Much of the story told in the Acts of the Apostles takes place in what is now Türkiye. Paul was born in Tarsus, travelled through Anatolia on his first missionary journey, crossed it again on his second, and spent more than two years in Ephesus on his third. For church groups and study trips, following his route turns the text into landscape. Here is how the places fit together.

The key places

The first journey: the south coast and inland Anatolia

Paul and Barnabas landed at Perge, near today’s Antalya, and travelled inland to Antioch of Pisidia (near Yalvaç), where Paul preached in the synagogue (Acts 13). They continued to Iconium (Konya), Lystra and Derbe, and sailed home from Attalia, the old harbour of Antalya.

The Aegean: Ephesus, Miletus, Assos and Troas

Ephesus was Paul’s base for more than two years; the great theatre is the setting of the riot of the silversmiths (Acts 19). At Miletus he said farewell to the elders of Ephesus (Acts 20). Troas, where he had the vision of the man from Macedonia, and Assos, with its temple above the sea, lie further north.

Tarsus and Antioch

Tarsus, Paul’s birthplace, and Antioch on the Orontes (Antakya), where the disciples were first called Christians, are further east and need extra days. Antakya is rebuilding after the 2023 earthquakes; ask us about the current situation before including it.

Three ways to build the route

  • The Aegean route (6 to 8 days): İzmir, Ephesus, Miletus, Assos and Troas, often combined with the Seven Churches of Revelation.

  • The first journey (7 to 9 days): from Antalya to Perge, Pisidian Antioch and Konya, with Cappadocia or Pamukkale as a natural extension.

  • Paul in Türkiye and Greece (12 to 15 days): the Aegean sites, then Philippi, Thessaloniki, Berea, Athens and Corinth with our partners in Greece; see our guide to combining Turkey and Greece.

When to go

Spring and autumn are best. Summer is hot on the coast and very hot inland, and winter can be cold at Pisidian Antioch and Konya, which lie at around 1,000 metres.

Tips for a meaningful trip

  • Plan readings from Acts at each place; we build quiet moments into the timing.

  • Choose a guide who knows both the archaeology and the biblical text.

  • Leave time: the sites are spread out, and a programme with fewer, deeper stops is more rewarding than a race between ruins.

With KAMPA

Since 1996 we have organised faith and cultural groups in Türkiye, for churches and for the tour operators who work with them, with our own team on the ground and partners in Greece. See our faith and cultural groups page or send your dates through the form below.