Northern District

Archaeology

See the famous sites of Israel on a day tour from Tel Aviv. Visit Nazareth, Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee, and more. Benefit from hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned coach. Take part in a baptismal service on the Jordan River and see the Church of St. Joseph's Carpentry.  Your journey begins by traveling along Israel’s scenic coastal plain via the plain of Armageddon to Nazareth. In Nazareth, visit the Church of Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph's carpentry. Traveling on, see the Mount of Beatitudes and Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish at Tabgha. Be amazed by the famous Sea of Galilee and the ruins of the ancient synagogue of Capernaum and the city of Christ. Finally, overlooking Tiberias, visit the site of baptism on the Jordan River, where you can have a baptismal service. Return to Tel Aviv driving along with the view of Mt. Tabor, the site of transfiguration.

After being picked up from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem depending on your booking option, travel to Bethlehem where you will meet your guide before heading into the old city of Bethlehem. Enjoy a guided visit to the Church of the Nativity.  Continue your tour with a visit to the Milk Grotto Church before riding to the city of the shepherds, Bayt Sahur where you will visit the Chapel of the Shepherds Field before getting to visit an olive wood factory where you will see artisans crafting wooden sculptures.  Then journey through the wonderful Judean Desert to the lowest point on earth. Have chances to stop and take pictures at the sea level point in the desert overlooking the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, Jericho.  Drive into Jericho where you will see some of the famed sights in the city including Zaccheus's Tree which is mentioned in the bible. Itinerary in Detail - Best Bethlehem, Jericho and Jordan River Tour Explore Bethlehem for 4-5 hours, starting at about 8:30 AM in Bethlehem Shepherds Field (30 Minutes): Visit a charming place where the Christmas story happened. Milk Grotto Church (10 Minutes): Experience calm and peace in this spiritual church. Nativity Church (60 Minutes): Learn about Bethlehem's history at this important place. Note that Grotto visits may not be possible unless booked VIP option Zuluf Olive Wood Factory & Community Store (25 Minutes): Watch skilled craftsmen at work and shop for handcrafted items, No Lunch Breaks: Enjoy convenient falafel and chicken shawarma sandwiches for takeout Jericho and Beyond Sea Level Stop (5 Minutes): Take a moment to appreciate the significance of this location at sea level. Saint Gerasimous Monastery (15 Minutes): Discover the history of Saint Gerasimous Monastery in Jericho. Jordan River (30 Minutes): Reflect by the Jordan River, a place with deep biblical meaning. Hisham Palace (30 Minutes): Explore Hisham Palace, where old architecture tells stories from the past. Old City of Jericho (30 Minutes): Step back in time as you explore the ancient tales of Jericho's Old City. The Sycamore Tree (5 Minutes): See the Sycamore Tree linked to the story of Zacchaeus from the Bible. Elijah Spring (5 Minutes): Enjoy the peaceful Elijah Spring, a calm oasis in the desert landscape.

Spend a day exploring Israel’s beautiful Mediterranean coast on this full-day tour departing from Tel Aviv, Herzliya and Netanya. Let an expert guide take you on a climate-controlled bus to visit ancient cities and monuments along the coast. Begin by discovering the harbor city of Caesarea. Witness an ancient Roman city filled with ruins, including one of the largest amphitheaters built in the Roman era. Next, journey to Haifa to visit the Baha’i Gardens. Tour the Baha’i gardens with their stunning terraces, known as one of Israel’s top attractions. Take the opportunity to photograph the UNESCO-protected gardens before continuing on to Rosh Hanikra. Once there, explore the area’s limestone grottoes and white-chalk cliffs that overlook the Mediterranean Sea. From the cliffs, peek over the border into Lebanon before continuing to Acre, in the north. Conclude your experience in Acra's Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Marvel at its impressive city walls, charming port, and oriental bazaar. Learn about the ancient city’s fascinating history from your guide as you wander historic streets known to the Greeks, Byzantines, and, Ottomans.

