Christian Holidays

We are delighted to be able to thoroughly recommend the excellent Christian holidays to Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Greece organised by Day One Christian Ministries.
Mike and Sue Hart - founders of Gospel Cards, etc. - have just returned from a trip to Israel with Day One Tours. Sue had been keen to go to Israel for many years - Mike, on the other hand, wasn’t so interested. However, these were their conclusions:

"I found it spiritually uplifting and it shed new light on many well known Bible events. We had a great time." - Mike

"It exceeded my expectations. Following the tour, the Bible has now ‘come alive’. Every Christian should visit Israel!" - Sue

The holidays organised by Day One Tours are very special. Not only are they a wonderful insight into what life was like in biblical times, but they are also a visual commentary, if you will, on many key events that we read about in the Bible. Their competitive prices are all-inclusive - there is nothing else to pay. The hotel accommodation (half board) is of a very high standard, as are the air-conditioned coaches used for day trips. All the tour guides and group leaders are wise, well-informed Christians, and warm Christian fellowship is experienced throughout the holiday, with Sunday kept as a special day.

All DayOne tours include:
*Scheduled flights from London Heathrow. Details of flight numbers and times have not been finalised).
*Accommodation in good quality fourstar hotels in twin-bedded rooms with private facilities and five-star cruise boat on full board basis in twin cabins with private facilities.
*Transfer of passengers and baggage.
*Sightseeing as in itinerary.
*Travel by air-conditioned coaches.
*Service of a fully qualified Englishspeaking guide.
*All entrance fees and travel.
*All Air Tax.
*Gratuities.
Not included in the price:
* Travel from your home to UK Airport.
* Items of a personal nature.
* Single supplement.
* Travel insurance.
* Egyptian visa - currently ¢G15.
Please note that circumstances may necessitate changes in itineraries

Holiday Opportunities for 2012

Egypt

1st to 10th November 2012
Land of the Pharaohs and the Pyramids - see Egypt, ancient and modern.
(Scroll down for further information)

Israel

8th to 17th May, and also
11th to 20th October
Walk where Jesus walked, and see some key places from both OT and NT.
(Scroll down for further information)

Turkey

2nd to 9th June
Visit the land of the 7 churches in Revelation and of some important early Church history.
(Scroll down for further information)

Greece

10th to 19th September
Follow in the footsteps of Paul as he takes the gospel to Corinth, Phillipi, Athens, etc.
(Scroll down for further information)

Contact Day One Ministries

Tel: 01568 613740, or Mail: Day One, Ryelands Road, Leominster, HR6 8NZ
(Please mention that Gospel Cards has recommended their holidays, thanks.)

Israel (Tuesday 8th - Thursday 17th May 2012) - £1475

Led by Paul Pease
Tuesday 8th - Thursday 17th May 2012
Paul Pease is pastor/teacher at Hook Evangelical Church, Surbiton.
He is also the author of ‘Travel with William Carey’.
Early booking is recommended for this very popular tour.

