Fresh pastries, roasted coffee smells, a terrace with a view, and a breakfast for emperors initiates a day for reliving ancient Constantinople. While Rome disintegrated, the Eastern Byzantine Empire ruled for another nine centuries, and its odes to Western civilization are scattered across modern Istanbul. First go underground, where a street of columns leads you towards the ancient Cistern and obelisks with entangled stories. Marble abounds, and it continues in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, each room filled with reliefs and mosaics saved from early Christian churches dotted across Asia Minor.

After a local lunch you visit the Little Hagia Sophia Church, smaller in size yet befitting the name of its illustrious neighbor. Golden patterns now swirl in St. Chora Church, a forgotten piece of Istanbul’s history that’s brilliantly evoked by your guide. And just as the feet start to ask for a rest you board a cruise ship and slowly head down the Bosphorus, dissecting two continents and admiring Ottoman splendor that dominates the riverfront. Completing this leisurely afternoon and evening, you stay on the Bosphorus to dine at a celebrated seafood restaurant on a terrace above the water.

Tucked into a rarely visited corner of Turkey is one of Christianity’s most important cities. The residents of Antioch were the first to call themselves Christians and they built an important stronghold that enabled the religion to flourish in the surroundings. First you fly across Turkey to Hatay where a new guide greets you at the airport and gives you some time to savor the beauty of your hotel for the night. Whenever you’re ready, the Roman streets of Antioch provide a journey of memoirs and memories. Silence reigns as you enter the Church of St. Peter, the souls of early pilgrims emanating from the walls. This is one of the world’s very first churches and a humble space to enjoy. After a late lunch the afternoon is spent absorbing the exquisite hallways of the Mosaic Museum, each delivering doses of bronze and Biblical scenes.

A morning flight takes you to the heart of Asia Minor and the early Churches of Revelation. This compact area is your base for the next four days and features many of the world’s finest ancient Greco Roman cities. First you will visit the Lydian capital of Sardis; its foundations are slowly being excavated. Cracked busts and indecipherable inscriptions must be pieced together as your guide reveals the journeys of Apostle Paul and the conversion of the city. Like Sardis, Laodicia is also gradually being unfolded from the mud. First-century church walls are beginning to appear and words from the book of Revelations refer to the ruins beneath your feet. At first glance, these cities look like little but stone and rubble. But explore with a guide and there’s fascinating discoveries that connect dots of early Christian history. You arrive in Pamukkale in the early evening where natural spa waters are waiting for you at your luxury hotel.

Pamukkale’s pools glisten and glimmer, their elegant white curves dominating the landscape on which Greco Roman history was forged. Turquoise waters fill the calcite lidos, their translucence parading further tones of whiteness. Few places in Turkey are as photogenic or iconic, a bleached wonderland contrasting the surrounding green. Absorb the views then move to Hierapolis, a city of splendor and sublime marble remains. Admire the theater and its tumbling chute of seats before the plutonium tempts visitors into opening the door to the underworld. Spread over a mile, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a vast and unspoiled city that once dominated Asia Minor. When the midday heat rescinds, take a dip in the natural thermal baths, the salubrious water hiding the remains of a temple that was toppled in an earthquake.

The Ephesus ruins are arguably the finest and most complete to be found this side of Rome. Dozens of columns form temples of marble. Narrow streets run past terraced stone houses with 3,000 years of history. Eyes and hair cover busts in realistic detail and every few minutes you spin around, struggling to absorb the enormity of the city. Ephesus was the key city of Asia Minor in the first centuries AD, and it was here that the church built solidly on the work of Apostle Paul. Another of the seven Churches of Revelation was built here and it was the bishops of Ephesus that helped ensure the continued spread of the gospel. A dozen historic tales come to life as you tour the Celsus Library and remaining statues of Artemis, before a shaded spot offers a picnic lunch within an unforgettable cityscape.

Ephesus was the resting place of two key Christian figures. With the majestic pillars firmly dominating the panorama, you first visit the Basilica of St. John. It comes with a poignancy and humbleness, reflected in the simple inscriptions that mark his place of rest. Eager footsteps quickly cover the distance to St. Mary’s Cottage, the widely believed resting place of the Virgin Mary. Your guide will help debate the different arguments before the Ephesus Museum presents firm evidence that this small stone house is one of the great monuments of Western religion. From Ephesus you continue the journey down from the mountains, arriving on the coast for an evening of fresh barbecued fish and salty air.

Step by step you walk on history, picking a path between severed stones in the city of Priene. Excavations are slowly bringing the city up from the ashes, enabling its rows of houses to rise from the mud and rubble. An archaeological guide accompanies your visit, revealing the exciting finds. Large Christian communities developed here in the first century and the evidence of churches is slowly being dug up. Head over to Miletus where its ancient theater is carved with messages about God-fearers, the governor’s colloquialism for the city’s early Christians. Like Priene, as archaeologists dig they find more memoirs of Christianity. In 20 years these sites may look very different. Seeing them now is a redolent and fascinating experience. Continue to Izmir where you spend another night along the coast.

The curtains may be closing on this vacation but the poignant memories continue to ask questions about the development of the world as we know it. After tracing early Christian history through Asia Minor you’re left with fascinating photos and insights into an ancient time. A transfer takes you to Izmir Airport for the connecting flight to Istanbul and your international departure.