Footsteps Of Paul

Price Per person Based on Double Occupancy and a minimum of 25 passengers

Date	Price	Single Supplement
September 22 – October 2, 2026	$4,519*	$1,000
*Includes estimated airfare from San Francisco. Airport and flights to be confirmed in November 2025. Reservation Due: June 4, 2026 Final Payment Due: July 14, 2026 At the end of the trip, all participants will be given the opportunity to provide UPFC with a love offering through Venmo as the Lord leads to help further our ministry. Please see Russ for details.

Included

Roundtrip airfare from San Francisco including taxes and fees (air taxes and fuel surcharges are subject to change), 9 nights lodging at 4-star hotels, All breakfasts & dinners at hotels, lunch on island cruise day, Full time professional English-speaking tour guide, All touring and entrances as listed on itinerary, All transportation by modern air-conditioned motor coach, Tips to guide, driver, & hotel staff, Whisper listening devices, Pilgrim Payment Processing for check, Visa, MasterCard or Discover

Not Included

All lunches and drinks with meals unless noted otherwise in itinerary, Optional Travel Insurance – 7.95% or 10.85% of tour cost (rates current as of quote date)

Day 1 – Tuesday, Sept. 22: Departure from US

Today we embark on our Journey to the lands of ancient treasures and Christian history with an overnight flight to Athens. Prepare yourself for a life-changing experience. Get some rest on the flight…Tomorrow you will be walking where the apostle Paul walked!

Day 2 – Wednesday, Sept. 23: Arrive Athens

We arrive in Athens and check into our hotel where we will lodge for the next two evenings. You will have the remainder of the day free to relax or take a stroll along the streets of Athens to enjoy the flavor of the city. This evening our group will enjoy the first of many delectable European style dinners.

Day 3 – Thursday, Sept. 24: City of Athens

Following breakfast this morning we tour Athens, the foundation of democracy. We visit the Acropolis, the Parthenon, and Erectheum before viewing Athens atop Mars Hill where Paul stood and preached the truth to the Gentile nation. From atop Mars Hill we view the Agora below, the ancient marketplace and center of Athenian public life. As we see this New Testament scenery come to life, we will take time to recall Paul’s teachings as he shared the Truth of the Gospel with the philosophers and cynics of the day. The remainder of our day is at our leisure. Some may wish to visit the famous Plaka with a multitude of shops and cafes.

Day 4 – Friday, Sept. 25: One-Day Three-Island Cruise (Lunch Included)

We enjoy an island cruise today, visiting Aegina, Poros, and Hydra. Upon arrival at the cruise ship we will receive a warm welcome from our Officers and Hostesses who will invite you to proceed either to the Main Lounge, where our Live Orchestra performs its international music repertoire, or to one of the spacious open decks where you can enjoy the fascinating view as we leave port. Our first stop is Hydra Island, where nothing disturbs the peace and quiet surrounding the traditional stone houses. Five hundred years of history unrolls before us as we stroll along the stone paved streets; those who wish to may ride on donkeys, considered the main transport here on Hydra Island. Stop by a seafront café and enjoy a cup of a traditional Greek coffee or refreshing lemonade. We will also visit Poros, a very small but beautiful island. As we sail there, we head to the main lounge for an open buffet with various food choices available. During our time in the enchanting town of Poros Island we will walk by the citrus trees and windmills. Time will fly quickly, and soon we shall arrive at our last port of call, the Island of Aegina. Aegina Island is the perfect destination for the independent traveler who yearns to experience the reality of a real living and working island! When our time here is complete, we return to our ship and sail back to Athens. Enjoy the fresh sea breeze on one of the open decks, or head to the main lounge to enjoy the live traditional music, dances, and showman’s imaginative surprises. We disembark back in Athens and transfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 5 – Saturday, Sept. 26: Athens, Cenchreae, Arrive Corinth

Before departing Athens today, our driver will take us on a panoramic bus tour of some additional sites including the House of Parliament, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Olympic Stadium, and Presidential Palace. We then travel west with a rest stop and photos at the Corinth Canal. Following the coast southward, we will visit Cenchreae, the ancient port region of Corinth. Acts 18:18 states the Apostle Paul stopped at Cenchreae during his second missionary journey, where he had his hair cut to fulfill a vow. We then continue on to ancient Corinth, the city that inspired many of Paul's most familiar letters and is a highlight for the New Testament scholar. We begin our time here at the top of the nearby Acropolis where our guide will speak on the worship practices and point out the bird’s eye view of what was a bustling city of around 800,000 during Paul’s stay. The remainder of the afternoon is free for some time of reflection and study as we review what we have seen in our journey thus far. Our lodging will be in Corinth for the next two evenings.

