Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Tour

Tour Overview

On this tour, you will experience the ancient cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, two of the most sacred Christian sites on Earth. It will begin on Mount Scopus, which offers a beautiful panoramic view of Jerusalem. Next, we’ll pass by the Garden of Gethsemane, Church of All Nations and Kidron Valley on our way to the Old City of Jerusalem. Upon arrival, we’ll visit the Jewish Quarter, including the Byzantine Cardo and Western Wall. We’ll continue on the Via Dolorosa, the route Jesus took as he bore his cross, until we arrive at the 12th-century Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This is the location of Christ’s crucifixion and the site of his burial tomb.

After departing from Jerusalem, we’ll travel to Bethlehem, arriving first at Manger Square. We will see the Basilica of the Nativity, which houses the grotto in which Jesus’ birth took place. We’ll also see the excavated mosaic from the first church built by St. Helen in the 4th century. We may be able to tour the chapel caves underneath the Church of Saint Catherine. We will return to the hotels upon leaving Bethlehem.

Highlights

Full-day Holy Land tour of biblical sites in Bethlehem and Jerusalem

See Israel’s most important churches and follow Jesus’ path down the Via Dolorosa

Guide shares insightful commentary on Bethlehem’s Christian landmarks

Choose your tour language: English, Spanish, French or German

Itinerary

The tour in Jerusalem and Bethlehem starts at Mount Scopus with a stunning view of Jerusalem. The Old City walls may be seen from here, as well as the Temple Mount’s Dome of the Rock. Then we descend from Mt. Scopus to the Kidron Valley, passing Christian monuments like the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations on our approach to the ancient city.

The tour of Jerusalem approaches the Old City at the Zion Gate and proceeds to the Jewish Quarter through the Armenian Quarter. Here we observe the Byzantine Cardo, an old excavated street, previously a busy roadway. We pause at the western wall, the one that withstood devastation in 70 AD, in the second holy temple. We proceed on Via Dolorosa after presenting a prayer note at the wall. Following the way, the Via Dolorosa brings us to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, taking his judgement to his crucifixion. This beautiful church of the 12th century has the last stations of the Cross, including Calvary, where Jesus was crucified and the tomb where he was buried. We depart the Old City through a typical Middle Eastern market.

The trip of Jerusalem and Bethlehem will take you to the birthplace of Christ, Bethlehem. We visit the basilica of the Nativity when we arrive in Manger Square. This church was erected atop Christ’s birthplace grotto. You can discover mosaics in the 12th century at the church and the original floor and mosaic from the first church erected in the 4th century by St Helen. If possible, We also visit Saint Catherine’s nearby church, where we descend to underground cellars and observe precious tombstones and chapels. We return to Jerusalem via the Angels Church in the Shepherds Field and the Field of Ruth, where the great grandmother of King David met Boaz.

Additional Information

Inclusions:

Hotel pick-up and drop-off service
A fully qualified and licensed tour guide
Transport by air-conditioned vehicle
Entrance fees

Exclusions:

Food and drinks
Insurance

Notes:

Guaranteed departure
This tour includes a reasonable amount of walking; comfortable walking shoes are recommended
Modest dress is obligatory for visits to holy sites; covered knees and shoulders
Passport compulsory for visit to Bethlehem
Due to visitors overload a visit down to Nativity cave is not always possible
Visit to Bethlehem may require a change of vehicle as well as a local Palestinian guide
It is possible to have pick ups / drop offs in different cities. However, we do not disperse to specific drop off locations
Booking is subject to terms and conditions