The following are samples of suggested itineraries for 10 days touring in Israel.
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, where you will be met by a our representative and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem: The Old City
Visit the tomb of King David and the room of the Last Supper on Mt. Zion. Enter the walled city and walk through the newly restored Jewish Quarter. Visit the Roman Cardo, the Herodian Quarter and continue to the Western Wall. Walk along the Via Dolorosa to the church of the Holy Sepulchre, proceed to Mount Scopus and then to the Mount of Olives for a magnificent panoramic view of the Old City. Continue to Bethlehem*, stopping at Rachel’s Tomb and to visit the Church of the Nativity.
Overnight in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem: The New City
Drive to the Hadassah Medical Center in Ein Kerem to see the Chagall stained glass windows. Proceed to Bayit Vegan to visit the miniature model of Jerusalem as it was during the Second Temple period. Continue to Yad Vashem, the memorial to the Holocaust and then to the Israel Museum. Visit the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed and see the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, and the Givat Ram Campus of the Hebrew University.
Overnight in Jerusalem.
Qumeran / Massada / Dead Sea
Drive through the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, almost 1300 feet (400 meters) below sea level. Stop at Qumeran to visit the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to Massada. Ascend by cable car and tour the ancient fortress where the Zealots made their last stand against the Romans before committing mass suicide in 73 AD. Descend by cable car, time and weather permitting, an opportunity will be provided to float on the Dead Sea.
Overnight in Tel Aviv.
Diaspora Museum / Caesarea / Druze villages
Depart Tel Aviv and drive to the Diaspora Museum for a visit.
Proceed along the coastal plain to Caesarea, capital of Judea under the Romans. See the excavations of the Crusader city and the Roman port, aqueduct and the amphitheater that has been restored to its former glory as a concert venue. Continue via the Druze villages to Haifa.
Overnight in Haifa.
Haifa / Safed / Golan Heights
The tour of Haifa will begin at the summit of Mount Carmel where you will take in a breathtaking panoramic view of the Haifa Bay and Western Galilee. Continue on to the golden domed Bahai Shrine to visit the exotic Persian Gardens. Proceed to Safed, the center of Jewish mysticism, where you will visit the ancient synagogues and the artists’ colony. Continue to the Golan Heights to see the former Syrian bunkers, Kuneitra and the new Israeli town of Katzrin.
Overnight in Kibbutz.
Sea of Galilee / Nazareth
Start the day with a visit of Tiberias. Drive to Capernaum to see the ruins of the synagogue and octagonal church of St. Peter and then proceed to Nazareth. Here you will visit the church of the Annunciation. Drive via Beit Shean to Beit Alpha to see the remains of the mosaic floor of an ancient synagogue depicting the zodiac.
Overnight in Tel Aviv.
Arrival
Upon arrival to airport meet our representative and transfer to Jerusalem.
Overnight: Jerusalem.
Masada and the Dead Sea
Depart Tel Aviv and descend to the lowest place on earth. Drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to the rock fortress of Masada. Visit Herod's palaces, dating back 2000 years. Then hear about the zealots who defied the Roman Empire from this location. Enjoy a chance to swim in the Dead Sea. The water is so rich in salts and minerals that you float! Ascend the mountains to Jerusalem.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Jerusalem - New City
Start with a spectacular view of Jerusalem from Mount Scopus, and then onto the Garden of Gethsemane. Visit the tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper on Mount Zion. See the famous Dead Sea Scrolls at the Shrine of the Book. Experience a moving visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial. See the Marc Chagall stained glass windows at the Hadassah medical center, and visit Ein Kareem where John the Baptist was born.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Jerusalem - Old City and Bethlehem
Visit the Western Wall and the Temple Mount (subject to security clearance). Explore the colorful bazaars, and walk the Via Dolorosa (Stations of the Cross) until the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Continue to Bethlehem (subject to security clearance) to visit Rachel's Tomb and the Church of the Nativity.
Overnight: Jerusalem
Sea of Galilee
Depart Jerusalem via Jericho (subject to security clearance), the oldest city in the world. Explore the excavations of the beautiful Roman City of Beit Shean. Proceed to Tiberias, and drive along the shores of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue.
