Thursday, May 31

Today we travel north through Izmir (ancient Smyrna), one of the oldest continuously inhabited churches of the Apocalypse, on our way to Sardis, the capital of ancient Lydia.  If we had time to stop here (which we will not likely have), we might visit Mount Pagus (once called the Crown of Smyrna) where Polycarp was martyred, the ancient Agora and Alexander the Great's castle overlooking the city of Izmir -- the pearl of the Aegean Sea. 

At Sardis, another of the churches of the Apocalypse, we will visit the Temple of Cybele and Diana which later became a church, the famous Synagogue from the 3rd century (the largest excavated synagogue in the world), the Gymnasium and the new excavation area.

Having travelled through three of the seven cities of the Apocalypse, we end our day at a fourth, making for Pergamum.

Overnight: Pergamum