Are you ready for an adventure?

 

They left their fingerprints. Shall we find them?

Macrina the Elder, her daughter Emmelia, and her daughter Macrina the Younger formed the Cappadocian Church Mothers. Priscilla shaped the church in Ephesus. Irene, Theodora, Roxelena, and Kosem Sultan left their mark on Istanbul. 

Women have shaped Turkish history. How will they shape you?

Join other women to explore the story of women and be ready to find more of your own.

ISTANBUL

We start in one of the most exotic cities in the world, where we'll visit a harem, find female secrets, and eat Turkish Delight in the 1700's shop now run by the great great granddaughter.

CAPPADOCIA

We'll fly to the center of the country and, climbing and crawling, follow the footsteps of the early Church Mothers, support local female entrepreneurs, and look for treasures in caves. We'll stay in a cave hotel!

EPHESUS

Lastly, we fly to the best archeologically preserved city of the 7 Churches of Revelations and walk the steps of Priscilla and Hermione and enjoy a 5-star hotel on the Aegean Sea.

 

Meet Your Guides: 

I'm Beth Bruno, your travel guide. My husband and I moved to Istanbul in 1997, before we had kids or knew Turkish. We stayed for a year and then returned in 2001 - one month before 9/11 - with a one year old. 6 years and 3 kids later, we moved back to the States. I've returned every other year since 2007 because Turkey is a part of me now. Trust me when I say I'll take good care of you and show you the country like a local, including all of the stories of women you never hear about on large tours. Let me show you this exotic land in a way few westerners ever see.

  

Leading our Souls on the Journey...

Tracy Johnson, friend, colleague, and co-creator of good things, is our co-leader. As the Storywork Supervisor at ReStory, co-founder of Red Tent Living, and seasoned traveller, Tracy joins us as a story sherpa. As we conclude each evening, Tracy and Beth will invite you to be curious about your own story as it was stirred by the experiences and stories our day encountered. Using some of the prompts you'll have in your guide, we'll gently facilitate through a storied lens. Your heart will be in good, safe (and fun!) hands.

Beth Bruno and Tracy Johnson Storywork in Turkey

This trip is for you if...

  • You are a Christian woman and desire rich, deep, and vulnerable conversation with other women
  • You love to travel in small groups not large buses (the trip is capped at 10)
  • You are curious about the stories of forgotten women in history
  • You would consider yourself a foodie and can't wait to try Turkish cuisine
  • You want fast paced adventure not long lazy days of rest and relaxation
  • You understand there is ALOT of walking (15k+ steps/day on cobblestone), climbing, and tight spaces
  • You are curious to discover more of your own story as we explore the hidden feminine story
"A pilgrimage is a ritual journey with a hallowed purpose. Every step along the way has meaning. The pilgrim knows that the journey will be difficult and that life-giving challenges will emerge. A pilgrimage is not a vacation; it is a transformational journey during which significant change takes place. New insights are given. Deeper understanding is attained. New and old places in the heart are visited. Blessings are received. Healing takes place. On return from pilgrimage, life is seen with different eyes. Nothing will ever be quite the same again." 
Macrina Wiederkehr Behold Your Life

What Women Are Saying...

 

Stunning. Transported.

It was AMAZING! If you have felt tugged to go to Turkey then this is the trip for you! I would never have had the same experience had I gone on my own. Beth was so organized and made sure we had the full experience. I’d do it all over again!

~ Kate 

Amazing. Educational. Awakening.

This trip goes beyond sightseeing. This trip challenges you to see history in a new and exciting way. And, it encourages you to acknowledge your place in this world - that you are seen and you matter. 

~ Carin 

Life Changing. Surprising. Profound.

It is sumptuous and startling. It is a beginning, a re-ordering of self and soul. It is a challenge and a gift, a pathway that opens to unexpected terrain for journeying forward with new skin, new ears, new eyes, new senses and a map both into self and back out to your world.

~ Margaret 

Immersive. Lovely. Educational.

It is a deeply enriching experience. The immersion. The food. The fellowship at meals and the relationships built are worth all of it. That thing that is keeping you stuck, or that ache or emptiness in your heart might just get loved right through you into a new peace.

~ Angela 

What's Included?

 

  • 9 nights in 4-5 ⭐ hotels.
  • All breakfasts and dinners, lunches except on travel and free days, and non-alcoholic beverages.
  • Domestic flights with one checked bag and a carry on. Airport transport from last hotel.
  • All entrance fees, tour guides, and tips for guides.

 

What's Not Included?

 

  • International travel to Istanbul and from Izmir, Turkey.
  • Insurance (trip and medical).
  • Optional activities such as Turkish bath & massage in Istanbul, hot air balloon in Cappadocia, or spa services in Kuşadası.
  • Snacks, water outside of meals, alcoholic drinks, souvenirs, lunches not specified, etc.

2025 Itinerary Overview:

 
Friday, September 26th -Opening Dinner at 8 p.m. in Istanbul
Saturday, September 27th - Istanbul Day 1: Ottoman Empire
Sunday, September 28th - Istanbul Day 2: Byzantine Empire
Monday, September 29th - Fly to Cappadocia
Tuesday, September 30th - Cappadocia Day 1
Wednesday, October 1st - Cappadocia Day 2 
Thursday, October 2nd - Fly to Izmir
Friday, October 3rd - Tour Ephesus
Saturday, October 4th -Silent retreat day, Closing dinner
Sunday, October 5th - Depart from Izmir
Full Itinerary

ONLY 8 SPOTS Available!

Single: $5190/ Double: $4590

  • 9 Nights in Single-Occupancy 4-5* Hotels Including a Cave Hotel and Seaside Resort (Required single unless traveling with a friend and requesting a double)
  • In Country Flights to Cappadocia and Ephesus (includes 1 checked and 1 carry on bag)
  • All Meals except lunches on travel and free days
  • All entrance fees, tour guides and tips, etc.
  • Boutique, private tours
  • Guided story conversations with Storywork facilitators
  • Reflection and history booklet
APPLY NOW

 

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