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DAY 1 Depart USA
DAY 2 Arrival in the Holy land
We will be met by our representative at the airport who will assist us through customs and take us to our guide and bus driver
Caesarea / Carmel / Nazareth / Tiberias
This morning we drive to Caesarea to visit the Crusader Fortress built upon the ancient city of Caesarea, named after Augustus Caesar, who imposed the tax that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem.
Here we will visit an ancient Roman Amphitheatre, where the group can experience the acoustics of a structure built in the days of Christ. Continue to Mount Carmel where Elijah issued his challenge to the False Prophets and from there on to a view point of Nazareth, where Jesus spent the silent years of his life. From Nazareth the road winds down to Tiberias and the beautiful Sea of Galilee. Dinner and overnight at hotel in the Galilee.
DAY 3 Boat Ride on Sea of Galilee / Ancient Boat / Mt of Beatitudes / Capernaum / Tabgha
Today we rise early and board our boat for a cruise on the Sea of Galilee. We visit the Ancient Boat, a fishing boat dating from the time of Jesus. We continue around the Sea of Galilee where much of the Galilean Ministry took place. Here were the homes of the disciples James, Simon, John and Andrew.
We will visit the place where Jesus gave Beatitudes and taught in the synagogue on many occasions and performed many miracles. After lunch we will visit Tabgha where 5,000 were fed by Jesus who performed the miracle of the multiplication of fish and loaves, and Magdala, an ancient city on the shore of the Sea of Galilee where it is believed to be the birthplace of Mary Magdalene.
We end the day at Capernaum, which was the centre of Jesus’ activities in the Galilee.
Return to hotel in Galilee for dinner and overnight.
DAY 4 Golan Heights / Caesarea Philippi / Dan Nature Reserve
This morning we drive north to the Dan Nature Reserve, which was the northernmost city of the Kingdom of Israel.
We then take the road up to the Golan Heights and the Syrian border where we will hear the explanations of the strategic and political significance of this area for Israel.
On the Golan Heights we will visit Caesarea Philippi, which is the Site of the Transfiguration. Return to hotel in Galilee for dinner and overnight.
DAY 5 Beit Shean / Jordan Valley / Jericho / Qumran / Dead Sea
Today we bid farewell to the Galilee and drive to the city of Beit Shean - one of the earliest and most important cities in Israel from the time of the Canaanites.
It was here the Philistines impaled King Saul's body to the city wall - we will view its magnificent excavations.
We continue through the Jordan Valley and will drive past Jericho, the first city conquered by the Israelites in the Promised Land.
After lunch we will visit Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, and then drive to our hotel on the shores of the Dead Sea for dinner and overnight.
Those who wish to do so may swim (float) in the salty waters of the Dead Sea and enjoy the spa facilities at the hotel
DAY 6 Massada / Ein Gedi / Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum
After a late start to give you more time to swim and enjoy the spa facilities at the hotel, we drive to the mighty fortress Massada, last stronghold and stand of the zealots against Rome, on the edge of the barren Negev Desert. Massada is a symbol of courage and perseverance for the Jewish People, where 960 Jewish defenders organized their last resistance to the Roman conquerors and took their own lives rather than surrender into slavery.
We continue to Ein Gedi, where King David hid from Saul.
In the afternoon we ascend the Judean Hills to Jerusalem for a breath-taking view of the city from Mt Scopus across the Kidron Valley and the Eastern Gate. We end the day with a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s national memorial of the victims of the Holocaust.
Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem
DAY 7 City of David / Pool of Siloam / Southern Steps / Western Wall and Western Wall Tunnels / Herodian / Bethlehem
We begin the day at the City of David and Pool of Siloam, the archaeological site which is speculated to compose the original urban core of ancient Jerusalem.
We then continue to the Southern Steps and the archaeological reconstruction of the Temple Steps where Jesus walked so often.
From here we will visit the Western Wall, most sacred site to the Jewish people, and then the Western Wall Tunnels running alongside the base of the Western Wall.
Our day ends in Bethlehem at the Church of Nativity and Herodian, where Herod the Great built a palace fortress and is believe to be buried. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem
DAY 8 Israel Museum – Shrine of the Book / Mt of Olives / Palm Sunday Road / Garden of Gethsemane / House of Caiaphas at St Peter in Gallicantu / Mt Zion / Upper Room / Jewish Quarter / Cardo / Temple Mount
We start the day at the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the scale model of the Old City at the time of the second temple.
We then drive to the Mt of Olives and walk down Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane. We will enter the Old City of Jerusalem and ascend the Temple Mount, visit the House of Caiaphas at St Peter in Gallicantu, Mt Zion and the Upper Room.
We explore the Jewish Quarter in the Old City and the Cardo, an ancient Roman street, and walk through the picturesque market alleys of the Old city of Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem
DAY 9 Temple Mount / Cardo / Pools of Bethesda / Praetorium / Fortress of Antonio / Via Dolorosa / Church of the Holy Sepulchre / Garden Tomb
Our last day in the Holy Land begins on the Temple Mount, after which we again enter the Old City of Jerusalem, walk through the Jewish Quarter and the Cardo, and ancient Roman rod. We continue to the Christian Quarter of the Old City to the Pools of Bethesda where Jesus cured an invalid man. Then to the Praetorium, site of the public trial of Christ and his condemnation, to view its ancient remains in the fortress of Antonio, seat of the Roman Procurator.
We continue through the picturesque market streets of the Christian Quarter of the Old City, stopping at some of the stations of the cross along the Via Dolorosa and at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
We end our memorable tour to the Holy Land at the Garden Tomb, for communion and reflection. Our last stop is at a restaurant for a sumptuous farewell dinner before proceeding to the airport for our flight home
DAY 10 Arrive home
TURKEY/GREECE:
SAMPLE ITINERARY FOR STEPS OF PAUL TOUR
Day 1 - Depart USA
Day 2 - Arrive in Istanbul. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul
Day 3 - Full day tour in Istanbul; visiting Blue Mosque, St Sophia, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace,
Dinner and overnight Istanbul
Day 4 - Morning flight to Izmir, Visit Pergamum Acropolis & Thyatira. Dinner and overnight in Izmir
Day 5 - Visit Smyrna Agora, Sardis, & Philadelphia. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.
Day 6 - Visit Hierapolis, & Laodicea. Drive to Kusadasi on the Aegean Sea. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi.
Day 7 - Tour Ephesus. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi
Day 8 - Board Greek Island Cruise in Kusadasi. Depart to Patmos (in port here between 17:45 - 21:30),
Overnight on vessel
Day 9 - On cruise ship, stop in Rhodes (in port here between 08:00 - 18:00), overnight on cruise ship
Day 10- On cruise ship, stop in Heraklion (in port here between 07:00 - 12:00) & Santorini (in port here between
16:30 - 21:30), overnight on cruise ship
Day 11- Arrive Athens, disembark. Athens City Tour: Acropolis, Parthenon, Mars’ Hill, Agora and the new
Acropolis Museum. Dinner and overnight in Athens
Day 12- Full day tour to Ancient Corinth, and new Corinth museum. Farewell Dinner & overnight Athens
Day 13- Transfer to Athens Airport
Day 14- Arrive home
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