Tuesday - Day 1: Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, where you are met and assisted through customs and transferred to your hotel in Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean Sea. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Wednesday - Day 2: Old Jaffa - Caesarea - Megiddo - Mt. Carmel - Akko - Tiberias
After a visit to ancient Jaffa, drive north along the Mediterranean Sea to Caesarea, Roman capital of Judea. Here you view the beautifully restored theater, and the ruins of the ancient town, its harbor and aqueduct. Travel inland to Megiddo (Biblical Armageddon), then continue to Muhraka on Mt Carmel, where Elijah defeated the priests of Ba'al. Visit the ancient Canaanite and Phoenician port of Akko, a major Galilean city during the Roman period and capital of the Crusader Kingdom after the fall of Jerusalem. Continue to Tiberias and your hotel on the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight.

Thursday - Day 3: Capernaum - Mt. of Beatitudes - Banias - Yardenit - Tiberias
Set sail on the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum and visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue. Continue to Tabgha, site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, and the Mt. of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount. On to Hazor, a Canaanite city rebuilt by King Solomon, through the Hula Valley to Banias, ancient Caesarea Philippi at the foot of Mt Hermon. After ascending the Golan Heights, visit the former Syrian fortifications, then drive along the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee to Kursi, where Jesus cast out the demons from the man of Gedara. Time for a stop at Yardenit, a special site on the Jordan River, for a Baptism Service. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Tiberias.

Friday - Day 4: Cana - Nazareth - Jordan Valley - Beit She'an - Jericho - Jerusalem
Visit Kibbutz Ginosar on the Sea of Galilee to see an excavated boat dating from the time of Jesus. Then drive to Cana, site of Jesus' first miracle, and Nazareth, His boyhood home. Drive south via the Jordan Valley to Beit Shean, an extraordinary excavation of an ancient Roman city, and Jericho, the oldest known city in the world. At Jericho you can see Elisha's Fountain and the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus fasted for 40 days. Continue driving up to Jerusalem, highlight of your tour, arriving in time for dinner and overnight.

Saturday - Day 5: Jerusalem
A full day of sightseeing in Jerusalem, exploring your Christian heritage and its Jewish roots: Model of the city during the Second Temple period, Mt. of Olives, Mt. Scopus, Mt. Zion, the site of the Upper Room, the Kidron Valley and the Garden of Gethsemane. Continue to the Old City within the walls, including the Via Dolorosa, the restored Jewish Quarter, the Western (Wailing) Wall, the Temple Site on Mt. Moriah and the Garden Tomb. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Sunday - Day 6: Jerusalem - Bethlehem
Today, visit the new city outside the walls, the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed, and the Memorial to the Holocaust at Yad Vashem. Continue to Ein Kerem to visit the fascinating Biblical Resources Scripture Garden and then drive south to Bethlehem to see Shepherd's Field and the Church of the Nativity. Return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Monday - Day 7: Masada - Ein Gedi - Dead Sea - Qumran - Jerusalem
Today visit the fortress of Masada, where Jewish defenders made their last stand against Rome (AD 73). Drive along the shore of the Dead Sea to Ein Gedi, David's waterfall and a wonderful nature center. After a dip in the mineral-filled waters of the Dead Sea, continue to Qumran to see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Later this afternoon return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Tuesday - Day 8: Transfer to Ben Gurion International Airport, for your return flight

Tuesday - Day 1: Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport where you are met and assisted through customs and transferred to your hotel in Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean Sea for dinner and overnight. Celebrate Mass today at your hotel.

Wednesday - Day 2: Caesarea - Mt.Carmel - Nazareth - Tiberias
After a visit to ancient Jaffa, drive north along the Mediterranean Sea to Caesarea, Roman capital of Judea, where Paul was imprisoned and taken to Rome. Here you view the beautifully restored theater, and the ruins of the ancient town, its harbor and aqueduct. Travel inland to Megiddo (Biblical Armageddon), then continue to Muhraka on Mt Carmel, where Elijah defeated the priests of Ba'al. This afternoon you will visit the Basilica in Nazareth, Jesus' boyhood home, where you will celebrate Mass and visit Mary's Well. After a stop at Cana, where Jesus performed His first miracle and where couples who wish may renew their wedding vows, you continue to Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight.

Thursday - Day 3: Capernaum - Tabgha - Mt. of Beatitudes - Mt. Tabor - Tiberias
Set sail on the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, center of Jesus' ministry in the Galilee, and visit the ruins of the ancient synagogue. Continue to Tabgha, site of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, where you view the magnificent mosaic and the Mt. of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount. Here you celebrate Mass and then drive to Mt. Tabor, site of the Transfiguration. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Tiberias.

Friday - Day 4: Jordan Valley - Beit Shean - Jericho - Jerusalem
After breakfast, drive south via the Jordan Valley to Beit Shean, an extraordinary excavation of an ancient Roman city and Jericho, the oldest known inhabited city in the world. At Jericho you can see Elisha's Fountain and the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus fasted for 40 days. Continue driving up to Jerusalem, highlight of our tour, arriving in time for dinner and overnight.

Saturday - Day 5: Jerusalem
A full day of sightseeing in Jerusalem begins with a breathtaking view of the Old City from the Mount of Olives. From this vantage point, you can see the churches, mosques and synagogues of the three major religions which claim Jerusalem as their spiritual center. Among the many sites are the Chapel of the Ascension, where Jesus ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives forty days after His resurrection, Dominus Flevit, Gethsemane, where Jesus uttered his last prayer at the Rock of Agony, and St. Peter in Gallicantu Church where Peter denied Jesus three times. Continue to Mt. Zion to visit the Room of the Last Supper, where tradition holds that Jesus celebrated the Passover Meal with His disciples, and the Dormition Abbey, where it is believed that Mary fell into eternal sleep. Enter the Old City to visit the Western Wall, holiest of Jewish sites, and the Temple Mount, where both ancient Jewish Temples once stood and where today are located some of Islam's holiest sites. Walk the Via Dolorosa; the route Jesus walked carrying His cross from the place of His condemnation by Pontius Pilate to the site of His crucifixion and burial. Visit St. Anne's Church and the Pools of Bethesda, authentic site of the healing of the lame man described in John 5, to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Christians believe Jesus was crucified by the Romans, buried, and rose from the dead. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Sunday - Day 6: Jerusalem - Bethlehem
Today, visit of the new city outside the walls, the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed, and the Memorial to the Holocaust at Yad Vashem. Continue to Ein Kerem, the birthplace of St. John the Baptist, where you visit the Church of the Visitation and the fascinating Biblical Resources Scripture Garden. Continue south to Bethlehem to visit Rachel's Tomb, where the Bible tells us that Rachel died in childbirth, Shepherd's Field and the Church of the Nativity where you celebrate Mass. Return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Monday - Day 7: Masada - Ein Gedi - Dead Sea - Qumran - Bethany - Jerusalem
Today visit the fortress of Masada, where Jewish defenders made their last stand against Rome (AD 73). Drive along the shore of the Dead Sea to Ein Gedi, David's waterfall and a wonderful nature center. After a dip in the mineral-filled waters of the Dead Sea, continue to Qumran to see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Continue to Bethany, home of Mary and Martha and the place where Lazarus was healed. Then return to Jerusalem in the late afternoon for dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Tuesday - Day 8: Transfer to Ben Gurion International Airport, for your return flight.

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