, Antioch) and Istanbul as time allows. Groups that want to follow the places named in Acts and Revelation can see how we plan the days on our JW Bible tours in Turkey page, from Ephesus to the seven congregations.

The Seven Churches of Revelation in one route

The seven churches lie within about 250 km of İzmir, so four days by road covers them without rushing. We usually start at İzmir airport, go north to Pergamum, then work south-east.

1. Smyrna (İzmir): the ancient agora and the St Polycarp Church, named after the bishop of Smyrna martyred around AD 155. His story is usually read with Rev 2:10, "Be faithful unto death".
2. Pergamum (Bergama): the acropolis at about 330 metres with the Temple of Trajan, and the Red Basilica in the town below. "Satan's throne" in Rev 2:13 is often linked to the Altar of Zeus that stood here.
3. Thyatira (Akhisar): a small ruins park in the middle of town, home of Lydia, the seller of purple (Acts 16:14). Twenty to thirty minutes is enough.
4. Sardis (Sart): the Temple of Artemis, a 3rd-century synagogue and the restored gymnasium façade. After Ephesus it is the largest site on the route.
5. Philadelphia (Alaşehir): only the massive brick pillars of a 6th-century church of St John remain. A quiet place to read Rev 3:8 about the "open door".
6. Laodicea: the city of Rev 3:15-16, "neither cold nor hot". Two decades of excavation have opened theatres, streets and church sites. From April 2027 the ticket costs €13.
7. Ephesus (Selçuk): the last day is all Ephesus. The Great Theatre of the riot in Acts 19, the Library of Celsus, then the Basilica of St John with the apostle's tomb and the House of the Virgin Mary.

None of the seven churches survives as a standing church building. What remains are ruins, pillars and the text read where it was first addressed. Our guides build reading time at each site into the schedule.

Following St Paul in Turkey

Large parts of Paul's first, second and third journeys crossed what is now southern and central Turkey. Born in Tarsus and sent out from the church at Antioch, Paul went through Perga, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe before coming back down to Attalia (Acts 13-14).

Seeing that route properly takes 14 days. Our St Paul 14-day private biblical tour includes St Paul's Well in Tarsus, the Cave Church of St Peter in Antioch, Pisidian Antioch, Perga and the harbour of Attalia, Colossae, Troas and Assos. Access to some sites in Antioch (Antakya) has changed since the 2023 earthquake, so we recheck conditions before you travel.

On the 10-day tour, Paul's route is represented by Pisidian Antioch and Iconium (Konya), and at Hierapolis you visit the Martyrium of St Philip. Colossae, the city of the letter to the Colossians, is still an unexcavated mound, so it is explained from the road.

Cappadocia, Istanbul and Nicaea

The "Cappadocia" of 1 Peter 1:1 is where early Christians carved churches and monasteries into the rock. The key sites are the frescoed cave churches of the Göreme Open-Air Museum, the Kaymaklı underground city and Selime Monastery. A balloon flight is optional and can be cancelled by weather.

In Istanbul you visit Hagia Sophia, consecrated in 537, and the Hippodrome. With an extra day, our guide to churches in Istanbul covers the churches that still hold services.

Nicaea (İznik) is where the first ecumenical council met in 325. Interest grew after Pope Leo XIV joined Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for prayers at the lakeside ruins of the Basilica of St Neophytos on 28 November 2025, for the council's 1,700th anniversary. You can go from Istanbul on our İznik day trip from Istanbul.

How many days do you need for a biblical tour of Turkey?

For a first visit we suggest ten days. The 5-day seven churches route can start to feel like one set of ruins after another; with Cappadocia and Istanbul added, the story runs from the early church to Byzantium.

If you want Greece as well, Athens fits into our 15-day Turkey and Greece tour. The Areopagus, where Paul preached in Acts 17, is right next to the Acropolis.

How much does a biblical tour of Turkey cost?

Our private tours cost from $720 for 2 days, $1,800 for 5 days, $2,050 for 7 days and $2,750 for 10 days per person. At roughly 1,400 Korean won to the dollar, the 10-day tour is about 3.85 million won; exchange rates move, so use that only as a guide.

Included are mid-range hotels with breakfast, domestic flights, private transport throughout, a licensed biblical guide, all entrance fees on the itinerary, selected lunches on tour days, and airport meet-and-greet with transfers. International flights, travel insurance, personal expenses and tips for guides and drivers are not included.

If you travel independently, these are the 2027 entrance fees for foreign visitors from the Ministry tariff:

We cover the changes in detail in Ephesus ticket prices 2027 and Pamukkale ticket prices 2027. Prices vary with season, hotel and group size, so ask us for the exact figure.

A 10-day biblical itinerary

Day 5 has the longest drive. Konya to Yalvaç is about two and a half hours, and you then head south towards Pamukkale, so the day starts early.

When is the best time for a biblical tour of Turkey?

April to May and late September to early November are the best months. In July and August the midday heat at Ephesus and Laodicea often passes 35°C, with almost no shade. December to February brings rain, but the sites are quiet and hotel prices are lower.

Many groups plan around Easter. In 2027 Western Easter falls on 28 March and Orthodox Easter on 2 May. Every year on 15 August a Mass for the Assumption is held at the House of the Virgin Mary.

Travelling from Korea and abroad

South Korean, US and UK passport holders can enter Turkey without a visa for tourism for up to 90 days in any 180. Your passport must be valid well beyond your stay, so check our Turkey visa guide by country.

Direct flights from Seoul Incheon to Istanbul take about 11 to 13 hours; airlines and operating days change by season, so check the schedule before you book. For the seven churches, the most efficient start is a domestic flight from Istanbul to İzmir.

Our standard guides are licensed English-speaking biblical guides, and a Korean-speaking guide can be arranged depending on dates. For church and mission groups we build worship times and quiet reading stops into the itinerary. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, but carry some euros or lira for small restaurants and tips.

Practical tips on site

• Marble paths at the ruins are slippery and shade is scarce. Wear trainers and bring a hat and water.
• At Ephesus, start at the upper (Magnesia) gate and walk downhill; there is almost no climbing.
• At mosques, women cover their hair, and everyone covers their knees.
• Reading the Bible or praying quietly at the sites is fine, but loud singing or microphones may be stopped by the site staff.
• If you want a Sunday service, we can time the day around Mass at St Polycarp in İzmir or a church in Istanbul.

For a separate overview of the churches route see our Seven Churches of Revelation tour page and the wider Christian tours of Turkey page, and for other tours in the Ephesus area, the Ephesus tours list.

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