Thursday Departure.
Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Tel Aviv.
Overnight in Tel Aviv.
Drive for a visit of the port city of Jaffa (Joppa) where we will take a short walking tour in picturesque alleys of the old, fortified town. We will pass by the house of Simon the Tanner and marvel at the views from the hilltop. Drive north along the coastal road - Via Maris, to the archaeological ruins of Caesarea, built by Herod the Great in honour of Augustus Caesar. From here we go on to visit Megiddo where the book of Revelations mentions a great battle at the place called “Armageddon”, an ancient city inhabited continuously for more than five millennia (6000-500 B.C.). Drive eastwards, towards the Sea of Galilee, descending to Tiberias, regarded as one of the four Holy cities in Judaism, where the Jewish Talmud - the primary source of Jewish religious law - was compiled, with tombs of Rabbis scattered across the city. Overnight in Tiberias.
Drive to the southern part of the Sea of Galilee to visit the Yarde nit Baptismal Site. Visit the sites on the north shore, the stage for many of the events in Jesus’ life. Drive along the shore of the sea to Capernaum – known as “His Town”, the centre of Jesus ministry where he spent much time healing the sick and performing miracles. On to Tabgha, the site of Christ’s miracle of feeding the 5,000, visiting the Church of Multiplication, where the mosaic floor depicts a basket with loaves and two fishes, and the Church of the Primacy of St Peter, commemorating Jesus’ reinstatement of Peter as chief among the Apostles. Continue to the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the sea, where Jesus preached the “Sermon on the Mount”, and it is believed that he picked his 12 apostles. Ascend to the Golan Heights to view the panoramic view of the peaks of Mt. Hermon and the rugged Golan plateau. Visit Banias (Caesarea Philippi), one of the sources of the River Jordan, where Jesus took his disciples, revealing his purpose and His Church before his last trip to Jerusalem and where Simon identified Jesus as the Messiah. Overnight in Tiberias.
Sail on a boat on the Sea of Galilee to experience the tranquillity and scenery little changed during the past 2000 years (subject to conditions and fee). Travel through the Galilee to Nazareth, where Jesus spent his childhood, and the Church of Annunciation, built on the site where archaeologists believe the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary. You will also see Mary’s Well and Joseph’s Church. Stop at Cana to visit the Wedding Church where Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water into wine. Visit the ancient synagogue at Beit Alpha, located at the foot of the northern slopes of the Gilboa Mountains, which has one of most preserved and beautiful mosaics in Israel. Drive through the Jordan Valley, passing by Jericho, before ascending through the Judean Mountains to Jerusalem. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Through remarkable scenery of the Dead Sea, we travel to Masada which is situated on an isolated cliff in the Judean Desert. The site was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. Ascend by cable car to the fortress, which was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavations, King Herod’s palace, the synagogue, bathhouse and much more. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea below. Visit the site of the Qumran Caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Nearly 1,300 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on the earth’s surface. Bring your swimsuit as if weather permits it’s possible to “float” on the salty, mineral rich, water. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Visit Yad Vashem the official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953, located at the foot of Mt. Hertzl. Visit the Israel Museum’s Shrine of the Book with the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, then on to the beautifully renovated model of the Herodian city of Jerusalem, dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Enjoy Ein Karem, a picturesque village in the southwestern outskirts of Jerusalem. This small village has great significance in Christian traditions, since this is where, according to tradition, John the Baptist was born. Visit Bethlehem - the birthplace of Jesus at the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of Jerusalem - the holy city for each of the world’s three great religions – Christianity, Judaism and Islam, from atop the Mount of Olives. Visit the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus spent his last night and was betrayed by Judas. Just outside the Old City, visit Mount Zion, with the traditional tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper. Enter the Old City of Jerusalem where you will see the Western Wall and the actual site of the Second Temple, the Temple Mount. Walk the Way of the Cross, the Via Dolorosa, to Calvary and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, housing both the traditional site of Crucifixion and the Tomb of the Resurrection. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for international departure. Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for departure.
• Transfers on arrival and departure (from/to Ben Gurion Airport).
• 7 nights accommodation on Bed & Breakfast basis.
• 6 touring days as per itinerary, with English speaking guide.
• Entrance fees to the sites visited as per itinerary.
International airfares
Optional activities
Other meals, drinks, tips and other personal expenses or services not specified on the program
Travel insurance
Gratuities
Voluntary tips for guides or drivers
Travel and medical insurance
Any items not mentioned as included
Assistance at Ben Gurion Airport upon arrival
Hotels used or similar
Plan A Hotels
Tel Aviv - Carlton
Tiberias - U-Boutique / Scots
Jerusalem - American Colony
Plan B Hotels
Tel Aviv - Crowne Plaza Beach / Dan Panorama
Tiberias - Caesar / Ron Beach
Jerusalem - Dan Panorama / Vert
Plan C Hotels
Tel Aviv - Metropolitan / BY 14
Tiberias - Lake House / Royal Plaza
Jerusalem - Grand Court / Leonardo
Please note that the sequence of the tour and sites visited may be amended due to circumstances at the company’s or the guide’s discretion.
* Site under the Palestinian Authority jurisdiction. Visit subject to situation.
* Supplements for 6 dinners, daily except arrival day available on request.
Thursday Departure.