Palestinians, Pilgrims and Politics

1. 1

   Day 1

   Fly from UK to Tel Aviv, transfer to Haifa:

   Shalom and Salaam Aleikum! Welcome to Israel and Palestine! You will be met at the airport by your driver and guide and transferred to the north of the country. Your guide will brief you on your way to Haifa for dinner and overnight at the Stella Maris Monastery.

2. 2

   Day 2

   Haifa - Akko – Nazareth – Tiberias

   This morning we explore Haifa and drive to the ancient city of Acre (or Akko) with its amazing Crusader tunnels, castle, mosque and intricate narrow streets. Continue to Nazareth to visit the Basilica of the Annunciation and the Greek Orthodox Church. These churches mark two different sites heralded as the place where the Angel Gabriel informed the Virgin Mary that she was pregnant with Jesus. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias.

3. 3

   Day 3

   Sea of Galilee, Jericho, Jerusalem

   This morning we visit the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes – set in a beautiful location right on the shore of the lake. We also visit the home of Saint Peter. Our next stop is Capernaum – known as Jesus’ “own town” – “walking where Jesus walked” takes on a new meaning. As you sit on the stone benches of Capernaum’s ancient synagogue, you’ll be reminded that right here, Jesus taught and healed a man possessed by an evil spirit. It was the synagogue on this very spot, whose foundations you can still see, which Luke says was built by the centurion whose servant Jesus later healed. Jesus also raised from the dead the daughter of this synagogue’s leader. We then head to the harbour as we take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee followed by lunch. Later we drive to Jericho to view the Mount of Temptations. From here, we head to the centre of many religions, cultures and empires for over thousands of years: Jerusalem.

4. 4

   Day 4

   Full day in Jerusalem

   We spend today in probably the holiest cities in the world, Jerusalem. An early start as we are driving to the Mount of Olives. Jerusalem has an iconic urban skyline, dominated by the magnificent golden Dome of the Rock. We will take in a panoramic view of the city's extraordinary vista & our Israeli guide will talk about the significance of Jerusalem to the Jewish people. We head from the Mount of Olives to the heart of the old city. Our first stop is to explore the Dome of the Rock (pictured above) one of the holiest places in the Islamic world. We continue to visit the holiest site in Judaism, the Western Wall where we will have a guided tour of the hidden layers of the wall telling the fascinating story of ancient Jerusalem, the tour lasts around 1 hour, 15 minutes. We then head to the Western Wall itself, the plaza is open all day. It’s an opportunity for private prayer and reflection as well as learning about the history of the Temple Mount and the Western Wall directly in front of you. As we continue to the Old city, you can’t fail to feel the history in every street, with Jerusalem playing such a significant role throughout the ages. We follow in the footsteps of Jesus on the way to his crucifixion along the Via Dolorosa, ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Golgotha, the site of the crucifixion.

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   Day 5

   Masada, Dead Sea, Qumran, Jerusalem

   This morning we leave Jerusalem and head east then south to visit Masada - an ancient palace and fort set on a 400m high desert plateau overlooking the Dead Sea. From the top it's possible to see the remains of the siege wall and eleven war camps built by the Romans when the castle was under siege during the Jewish revolt. Discover the poignant and heavily debated legacy of the defenders who defied the Romans to the last by committing mass suicide rather than surrendering. Debate still rages as to whether this was a noble act of resistance or a dangerous example of extremism. Descend 400 metres below sea level and head to the shores of the Dead Sea to float on the surface of one of the world’s most saline bodies of water. Next, we head to the site of Qumran by the Dead Sea. Qumran is the location where a local Bedouin discovered the first Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947, a collection of well-preserved religious texts hidden in caves for almost 2000 years. These fascinating scrolls have baffled and intrigued historians and religious leaders alike as the mysteries of the scrolls are slowly unravelled. We head back to Jerusalem for the evening and dinner. If our time in Jerusalem coincides with the Sabbath then we can usually arrange to visit some local families to share a traditional Shabbat meal.

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   Day 6

   Bethlehem, Yad Vashem, Home

   Early this morning drive through the security barrier to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd’s Field. Around lunchtime we head to the holocaust memorial of Yad Vashem – a poignant reflection on the brutality and madness of the Jewish plight in World War Two. This incredibly moving memorial set amongst peaceful gardens is not to be rushed. From here, we head to the airport. Security at Tel Aviv airport can be time consuming, so we arrive in plenty of our time for our flight home.

Itineraries can change with the seasons, local conditions and your group's needs. Ask us and we'll tailor it.