Day 02 - Aspendos, Perga

After an early morning breakfast, we departed our hotel in the lovely port city of Antalya and took a short bus ride to the ancient city of Perga.  Situated on a river leading to the Mediterranean Sea, many residents of Perga during the Hellenistic and Roman Ages participated in trade. According to Acts 13 and 14, the Apostle Paul visited the city twice and preached the Gospel to those who lived there, likely establishing a church among those who believed the message of Christ. The site provides amazing examples of both Greek and Roman architecture, the old part of the city offering insight into the context of Paul’s first missionary journey. 

From Perga, we travelled to Aspendos which boasts the best preserved ancient Roman theater built 160-180 AD. Though not a biblically significant site, Aspendos displays the incredible influence the empire had in Pamphylia during this time period. It is worth noting the theatre is still used today for concerts, dramatic performances, and ballets. 
Following another delicious Turkish kabob lunch, we boarded our bus for a couple hour drive through the Tauros Mountains. The route took us past stately forests of red pine and cedars (same species as the biblical cedars of Lebanon), a large reservoir, and majestic limestone formations before arriving in the city of Isparta. This city is well known for its production of roses and cherries. We arrived a little early to our destination which allows us to enjoy the nice accommodations and a walk around the downtown area.