Itinerary
Heritage of the Holy Land starts in Tel Aviv on Thursdays.-
DAY 1, THU
TEL AVIV
Arrival in Tel Aviv. You will be met and transferred to your hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. -
DAY 2, FRI
TEL AVIV / GALILEE / TIBERIAS
We drive to the port city of Jaffa where we will walk 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 hill top. We drive north along the coastal road to the archaeological ruins of Caesarea, built by Herod the Great in honor 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.). After exploring the ancient ruins, we drive toward the Sea of Galilee, stopping at Cana to visit the Wedding Church where Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water into wine. Arrive at Tiberias for overnight.Breakfast and Dinner Included -
DAY 3, SAT
SEA OF GALILEE / TIBERIAS
After breakfast we drive along the shore of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, the center of Jesus ministry. 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. Continue to the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the Sea, where Jesus preached the 'Sermon on the Mount' and it is believed that Jesus picked the 12 apostles. Ascend to the Golan Heights to view the panoramic view of the peaks of Mt. Hermon and the rugged Golan plateau. Drive to the southern part of the Sea of Galilee to visit the Yardenit Baptismal Site, Return to Tiberias for overnight.Breakfast and Dinner Included -
DAY 4, SUN
NAZARETH / BEIT ALPHA / JERUSALEM
This morning we 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. Visit the ancient synagogue at Beit Alpha, located at the foot of the northern slopes of the Gilboa Mountains, which has one of the most preserved and beautiful mosaics in Israel. Drive through the Jordan Valley, passing by Jericho, before ascending through the Judean Mountains to Jerusalem for overnight.Breakfast and Dinner Included -
DAY 5, MON
MASADA / DEAD SEA
Through remarkable scenery of the Dead Sea we continue 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. En route to the Dead Sea, you will 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. Return to Jerusalem for an overnight.Breakfast and Dinner Included -
DAY 6, TUE
JERUSALEM (NEW CITY)
Start the day at the Israel Museums Shrine of the Book with the famous Dead Sea scrolls, then a visit 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 south western 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 Yad Vashem the official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. We drive to Bethlehem* to visit the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square. Return to your Jerusalem for overnight.Breakfast and Dinner Included -
DAY 7, WED
JERUSALEM (OLD CITY)
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. To the southwest, just outside the Old City, is Mount Zion, with the traditional tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper. 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 Judas betrayed Jesus. Return to your hotel for overnight.Breakfast and Dinner Included -
DAY 8, THU
JERUSALEM
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport.Breakfast Included