| 8 Days ~
Israel
Tour
Pace
Israel is quite a small country and it is
surprising how much sightseeing can be achieved in a day. Driving days are
not too long, with plenty of visits along the way. And with two nights in
Tel Aviv and three nights in Jerusalem you will not have to pack and unpack
every night!
DAY 1 – THU – TEL
AVIV AT LEISURE
This the start of a
fascinating opportunity to discover this ancient land in all its variety,
from the wonders of bygone days to the unique mixture of east and west in
the colourful life of today. Enjoy a journey of discovery through one of
the world’s oldest and most magnificent centres of faith and civilization.
You are met at Ben Gurion airport and transferred to your hotel for a
two-night stay. Hotel: Sheraton Hotel & Tower.
DAY 2 – FRI – TEL
AVIV SIGHTSEEING
Meet your Tour Director
before commencing a sightseeing tour of Tel Aviv. See all the highlights of
this lively and modern city: the Habimah National Theatre, Rabin Square and
the bustling Carmel market. Continue to the ancient port of Jaffa to wander
through the artists’ galleries and flea market. Visit Mini Israel, a
miniature park featuring 330 replica models which showcase Israel’s
cultural, historic and religious diversity. This evening enjoy a Shabbat
dinner at our hotel. (Buffet
breakfast, Specialty Highlight Dinner)
DAY 3 – SAT – TEL
AVIV – GALILEE
Leaving Tel Aviv, drive
along the coastal road to Caesarea to explore the ancient Roman and
Crusader ruins, including the huge amphitheatre. Travel via Haifa to Acre,
fought over for centuries and captured in turn by Saracens and Crusaders,
including Richard the Lionheart. See the fortress, the old harbour area
and Crusader crypt before continuing to Nazareth. Visit one of
Christianity’s most sacred places, the Church of Annunciation, on the
site where the angel is said to have appeared to Mary. The day concludes
at your Kibbutz guesthouse, beautifully located on the Sea of Galilee.
Hotel: Kibbutz Nof Ginossar. (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 4 – SUN –
GALILEE – DEAD SEA
Start the day with a morning boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Visit the
ancient wooden boat, which is said to date back to the times of Jesus. Visit
Capernaum where Jesus is said to have entered the Synagogue and taught, and
then head to the Mount of Beatitudes, where He preached the Sermon on the
Mount. Your destination today is the lowest point on Earth: follow the River
Jordan to the shores of the Dead Sea and enjoy a dip in the therapeutic and
mineral-rich waters. Hotel: Hod Hamidbar Resort & Spa. (Buffet breakfast, dinner)
DAY 5 – MON –
DEAD SEA – JERUSALEM
In the cool of the
morning, take a thrilling cable-car ride up to the awe-inspiring fortress of
Masada where, around 70AD, a brave band of Jewish zealots held out for three
years against the Roman legions. Later, pass the caves of Qumran, where the
Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, before driving through the Judean hills to
Jerusalem, your home for three nights. Here in this most hallowed of cities,
begin your sightseeing with a view from Mount Scopus. Visit King David’s
Tomb on Mount Zion, the Room of the Last Supper and the Western Wall,
Judaism’s most sacred site. Hotel: Sheraton Plaza. (Buffet breakfast)
DAY 6 – TUE –
JERUSALEM SIGHTSEEING
Tour Yad-Vashem, the
moving museum commemorating the Jewish people killed during the Holocaust.
Continue to the Shrine of the Book, housed in the Israel Museum which also
contains the Dead Sea Scrolls. Later, join an optional excursion to visit
Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Relax and soak up
the atmosphere at the Highlight evening – a special Oriental dinner at a
local restaurant. (Buffet breakfast, Specialty Highlight
Dinner)
DAY 7 – WED –
JERUSALEM SIGHTSEEING
Wander through the
tranquil Garden of Gethsemene at the Church of All Nations before entering
Jerusalem’s Old City to view the Temple Mount, one of Islam’s holiest
sites. Continue in the footsteps of Jesus along the Via Dolorosa and the
Stations of the Cross. See the Ecce Homo Arch (Behold the Man), Pool of
Bethesda and finish at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the site
of the Crucifixion. (Buffet
breakfast)
DAY 8 – THU –
JERUSALEM
Our tour ends today after
breakfast with a transfer to Ben Gurion airport for our onward flight.
(Buffet breakfast)
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