Israel Holyland Christian / 11 Days & 10 Nights

We will start the trip by picking you from your hotel in Tel Aviv. Then start our voyage on the coastal road towards the ancient city of Caesarea. After we enter the national park of Caesarea (the name of the old city), we will walk and see the antiquities, which remained in place from the time Israel was controlled by the Romans, and hear the place's most famous stories.

 

From there we will continue to Megiddo National Park and view the remains of the city that remained in that area from the year 3000 BC, we will learn the history of the place combined with fascinating stories which, according to the belief were held in that place.

 

Moving on we head north towards Haifa while enjoying a breathtaking panoramic view from Mount Carmel on the Bahai Gardens (one of the most frequently and beautiful toured attractions in Israel) the city of Haifa and the port. Haifa offers some of the most memorable views in Israel. Our journey continues to Acre (Akko) visit the ancient city.  Overnight stay: Kibutz Lavi

The day will start with a drive towards the city Tiberius where according to testimonies Jesus lived half of his life. After a short walk in the city overlooking the Sea of Galilee, we will continue travelling to one of the most important places in the Christian world, Capernaum, also known as THE TOWN OF JESUS. 

 

According to the New Testament, Jesus made Capernaum the centre of his activities for a long period time, and some of the Twelve Apostles (St. Petrus and his holy brother Andreas, and Jacob son of Zebedee and his brother John) resided there.. The place is full of fascinating stories and gorgeous antiques of the ancient synagogue as well as remains from additional ancient time periods. 

 

From there we will continue to Mount of Beatitudes, which is famous for the miracle of bread and fishes, mentioned in the New Testament, and where Jesus managed to feed 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fishes. At the scene of the miracle is the Church of Multiplication, established during the 14th century, which we will also visit. 

 

We will continue to the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the Sea of Galilee. According to the Christian tradition and the New Testament, Mount Nahum is the place where Jesus delivered the "Sermon on the Mount", which included his main teachings. 

 

From there our journey takes us to the Banyas reserve (Caesarea Philippi) thought to have been the site of the Garden of Eden, the breathtaking landscape and foliage is enhanced by the flowing water which leads to the Jordan River. This pure icy water comes from the mountain tops and pours down in gushing streams through rocks and rivulets forming picturesque waterfalls. Overnight stay: Kibutz Lavi

We will start the morning (after breakfast of course) traveling towards Nazareth city, not before we stop on the way to visit the village of Qana in order to see the Wedding Church. The church commemorates the miracle of the wedding that Jesus conducted, when he turned water into wine. Near the church resides the Greek Orthodox Church that also commemorates the event. 

 

From here we will continue to Nazareth, that is one of the most important cities of the Christian religion. According to the New Testament, Mary, the mother of Jesus and her husband of St. Joseph lived in Nazareth, where she was given the Gospel, and where Jesus came into adulthood. We will walk around in the small town of Nazareth, and we will enjoy the city's markets, and we will of course visit none other than the Church of the Annunciation.  We will also visit the adjacent St Joseph’s Church, in which according to tradition from the medieval times, the workshop of Saint Joseph was located, the husband of Mary. 

 

We then head towards the baptismal site on the Jordan River - the Yardenit, where you could participate in an optional baptismal service.

 

From there we will leave Yardenit, and continue to the area Beit Shean, where we will visit the National Park in which antiques from the Roman Empire lie. After the visit to the National Park, we will continue traveling through the valley of Hearne to the holiest city in the world - Jerusalem. Overnight stay: Jerusalem

We will start in the morning (after breakfast of course) with a drive to the Mount of Olives, from there you can take in the breathtaking view across the Old City of Jerusalem. After some time for taking photos, and not before hearing fascinating stories about the site, we will start driving towards the Old City. On approaching the city we will stop at the Tomb of David and the Room of the Last Super and hear the enthralling tales about this site. 

 

From there we will enter the Old City and start with a walk through the lanes of the renewed and beautiful Jewish Quarter, we will hear about the area as we make our way towards the most holy Jewish site – the Kotel or Western Wall. The Western Wall is one of the oldest ancient remains in the Old City of Jerusalem and in fact is one of the four retaining walls which surrounded the Temple Mount for the last two thousand years, from the period of the Second Temple and up until present day. The Western Wall has deep religious, national and historic significance and millions of visitors, both Jews and gentiles, are drawn here each year. 

