Itinerary for The Highlights of Israel Tour

  Day 1: Flights from the UK to Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion). On arrival, you will be met by a representative and transferred to your hotel in Tel Aviv. Day 2: Leave Tel Aviv in air-conditioned transport and pass through Ashdod, Ashkelon and Beersheba on the way to Massada, the last stronghold of the Jewish rebels holding out against the Romans almost 2000 years ago. Once in Massada, ascend to the fortress by cable car to visit the excavations and enjoy the views over the desert and Dead Sea. Afterward, drive to the Dead Sea, where you can experience the uniquely buoyant waters and enriching mud. Continue on to Jerusalem, via Ein Gedi and Kalia, to your hotel. Day 3: Start your two days in Jerusalem with a drive to Mount Scopus for panoramic views over the city. Today you will see the New City, including the Garden of Gethsemane, Church of the Agony and the Shrine of the Book (home to the Dead Sea Scrolls). In the afternoon, visit Yad Vashem, the memorial to Jews killed in the Holocaust. Finally, see the birthplace of John the Baptist at Ein Karem before heading back to your hotel. Day 4: Your second day in Jerusalem focuses on the sights of the Old City, starting with the Jewish Quarter, Western Wall and the Temple area. Visit some of the colourful bazaars of the area and then follow the Via Dolorosa and the stations of the Cross, finishing at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Next, drive to Mount Zion to visit King David’s tomb, the Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey. If local conditions permit, in the afternoon, visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem before returning to your hotel. Day 5: Leaving Jerusalem, we drive north via Jericho, the world’s oldest city and then on to the amazingly preserved Roman city of Beit Shean. Next stop is the ancient centre of Jewish learning, Tiberias, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Drive along the Sea to the ancient ruins at Capernaum and then on to a Kibbutz hotel. Day 6: Start with a drive to Golan Heights to see the fortifications before driving via Banias, source of the Jordan River, and the Druze Villages. Afterward we proceed via the Hula Valley to Safed, known as the city in which Kabala originated, to visit a synagogue and the artists’ colony. Last stop before your hotel is Nazareth, where we visit the Christian Holy Sites. Day 7: Start with a visit to the famous Crusader castle at Acre before continuing on to Haifa, where you will visit the Bahai Shrine, Persian Gardens and Mount Carmel. Afterwards, drive along the coast to Caesarea, home to a Roman Theatre and well known Crusader fortress. Return to Tel Aviv and end the tour with a short city tour of Tel Aviv and Jaffa before returning to your hotel. Day 8: After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK, or to Eilat or Tel Aviv if you have chosen to extend your visit.

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