Join A Caffeinated Catholic, Mackenzie Hunter, and Father Nick Vance on an incredible pilgrimage walking in the footsteps of St. Paul through Greece!
Explore the vibrant cities of Athens and Corinth, where St. Paul wrote some of his most powerful letters that continue to inspire and guide us today. Visit the enchanting city of Lydia Springs, Philippi where Lydia (dealer of expensive purple cloth) converted to Christianity. Step onto the sacred grounds of Philippi, where St. Paul, accompanied by Silas, Timothy, and (possibly) Luke first preached on European soil in 49 or 50 AD, and walk in the very footsteps of St. Paul and his disciples as they traveled to Greece to share the Good News!
This pilgrimage offers not only a spiritual journey but also a chance to experience the stunning natural beauty and ancient architecture of Greece. From majestic scenery to historic sites, this pilgrimage promises to be a life-changing experience for every traveler.
Don't miss this chance to walk the path of St. Paul and immerse yourself in the richness of our faith and history!
DEPOSIT IS NON-REFUNDABLE
Based on country's standard and double occupancy
All pilgrimage sites visited
All breakfasts & most dinners
Basilicas, churches, chapels and other consecrated sites
Gratuities for tour guides, bus drivers and porters
Highly recommended for all pilgrimages.
When requested or necessary to access international airport for particular destinations (unless otherwise stated in the Pilgrimage Package Price).
Private room (additional charge)
Depart the USA to Athens, Greece, from your local airport. Enjoy a full meal and inflight entertainment (movies, music, etc.) on your overnight flight.
Welcome to Greece! Arrive at Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in Athens. You will be greeted by our local Trinity Tour Travels tour guide and driver, who will transfer you to Athens. Check-in to the hotel, then have free time to relax. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Athens.
Breakfast at the hotel in Athens. Begin your pilgrimage with a full day of touring one of the oldest-named cities in the world, Athens. First, a stop at the Panathenaic Stadium, site of the first Olympic Games in 1896. This historic stadium was rebuilt on the excavation site of the stadium built by Herodes Atticus around 144AD. It is the only stadium in the world built entirely from marble and remains the point from where the Olympic Flame handover ceremony to the host nation takes place. We visit the Acropolis Museum and wander around Plaka, the Old Town. A visit to the Herodion amphitheater (The Odeon of Herodes) and a stroll through the colorful flea market follows in Monastiraki, the heart of Athens.
Mass time and location to be confirmed. Lunch on your own.
Dinner and overnight in Athens.
Following breakfast at the hotel, we continue touring Athens. We visit Acropolis Hill with its Parthenon and Mars Hill or “The Areopagus” where St. Paul preached against the idolatry of the Greeks (Acts 17: 16-34).
We travel to Corinth, one of the most historic cities in the world. St. Paul lived and preached here between 51 and 52 AD. Tradition maintains that he loved Corinth more than any other city in the pagan world. Two of his epistles are named in honor of this beloved city. We visit the Corinth Canal for its awe-inspiring breathtaking views and then on to Ancient Corinth. It is here where St. Paul wrote his letters. We see the Bema of St. Paul, a large, elevated rostrum at the center of the Roman Forum. The Bema is where St. Paul was accused of false teachings and where his trial took place. We visit the Corinth Market before returning to Athens in the afternoon.
Mass time and location to be confirmed. Lunch on your own.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Athens.
Breakfast at the hotel followed by a free day to explore Athens on your own! We suggest some pre-departure planning to maximize your adventures for the day!
Mass time and location to be confirmed. Lunch on your own.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Athens.
Following breakfast at the hotel, we depart to one of the most famous UNESCO’s world heritage sites, the historic and majestic, Delphi. Famous for its theatre, Temple of Apollo, as well as its ancient ruins, Delphi was once considered the center of the earth…and of the entire universe! Known as the Pan-Hellenic sanctuary of Greece, it was once the religious center of ancient Greece and held significance as the symbol of unity for the classic Greek world. We journey past Castalia Spring, and visit the archaeological site of Temple of Apollo famous for its oracle, the Athenian Treasure, and the Museum of Delphi. Spectacular treasures are found here, including the unique bronze Charioteer the Naxian Sphinx and the Statue of Antinoos.
