Sometimes the itinerary of a historical figure is the inspiration one needs to travel and even though one has visited some or all the destinations on the itinerary, doing it like a popular person makes the adventure more exciting. One interesting historical figure that had a lot of destinations to his name is Paul the Apostle and although the Apostle’s travels were for religious purposes, one can replicate the interesting itinerary and follow the same path.
Paul's missionary journeys basically cover destinations in Turkey, Greece, and Israel and with most of these destinations featuring interesting cultures, history, and delicious food, one does not have to be a missionary to enjoy this adventure-packed itinerary.
10 Salamis And Paphos, Cyprus
Cyprus was the second destination visited by Paul and Barnabas on his first missionary journeys. In Cyprus, they visited different parts of the region including Salamis and Paphos.
These two cities can still be visited today and while Salamis is mainly filled with interesting ruins, Paphos has remained an inhabited city to date although many parts of the city from the time of Paul’s missionary journeys lie in ruin.
9 Pamphylia, Antioch Of Pisidia, Iconium, And Lystra, Turkey
Many of the destinations on the itinerary are in modern-day Turkey although, in ancient times, they were under different empires.
Pamphylia was the next destination after Paphos and from there, the Apostle made way to Antioch of Pisidia, and Iconium. All these cities are located in Modern-day Turkey, and they all lie in ruins, begging to be explored.
8 Derbe, Turkey
Derbe was the last destination visited by Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey before they went back to Antioch. It was also the first destination visited at the start of the second missionary journey.
Derbe was located in the ancient region of Galatia but today, the remains of the city lie in the Karaman Province of Turkey.
7 Philippi, Macedonia, Greece
The region around Greece was the main focus of the second missionary journey of Paul which took place perhaps between AD 49 and 50.
In this itinerary, the first destination was Philippi, a city in Macedonia where Paul preached to a woman named Lydia. The region was then under Roman rule, and it was here that Paul and Silas were thrown into prison where they were freed by an earthquake after they sang and worshipped.
The city of Philippi was deserted in the 14th century, but one can visit to see the ruins which are located near Filippoi — a village that covers part of East Macedonia and Thrace, Greece.
6 Thessalonica, Greece
The next stop on the itinerary is Thessalonica where Paul, Silas, and Timothy encountered strong opposition from the Jews there. Thessalonica is one of the few areas from Paul’s time still being inhabited today. The city is now known as Thessaloniki, and it is the second largest in Greece.
Much of the remains of the ancient city of Thessalonica are buried under the modern city of Thessaloniki and this has left the ruins of the ancient city uncovered. Some ruins, however, have been uncovered in the process of moving some infrastructure out of some locations.
One interesting find was the Roman Forum uncovered when a bus station was moved out of a place.
Being the second-largest city in Greece, Thessaloniki is also filled with museums and so many interesting archaeological sites waiting to be explored.
5 Beroea, Greece
Beroea is the next destination on the Adventure-packed itinerary of Paul the Apostle. Here, they preached, and the people immediately accepted the teachings.
The ruins of the ancient city of Beroea are located in modern-day Veroia, Greece and one can visit to see the ruins and learn about the ancient history of the area.
4 Athens, Greece
Athens has long been a place of reasoning, education, and intelligent discussions which is why it was included in the second itinerary of Paul the Apostle. In Athens, Paul discussed with the Athenians there, quoting writers they were familiar with to convince them.
The Athenians loved listening to new things and they listened keenly to Paul. Some believed while others didn’t but unlike other precious places, he was not persecuted in Athens since it is a place of freedom of expression.
This is one reason to visit Athens. Travelers in Athens can check out the Acropolis, taste some delicious Greek food, take a road trip to Santorini, or explore the numerous attractions in the city.
3 Corinth, Greece
Corinth was the destination that preceded Athens on the itinerary of Paul the Apostle and there, he stayed for more than a year preaching. The city is one of the numerous historic places in the Peloponnese region of Greece and the area around the ancient city is still inhabited today.
The ruins of the Ancient city can be found approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the modern city of Corinth.
2 Ephesus, Turkey
Ephesus was the first destination on Paul’s third missionary journey where many exploits were made by the Apostle and his followers. At the time of Paul’s visit, the city of Ephesus was located in Ancient Greece but the ruins now lie in modern-day Turkey.
The ruins of the ancient city have even been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and tourists from all over the world come to explore the area’s history.
1 Caesarea And Jerusalem, Israel
After visiting many of the previous destinations from the second missionary journey, Paul made his way to Caesarea where he was greeted and hosted by Philip.
This ancient city popularly known also called Caesarea Maitama is located within modern-day Caesarea in Israel and one can check out the Roman theater and the underwater museum.
While exploring Caesarea, however, one must be aware that Paul's missionary adventures did not end there.
It was from Caesarea that he made his way to Jerusalem where he was arrested and taken back to Caesarea to keep him protected from assassination and to also be tried by Felix, the then governor of Judea.