Biblical Lands 5 star

Monday. Welcome to Israel and the start of your Biblical adventure. We’ll be there to meet you at Ben Gurion Airport and transfer you to our hotel in greater Jerusalem (West Bank). The remainder of today is at your leisure.

Begin the day with a trip to the Mount of Olives for impressive views of Jerusalem. See some of the world’s oldest olives trees at the Garden of Gethsemane and discover the glistening mosaics of the nearby Church of Agony.

Continue to the Israel Museum’s, Shrine of the Book to see the famous Dead Sea Scrolls and the beautifully renovated Model of the Herodian City of Jerusalem, dating back to the time of the Second Temple (515 BCE – 70 CE). Scattered over 45 acres of the Mount of Remembrance is Yad Vashem, a vast, landscaped complex with a fascinating museum and a dozen memorials built to honour the six million Jews who died during the Holocaust. We pay our respects and learn more about how this tragedy shaped the modern State of Israel. Later, we visit the picturesque village of Ein Karem, the birthplace of John the Baptist. Spend the rest of the day in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. We'll be visiting the Church of the Nativity and enjoying the views of Shepherds’ Fields.

After breakfast today we head to the spectacular Old City through one of the fabled gates. Within its mighty walls we explore the renewed Jewish Quarter, the 2,000-year-old Western Wall, Via Dolorosa – the route that Jesus is believed to have taken as he carried his cross to Calvary, and the Stations of the Cross ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the holiest Christian site in the Old City. We’ll also have time to wander the colourful bazaars and pick up some souvenirs.

Later, we make our way to Mount Zion to visit the tomb of King David, the Room of the Last Supper and Dormition Abbey. This afternoon we visit Mahane Yehuda, this bustling market showcases incredible flavours, aromas and colours and is fantastically noisy and exciting place to explore.

Jerusalem - Nazareth - Tiberias. Leaving Jerusalem, we drive north via Jericho, the oldest city in the world. Continuing via the Jordan Valley we reach Beit Shean and explore the excavations of this beautiful Roman city. Afterwards we proceed to Nazareth and the Church of the Annunciation that dominates the city’s skyline. It’s the largest church in the Middle East and one of the Christian world’s most holy shrines. We’ll also visit Mary’s Well and then continue to Safed, the city of the Kabala in the northern district of Galilee, for a walk through the mystic alleys and the artists’ colony.

This morning we drive to the Golan Heights, where we see the former fortifications and the Druze villages. The Golan Heights is a disputed territory, and our guides will be politically neutral for the duration of our touring in this part of Israel. Afterwards, we visit an Israeli vineyard for wine tasting. Surrounded by beautiful countryside, we'll learn about wine production and sample a collection of fine wines.

We continue past Banias, the source of the Jordan River, to the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Here, we’ll see Peter’s House and the ruins of the ancient synagogue in Capernaum, Mount Beatitudes, and Tabgha where the miracle of the Fish & Bread took place. After learning a little about the importance of Israel's diamond industry at a famed emporium, our day continues with a short tour of Tiberias, an ancient centre of Jewish learning. This afternoon an optional sailing trip across the Sea of Galilee is offered (book & pay locally).

Tiberias - Tel Aviv. Driving west, we explore the medieval fortifications of Acre, a famous Crusader stronghold. In Haifa we’ll enjoy a tour of the Bahai Shrine, Persian Gardens and Mount Carmel for panoramic views of the city. Heading southwards to Caesarea we visit the Roman Theatre and Crusader Fortress before arriving in Tel Aviv, Israel’s dynamic party centre on the Mediterranean Coast.

Tel Aviv. Today offers free time for you to enjoy Tel Aviv your way. Alternatively, you could opt to take a day trip to the Dead Sea to swim in the buoyant waters (book and pay locally).

Monday. Our tour concludes today after breakfast. Included departure transfer to Ben Gurion Airport. If you would like to stay on and further explore, we can arrange post accommodation, please enquire.

For information about visas, top travel tips and much more, take a look through our travel guide.