The major sites of Ephesus, Pergamum and Izmir can be visited on an organised excursion but the more remote locations require a car. A round trip of the locations will take between two and five days, depending on the time spent at each one.
Smyrna has become the modern city of Izmir, the third largest in Turkey and the biggest in the Aegean region. The early Church of Smyrna was obviously rock-solid judging by the letter John wrote to them. 'I know your tribulation and poverty, but you are rich ... the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested.'
Smyrna has all but vanished under Izmir but the ancient agora and aqueducts of the Roman city remain. That’s a small reminder of the city where the poet Homer lived and where the Christian congregation held firm against persecution from Rome.
Sardis is one of the best-preserved of the ancient churches and lies east of Izmir on the E96. The early Christians there were accused in John's letter of being dead and were urged to wake up and return to the true faith otherwise 'I will come suddenly upon you, unexpected as a thief and punish you'.
Sardis has a Roman Gymnasium and a synagogue from the 3rd century CE and the Temple of Artemis which was one of the seven largest ancient temples. It had eight columns at each end and twenty on each side. Beside it are the ruins of a small 4th-century Christian church.
There is also a fragment of the Royal Road, built by the Persians in the 6th century BCE. This once ran to Susain what is now southern Iran
Heading east on the E96 from Sardis then turning left onto the to Denizli road leads eventually to Alashir which was once Philadelphia. The congregation here were sound as John’s letter promised them ‘the keys to the door of heaven.’
Modern Alashir is a fascinating Turkish town worth visiting in its own right. Tourism has barely touched it and there are lots of fascinating streets and shops to wander around.
In the centre of the modern city are the remaining pillars of a Byzantine church, named after St John, with some 11th-century paintings visible on them.
Seven Churches of the Apocalypse