Day 1 Tuesday
We travel out from London Heathrow on our flight to Tel Aviv. On arrival we will be met and transferred by air-conditioned coach to the Ron Beach Hotel in Tiberias for dinner/overnight.
Day 2 Wednesday
The day begins early as we sail on the Sea of Galilee to Nof Ginossar to view the ancient boat of the time of Jesus. Noting the geography of the lake and the Horns of Hattin, we drive on to the Mount of Beatitudes, also visiting Korazin. We will stop for lunch near the Lake. Visit St. Peter’s Primacy / Tabgha, where the Lord Jesus met with His disciples by the shore. Drive on to Capernaum to see the significant archeological remains. Overnight in Tiberias.
Day 3 Thursday
Drive to Tel Dan Nature Reserve, walking though the park to the ancient gate of Tel Dan. Visit Caesarea Philippi (Banyas). We have lunch before returning to Tiberias via the Golan Heights, stopping at Mount Bental to see the superb views. We will travel back on the east side of the lake by Gamla. In the evening there will be the option (highly recommended) of visiting the ‘Galilee Experience’ – a multimedia presentation of the Biblical history of the Galilee. Overnight in Tiberias.
Day 4 Friday
Drive to Nazareth, stopping at Cana of Galilee. Visit Mary’s well, the only natural water spring in Nazareth. Visit the Biblical village and the old Synagogue. Drive to visit Megiddo, passing Mount Tabor. After lunch we visit Caesarea by the sea, to see the amphitheatre and ancient aqueduct. Continue to Mount Carmel and Muhraqah, the scene of Elijah’s conflict with the prophets of Baal. Overnight Tiberias.
Day 5 Saturday
Visit Gideon’s spring, and continue to visit Beth Shean. We drive down through the Jordan Valley to Bethlehem, visiting the Church of the Nativity, and the Shepherds Fields. We continue to Jerusalem staying at the Olive Tree Hotel.
Day 6 Sunday
Morning service in the hotel or at a local Church with the remainder of the morning free. In the afternoon there will be some optional walks, and then we will have an evening service together.
Day 7 Monday
An early drive down to visit Masada, the historic site of the Jewish final stand against the Romans. Driving to En Gedi, there will be time to relax and float in the Dead Sea. We will stop for lunch by the Dead Sea. Drive to Qumran, and note the importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 8 Tuesday
Walk through the Western Wall Tunnel to the original bedrock of the Temple. Drive to the top of the Mount of Olives. Walk down the Palm Sunday Road to Dominus Flevit. Visit the Garden of Gethsemane. Drive from the Kidron Valley to St Peter in Gallicantu, the location of Peter’s denial. Lunch on Abraham’s Ridge overlooking the city. Tour the Garden Tomb and share in the Lord’s supper together. Overnight in Jerusalem. The evening is free to relax or walk through Old City to the Western Wall.
Day 9 Wednesday
Go up onto the Temple Mount, the site of Moriah and Araunah’s threshing floor. We will begin a walking tour of the Old City from the Pools of Bethseda. Visit the Roman Pavement, Lithostratos, the Water Cistern and Ecce Homo leading to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Visit the Jewish Quarter, Nehemiah’s broad wall, and the Burnt House. Lunch near the Cardo. Walking from the Dung Gate we go down to the archaeological centre for a multimedia presentation of the history of the City of David There is an optional walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel to the Pool of Siloam (appropriately prepared with torches and water shoes). Visit the Herodian Street. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 10 Thursday
The morning is free, but there will be the option of the Ramparts walk on the walls. In the early afternoon we leave for our return flight from Tel Aviv to London Heathrow.
Click here for booking information (8th - 17th May)

