2025 ISRAEL IN FOCUS
EVERLASTING LOVE TOUR
PLUS OPTIONAL HIGHLIGHTS OF PAUL EXTENSION TOUR
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Is it safe to visit Israel? Conditions in Israel are improving to the extent that we believe it will be a good time to resume tours. Of course there are never full guarantees with any travel. As it stands in Israel now, flights are currently operating in and out of Israel with tourists entering the country every day. Based on the latest information from the National Emergency Portal of Israel, citizens and tourists are free to travel throughout the country without restrictions except for a very small area on the Northern border. Throughout the past 16 months The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry has safely conducted several solidarity trips to Israel. and now regular scheduled Study tours will also resume from the US and Canada in October and November.
What flights are available for the tour? Flights to/from Tel Aviv are available for our tour and we are currently working on the best group fare for our needs. If you are intending to travel on the tour, REGISTER NOW and Olive Tree Travel will assist you with the flights.
Can I get a room sharing buddy? Israel, like some other destinations are now making single occupied hotel rooms quite expensive. If you are a solo traveller with limited means, then you may wish to have a room buddy. When you register for the tour, please indicate that you require a room buddy and Olive Tree Travel will seek to pair you with another person of the same gender.
ITINERARY SNAPSHOT
ITINERARY
8th - 14th November 2025
Day 1: Saturday 8th November - Athens
Welcome to Athens! Upon arrival this evening, you will be met, assisted and transferred to your hotel in Athens. Dinner and overnight in Athens. (D)
Day 2: Sunday 9th November - Athens
This morning, visit the famous Acropolis to see the Propylae, the Erectheum and the Parthenon. From there we will get a clear view of the city of Athens, as well as the Ancient Agora (ancient marketplace where the Apostle Paul spoke to the ancient Athenians). Ascending the hill, we will pass through the Mars Hill, where Paul preached to the ancient Athenians. Our visit is not complete without a tour of the New Acropolis Museum, which houses the findings of the Acropolis of Athens. Then we continue with a bus tour of the city where we will see the House of Parliament, the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Hadrian's Arch and the Panathenaic Stadium.
Afternoon at leisure to explore the city further.
Dinner and overnight in Athens. (B,D)
Day 3: Monday 10th November - Cruise, Mykonos
After breakfast we will be transferred to the port of Lavrio where we will board our cruise. Take a stroll along the narrow-cobbled streets, past chic boutiques, white-washed churches and elegant cafes. Shuttle buses operate continuously between the port and Mykonos town.
Overnight on board. (B, L, D)
Day 4: Tuesday 11th November - Cruise, Kusadasi, Patmos
This morning, we arrive in Kusadasi where we join an excursion to Ancient Ephesus (KUS-02).
Morning visit to Ephesus in Kusadasi. At Ancient Ephesus we find Immortal relics of the Hellenistic, Roman and Early Christian era. At the archaeological site we will be given a guided tour among the Agora, the Odeon, the Library of Celsus, the marble-paved main Street of Kouretes, the Baths of Scholastica, Trajan’s Fountain, the Public Latrines, the Residences of the Patricians, the Prytaneum, the Temple of Hadrian…The Great Theatre, built in the 4th century B.C., could accommodate 24,000 spectators and it is famous even nowadays for its acoustics. The finds from the excavations, which have yet brought to light only 13% of ancient Ephesus, reside in the Archaeological Museum of Ephesus, in the city of Selcuk. During the excursion we will have a chance to do some shopping and see the carpet waving demonstration.
In the afternoon, visit St. John monastery and Cave of Apocalypse in Patmos (PAT-01).
The picturesque alleyways wind upwards, towards the Monastery of St. John the Evangelist, founded in 1088 by St. Christodoulos. The visit will open the doors for us to the Monastery’s yard, the place where the monks take their meals and the old bakery. Of exquisite beauty is the tour of the Byzantine Church of St. John, which is adorned with a wood-carved icon screen, important frescoes from several periods, with both mosaic and other icons. Our next stop is the small museum which hosts religious treasures of inestimable value, like manuscripts, medieval textiles and sacerdotal vestments. Walking down the stairs, the religious energy that we will experience is soul touching. Behind the chapel of St. Anne lies the entrance to the Grotto of the Apocalypse. We will see the cross engraved by St. John the Evangelist, according to tradition, the triple fissure in the wall of the cave, from where St. John heard God dictating to him the Apocalypse and the spot where he lay down to sleep.
Overnight on board. (B,L,D)
Day 5: Wednesday 12th November - Cruise, Rhodes
Upon arrival in Rhodos, we join the excursion to Acropolis of Lindos and the Citadel of the Knights (RHO 01)
Arrive at Rhodes this morning. We travel first to Lindos. It is here where the Apostle Paul first set foot on the island in the year 52 AD. Lindos is about 55km from Rhodes Town and high above the village sits the impressive Acropolis with the Doric Temple of Athena, built in 300 BC. Captains’ mansions constructed between the 16th and 18th centuries are dotted here and there and in the heart of Lindos is the Church of the Virgin Mary with lovely frescoes from the 15th Century. Back in Rhodes is where we are really immersed in the history of the island in the Knights’ Quarter. We stroll through Gate d’Amboise to walk along the Street of the Knights and see where they lived, separated according to Order, their crests still visible today. We will also see (outside) the imposing Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, a medieval castle also known as the Kastello. It’s one of the few examples of Gothic architecture in Greece. The Byzantine citadel was built in the 7th Century, the palace itself in the fourteenth. Where the palace sits today could well have been the spot where the Colossus once stood, according to recent studies. Return to the ship and sail off into the sunset for another night at Sea. (BLD)
Day 6: Thursday 13th November Cruise, Santorini
This morning, we arrive in Santorini where we join the excursion to Oia (SAN-01)
If you are a first time visitor to Santorini she will take your breath away.
And even if you are a regular visitor, with her soaring landscapes and whitewashed houses she will still do that every time. She is regularly described as one of the most beautiful places on the planet. There are plenty of magic moments on our excursion.
One of the greatest spectacles is Oia village perched on the rim of the Caldera, the remains of a volcanic eruption. Santorini is a ring of rock around the sea. Think of it as the rim of an old volcano.
First we head to Megalochori, one of the most authentic and unspoiled villages on the island, retaining its distinctive architecture, character and charm.
Our trip continues eastwards through a number of traditional communities like Firostefani and Imerovigli until we arrive at Oia. On our journey we will have had the lace-like caldera to our west, the little islands of Thirasia, Palea and Nea Kameni and an incredible, unsurpassable panoramic view.
There is plenty of time in Oia to explore, stroll the marble-paved alleys, visit the adorable shops and capture the moments on camera. Admire the traditional buildings carved into the rocks and the unusual captain’s manors, the settlement. Depart Santorini this evening, sailing overnight to Athens. (B,L,D)
Day 7: Friday 14th November - Ancient Corinth, depart Athens
Following your disembarkation in the morning, we drive to the Corinth Canal, which separates Peloponnese from the Greek mainland and connects the two Seas, the Ionian and the Aegean. Continue to Ancient Corinth, one of the most important trading cities of ancient Greece dating back to the 6th century B.C. Here under the shadow of the towering Acropolis, St. Paul preached and lived for two years. The vigorous and mostly Gentile Church he founded here in 50 AD caused him much grief and prompted him to write at least four letters. Visit the ruins of the ancient city where Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla. See the remains of first century shops, the agora where Paul's trial by Gallio took place, the Fountain of Peirene, Temple of Apollo and the Bema.
Transfer to the airport and check-in for your flight back to Australia. Please check your respective itinerary & E ticket for your flight information. (B)