Depart your international flight to Tel Aviv. 

Upon arrival in Tel Aviv you will be met at the airport for transfer to your hotel for Dinner and Overnight. 

We begin our visit to Israel exploring the ruins of Caesarea Maritima, the great city mentioned throughout the Book of Acts and home of the first Gentile convert.  We visit Herod’s Palace, the Roman Amphitheater, the Hippodrome and the ancient harbor.  From there, we travel to Megiddo, Solomon’s Chariot City and the location of Armageddon, the final battle of all mankind.  We proceed to our hotel on the shores of the Sea of Galilee for dinner and overnight

In the morning, we travel to Nazareth, the boyhood town of Jesus, and then to Cana to visit the site of the first recorded miracle.  In the afternoon, we visit Capernaum, the home town of Jesus, including Peter’s house and the Synagogue where Jesus loved to teach.  We travel to the Mount of the Beatitudes for a time of study and reflection and  conclude the day with a special baptismal service in the Jordan River.  We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

In the morning, we board a boat and sail the Sea of the Galilee toward Korazin, one of the three cities where Jesus performed most of his mighty miracles (Matthew 11), as well as other sites on the eastern shore.   We continue to Tabgha, the site of Peter’s calling, and Dalmanutha, the location where Jesus prepared breakfast for his disciples.  In the afternoon, we visit Magdala (the recently discovered hometown of Mary Magdalene) and we conclude the day with a walk on the Gospel Trail, the ancient road from Nazareth to the Sea of Galilee which Jesus would have walked many times,  We overnight on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

From Tiberias, we continue to Beit Shean, one of the Decapolis cities in the time of Jesus. Known for its connections with Saul in the Old Testament, excavations at Beit Shean have uncovered eighteen layers of habitation. The Roman Amphitheater is the best preserved in all of Israel.  We proceed along the Jordan Valley to Jericho and Tel El Sultan, ruins of one of the oldest cities in the world.  We view the Mount of Temptation where Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights and continue to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. 

This morning we drive into the wilderness of Judea to visit Masada where the Zealots held the last foothold before they sacrificed their lives for their liberty.  The ruins of the Roman Camps still surround the fortress and the ruins speak to the visitors about the Glory of Masada. We travel to Qumran, the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered and then to En Gedi where David hid in the caves from Saul. Enough time is provided to visit the Waterfalls of En Gedi.  We conclude the day with a swim in the Dead Sea and then return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

We begin on the Mount of Olives with its outstanding view of the city of Jerusalem. Visit Dominus Flevit (where Jesus wept over Jerusalem), the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. Driving past the Kidron Valley, we head toward Bethlehem for a visit to the Church of the Nativity, the Shepherd’s Fields (with caves used by shepherds two thousand years ago) and the Fields of Ruth and Boaz. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem

We begin the day with a visit to Herodion, Herod’s mountain fortress and palace that he built just outside of Bethlehem.  We continue to Bethany, home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus.  After lunch, we travel to Mount Zion for a visit to the Upper Room of the Last Supper.  We walk down the hill to the House of Caiaphas where Jesus was tried and held prisoner and the same courtyard where Peter denied knowing Jesus three times.  The ruins of the Roman steps that Jesus would have walked from Gethsemane that night remain to this day. We conclude the day with a visit to the model of the ancient city and the Shrine of the Book which encloses the Dead Sea Scrolls

We enter the old city through the Dung Gate for a visit to the Southern Stairs. In Jesus’ day, these stairs provided access to the Temple and they were the location where Jesus did much of his teaching.  We continue to the Wailing Wall and The Western Wall Tunnel.  After lunch, we visit The Temple Institute where the garments and other instruments are being prepared for the Third Temple.  After lunch in the Jewish Quarter, we stroll through picturesque, colorful bazaars in the old city, with time allowing for shopping, much in the same way shoppers did in the time of Christ.  Overnight in Jerusalem.

On our final day in Israel, we enter the Old City through Saint Stephen’s Gate.  After a visit to the Church of Saint Anne and the Pools of Bethesda, we begin walking the Via Dolorosa to the Church of Flagellation and Lithostrotos (Pilate’s Judgment Hall).  We continue along the Via Dolorosa through the old City as we walk the same route Jesus walked to the cross two thousand years ago.  At the end of this very special day, we will visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Garden Tomb and Gordon’s Calvary, the site where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected – highlighted by a communion service at the Garden Tomb. Return to hotel for Dinner and Overnight

We transfer from Jerusalem to the airport in Tel-Aviv for our flights back home.