Overnight: Galilee Kibbutz hotel
Upper Galilee
Drive to Safed - city of Mystical Judaism. Explore Caesarea of Philippi at the Bainas Springs. Ascend the Golan Heights and from Mt. Bental, peer deep into Syria and the ghost town of Kuneitra. Continue onto Nazareth and the Church of Annunciation.
Overnight: Galilee Kibbutz hotel
Coastal Plain
Depart for Akko (Acre) to explore the Knights' Halls and the secret Crusader tunnels, then to Haifa to view the magnificent Bahai gardens from atop Mount Carmel. Stop at Caesarea, to visit the Roman Theatre and the Crusader Fortress.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Upon arrival to airport meet our representative and transfer to hotel in Jerusalem for overnight.
Tuesday
Jerusalem: Mt Zion, The New City
Drive to Mt Scopus for a view of Jerusalem, then to the Garden of Gethsemane and Church of the Agony. Drive to Mt Zion for a visit to the tomb of King David, the Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey. Sightseeing in the new city including the Israel Museum, the Shrine of the Book, with the famous Dead Sea scrolls, new Supreme Court bld. Mtí Herzl and Yad Vashem (the memorial to the six million Jews who were killed in the Holocaust). Then visit the model of the Heordian city of Jerusalem dating back to the time of the Second Temple. Visit the synagogue with Marc Chagall stained glass windows at the Hadassah medical center, then via Ein Karem (the birth place of John the Baptist).
Return to Hotel.
Wednesday
Jerusalem: the Old City, Bethlehem
Walk through the Jaffa Gate to the City: the renewed Jewish Quarter, the Western Wall, the Temple area, the colorful bazars, Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Continue to Bethlehem (subject to security clearance) to visit Rachel's Tomb and the Church of the Nativity and return to Jerusalem for overnight.
Thursday
Sea of Galilee
Depart Jerusalem via Jericho (subject to security clearance), the oldest city in the world. Explore the excavations of the beautiful Roman City of Beit Shean. Continue onto Nazareth to see Mary's Well and visit the Church of Annunciation. Drive to Safed - city of Mystical Judaism for a walk through the artists colony.
Overnight: Galilee Kibbutz hotel
Friday
Upper Galilee
Ascend the Golan Heights and from Mt. Bental, peer deep into Syria and the ghost town of Kuneitra. Explore Caesari of Philippi at the Banias Springs. Drive along the shores of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum to visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue. See the beautiful church at Tabgha where the miracle of the fishes and the loaves took place. Enjoy a short tour of Tiberias - the old centre of Jewish learning.
Overnight: Galilee Kibbutz hotel
Saturday
Coastal Plain
Depart for Acre (Akko) to explore the Knights' Halls and the secret Crusader tunnels, then to Haifa to view the magnificent Bahai gardens from atop Mount Carmel. Stop at Caesarea, to visit the Roman Theatre and the Crusader Fortress.
Overnight: Tel Aviv
Monday
Departure
Transfer to the airport for departure
Day 1.
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, met by our representative and transfered to your hotel. Stay overnight in Tel Aviv.
Day 2. Tel Aviv / Caesarea / Acre / Galilee
After breakfast drive North to Caesarea Maritima. Visit the Roman Theater, the Herod's Palace, the Palace of the Roman Procurator (Apostles 23: 23 and Apostles 26: 23 - Paul; Apostles 10: 20-48 - Peter and Cornelius), the Amphitheater, the Crusaders' City and Harbor. Proceed to Mount Carmel to visit the Monastery of the Muhraka, where Elijah fought with the Baal priests. From the roofs of this Monastery, we have a beautiful view of the Jezreel Plain. Through the Druze villages, Daliyat el Carmel and Usifiya, we proceed to Haifa with a panoramic view of the city and harbor. Continue to the Church of Stella Maris (a Carmelite Monastery) with the cave of the Prophet Elijah. Proceed to Acre to visit the old city with the city walls, the Knights' Halls and the Harbor. Through the Galilee proceed to Tiberias for overnight.