Explore the holiest cities on earth on a guided tour from Tel Aviv. Travel to three of Israel's highlights, including Bethlehem, Jerusalem's Old City, and the Dead sea. Enjoy plenty of free time to shop and swim. Start your guided tour in the "City of Gold." Visit Jerusalem's Old City, including the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Sepulchre. Explore local Markets, Byzantine Cardo, and the Western Wall.  Next, embark on a tour of Bethlehem and witness the Church of the Nativity, the city where Jesus Christ was born. Those who are not interested in Bethlehem can instead opt to enjoy free time in Jerusalem. In the afternoon, journey east through the Judean Desert and head to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. Bathe in the therapeutic waters before your return to Tel Aviv in the late evening.

Enjoy a day exploring some of the most significant holy sites in Israel on an excursion by bus from Jerusalem. The guided tour sets out from the city early in the morning and drives along the scenic coast via Tel Aviv and the plain of Armageddon to Nazareth. Arrive in Nazareth and visit St. Joseph’s Church and the Church of the Annunciation. The largest Roman Catholic church in the Middle East, the Church of the Annunciation is, according to tradition, the scene of the annunciation of the Virgin Mary.  Continue onwards via Kafr Kanna to view the Mount of Beatitudes and Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish at Tabgha. Set on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, you will stop to view the sea, and continue to the nearby ruins of the ancient synagogue of Capernaum. Visit Tiberias on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, considered one of the 4 Holy Cities of Judaism, along with Jerusalem, Hebron, and Safed. Drive to the Jordan River at Yardenit, where guests are invited to receive an optional baptismal service. Return to Jerusalem via a scenic route that takes in views of Mt. Tabor, the site of the transfiguration.

Embark on a full-day guided trip to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. Visit highlights in the new and old cities, including the Wailing Wall, Via Dolorosa, Mt. Zion, and Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. Hear the city's history from your guide. You will leave with a comprehensive overview of the city, having walked in the quarters of the Old City, and continue to the poignant, Holocaust Museum for the later part of the day. Take in the sweeping panoramic view of the dusty city below. Then enter the Old City and tour the main attractions, such as the Wailing Wall, Temple Mount, and the Dome of the Rock. Walk through the Jewish and Armenian Quarters and the recently restored Roman road of The Cardo, visible on Jewish Quarter Street. Visit the bazaar and the Western Wall, or Kotel, and proceed along the Via Dolorosa to visit the Church of Holy Sepulcher, also known as the Church of the Resurrection and said to be the place where Jesus is buried and was resurrected. Ascend to Mt. Zion. On Saturdays, you can visit the Hall of the Last Supper and David's Tomb. Continue to the new city by car and spend some time at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. The sprawling complex contains several sections, but it is the Museum that draws thousands of visitors ever since it opened in 2005. The beautiful building stands in contrast to the horrific story told within. You will also want to see the Hall of Remembrance and the Hall of Names before your return journey to Tel Aviv.

Your guide will be waiting for you when you disembark from your cruise ship in Ashdod and the tour will begin with a pleasant drive to Jerusalem in a comfortable vehicle with A/C. At Mt. Scopus, the tour stops for a panoramic view across the city rooftops. Then drive towards the Old City passing biblical sites like the Garden of Gethsemane that stands on the Mount of Olives alongside the Church of All Nations. Also, spot the ancient Jewish tombs in Kidron Valley, and the Ophel Promenade as we drive parallel to the Old City walls. We enter the Old City on foot through one of the massive gates in the 16th-century walls and pass the Western Wall excavations as we walk towards the Western Wall. This sacred Jewish site is all that remains from the 2,000-year-old holy Jewish Temple that once stood on Temple Mount. In the Jewish Quarter, we see the Byzantine Cardo lined with columns, then we walk along a section of the Via Dolorosa, as Jesus did bearing his cross. The Via Dolorosa culminates at the Holy Sepulcher Church which was built in the 4th century to encompass Christ’s tomb and the site of the crucifixion at Golgotha (Calvary). The tour stops for a lunch break in the Old City and you have time to meander through one of the traditional markets. Leaving the Old City we can see Mount Zion as we drive towards the town where Christ was born. In Bethlehem, we tour the Nativity Church and see the Holy Grotto where the nativity took place. The tour ends with a drive back to Ashdod port where you can rejoin your cruise ship and continue to your next port of call.

