Classical Israel Tour Package

We begin with a panoramic view across the Sea of Galilee then we ascend the Golan Heights passing Hamat Gader. We stop at the Shalom Observation point and the Katzrin Museum then we visit the remains of an ancient Talmudic village. We continue on to Mount Bental opposite Kuneitra and see what was once a Syrian base.

Our first stop in Nazareth is at the beautiful Church of Annunciation built on the site where the angel Gabriel appeared before Mary. Adjoining it is the Church of St. Joseph, recalling the carpentry where Jesus and Joseph worked.

As we leave Nazareth on the way towards the Kinneret, the Sea of Galilee, we pass Cana, site of the first wonder performed by Jesus, the turning of the water to wine. On the sea front, at the foot of Mount Beatitude, we visit both Capernaum, home of Peter, and the Benedictine Church commemorating the miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fish.

Continuing along the shores of the Sea of Galilee we recall how Jesus calmed the stormy waters and walked on them. With the Golan Heights in the background, we pass modern Tiberias, built on the ruins of the city built two thousand years ago and named in honour of the Roman emperor Tiberius.

On the southern end of the Sea of Galilee, at Yardenit, there may be an opportunity for those so desiring to be baptized in the waters of the Jordan River.

On our return journey we will pass Mount Tabor, site of the Transfiguration.

The city of Caesarea was constructed under Herod and named after the Roman Emperor, Caesar. From what remains of the ancient city we can see that it was a prosperous and luxurious city. Among the archaeological excavations we can see gateways, a moat and well preserved walls and rooms. There is a perfectly preserved Roman amphitheater which is still used today for performances by Israeli and international artists.

We continue driving north passing through Haifa where we stop to see the overview of breathtaking Baha’i Shrine and gardens. The terraced gardens cascade down the mountain towards the city below, each of the 19 terraces bursts with colorful flowers and landscaped designs.

On our return journey south we stop at Acre (Acco), the largest Crusader city in the country. The city is extremely well preserved and you can’t help being impressed by the incredible architecture and how it has survived. Part of the city is alive with markets and people still living in the ancient buildings. We see the walls and moat which was reconstructed and repaired by El Jazzar at the end of the 1900s. The mighty walls prevented even Napoleon conquering the city. We can see the Crusader remains, the prison used under Turkish rule and the gallows which were later used under the British Mandate to hang Jews who broke the British law limiting Jewish immigration to Palestine following World War II.

We reach the shores of the Dead Sea encrusted with white salt and follow the shoreline towards Masada. Although it’s possible to climb the ancient Snake Path up Masada as the Romans did 2000 years ago, we take the convenient cable car up to the mountain top plateau. It was here that King Herod built a fortified palace complete with every convenience. Herod had built a swimming pool, water cisterns, two palaces, store rooms and even a synagogue.

We pass the desert oasis of Ein Gedi where there is lush foliage and hidden waterfalls and where David hid from angry King Saul. We also pass by Qumran were the 2,000 year old Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in a number of hillside caves.

End off a perfect day at the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth and a contender for the title of one of the Seven Wonders of the World. People come from across the globe to enjoy the therapeutic mineral rich waters. And don’t worry if you don’t know how to swim, the high salt content will keep you afloat.

As we stand above the Jewish cemetery on Mount of Olives we see the Old City and the Temple Mount where the Solomon’s Temple, destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE, and the Second Temple, destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE once stood. Below us the garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations in the Kidron Valley with its ancient Jewish burial tombs.

We stop at the Kotel, the Western Wall where Jews have prayed since the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. Built by King Herod it was a supporting wall enclosing the enlarged Temple Mount area.

The Via Dolorosa, also known as the Way of the Cross, is the route many pilgrims follow on their way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the church built over the place of the crucifixion of Jesus and the burial tomb.

We exit the Old City via the market and the Jaffa Gate for a short tour of the new city. A visit to Yad VeShem, the Holocaust museum, reveals artifacts and photographs documenting the discrimination, persecution and finally the annihilation of the Jewish communities of Europe. It also remembers those righteous among the nations who risked their lives while trying to save Jews.