Turkey (Saturday 2nd - Saturday 9th June 2012) - £1080

Led by Clive Anderson
Saturday 2nd - Saturday 9th June 2012
Join us for an exciting tour in Turkey, land of the seven Churches of Revelation, Apostles and great history. Clive is the Pastor of a church in Hampshire and the author of a number of books published by Day One.
Day 1 Saturday
We depart from London Heathrow for Izmir airport via Istanbul and then transfer to our hotel in Izmir (Smyrna), for dinner and overnight.
Day 2 Sunday
There will be times of worship with the remainder of the day at leisure in Kusadasi. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 3 Monday
We spend the morning sightseeing in Izmir, Turkey's third largest city, and visit the church of St Polycarp, the Izmir Archaeological Museum and the Ancient Agora. In the afternoon we have free time to relax, take a trip to the harbour or do some shopping. Dinner and overnight in Izmir.
Day 4 Tuesday
Travel by coach to Bergama (Pergamum), one of the most impressive classical sites in Turkey, a city which once rivalled Alexandria and Antioch as a centre for the arts and sciences. Of particular interest is the Asclepieon, one of the foremost medical centres of the ancient world - a huge complex that includes temples, treatment rooms, pools, a sacred spring, a library and even a theatre for entertainment. In the afternoon we travel to Akhisar (Thyatira), with its remains of a basilica, some Roman archaeological fragments and some Christian remains. Dinner and overnight in Izmir.
Day 5 Wednesday
Travel to Sart (Sardis), the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Lydia set in the crumbling mountains. We view the Temple of Artemis, with the largest Ionic columns in the Greek world, Lydian houses, a Byzantine church and a reconstructed synagogue. Continue to Alasehir (Philadelphia), with its numerous remains of early Christian churches. Then to Pamukkale, one of the most spectacular natural wonders of Turkey, where thermal spring
waters have carved a dazzling white petrified cascade of basins, cataracts and stalactites. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.
Day 6 Thursday
We visit the Necropolis at Hierapolis, then drive to Laodicea on the south bank of the River Lyros, whose sights included temples, a fountain, a theatre, Odean gymnasium, aqueduct and sarcophagi. Visit to Colossae and then continue to Kusadasi on the Aegean coast. Dinner andovernight in Kusadasi.
Day 7 Friday
Travel by coach to Efes (Ephesus), visiting St John's church, including the Temple of Artemus, the Gladiators graveyard, House of the Virgin Mary, Ephesus itself and the museum. Ephesus is one of the world's most impressive sites. Once the Roman capital of Asia, it was here that Mark Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in procession, St Paul came at the dawn of Christianity and the followers of Artemis rioted in protest. It is said that Mary, the mother of Jesus, spent her last days nearby. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 8 Saturday
Transfer to the airport for our return flight to London Heathrow via Istanbul.
Click here for booking information

Greece (Monday 10th - Wednesday 19th September 2012) - £1350

Led by Peter Croft and Clive Anderson
Monday 10th - Wednesday 19th September 2012
Peter is the former pastor of a Baptist Church in Felixstowe, Suffolk.
Clive is the Pastor of a church in Hampshire and the author of a number of books published by Day One.