Day 6 – Sunday, Sept. 27: Ancient Corinth

Following breakfast, we will visit the Archaeological Museum, the Market Place, the Bema, and the Temples. To enjoy a devotional in the midst of the ruins of the church of Corinth and see the pillars, steps, and public worship place where Paul preached will enhance your understanding and love for the Bible. We will take our time throughout each of these sites in order to truly soak in the importance of each place and connect them with Scripture references. The ruins of this important cultural center are fascinating as we walk along the stone path that the Apostle Paul walked. The engineering skill and intellect of these people are evident in the water systems that still flow from ancient to modern day. Our guide will be sure to show you the room dedicated to the medical care of that period.

Day 7 – Monday, Sept. 28: Meteora Monastery

Please prepare for a dress code today. In Meteora, women are required to wear skirts below the knee and men, pants. From Corinth, our tour travels northward past Thermopylae where we learn of the famous Spartan battle of 300. We continue through the mountains to Meteora. Here we see the world famous Byzantine monasteries that are perched precariously on summits of gray rock pinnacles of varied and beautiful shapes. Their history goes back to the 14th century when the monks sought refuge in the cliffside caves then fled higher to build the original wooden shelters, later transformed into monasteries. Our lodging this evening will be in Meteora.

Day 8 – Tuesday, Sept. 29: Vergina, Berea, Arrive Thessaloniki

Traveling northward into Macedonia we visit King Phillip's (Alexander's father) tomb in Vergina, one of the most outstanding finds in all of Greece. A stop will be made in Berea to view the ancient synagogue where Paul spoke and the Bema surrounded by mosaics of Paul and the plaque of scripture regarding the "more noble" church. Continuing into Macedonia we visit Berea to view the ancient synagogue where Paul spoke as well as the Bema surrounded by mosaics of Paul and the plaque of scripture regarding the "more noble" church. This afternoon we arrive in the delightful harbor city of Thessalonica. En route to the hotel we will view the old city ramparts. Our lodging will be in Thessaloniki for the remainder of our tour.

Day 9 – Wednesday, Sept. 30: Thessaloniki

We begin our full-day tour of this New Testament location by following the massive battlement Byzantine wall to the citadel for a panoramic view of the city. Visit St. Demetrius Basilica, dedicated to a distinguished member of the Roman army and a martyred Christian convert. As part of our tour, we will visit the old city ramparts and the newly excavated Forum as well as St. George Church, an ancient Roman monument which was transformed into a church, and the Galerius Arch which rises over the famous Via Egnatia. The Via Egnatia is an old Roman road which still exists today and was the main road that connected ancient Thessaloniki to Philippi and Neapolis (modern-day Kavala). Paul would have journeyed on this road as he made his way between these cities.

Day 10 – Thursday, Oct. 1: Philippi, Kavala

This morning we have two options available to us. Those that wish to may get an early start to walk a portion of the Via Egnatia towards Kavala and Philippi. Those who do not leave early may depart on the bus a bit later. Our driver will stop to pick up the hikers en route to our first stop. Kavala is Greece's prettiest mainland port with a most elegant harbor. Paul landed here with his disciples, Timothy and Silas. Luke, the Evangelist, also came here from Troas. This ancient city of Neapolis was later renamed Christoupolis because it was the first European city to accept Christianity. Imagine walking on the same sod as these men of the Bible! We will see the Roman Aqueduct and the ruins of the Acropolis in this beautifully located city, known since the 5th century as Kavala. Continue on to Philippi where Paul preached his first evangelical sermon and baptized the first Christians on European soil. We will view the baptismal site where Lydia surrendered her life to Christ and visit a crypt dating from the Roman period that is thought to have served as a prison for Paul. See the famous Acropolis, the Market Place, Basilica, and the Theatre. We return to Thessalonica for our final night.

Day 11 – Friday, Oct. 2: Homeward Bound

We transfer to the Thessalonica airport for our flight home.

Itinerary subject to change while touring for the best interest of the group.