Footsteps of Saint Paul
Tarsus to Rome - the missionary journeys of the Apostle
Paul's missionary career is the founding story of European Christianity. From his birthplace at Tarsus (Acts 9, 22:3) to his commissioning at Antioch (Acts 13:1-3), through three missionary journeys spanning two decades, and finally to his arrest, transport and martyrdom in Rome (Acts 27-28; 2 Timothy 4:6) - this is the journey that carried the Gospel from a Jewish revival movement to a universal faith.
The standard pilgrimage covers Tarsus (Paul's birthplace), Antioch / Antakya (first Christian city - current earthquake advisory applies), Ephesus (three-year ministry, Acts 19), Athens (Areopagus speech, Acts 17), Corinth (the Bema and Gallio inscription, Acts 18), Thessaloniki (the first European church, Acts 17) and Rome (Acts 28).
A short 7-day version concentrates on Turkey (Tarsus-Antakya-Ephesus) or Greece (Athens-Corinth-Thessaloniki-Patmos). The standard 10-day version covers Greece and key Turkey stops. The full 14-day version brings the entire arc together, ending at the tomb of Saint Peter in Rome.
Difficulty and accessibility
Terrain
Mixed urban centres (Athens, Thessaloniki, Rome) and ancient archaeological sites with uneven Roman paving (Ephesus, Corinth, Philippi).
Walking
5-8 km per day on average. Ephesus involves 3-4 km on hot marble; the Acropolis ascent is moderate but slippery; the Rome basilica circuit means long days on foot across the city.
Accessibility
Major basilicas (Saint Peter's, Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Hagia Sophia at Thessaloniki) have step-free main entrances. Ancient sites are mostly inaccessible beyond the entrance — Ephesus, Corinth and the Pergamum acropolis involve unavoidable stone steps.
Fitness
Moderate overall. The 14-day full version is demanding; older or less mobile pilgrims should choose the 7-day Turkey-only or Greece-only short version.
Best time to travel
April-May and September-October are ideal — Aegean and Mediterranean weather sits at 20-25°C, the Roman shoulder season is manageable, and the great Pauline feasts (Conversion 25 January, Saints Peter and Paul 29 June) fall outside the worst summer heat. Avoid July-August at Ephesus and Rome (35-40°C; the marble at Ephesus reflects sun like a furnace). For maximum effect, time the Rome arrival to the 29 June vigil — fireworks over Saint Peter's Square and a full pontifical Mass at Saint Paul Outside the Walls.
Budget estimate
| Category | Budget | Mid-Range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights (Europe origin) | €350 | €600 | €1500 |
| Accommodation per night | €40-60 | €100-150 | €250-400 |
| Food per day | €20-30 | €50-70 | €100+ |
| In-country transport (14 days) | €200 | €450 | €900 |
| Sites, guides and tours | €100 | €250 | €500 |
What to pack
💡 Recommended packing list
- Modest layered clothing — basilica dress code requires shoulders and knees covered
- Comfortable walking shoes (broken in — Ephesus marble destroys new soles)
- Lightweight scarf or shawl for entering Orthodox and Catholic churches
- Refillable 1L water bottle
- Pocket New Testament with Acts and the Pauline epistles
- Universal power adapter (Type C used in Turkey, Greece and Italy)
- Small daypack — large bags refused at the Vatican
- Sun hat and high-SPF sunscreen
- Portable phone charger
- Cash in TRY and EUR (small Turkish sites are cash-only)
- Light rain jacket for spring or autumn
- Travel insurance documents and copies of passport
Recommended pre-reading
| Title / Reference | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Acts of the Apostles (NT) | Read the whole Book of Acts before departure. Chapters 13-28 trace Paul's three missionary journeys and his voyage to Rome — the canonical itinerary of this pilgrimage. |
| Paul: A Biography (N. T. Wright) | The most readable and historically literate modern biography of Paul. Wright's mastery of the 1st-century Greco-Roman and Jewish world makes the apostle and his context come alive. |
| In the Steps of Saint Paul (H. V. Morton) | A 1936 travel classic, still in print. Morton walked the route in the 1930s; his observations of the sites and the texts remain unmatched as a pilgrimage companion. |
| Paul: His Life and Teachings (Helmut Koester) | Academic but accessible — strong on Greco-Roman context of each city. Essential for understanding why Paul did what he did in Athens, Corinth and Ephesus specifically. |
Frequently asked questions
Suggested itinerary
A 14-day standard itinerary: Day 1-2 Tarsus and Adana; Day 3 Antakya (verify current advisory); Day 4-6 Ephesus and Selcuk; Day 7-8 Athens; Day 9 Corinth; Day 10-11 Thessaloniki; Day 12 fly to Rome; Day 13-14 the Four Papal Basilicas, the catacombs, and the Tomb of Saint Paul at Saint Paul Outside the Walls.
