This program was made especially for those who want to experience in a short time the diverse landscapes, cultures, religions, and historical artifacts that this country has been blessed with. The program does not contain the scheduled days of the week in which it will take place, as this depends on your flight schedule. Hence minor changes in the sequence of the different days of touring and/or the sites visited might be necessary.
Day 1:
Arrive at the Ben-Gurion Airport by Tel Aviv, where your Guide will meet you. Transfer to your Hotel. Dinner and Introduction to your tour by your guide. O/N in Jerusalem.
Day 2:
We start our tour with a panoramic view of the holy city, Jerusalem, from the Mount of Olives. A leisurely walk takes us down, through the holy Jewish cemetery, to the "Garden of Gethsemane" with its "Church of all Nations" and ancient Olive trees, almost 2000 years old! We continue to the "Wailing Wall", the last remnants of the holy Jewish Temple, and, conditions permitting, visit the Temple Mount itself, where we can see the Muslim Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque. Then we walk through the colorful "Suq" (Bazaar) and follow the different stations of the "Via Dolorosa", the "Way of the Cross" according to Christian tradition. The Way of the Cross ends at the "Church of the Holy Sepulcre", built traditionally on the site where Jesus was crucified and buried. In the afternoon we visit Mt. Zion with King David's Tomb and the Place of the Last Supper. O/N Jerusalem.
Day 3:
This day is dedicated to the New City of Jerusalem. We visit Yad Vashem, the memorial of the holocaust, and then the famous "Menorah" (Candelabra) located in front of the "Knesset"-Building, housing Israel's Parliament. At the "Israel Museum" we visit the Model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period. This is a 1:50 scale model of the city, as it was during one of its most important periods, when Judaism and Christianity, as we know them today, started to evolve. The model is built from the original materials, and is updated according to the most recent archaeological researches. We will also visit the "Shrine of the Book", where the "Dead Sea Scrolls" are exhibited. In the afternoon we take a leisurely stroll through the picturesque village Ein Karem, where according to local tradition John the Baptist was born. O/N Jerusalem.
Day 4:
We drive down to the Dead Sea, the deepest place on earth, and climb (by cable-car…) the famous cliff-fortress of Masada, where Herod the Great built a magnificent palace in the middle of the desert. Masada was then used as a fortress by the Jewish "Zealots" who fought, few against many, against the pagan Roman Empire. Their heroic struggle became a symbol for the modern State of Israel. We walk through the Oasis of Ein Gedi, known since the days of King David. Ein Gedi, where four springs with fresh water meet the desert sun, is a place to enjoy the rich and unique flora and fauna that such an oasis can offer. We walk to the waterfall and back to the bus. We will not miss, of course, some floating (not swimming!) on the Dead Sea, famous for its healing qualities. O/N Jerusalem.
Day 5:
Today we leave Jerusalem and drive along the Jordan Valley to the Land of Galilee. On the "Mt. of Beatitudes" we can enjoy the special church built by the Italian architect Berluzzi, as well as the wide view over the Sea of Galilee. We also visit the archaeological excavations of Capernaum, "The Town of Jesus", and its well-known Synagogue. We drive up to the Golan Hights, and visit the reconstructed Talmudic village in Katzrin. We also drive up to the top of Har (Mt.) Bental. From the summit of this mountain, a non-active volcano, there is a wide view over the area that allows us to understand the geographical and political uniqueness of the Golan. O/N Galilee.
Day 6:
In the morning we ascend to the holy city of Tzefat (Safed), the center of Jewish Mysticism, Kabbalah. We breathe its special, spiritual atmosphere, listen to its many legends, and visit some of its enchanted synagogues. Then we drive along the "Northern Road", through the wild forest landscape of Upper Galilee to Rosh Hanikra. A cable-car will take us down to the famous grottos, which were carved in the white chalk-cliffs by the powerful waves of the Mediterranean Sea. Drive to the oriental city of Akko (Acre), where the Crusaders built their most important port. We can still visit the very well-preserved "Knights Halls" under the living oriental Bazaar with its colors and odors of the East. We end the day at the modern port-city Haifa, situated on the slopes of the evergreen Mt. Carmel. The view from this mountain is famous for its beauty. O/N in Haifa.
Day 7:
Leaving Haifa, we drive on the "Coastal Road", along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea to Caesarea Maritima, the magnificent port-city built by King Herod the Great. In Caesarea we visit the well-preserved Roman antiquities, as well as its Crusader Walls and Fishermen Port. We continue our drive along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea to Tel Aviv, where after a short city-tour we stroll through the renovated alley-ways of Old Jaffa, the ancient port-city that gave birth to "The First Hebrew City" – Tel Aviv. Jaffa is one of the ancient gateways to the Holy Land: Through its port the Cedar trees for Salomon's Temple were brought, the prophet Jonas tried to flee God, and in Jaffa the first pioneers embarked to resettle the Land of Israel. Today Jaffa's renovated alley-ways attract many artists, who have their galleries there. O/N in Tel Aviv.
Day 8:
Time permitting you will have the opportunity to spend some time in the pulsating city Tel Aviv. Transfer to the Ben Gurion Airport for your flight back home.
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