Mass time and location to be confirmed. Lunch on your own.
Check in, dinner and overnight at the hotel in Delphi.
Following breakfast at the hotel, we experience an unforgettable Truffle Hunting! Specially trained truffle dogs, along with their trainers, assist in searching for this unique fruit of Greek nature. An exceptional/original experience that will be fun, unique AND educational! Learn about this special fruit and how different types of truffles are used, including the elusive “Black Diamond” that hides underground. A memorable opportunity follows to taste an extraordinary truffle pasta dish right in the forest where the specialized chef’s one pan accommodates feeding up to 50 people! We then venture to the Natural History Museum and the distinctive Mushroom Museum where a variety of mushrooms (including mushroom “spoon sweets”!) await those with adventuresome taste pallets! We then visit a winery in Diava, a semi-mountainous village just outside the spectacular, Kalambaka and the beautiful Peneus River. Wine tasting accompanied by local small bites.
Mass time and location to be confirmed.
Check-in, dinner, and overnight in Kalambaka.
Breakfast at the hotel followed by departure to Thessaloniki, the co-capital of Greece. En route, we stop to visit Berea (Veria) in Macedonia (northern Greece), where St. Paul fled from Thessaloniki (Acts 17:10) and taught at the synagogue there. He found here many who were eager to receive the gospel and to compare it with Hebrew scriptures. It is also here that St. Luke notes (Acts 17:12) that many came to believe and “honorable women which were Greeks, and men, not a few, came to Jesus”. St. Paul was made to flee Berea and driven to Athens but left Silas and Timothy to care for the believers here. We visit the “Triptych Monument”, which is reputed to be the ruins of the ancient synagogue where St. Paul taught. We see a magnificent display made of colorful mosaic tiles which depicts the teachings of St. Paul. We continue our travels to tour Thessaloniki, including the Basilica of St. Demetrius (patron saint) and the Church of St. Sophia, dating back to the 7th century.
Mass time and location to be confirmed. Lunch on your own.
Check-in, dinner and overnight at the hotel in Thessaloniki.
Breakfast at the hotel and a full day of exploring ahead! We first travel to Lydia Springs, Philippi. Accompanied by Silas, Timothy and possibly Luke, it is believed that St. Paul first preached on European soil in Philippi in 49 or 50 AD. We visit the site where Lydia (dealer of expensive purple cloth) converted to Christianity through her baptism, and we see the ruins of a small church or prayer house known as the Basilica of St. Paul (as it was identified by a mosaic inscription on the pavement dated around 343). We visit a crypt from the Roman Empire which is believed to have served as a prison for St Paul. Rich in scriptural history in accordance with the Acts of the Apostles, Philippi is home to an abundant spiritual treasure of our faith. We travel to the beautiful seaport of Kavala. Renamed Christoupolis (“City of Christ”) in the Middle Ages, it was the first city in Europe to accept Christianity.
Mass time and location to be confirmed. Lunch on your own.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Thessaloniki.
Following breakfast and check out at the hotel, you return to Thessaloniki Airport Makedonia in Thessaloniki for your return flight home to the USA. You take with you memories of the unforgettable walk of St. Paul, servant, preacher of the gospel, ambassador for Christ … and prisoner for all.
A note from Trinity Tours Travels:
We are honored to have you travel with us and appreciate your trust in Trinity Tour Travels for your pilgrimage! Though every effort will sincerely be made to follow the above itinerary, it should be considered as a template of the journey rather than a “contract” of sites to be visited. There are times when local religious or national holidays, weather, traffic challenges, etc., may cause us to make changes in our schedule. This MAY result in a change in the sequence of sites visited or, on rare occasions, the missing of some certain site visits entirely.
As with all in life, we encourage the acceptance of possible change with a cheerful heart; after all, it is sometimes the unexpected that often makes the most beautiful memories! Enjoy your trip to the fullest and relish every moment!