Stops on this route
Tarsus
Birthplace of Saint Paul the Apostle
Tarsus, in ancient Cilicia, was the birthplace of Saul of Tarsus - Paul the Apostle, Roman citizen, tribe of Benjamin (Acts 22:3; Philippians 3:5). It was a major Hellenistic city, home of one of the leading philosophical schools of the Roman world, and Paul returned here several times across his life (Acts 9:30, 11:25, 21:39).
Antakya / Antioch
Where the disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26)
Antioch on the Orontes - modern Antakya - is the place where, according to Acts 11:26, 'the disciples were first called Christians.' From here Paul and Barnabas were commissioned for the first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-3); here Paul publicly rebuked Peter over the inclusion of Gentiles (Galatians 2:11-14); and here the first major Gentile Christian community took shape after the Hellenist refugees of Acts 11:19-20.
Ephesus
House of the Virgin Mary, Basilica of St John and the First Church of Revelation
Paul lived and preached at Ephesus from 53-56 AD (Acts 18-20), wrote Ephesians from prison, and the city is Church number one of the Seven Churches (Revelation 2:1-7). The Apostle John brought Mary here according to a tradition rooted in John 19:26-27.
Athens
Paul on the Areopagus and the Byzantine heart of Greece
Athens is where Paul reasoned daily in the Agora and was invited up onto the Areopagus to address the philosophers (Acts 17:16-34). His speech, quoting the Greek poets Aratus and Epimenides, is one of the great early Christian engagements with classical thought. The recorded converts were Dionysius the Areopagite (later venerated as the first Bishop of Athens) and Damaris.
Corinth
The Bema where Paul stood before Gallio
Corinth was Paul's home base for 18 months around AD 50-52, living and working with Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:1-18). He wrote 1 and 2 Corinthians; Romans was dispatched from Corinth on a later visit. The Apostle was brought before the proconsul Gallio at the Bema (judgment seat) - and Gallio's proconsulship is precisely dated by the Delphi inscription to 51-52 AD, providing the firmest chronological anchor in the whole New Testament.
Thessaloniki
Paul's first European church and the city of Saint Demetrios
Thessaloniki was Paul's first major stop after Philippi on his second missionary journey (Acts 17:1-9). 1 and 2 Thessalonians, written from Corinth around AD 50-51, are the earliest surviving documents of the New Testament. The Thessalonian congregation receives Paul's first written words on the Second Coming.
Rome
The See of Peter and the four Papal Basilicas
Rome is the See of Peter. Saints Peter and Paul were martyred here around 64-67 AD - Peter crucified upside down on the Vatican Hill, Paul beheaded at Tre Fontane on the Ostian Way. Their tombs lie beneath Saint Peter's Basilica and the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls respectively.
Biblical arc
- Acts 9:1-31 - Conversion and call
- Acts 13 - First missionary journey from Antioch
- Acts 14 - Lystra, Iconium, Derbe
- Acts 15:35-41 - Paul and Barnabas part ways
- Acts 16-18 - Second journey: Macedonia, Greece, Corinth
- Acts 19-20 - Third journey: Ephesus
- Acts 27-28 - Voyage to Rome, shipwreck, Malta, Rome