- Discover on foot Tel Aviv and Jaffa.

- Explore the coastal towns of Haifa and Akko.

- Experience the Christian sites around the Sea of Galilee.

- See the Temple Mount, the Wailing Wall and the Via Dolorosa.

- Visit Bethlehem with the Church of Nativity.

- Pay your respect at the Yad Vashem Memorial.

- Enjoy a visit to the Machane Yehuda market.

 

 

Shalom and welcome to Israel! You will be met at Ben Gurion Airport and transferred by your English speaking driver to your hotel. With no activities planned, you are free to relax or explore your neighbourhood. Don’t forget, the White City is known for its nightlife! Overnight in Isrotel Tower Hotel or similar for the 4* category, in Crowne Plaza city Center or similar for the 5* category.

 

Drive around to Jaffa, one of the ancient gateways at the Mediterranean to the Holy Land. Through its port the Cedar trees of Solomon’s Temple where brought. Your walking tour starts at the Clock Tower, takes you to Mahmoudiya Mosque, St Peter’s Church along small alleys with artist galleries and craft shops. Then to Neve Tzedek in Tel Aviv and continue our exploration on foot to see the eclectic Bauhaus style. The influence of the Bauhaus gave Tel Aviv the nickname White City and the reason for Tel Aviv to be an UNESCO World Heritage Site. You see the Rothschild Boulevard, Rabin Square, the Independence Hall and end the day at the vibrant Carmel Market (Saturdays closed). Overnight Tel Aviv Hotel.

 

Check out from the hotel and head to Caesarea Maritima. Built under Herold the Great the harbor offered space for up to 300 ships! In Caesarea was also the headquarter of Pontius Pilate, yes, the one, who ordered the crucifixion of Jesus. See the ruins of a Roman theater, once used for chariot races and gladiator fights, the remains of Herod's palace and the aqueduct with a beautiful beach in front of it. From here we make our way along the Mediterranean coastline onto Haifa. Start on Mt. Carmel with a visit of the Stella Maris Church, leading into a small cave where Prophet Elijah lived for a while. Visit the beautiful Baha’i Gardens with its 19 terraces and the Shrine of the Bab. The Baha’i faith developed in the 19th century, and this is one of their religious places. Beneath the gardens you find the German Colony, where you have time for a stroll. Your last stop is the ancient port city of Akko, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring impressive fortified city walls and the underground Crusader passageways used by the Knights of St. John. You’ll have a chance to browse the Old Market before proceeding to Tiberias. Overnight in Club Hotel or similar for the 4* category, in Leonardo Plaza or similar for the 5* category.

 

Drive to the Mt. of Beatitudes, the traditional site where Jesus hold the Sermon on the Mount. Visit the beautiful church and its surrounding gardens. Continue to nearby Tabgha, the site where Jesus performed the Miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes. Nearby is the Church of Primacy, built in 1934 in basalt over a massive rock called "Mensa Christi". Here Jesus commissioned St. Peter to be the leader of his church. Next visit will be to Capernaum, the home of St. Peter. See the nearby archaeological excavations of the synagogue and community. After a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee return to your hotel for leisure time or a walk along the shores of the Sea ofGalilee. Overnight Tiberias.

 

We drive 30 minutes to Nazareth, the boyhood town of Jesus. Visit the Church of the Annunciation, marking the spot where the angel Gabriel informed Maria about her pregnancy. See also Mary’s Well whose waters are believed to have healing powers, and if you like St Joseph’s Church, where the carpentry shop thought to have existed. To have some local impressions time to stroll along the Souq. Then to Megiddo, located along the ancient trading route Via Maris. Excavations uncovered 26 layers of ruins indicating a long period of settlement, from Neolithic to Persian periods. Megiddo is also identified with “Armageddon”, one of the battle sites at the end of times. In half an hour you reach Mt Tabor to see the Church of Transfiguration and have a panoramic view over the Jazreel Plain. 1.5 hours transfer to Jerusalem. Overnight in Prima Park Hotel or similar for the 4* category, in Herbert Samuel or similar for the 5* category.

 

Day 6: Mt of Olives – Israel Museum – Yad Vashem – Bethlehem – Jerusalem Hotel

Start the day with a panoramic view of Jerusalem from the top of Mt of Olives. On to the Garden of Gethsemane and Church of the Agony. Visit the Israel Museum, an important art and archaeology museum. See the famous Dead Sea Scrolls in the Shrine of the Book and the model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple period. Afternoon visit to the holocaust museum Yad Vashem. Drive to Bethlehem, a town with a Palestinian Christian community. See the Shepherds Fields in Beit Sahour, then arrive at Manger Square and the ancient Church of the Nativity. See also part of the 700 km long Separation Wall, dividing the West Bank and Israel, used as graffiti wall, some created by the British artist Banksy. Overnight Jerusalem.    

 

Today we visit the holy sites of the three monotheistic religions, represented in Jerusalem: We start with the walking to the Wailing Wall, which represents the last remnants of the Jewish Temple, destroyed by the Romans. Usually you can see the various types of Jews who come to worship at this holy place. If open to visitors, we ascend to the Temple Mount, where we can look at the famous Dome of the Rock. Walk in the Jewish quarter, passing by the Hurva Synagogue to the Cardo. This colonnaded street dates back to the Romans, running from north to south in the old city. Continue to the "Via Dolorosa", Jesus' "Way of Suffering", which leads us to The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Jesus was crucified and buried. End the day at Mahane Yehuda market to watch the locals shop and smell the culinary delights of the little cafés. Overnight Jerusalem hotel.

 

Check-out and pickup hotel lobby. Transfer about one hour to Ben Gurion Airport and time to say goodbye to the Holy Land.