Holyland Highlights, Spanish-speaking guide (Thursday)

Upon arriving at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport you’ll meet your tour representative, who will be waiting for you after passport control holding a sign with your name on it. Our representative will guide you to pick up your luggage and then escort you through customs to meet your driver, who will transfer you to your hotel in Jerusalem. Spend the rest of the day at leisure, becoming acquainted with your vibrant new surroundings..

Overnight in Jerusalem.

Begin your day with breakfast at the hotel and then head out to the New City of Jerusalem. Visit the Sanctuary of the Book in the Museum of Israel, where you can see the manuscripts of the Dead Sea, as well as a model of what the city of Jerusalem looked like in the time of Jesus. Later, enjoy a view of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem before continuing towards Ein Karem, a picturesque neighbourhood on the outskirts of the city, to visit the Sanctuary of John the Baptist. From there, proceed to Yad Vashem, the memorial to the six million Jews who were killed in the Holocaust. Established in 1953, it is located at the foot of Mt. Herzl. In the afternoon, travel to Bethlehem and step into the Church of the Nativity, the Grotto of the Nativity, and the grottoes of Saint Jerome and Saint Joseph. Return to Jerusalem for an optional dinner and to spend the night in the hotel.

Overnight in Jerusalem.

Wake up to breakfast at the hotel and drive via Mount Scopus to the Mount of Olives, from where you can admire a wonderful view of the Old City of Jerusalem, which is where you will head next. Continue then to the garden of Gethsemane, brimming with olive trees, and see the Basilica of all Nations. Then delve into the Old City and visit the Western Wall (also known as the ‘Wailing Wall’), from where you can appreciate the Temple Esplanade. Proceed to walk along the Via Dolorosa all the way to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. Later in the day, visit Mount Zion, the Abbey of the Dormition, the Tomb of King David, and the Cenacle (the room where the Last Supper took place). At the end of the visit, return to Jerusalem for an optional dinner.

Overnight in Jerusalem.

After breakfast at the hotel, drive through the Judean Desert and the Jordan Valley and appreciate the stunning views of the Mount of Temptations along the way. Travel through the valley from the Jordan River up to Beit Shean, a city with a lot of history, being of strategic importance due to its geographical location. Here you will visit the ancient excavations and learn about the many things that here occurred over the centuries. Continue to Yardenit, where Jesus was baptised in the Jordan River, and then drive up into to the Golan Heights to stop in Safed, a famous hub of Kabala, to visit some of its ancient synagogues and Artist Colony. Late in the afternoon, check in to your hotel in Tiberias and wrap up the day with dinner at the hotel.

Overnight in Galilee/Tiberias.

Recharge your energies with breakfast at the hotel and depart to Nazareth to visit the Church of the Annunciation and a number of other holy places. Next we proceed to Tabgha, where you’ll visit the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish. Continue then to Capernaum, the most important ministry of the last four years of Jesus’ life. Explore the ruins of an ancient synagogue dating back to the 2nd century. Later, proceed to the city of Tiberias, located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Enjoy a brief visit to a local Diamond Factory, the second most important industry in the country. At the end of the visit, return to Tiberias for dinner at the hotel.

Overnight in Galilee/Tiberias.

Breakfast at the hotel is followed by a leisurely drive to the city of Acre, where you’ll visit the fortified city of the Crusaders and from where you can appreciate the walls of the ancient city. Continue then with a tour of the city of Haifa, located on the slopes of Mount Carmel, from the top of which you’ll get to enjoy a beautiful view of the Bahai Temple and its Persian Gardens. Then proceed to Caesarea, a Roman city from the times of King Herod, famous for its grand architecture and port, whose importance lasted until the time of the Crusaders. Finally drive southwards along the coast to Tel Aviv. Upon arrival, enjoy a brief tour of Tel Aviv and its southern part, Jaffa, once an independent city before fusing with Tel Aviv. Then check in to your hotel, where you can have an optional dinner. 

Overnight in Tel Aviv.

Have breakfast at the hotel and then enjoy a full day to yourself in which you get to explore Tel Aviv and the surrounding areas at your own rhythm. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also join an optional tour to Masada and the Dead Sea: drive to the Dead Sea via Arad and then turn south to Masada, Israel’s foremost archaeological site. Ascend via cable-car to for a thorough visit during which you will learn about the rituals, politics and culture of the people who inhabited this desert fortress, the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their war against the Romans. Visit the excavations, Herod’s palaces, the synagogue, the bathhouse and the cisterns, and enjoy the breathtaking view of the Roman camps and the Dead Sea from the top of the hill. Descend then to the lowest place on earth: the Dead Sea. Experience the mineral-rich black mud and float in its salty waters. At the end of the visit, drive back to Tel Aviv for an optional dinner and later spend the night in the hotel.

Overnight in Tel Aviv.

We have reached the last day of the tour!  Enjoy one final breakfast before your transfer takes you to the airport to catch your flight back home

Breakfast included.