Day 1 Monday
Fly from London to Thessalonica. On arrival ransfer to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 2 Tuesday
Thessaloniki City Tour. This morning, journey into the heart of Thessaloniki, a city renowned for its well-preserved monuments of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture. Named after the sister of Alexander the Great, this industrious port city was founded in 315 BC, and today serves as Greece's second major economic and cultural centre. We will see some of the city's finest historical monuments. Tour the city centre to view the ancient walls, the White Tower, Saint Demetrius, and Saint Sophia. Continue to visit the Rotunda, the oldest building in the city centre which served as a mausoleum for Emperor Galerius in the 4th century, and now serves as the Church of Saint George. Visit the museum to view the treasures unearthed from a tomb believed to be that of King Philip II of Macedonia, father of Alexander the Great. Dinner and overnight in Thessalonica.
Day 3 Wednesday
Kavalla Historical Christianity Excursion, Philippi. Today's sightseeing includes a full day excursion to Kavalla and the ancient city of Philippi. Drive to the seaside city of Kavalla (biblical Neapolis) where Paul, Silas, Luke, and Timothy first set foot in Europe from Troas. The tour continues along the Via Egnatia, a remnant of Rome's highway, to Philippi. It was here that Paul preached his first sermon in Europe and "baptised a certain woman named Lydia," Europe's first convert to Christianity. While in Philippi, visit the ruins of some of the largest churches ever constructed and the site of Paul's imprisonment. Walk by the stream near where Lydia was baptised. View the ancient ruins of the Roman City Forum, the market, and early basilicas. See the site where Paul was flogged, imprisoned, and later released. View the 16th century aqueduct built by Suleiman the Magnificent - founder of the Turkish Empire. Continue in Paul's footsteps through Amphipolis and Apollonia. Dinner and overnight in Thessalonica.
Day 4 Thursday
Berea. We leave Thessalonica and travel to Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia and the birthplace of Philip II and that of his son, Alexander the Great. Here we can see the animated pebble mosaics before proceeding to Veroia (Berea in the New Testament). Upon arrival, visit the Church of Christ, one of the finest examples of early brick churches. Founded in the 14th century, the church's interior features beautiful frescoes portraying the life of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the apostles. A modern shrine commemorates Paul's visit. In the afternoon we continue on our journey that takes us close to Mount Olympus where there will be a brief stop for photos. Dinner and overnight in ancient Lamia.
Day 5 Friday
Thermopylae and the 300. The coach takes us to the famous site of the defeat of the 300 Spartans by the Persians in 480 BC. The three-day battle for the little rocky pass of Thermopylae is the stuff of legend, in which the Spartan King Leonidas died in trying to delay the vast army of Xerxes. This incident occurs between Esther chapters 1 & 2 in the Bible. The mound of the last stand was identified in 1939 and in 1955 King Paul of the Hellenes inaugurated the famous monument to Leonidas and his men. Continue to Delphi for dinner and overnight.
Day 6 Saturday
Delphi City Tour. This morning is spent in Delphi, the ancient site of the Apollonian Oracle, nestling in the mountains of Parnassus and with an unforgettable view across acres of olive trees as far as the Gulf of Corinth. It was here that individuals sought the advice of the infallible Oracle. Upon arrival, visit the ruins of the Sanctuary of Apollo, the Castalian Fountain and the theatre, followed by a visit to the Delphi Museum where you will find the sacred Omphalos, once kept in the Adyton of Apollo's Temple, along with the Kourus Statues, Kleobis and Viton. Continue to Athens. Dinner and overnight in Athens.
Day 7 Sunday
Worship services and a Free Day. Dinner and overnight in Athens.
Day 8 Monday
Athens City Tour with Acropolis, time at leisure in Athens. Your morning tour of Athens includes visits to the legendary Acropolis and its museum. We begin with the ascent of the Acropolis where the full splendour of the 5th century BC Athens comes to life: the Propylaia (gateway), the Temple of Athena Nike (victory), the Parthenon, and the Erechteion. Visit Mars Hill, where Paul's famous sermon is inscribed on the rock at its foot, and the expansive Agora of Athens, where former philosophers counselled and taught, lies below. Visit the Panathenian Stadium, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and the ruins of the Temple of Zeus. Dinner and overnight in Athens.
Day 9 Tuesday
Corinth & Epidaurus Tour. Today, travel to the Peloponnesian Peninsula and the biblical town of Corinth - the city where Paul ministered for nearly two years. Passing the Corinth Canal which links the Aegean and Ionian Seas, you arrive in Corinth, the very town St Paul visited for 18 months (51-52 AD). Visit the excavations. The Agora is dominated by the columns of the Temple of Apollo; on the opposite side is the tribunal before which Paul was accused. See also the Bema Seat, and the Temple of Apollo, before continuing to Cenchra, the eastern Roman seaport connecting the Aegean and Corinthian Seas. The tour continues to the archaeological site of Mycenae, the Homeric city of Atreides, to visit the Lion's Gate, the Cyclopean Walls, and the Royal Tombs. From here we depart for Nauplion, the ancient port city crowned by the ramparts of the Palamidi Fortress. We then travel to Epidaurus, the ancient Christian healing centre of the Classical world. Here you will visit the well-preserved theatre for which the city is famous, the theatre of Epidauros and the ruins of the Asklepi. Return via Conchreae, the port from which Paul sailed to Ephesus before returning to Athens in the early afternoon. Dinner and overnight in Athens.
Day 10 Wednesday
We drive to Athens airport for our return flight to London.
Click here for booking information

Israel (Thursday 11th - Saturday 20th October 2012) - £1695

Led by Mike Moore and Paul Williams
Thursday 11th - Saturday 20th October 2012

Mike Moore has been the General Secretary of Christian Witness to Israel since 2002. He is a frequent visitor to Israel and teaches and preaches on behalf of CWI around the world. He is involved in the evangelism of Jewish people and is a lecturer at the bi-annual CWI Summer School of Jewish Evangelism. He is the author of The Importance of Being Ernest . the biography of veteran Jewish missionary Ernest Lloyd . which reviewers on the Amazon web site describe as "brilliant" and "a joy to read". Paul is Senior Pastor of Swindon Evangelical Church. He is the co.author of "Travel Through Israel" and the author of "Travel With William Cowper." Paul has also been leading tours of Israel since 1994.

