زیارت نیقیه و افسس ۲۰۲۷: مسیری برای گروه‌های فرانسوی‌زبان

Yes, Nicaea and Ephesus fit comfortably into one pilgrimage of five to seven days: a day trip from Istanbul to İznik, the ancient Nicaea, then a one-hour-and-a-quarter flight from Istanbul to İzmir and two or three days around Ephesus. Our private Nicaea day tour from Istanbul starts from $450 per person, and the 2-day Biblical Ephesus and Pamukkale tour from Istanbul covers the Ephesus half from $720 per person, flights and hotel included.

This page is written for French-speaking parishes, chaplaincies and families, in France, Belgium, Switzerland or Québec, who are planning a pèlerinage en Turquie in 2027 around the two great councils. It explains why the two places belong together, what you actually see in each, how the route links up, a six-day programme, the dates that matter in 2027, and the practical points French groups ask us about. For a wider Catholic route that follows St Paul across Anatolia, see our Catholic pilgrimage to Turkey along the St Paul route.

Two councils, one journey

Nicaea and Ephesus are the two places in Turkey where the faith that most Christians still recite was put into words.

• Nicaea, 325. Emperor Constantine called the bishops of the Empire to Nicaea, on the shore of Lake İznik, to settle the Arian dispute. The council produced the first form of the Nicene Creed, the "Je crois en un seul Dieu" said at Sunday Mass. A Second Council of Nicaea met in 787, in the church of Hagia Sophia that still stands in the town centre, and restored the veneration of icons.
• Ephesus, 431. The Council of Ephesus met in the Church of Mary inside the ancient city and declared Mary Theotokos, Mother of God. A few kilometres away is the House of the Virgin Mary, the shrine on the hill where, by a long tradition, Mary spent her last years in the care of St John.

A group that prays the Creed in Nicaea and then the Hail Mary in Ephesus has followed the two foundations of its own liturgy. That is the thread of this route, and it gives the days a logic that a simple tour of ruins does not have.

The 1,700th anniversary of Nicaea in 2025 brought the town back into view. On 28 November 2025 Pope Leo XIV flew to İznik by helicopter from Istanbul and joined Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and other Church leaders for an ecumenical prayer at the excavated Basilica of St Neophytos by the lake. Many parishes that could not travel in the jubilee year are now planning for 2027.

Nicaea (İznik) on the ground

İznik lies about 140 km south-east of Istanbul by road, around two hours each way. It is a small, quiet town of low houses and olive groves, still enclosed by its Roman and Byzantine walls.

Three things make up a pilgrim's visit:

1. Hagia Sophia of Nicaea. The brick church where the Second Council met in 787. It is now used as a mosque, so the visit is outside prayer times, with shoes off, and with women covering their hair. Fragments of Byzantine floor and fresco remain.
2. The basilica in the lake. The foundations of an early Christian basilica lie in the shallows of Lake İznik, a short walk from the shore. They were spotted from the air in 2014, and they are the site of the November 2025 papal prayer. In calm, clear water you can see the outline of the nave and apse from the bank.
3. The walls and gates. The circuit of walls with its towers and the old Istanbul Gate show the scale of the city where the bishops gathered.

Give İznik a full day from Istanbul. There is no place to celebrate Mass at the sites themselves, so most groups read the Creed and a Gospel passage by the lake and celebrate Mass back in Istanbul, where the Catholic churches of Beyoğlu receive pilgrim groups. Our Christian heritage tour of Istanbul page lists the churches, including the Basilica of St Anthony of Padua on İstiklal Avenue.

How the route links up

The two places are about 435 km apart by road, so the sensible link is Istanbul and a domestic flight, not the motorway.

Driving from İznik straight to Ephesus is possible, but it means five or six hours in the van with nothing of pilgrim interest on the way. Older groups in particular are better served by sleeping in Istanbul and flying.

Ephesus for pilgrims: four sites in one valley

The Ephesus part of the route is richer than many groups expect. Plan at least one full day and, ideally, a second morning.

