Day 1 – Welcome to Israel!
Upon arrival at Ben Gurion airport you will be met and assisted just before passport control by our VIP representative. After luggage collection transfer to your hotel in Tel Aviv – the city that never sleeps, and business and financial center of Israel
Overnight: Royal Beach hotel, Tel Aviv
Day 2- Tel Aviv
Begin the day at the Ayalon Institute where you will visit the authentic site of a secret munitions factory built on the site of a kibbutz. Learn the story of how pre-state Israel illegally manufactured munitions in order to defend itself. Next we will go to ancient Jaffa, where the story of Jonah occurred. We will see the multimedia presentation of the 8,000 year old port town and its history; walk around the restored old city now an artists’ quarter and see the renovated harbor morning. From here we will proceed to Sarona the 140 year old German Templar’s colony which was occupied by the British forces and handed back to the Israelis in 1947; the complex served as the Israel Defense Force’s headquarters for many years. his area has now been restored, preserving the original architecture and converted into a lively pedestrian open air commercial center
After lunch we will visit the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Israel’s largest art museum that displays a wide collection of permanent and temporary exhibits of both local and international artists
Our orientation tour of Tel Aviv to include Rabin’s Square – site where the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin took place in November 1995.
Overnight: Royal Beach hotel, Tel Aviv
Day 3: Tel Aviv
Begin the day with a visit to the Yitzhak Rabin Center – learn about the legacy of the late Prime
Minister of Israel and explore the history and the development of the State
Next visit is Independence Hall where the establishment of the State of Israel was declared in 1948 headed by Ben Gurion. The hall where the visit takes place is the actual hall where “it all happened”. We will also see the UNESCO World heritage Bauhaus architecture which the city is known for. Walk through Neve Tzedek – the first neighborhood of Tel Aviv established in 1887 when the old walled City of Jaffa became too overcrowded for its residents. While the area has undergone many changes in recent years, it has still managed to retain its charm and beautiful architecture can be seen
Continue to the Carmel market (shuk) and experience the vibrant noises, smells and colors
End the day at Nahalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv’s twice weekly outdoor crafts market and enjoy some time at leisure.
Overnight: Royal Beach hotel, Tel Aviv
Day 4: At leisure
Suggest a visit to the old train station within walking distance of your hotel
Overnight: Royal Beach hotel, Tel Aviv
Day 5: Caesarea and the Northern Coast
Depart Tel Aviv and drive via the coastal road to Caesarea, once the Roman capital of the region.
Explore the ruins and excavations of the Crusader’s city and the amphitheater which has been restored and used for cultural events during the summer months. Tour the old port and learn about the history through a multi-media presentation
Proceed to the Atlit – a national monument. This was used a detention camp during the British
mandate that detained the illegal Jewish immigrants
Drive through the port town of Haifa, home to the Baha’i Faith – ascend the Carmel and enjoy the panoramic view of the beautifully sculptured Baha’i Gardens the Haifa Bay
Visit Acre (Akko) one of the ancient port cities in Israel, declared by UNESXO as a world heritage site. Hear about the history of this city through its unique buildings, fortresses and intact fortifications. Visit the underground Crusader city and walk through the old city with its turrets and mosques and a local market.
Dinner and overnight: Kibbutz Kfar Giladi
Day 6: Safed and the Golan Heights
Begin the day with a visit to Safed, one of the four holy cities in Israel and the center of the Kabbalah, the Jewish mysticism. Tour will include a visit to the Joseph Caro and Ha’Ari synagogues; browse through the artists’ quarter and the picturesque alleyways.
Ascend the Golan Heights and stop at Mitzpe Gadot a former Syrian base. This site commemorates the
fallen Israel soldiers of the 33rd. Battalion of the Golani Brigade.
Proceed to the Talmudic village of Katzrin and experience the ancient life through the restored home, olive press and ancient synagogue
Proceed to Mt. Bental a dormant volcanic mountain and enjoy the panoramic view of Mt. Hermon and the Golan Heights. Hear about the story of one of the largest tank battles that took place during the
1973 war. End the day with a visit to Banias known as Caesarea Philippi which has one of the largest waterfalls in Israel that runs into the Jordan River. The water no longer gushes from the cave but seeps from the rocks below it. There are grottos in a nearby cliff that are remnants of a shrine to the god Pan.
Dinner and overnight: Kibbutz Kfar Giladi
Day 7: Sea of Galilee and Nazareth
Descend the Upper Galilee and visit Capernaum – explore the ruins of the synagogue and church of St. Peter. Enjoy a serene boat ride across the Sea of Galilee
Visit the Igal Alon Museum where an ancient 2,000 year old ancient boat was discovered
Drive to Nazareth and visit the Church of the Annunciation, one of the largest churches in Israel
Visit the Ethiopian cultural center and hear about the legacy and culture of the Ethiopians through real life stories, taste their traditional dishes and enjoy the unique hospitality and ceremonies. Proceed via the Jordan Valley to Jerusalem – ascend Mt. Scopus of a blessing as you enter the city
Overnight: Mamilla Hotel, Jerusalem
Day 8: Old City of Jerusalem
Today will be spent touring the old city of Jerusalem
Walk along the Cardo – former market place during the 2nd Temple
Visit the Western Wall (waiting wall) directly below the Temple Mount
Continue to the City of David that began more than 3,000 years ago when King David left Hebron for a small hilltop city known as Jerusalem
Depart the old city and drive to the foot of the Mt. of Olives for a unique archeological project at Emek Tzurim – a short lecture followed by a ‘hands on’ sifting through debris removed from the Temple Mount
Return to the old city for a tour through the labyrinth of underground Western Wall tunnels directly below the Western Wall/Temple Mount and learn about the history from centuries ago
Return to the hotel and freshen up
Dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant
Evening: the spectacular Sound & Light show at the Tower of David
Overnight: Mamilla hotel, Jerusalem
Day 9 : Jerusalem – Yad Vashem, the market and the Israel Museum
Explore the new city of Jerusalem
Visit the Israel Museum and enter the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed; see the new holy land model a miniature replica of Jerusalem as it was during the 2nd Temple
Drive past the Knesset – Israel’s Parliament and see the Menorah with the biblical emblems in the gardens of the Knesset
Experience the contemporary Jerusalem at the renowned Machane Yehuda Market (shuk) with its
authentic and colorful stands. Enjoy the shuk bites (a card) that enables you to sample the delicacies of the market
Continue to Yad Vashem – Holocaust Memorial
Overnight: Mamilla hotel, Jerusalem
Day 10: The Dead Sea , Ein Gedi and Masada
Drive through the Judean Desert home of the Bedouin (nomads of the desert) and along the shore of the Dead Sea, lowest spot on earth Visit the Ein Gedi nature reserve and explore the lush oasis with its waterfalls, vegetation and rare wildlife. Continue to the mountain top fortress of Masada – ascend by cable car and explore the ruins of this ancient fortress built by King Herod – explore the palace, synagogue and ritual bath houses. Descend by cable car Buffet lunch at one of the hotels at the Dead
Sea Experience a float in the therapeutic waters of the Dead Sea (towel and locker provided for your convenience) Return to Jerusalem and bid farewell to your guide and driver
Overnight: David Citadel hotel, Jerusalem
Day 11: -Day at leisure
Overnight: David Citadel hotel, Jerusalem
Sunday: Day 12
Transfer to Ben Gurion airport where you will be met and assisted by our VIP representative through the airport procedures including passport control
Have a safe return flight – Shalom and see you again!!
