Day 1: Depart home country
Overnight flight to Athens. Begin re-reading Acts and the letters Paul wrote to these very communities.
Opening commissioning prayer at the gate.
Day 2: Arrive Athens
Arrive and settle in. Gentle orientation and an early night ahead of a full classical-and-Christian day.
Opening Mass / devotional service to begin the journey.
Day 3: Athens — the Areopagus
The Acropolis and Parthenon (a half day), then Mars Hill (the Areopagus) where Paul preached to the Athenians 'to an unknown god'. Read Acts 17 standing on the rock itself.
Read Paul's Areopagus sermon aloud and pray at Mars Hill.
Day 4: Corinth
Drive to ancient Corinth via the Corinth Canal: the forum, the bema where Paul stood trial, and the temple ruins. Allow a half day; the site brings the Corinthian letters to life.
Read from 1 Corinthians at the bema; reflection on Paul's ministry there.
Day 5: Athens to Thessaloniki / Kalambaka
A travel day north through Greece toward Thessaloniki or the Meteora plain, with stops as time allows. Use the journey for shared Scripture.
Read Paul's letters to the Thessalonians en route; evening prayer.
Day 6: Meteora
The astonishing monasteries perched atop sheer rock pillars. Visit two or three (each requires a climb of steps; allow a full day) and meet the monastic life that has prayed here for centuries.
Quiet prayer within a working monastery; reflection on the contemplative tradition.
Day 7: Philippi & Kavala (Neapolis)
Philippi, where Paul baptised Lydia — the first European convert — and was imprisoned; and the port of Kavala (biblical Neapolis) where he first set foot in Europe. A moving, Scripture-dense day.
Renewal of baptismal promises by Lydia's baptistery stream; read Philippians.
Day 8: Thessaloniki
The city of Paul's letters: the Roman forum, the Rotunda, and the basilica of St Demetrius. Half a day in the city Paul evangelised.
Pray in the basilica of St Demetrius; reflection on the Thessalonian church.
Day 9: Return toward Athens / Veria
Travel south, pausing at Veria (biblical Berea) where the 'noble' Bereans examined the Scriptures daily, before continuing toward Athens.
Read Acts 17 on the Bereans; thanksgiving service for the journey.
Day 10: Depart from Athens
A final morning before the transfer to Athens airport and the flight home.
Closing Mass and a blessing for the journey home.
