Day 1
Arrive at Ben Gurion International
Airport. Evening tour of Jaffa, an ancient port where Peter saw a vision
atop the house of Simon the Tanner and from which Jonah the Prophet
embarked. Rest from transatlantic flight.
Day 2
Visit Ceaserea, ancient Roman capital of Judea, rebuilt by Herod; Roman
aqueduct and theater, and Crusader castle. Travel to Meggido (Armageddon).
Drive to Muhraqa (where Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal) and Mt.
Carmel, and visit the modern port of Haifa and the Crusader port city of
Acre (Akko).
Day 3
Explore sites of Jesus' ministry in Tiberias, Tabgha, Mt. Of Beatitudes,
and Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Ascend the Golan
Heights and circle around to the baptismal site (Yardenit) on the Jordan River. Like Jesus and the Disciples, ride on the See of Galilee at
sunset.
Day 4
Visit Cana (site of Jesus' first miracle; visit Franciscan and Greek
churches) and
Nazareth (Jesus' boyhood home) at Mt. Tabor, site of the Transfiguration.
Discover the ruins of Roman-Byzantine Bet Shean, one of the oldest cities
and the largest archeological excavations in Israel. Drive down the Jordan
River Valley to Jericho and the Mt. Of Temptation and ascend through the
Judean desert to Jerusalem.
Day 5
Travel to Bethlehem (birthplace of David and Jesus). Tour a model of the city of
Jerusalem in Jesus' time. Tour a model
of the city of Jerusalem in Jesus' time. Visit Mt. Zion, Tomb of King David, The
Shrine of the Book (housing the Dead Sea Scrolls), and Yad
Vashem, Israel's poignant Holocaust Memorial.
Day 6
Retrace Jesus' steps during Holy Week at the Mt. Of Olives, Garden of
Gethsemane, the Upper Room, Caiaphas' house, the Via Dolorosa (the Way of
the Cross), and church of the Holy Sepulcher, the traditional site of
Jesus' tomb. The highlight of this spiritually moving day is Communion at
the Garden Tomb, the site of Calvary. Experience a majestic sound and
light show at the Tower of David Museum.
Day 7
Tour the Old City's
Jewish Quarter, Western Wall and Tunnel, Zion Gate and the Cardo. See Israel's modern
Parliament and the Supreme Court buildings. After dinner, enjoy multi
cultural folklore shows.
Day 8
Travel to Qumran (the center of the Essene sect, where the Dead Sea
Scrolls where found in 1947) and lush desert oasis of En Gedi. Visit
Masada (Herod's magnificent palace and fortress and the site of the Jewish
revolt against Rome in A.D. 66-73) and float in the Dead Sea. Late
afternoon and evening at leisure.
Day 9
Time for leisure and shopping before departing Israel transatlantic flight
home