Classic Israel

Day 1 London to Tel Aviv, Israel.

Fly by scheduled flight to Tel Aviv. On arrival transfer into the city and check in to the Carlton Tel Aviv for a two night stay. Enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel this evening. (D)

Day 2 Jaffa & Tel Aviv.

Enjoy a morning tour to Jaffa, the ancient port city from which Tel Aviv developed. Famous for its association with the biblical stories of Jonah, Solomon and St Peter, it has a fascinating history stretching back over four thousand years. We will explore the highlights including the Clock Tour, Flea Market and the renovated alleys and buildings of the fascinating city. Returning to the hotel, the afternoon and evening are at leisure, allowing you to explore Tel Aviv independently. (B, D)

Day 3 Haifa, Acre & Galilee.

Leaving Tel Aviv this morning we head along the coast to Caesarea, a city dedicated to Caesar Augustus by Herod more than 2000 years ago. Explore the archaeological excavations including Herod’s Palace, the theatre, hippodrome and the famous Amphitheatre. Continue on to Haifa, Israel’s third city and a major seaport, where we drive up Mount Carmel for a breathtaking view over the bay from the top of the city’s famous Bahai Gardens. Following lunch, we will visit the Crusader Fortress in Acre before transferring to Galilee to check in to the Setai Galilee for a two night stay. (B, L, D)

Day 4 Upper Galilee & Banias.

This morning we head for the Upper Galilee, where we can see the remains of the Syrian fortifications from 1967’s Six Day War, and the present day villages of the area’s Druze communities. We will visit Banias Nature Reserve, home of the source of the River Jordan before continuing on to the Hula Valley, one of Israel’s most beautiful regions and a major bird migration centre. Every spring and autumn an estimated 500 million birds pass through on their journeys between Africa, Asia and Europe. After lunch in a local restaurant return to the hotel to enjoy the facilities and beautiful surroundings. (B, L, D)

Day 5 Nazareth & Beit Shean.

After checking out of the hotel we drive to Nazareth, the childhood home of Jesus. Called the City of Annunciation, Nazareth is revered as the spot where the Angel Gabriel appeared before Mary to tell her she was to bear the Son of God. Enjoy panoramic views of the city and visit the Church of the Annunciation, which is built where Mary is said to have lived. Leaving Nazareth we travel on to Beit Shean to visit the excavations of this beautiful Roman City. Arrive in Jerusalem in the early evening and check in at the Orient Hotel for a five night stay. (B, L, D)

Day 6 Masada & the Dead Sea.

Depart this morning on a full day excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Masada and the Dead Sea. Visit the Masada Fortress, located a little to the north of ancient Sodom. The mountain fortress of Masada looms high above the Dead Sea’s desolate landscape and is often described as the most spectacular archaeological site in Israel. It was here that King Herod built a luxurious refuge complete with magnificent palaces, swimming pools and excavated rock cisterns to provide water supplies. Around 73 AD, after a prolonged Roman siege, over 950 members of the Jewish faith took their own lives rather than risk the faith of retaliation and a future of slavery. We will enjoy a cable car ride to the top of the summit for a walk around the site of this heroic last stand. Among the fascinating sights you will see are the casement wall, the bath house, the magnificent three-tiered Northern Palace, the synagogue, the Western Palace, the Roman ramp and siege camps. Following lunch we transfer to the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, where you have the opportunity to take an “unsinkable” dip in its salty waters. (B, L, D)

Day 7 Jerusalem (New City).

We will learn about the region’s more modern history today during our tour of ‘New Jerusalem’. We will spend the morning at the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre at Yad Vashem before visiting the Israel Museum and the open-air market of Mahane Yehuda. The late afternoon and evening will be at leisure for you to explore independently. (B, D)

Day 8 Old Jerusalem & Bethlehem.

This morning we will visit the Mount of Olives from where we can enjoy spectacular views over the ‘Golden City’ of Jerusalem. Follow in the footsteps of Jesus as you walk through the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus spent the last moments before his arrest. See the place where early Christians held gatherings before the first church was built around 380 AD. Next, we will drive to Bethlehem and visit the Church of the Nativity, built over the Grotto where, according to tradition, Mary gave birth to Jesus. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before returning to Jerusalem and taking a walking tour of the Old City from Jaffa Gate to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Following his official recognition of Christianity, Emperor Constantine constructed a vast sanctuary, built on what he believed was the site of Christ’s resurrection. Continue your walk through the Christian Quarter to the bazaar, passing the Roman Cardo in the Jewish Quarter and the Western (or Wailing) Wall. (B, L, D)

Day 9 Jerusalem.

Enjoy a day at leisure to further explore Jerusalem independently. (B, D)

Day 10 Jerusalem to London.

Following a leisurely morning at the hotel, check out and transfer to Tel Aviv. Stop at a local restaurant for a light lunch before continuing to the airport for your return scheduled flight to London. Arrive this evening. (B, L)