 

From there we cross over the Via Dolorosa, the road along which, according to tradition, Jesus made his final journey towards the cross. We will pause at important stations as we follow in Jesus' footsteps until of course we come to the jewel in the crown – The Church of the Holy Sepulcher – where according to tradition Jesus was buried. Overnight stay: Jerusalem

We begin by driving to Ein Kerem to visit the Church of Visitation then we will continue to Yad VaShem the Israeli Holocaust Museum which tells the tragic story of the Jewish people during the Second World War. after a visit at the museum we will countinue to Ein Karem; a picturesque village on the south western outskirts of Jerusalem. This small village has great significance in Christian traditions, since this is where according to the tradition John the Baptist was born.  

 

we'll continue to Israel Museum, one of the most famous museums in Israel (if not The most famous). At the museum we will spend time in the section called "The Shrine of the Book" which holds rare and extraordinary archaeological discoveries: The Dead Sea Scrolls and ancient and rare hand written Biblical manuscripts, such as the Aleppo Codex. After leaving the museum we continue our journey on to the Israeli Knesset or in other words the State of Israel Parliament building.

 

If situation permitting, we might visit Bethlehem to see Rachel’s Tomb and the Church of the Nativity. Overnight stay: Jerusalem

After breakfast we begin driving towards the Dead Sea region in the famous Judean Desert. We stop at the Qumran Caves where the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered (for an overview only - we dont visit Qumran). From there we continue our drive to the iconic Mount Masada, while driving along a road overlooking the Dead Sea, an incredible experience in itself. When we arrive at Masada we ascend the mountain with the help of a cable car giving us one of the most incredible views in the world. 

 

After we arrive at the mountain plateau we begin our tour of the mountain top fortress where one of the Jewish people's most famous stories of heroism unfolded. The fortress is one of the oldest remains in the world – over 2,000 years old. After our visit to Masada we continue on to the Dead Sea beach where you'll be able to enjoy a dip in the sea at the lowest point in the world. Apart from being the lowest point on Earth and having the highest concentration of salt in water (up to 100 times normal water) the water has health benefits for all forms of skin disease. Besides of course the fact that you can simply float on the water without any help. 

 

After we have enjoyed the sea water and Dead Sea mud (there are showers and rest rooms at the site) we begin our drive back to Jerusalem for overnight.Overnight stay: Jerusalem

On this day you have the option to book a one day tour to Petra - the world wonder! After visa assistance at the Jordanian Border, drive straight to Petra through desert highways. Your ultimate destination is the astonishing rose-red city of Petra which was built by the Nabateans (an early Arab tribe). Petra was renowned for its massive architecture, pools, dams and water channels. Petra is the legacy of the Nabateans who settled in the South of Jordan more than two-thousand years ago. The visit begins with the possibility of short horseback-riding for about 700 m. until the entrance of the Siq, which is about 1.2 km long (walking distance). There is a possibility to rent a chariot (extra) to get inside Petra and back to the gate outside. 

 

Petra is famous for its huge monuments such as The Treasury, Royal Tombs, The Court, Roman Theatre, Roman Street, Qassier El-Bint (Palace of Pharaoh's daughter) and many other smaller monuments which fascinate visitors. The city itself is almost 45 square km and is considered to be the second wonder of the world. After the visit, enjoy lunch at a nice restaurant, followed by a drive back to the border. En-route, stop for a short visit at Aqaba with possibility for a short walk. Transfer to border at approximately 18:00 for crossing to Eilat. 

 

Note: The tour to Petra does not include in the price. For more information about schedule & prices, please contact our customer service. Overnight stay: Eilat

Depart Eilat via Mitzpe Ramon to gaze into the Ramon crater, a geological wonder. Proceed to Sde Boker and see Ben Gurion’s hut and grave overlooking the magnificent Zin valley. Stop for a Camel riding experience and visit to an authentic Bedouin tent. 

 

Learn about the Bedouin hospitality and enjoy a light lunch. Continue to Hatzerim and visit Israel’s Air force museum to view the planes and equipment and hear the story of this brave fighting force. After the visit we will start to our return towards Tel Aviv. Overnight stay: Tel Aviv