Day 1 Thursday
Heathrow to Tel Aviv. Dinner & Overnight in Jerusalem’s Olive Tree Hotel.
Day 2 Friday
Walk through the Western Wall Tunnel - and hear about the significance and location of the Temple. Coming out onto the Via Dolorosa, the coach picks us up below the Lion Gate (St Stephen’s Gate). Drive to the top of the Mount of Olives. Understand the significance of burial in a Jewish context. Dominus Flevit - Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. Garden of Gethsemane. Kidron Valley. St Peter in Gallicantu - Peter’s denial of Jesus. Lunch at Ramat Rachel. Go to Abraham’s Ridge overlooking the city. Garden Tomb & Communion. Then a brief time to rest nd/or visit the shop. Free evening to relax or walk through Old City to the Western Wall. Overnight in Jerusalem’s Olive Tree Hotel.
Day 3 Saturday
Go up onto the Temple Mount area and gain an understanding of the Biblical history of Moriah, Araunah’s threshing floor etc. Walking tour of the Old City. Pools of Bethesda - understanding John 5. The Roman Pavement / Lithostratos, Herod’s Cistern etc. Ecce Homo, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, discussion re the site of Calvary. The Jewish Quarter, Nehemiah’s broad wall, the Burnt House - understanding 1st Century life in Jerusalem. Lunch near the Cardo in the Jewish Quarter. Walk through the Dung Gate down to the City of David archaeological centre and see the 3D presentation of the history of the City of David. Make our way down and down, noting the importance of recent archaeological discoveries, and come to Warren’s Shaft, and the entrance to Hezekiah’s tunnel. Walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel (appropriately prepared with torches and water shoes) to the Pool of Siloam - note the area of the Pool of Siloam near the Herodian Street. (A dry Canaanite tunnel for those not so adventurous!) Overnight in Jerusalem ’s Olive Tree Hotel.
Day 4 Sunday
Morning Service at the Hotel. Rest of the morning free. Afternoon - optional walks (eg to Christchurch, Jaffa Gate). Evening service. Overnight in Jerusalem ’s Olive Tree Hotel.
Day 5 Monday
Drive south through the Judean Hills past the Inn Of The Good Samaritan. Masada - the Jewish last stand against the Romans in AD 70. Qumran - understand the biblical significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Lunch (and shopping). Visit En Gedi National Park to see the waterfalls. The Dead Sea - an opportunity to float in the Dead Sea. Overnight in Jerusalem ’s Olive Tree Hotel.
Day 6 Tuesday
Visit Bethlehem. Drive up through the Jordan Valley. Visit Gideon’s Spring at the foot of Mount Gilboa. Visit Beth Shean where the Philistines hung the bodies of King Saul and his sons on the city walls. Arrive at Kibbutz Ma’agan, Galilee.
Day 7 Wednesday
Sail on the Sea of Galilee - note the geography of the lake - overview of the northern towns and Jesus’ ministry within the ‘gospel triangle’ of Capernaum-Korazin- Bethsaida, the significance of the Horns of Hattin etc. Nof Ginossar - the Galilee Boat. Capernaum - significance of the archaeological remains there. Korazin - note the importance of the Mikveh etc. Stop for a St Peter’s Fish lunch. Mount of Beatitudes - the Sermon on the Mount. St Peter’s Primacy / Tabgha - the restoration of Peter by Jesus. Overnight at Kibbutz Ma’agan, Galilee.
Day 8 Thursday
Tel Dan Nature Reserve - walk to Tel Dan through the beautiful Dan National Park. See Mount Hermon in the distance. Note the structure and significance of the ‘Gate’ of the city in those days, also background to the idolatry at Dan in Biblical history - Jezebel, Jeroboam II etc. Caesarea Philippi (Banyas) - some background in Greek mythology, significance of - Gates of Hell - and Peter’s confession of Jesus in this context. Lunch at Caesarea Philippi. Return via the Golan Heights. Visit Kursi - recalling Jesus’ healing of the demon-possessed man. Optional
evening visit to the ‘Galilee Experience’ multimedia presentation, overviewing the Biblical history of the Galilee. Overnight at Kibbutz Ma’agan, Galilee.
Day 9 Friday
Drive to Nazareth, passing through Cana and noting the significance of Jewish weddings and the importance in Christ’s ministry. Visit the Biblical village and the Synagogue Church. Drive to Megiddo - the plain of Armageddon, passing Mount Tabor, the traditional site of Jesus’ transfiguration. Early lunch at Megiddo. Mount Carmel range and Muhraqah - Elijah and the
significance of 1 Kings 18. See one of the finest views across the Jezreel plains. Visit Caesarea by the sea, the place of Paul’s departure, and see the ancient Roman amphitheatre and ancient aqueduct. Overnight at the Gilgal Hotel, Tel Aviv.
Day 10 Saturday
Return flight from Tel Aviv to Heathrow.