After being met by your guide at the Haifa cruise port you will take a pleasant drive north to Galilee. The journey takes you past the Jezreel Valley, known as biblical Armageddon. Our first stop is in Nazareth where Jesus spent the first years of his life. Tour the magnificent Church of Annunciation that marks the site where Mary first learned of her future son. Then explore the 1st-century grotto dwelling under Saint Joseph’s Church. According to tradition, Mary, Joseph, and their son Jesus may once have lived here. As the tour leaves Nazareth we see Mary’s Well then continue past Kfar Kana, the biblical town of Cana. Here Jesus changed water into wine. The tour takes you to the edge of the Sea of Galilee, and the Mount of Beatitudes. Here you can picture Jesus preaching to his followers. Visit the Beatitudes Church that looks out over the Sea of Galilee. The tour continues to Tabgha, a small village by the water. Here we tour the Multiplication Church where Jesus miraculously shared five loaves and two fish between thousands of followers. The next stop is in Kfar Nachum (Capernaum). This is where Jesus spent most of his ministry. After a lunch break at a Galilee restaurant, we stop on the banks of the River Jordan, at Yardenit. If there is enough time you may be baptized at this traditional baptismal site. The tour makes its way south passing the twin peaks of the Horns of Hattin, where Saladin famously defeated the Crusaders in 1187. At the end of the tour, you’ll be returned to the port in Haifa in time to board the cruise ship and continue your adventure.

This full-day tour takes you to the holiest of holy cities, spiritual sanctuary to the 3 great religions of the Western world, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Dating back over 4 millennia the Old City is so packed with sites that it draws visitors from around the world, whatever their spiritual leanings. You will be traveling with a government licensed tour guide in comfortable air-conditioned vehicles, although there will be some walking, so come prepared. You will stop at the Mount of Olives to take in a panoramic view of the dusty city below. Enter the Old City and tour the major attractions, such as the Wailing Wall, Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock. Walk through the Jewish and Armenian Quarters and the recently restored Roman road of The Cardo, visible on Jewish Quarter Street. Head through the bazaar towards the Western Wall, or Kotel, and proceed along the Via Dolorosa to visit the Church of Holy Sepulcher, also known as Church of the Resurrection and said to be the place where Jesus is buried and was resurrected. An essential place of pilgrimage for Christians since at least the 4th-Century, whatever your beliefs the atmosphere is mesmerizing. Leaving Jerusalem behind, you will drive to Bethlehem to get an overview of Shepherds' Field and to visit the Church of the Nativity, one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world. Located on the West Bank in Palestine, the city is heavily dependent on tourism and thousands come every year to worship or just watch at Manger's Square where Jesus is said to have been born. Now pedestrianized, the square is surrounded by streets named after the Lord, including Star Street and Nativity Street. It is also home to the city’s only mosque and the Palestinian Peace Center. Take a moment to reflect or pop in to one of the handicraft shops, before the drive back to Tel Aviv, Netanya or Herzliy.

This full-day tour takes you to the holiest of holy cities, spiritual sanctuary to the 3 great religions of the Western world, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Dating back over 4 millennia, the Old City is so packed with sites that it draws visitors from around the world, whatever their spiritual leanings. You will be traveling with a Government licensed tour guide in comfortable air-conditioned vehicles, although there will be some walking, so come prepared. You will stop at the Mount of Olives to take a panoramic view of the dusty city below. Enter the Old City and tour the major attractions, such as the Wailing Wall. Walk through the Jewish and Christian quarters and the Cardo, still visible on Jewish Quarter Street. Head through the bazaar towards the Western Wall, or Kotel, and proceed along the Via Dolorosa to visit the Church of Holy Sepulcher, also known as Church of the Resurrection and said to be the place where Jesus is buried. An essential place of pilgrimage for Christians since at least the 4th-Century, whatever your beliefs the atmosphere is mesmerizing. Leaving Jerusalem behind, you will drive to the Dead Sea, or “Sea of Salt.” Located in the Jordan Rift Valley between Jordan and the West Bank, it is the lowest place on earth and its high density of salt makes for a unique experience as you float on the beautiful aquamarine surface. You will stop to relax at one of the resorts on the shores of the Dead Sea and enjoy the opportunity to float while covering yourself with the mineral rich, therapeutic Dead Sea mud. Its health-giving properties have turned it in to a major spa destination with a variety of unique bath products for sale in the hotels and shops. Purchase some bath salts and skin creams to take home, before heading back to your hotel in Tel Aviv, Netanya or Herzliy.