Day 3. Galilee
After breakfast boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus walked on the water (Matthew 14: 22-23). The ride will end at Ginnosar, where we shall visit the Ancient Boat from the time of Jesus that was found nearby. Proceed to Nazareth, visiting the Church of Annunciation (Luke 26: 28) and Mary's Well (in the Greek Orthodox Church). Drive on to Cana in the Galilee, site of the First Miracle (John 2: 1-11 and John 4: 46-54). Proceed to Tiberias for overnight.
Day 4. Galilee
After breakfast drive to the Mount of Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 7) where we shall visit the heptagonal church that was built by the Italian architect Berluzzi. Proceed to Banyas, the ancient Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16: 13-20) one of the main sources of the Jordan River. Through the Golan Heights, drive to Capernaum, the town of Jesus, where he lived in the house of Peter performing from there his miracles and healings (Matthew 4: 13, Matthew 8: 14-15). Proceed to Tabgha, where we shall visit the Church of the Loaves and the Fish (Matthew 14: 14-34) and the Church of Mensa Christi, where Jesus elected Peter as His Representative on Earth (John 21). Overnight Tiberias.
Day 5. Mount Tabor / Megiddo / Jaffa / Jerusalem
After breakfast drive to Mount Tabor, the site of Transfiguration, visiting the Catholic Church (Matthew 17: 1-8). From the rooftop of the church we can enjoy a beautiful view of the Lower Galilee and the Plain of Jezreel. Through the town of Afula, drive to Megiddo, named also Armageddon - the place where the last battle of mankind is due to take place (the Apocalypse of St. John) - where we shall visit the Museum and this 5,000 year old city with the Gates from the times of King Solomon, the old Canaanite temples and the water tunnel from the time of King Ahab. Through Wadi Ara, the ancient road (Via Maris) that connected the old Egypt to Mesopotamia, we shall reach Tel Aviv where we shall visit ancient Yope (Jaffa): here was the house of Simon the Tanner (Apostles 10: 9-16) and the place of the Miracle of the resurrection of Tabita (Apostles 9: 36-43). After the visits, proceed through the Hills of Judea to Jerusalem. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 6. Jerusalem - the Old City
After breakfast ascend the Mount of Olives to visit the Chapel of the Ascension (Luke 24: 50-53), the Church of the Pater Noster (Luke 11: 1-4) and have a wonderful panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem, with the Temple Mount. Walking down the Mount of Olives, we shall reach the Church of Dominus Flevit (Luke 19: 41-44) for the visit and proceed to the Garden of Gethsemane, the place where Jesus was arrested (Matthew 26: 36-58), to see the old olive trees and visit the Basilica of the Agony. Through the Lion's Gate we shall walk into the Old City to visit the Church of St. Anne and the Pool of Bethesda (John 5: 1-15). Proceed through the Via Dolorosa walking along the Stations of the Cross from the remains of the Antonia to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. After the visits, walk through the colorful bazaar . Overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 7. Jerusalem - the New City / Bethlehem *
After breakfast drive to Mount Zion to visit the Room of the Last Supper (Cenacle) and the Tomb of King David. Walking through the Jewish Quarter, reach the Wailing Wall - the holiest place for the Jews - and the Dung Gate, to drive through the New City of Jerusalem to Ein Kerem to visit the Church of St. John (Luke 1: 1-25). Drive to Yad Vashem, the Memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Proceed to Bethlehem * to visit the Church of the Nativity (Luke 2: 1-7) and Shepherd's Field (Luke 2: 8-20). Overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 8. Massada / Dead Sea
After breakfast drive via the Good Samaritan Inn (Luke 8: 25-37) to the mountain fortress of Massada, stronghold of the Jews in the war against the Romans. Ascend to the fortress by cable car to visit the palaces of Herod the Great with its Roman baths and pools. Descend for a possible "dip" and "float" in the salty water of the Dead Sea, the worlds lowest place. On the way back to Jerusalem, stop in Qumran - the city of the Essens - where the Dead Sea scrolls were found in a cave by a shepherd. Overnight in Jerusalem.