Click here for booking information (11th - 20th October)

Egypt (Thursday 1st - Saturday 10th November 2012) - £1615

Led By Clive Anderson
Thursday 1st - Saturday 10th November 2012
Join Clive Anderson, (who has been to Egypt many times and has a long term interest in its history), for ‘A Taste of Egypt’- a short tour to introduce you to this ancient land. Clive is the Pastor of a church in Hampshire and the Author of a number of books published by Day One.

Day 1 - Thursday
We depart on our flight from London Heathrow to Luxor via Cairo. On arrival we will be met and assisted through formalities at Luxor airport. Overnight in Luxor.
Day 2 - Friday
We visit the east bank and the stunning site of the Karnak temple. Afternoon we have lunch at the hotel relaxing around the pool. In the late afternoon we visit the Luxor museum & Luxor temple. Dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Day 3 - Saturday
Early this morning we travel to the west bank with our focus on a visit to the Valley of the Kings. We go inside the tomb of Tutankhamun and three other tombs. We then visit a fascinating Alabaster factory. We then stop to visit Medinet Habu and the two colossi of Memnon guarding the valley. After this visit we embark on our Nile cruise boat, and sail to Edfu, crossing Esna lock. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 4 - Sunday
A day to worship (services to be arranged) and unwind. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 5 - Monday
We visit the temple of Horus at Edfu by coach. We return to our boat and continue sailing to Kom Ombo for a visit of the temple shared by the two gods, Sobek and Horus the elder. We return to our boat and proceed sailing to Aswan. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 6 - Tuesday
We visit the Island of Philae by a motor boat and the temple of Isis. We enjoy an excursion to the Old Dam and the gigantic High Dam completed in 1970. We also stop at the ancient granite quarries to see the famous unfinished Obelisk. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 7 - Wednesday
We take our early morning flight to Cairo where we visit the Pyramids of Giza, which are one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. In front of the Pyramid of Chephren there stands the Sphinx, a lion with a Pharaoh’s head. We will enter one of the Pyramids, dependent on local
conditions. Afternoon check into our hotel for dinner and overnight. In the evening attend the Sound & Light show at the Pyramids plateau.
Day 8 - Thursday
We visit the Egyptian museum, famous for its antiquities from Egypt’s Pharaonic period, dating back some 50 centuries to see the Merneptah stela, the fabulous treasures of King Tutankhamun and the two Royal Mummy rooms. Afternoon at the hotel to relax by the pool.
Day 9 - Friday
Optional extra dependent on local conditions of a an early morning visit to the Great Pyramid, and the Giza Plateau, when few tourists will be around, this will leave at about 7.00 am
After breakfast Cairo sightseeing with focus on Coptic and Islamic Cairo. Visits to St. Mary Crypt church, the Jewish Synagogue and the mosque of Sultan Hassan. Afternoon at the hotel to relax by the pool. Dinner and overnight in Cairo.
Day 10 - Saturday
After an early breakfast we transfer to the airport for our flight back to London Heathrow.

Itinerary subject to change

Click here for booking information