• The House of the Virgin Mary (Meryem Ana Evi). A small stone chapel among the trees on Bülbüldağı, identified in 1891 by Lazarist priests from İzmir from the visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich. Three popes have prayed here: Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1979 and Benedict XVI in 2006. The shrine is not run by the Ministry of Culture and charges its own entry fee at the gate. See our House of the Virgin Mary guide.
• The ancient city. Paul preached here for about three years (Acts 19 and 20), and the Great Theatre is where the silversmiths rioted against him. Walk down from the Upper Gate along Curetes Street to the Library of Celsus and the theatre. Our Ephesus ancient city page has the route.
• The Church of Mary. Near the lower end of the site, the long ruined church where the council of 431 met. Few tour groups stop here; a pilgrim group should.
• The Basilica of St John. On Ayasuluk Hill in Selçuk, the great church built by Justinian over the traditional tomb of the apostle John.

Mass at the shrine. Mass is celebrated at the House of the Virgin Mary every day, and groups travelling with their own priest can ask to celebrate at the outdoor altar. Times and slots are agreed with the chaplains and can change with the season, so we confirm them for your date before the programme is fixed. Ask your priest to bring his celebret.

Opening hours. The ancient city of Ephesus is open from 08:00 to 18:00, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (muze.gov.tr). Arrive at opening: cruise passengers from Kuşadası fill the main street from mid-morning.

A six-day programme for a parish group

This is the shape we suggest for a first pilgrimage built around the two councils. Every day can be shortened or extended.

Add a seventh and eighth day for Laodicea and Hierapolis near Pamukkale, two of the Seven Churches of Revelation. Our Seven Churches of Revelation tour page explains that extension, and the Christian tours of Turkey overview compares longer routes that add Cappadocia.

Choosing your 2027 dates

A few dates shape the year for a pilgrimage:

• Easter falls on 28 March 2027 in the Western calendar, and Orthodox Easter on 2 May 2027. Holy Week in Istanbul, with its Catholic, Orthodox and Armenian communities, is a strong choice for a group that wants the liturgy as well as the sites.
• Museum prices rise on 1 April 2027. The ancient city of Ephesus goes from €40 to €45 per foreign visitor and the Terrace Houses from €15 to €16, according to our Turkey museum prices 2027 update. A March pilgrimage keeps current prices.
• The Assumption, 15 August 2027, is a Sunday. It is the shrine's main feast. Expect large crowds and strong heat; book hotels early.
• Spring and autumn suit walking groups best. April to early June and mid-September to October are the comfortable months at Ephesus. July and August are very hot in the Ephesus valley, with little shade.
• The Toussaint school holidays in late October usually bring mild, dry days at Ephesus and thinner crowds than in September, which suits families travelling with children.

Practical points for groups from France, Belgium and Switzerland

• Entry. French and Belgian citizens can visit Turkey without a visa for up to 90 days, and a national identity card is accepted instead of a passport, according to our Turkey visa requirements page. Swiss and Canadian travellers should check their own rules there before booking flights.
• Flights. The simplest routing from Paris, Lyon, Brussels or Geneva is into Istanbul, then the domestic flight to İzmir and home from İzmir via Istanbul. This avoids doubling back.
• A French-speaking guide. Guides in French can be arranged on request, subject to availability. Ask early for Holy Week and for September and October, when demand is highest. Our French-speaking guide in Istanbul page explains how this works.
• Dress. Shoulders and knees covered in churches and mosques; women need a headscarf in Hagia Sophia of Nicaea and in Istanbul's mosques.
• Walking. Ephesus is about 1.5 km of uneven marble from the Upper Gate to the lower end, on a gentle downhill. Good shoes and water are essential.

Tours that cover this

• Nicea (İznik) day tour from Istanbul with Hagia Sophia and the city walls: from $450 per person.
• Private İznik day trip from Istanbul, 10 hours with your own van: from $375 per person.
• Biblical Ephesus and Pamukkale, 2 days from Istanbul, flights and hotel: from $720 per person.
• Christian heritage tour of Turkey, 10 days with full board: from $3,625 per person.

Our religious tours list has the other biblical routes, and the Ephesus and Kuşadası destination guide covers the region in more depth. For a parish programme with your own dates, see our tailor-made Turkey tour page.

Frequently Asked Questions