Catholic Tour

Depart Country of Origin

Arrival at Tel Aviv

• Meeting and assisting at the airport by Holyland Gateway tours
• Meet your guide and drive to Tel Aviv.
• Time permitting and depending on arrival, visit to Jaffa. Jaffa (Biblical Joppa). Jaffa considered being the world’s oldest port and the place where the prophet Jonah set sail for Tarshish. Jaffa is associated with the deeds of Peter. Here Tabitha was resurrected by St Peter (Acts 9: 35-43). In Jaffa was the house of Simon the Tanner and from Jaffa Peter gone to Caesarea to convert Cornelius after the vision at the house of Simon the tanner (Acts 10: 1-23). A walking tour in the old city of Jaffa.

Dinner and Overnight in Tel Aviv or Netanya or Herzliya

Caesarea – Mt. Carmel – Acre – Sea of Galilee

• After our Israeli breakfast we start our day with a short drive through Tel Aviv, travel via the Sharon plain to Caesarea. Caesarea, the seat of the Roman Procurator of the Judea in the time of Christ and is the place St. Peter converted the centurion Cornelius. (Acts 10:24). Explore the Roman Theater and the Aqueduct and view the ruins of Roman, Byzantine and Crusader times.
• Continue to Carmel, to the “Muchraka” the site where Elijah challenged and defeated the 450 prophets of Baal (I Kings 18:20). Drive to Acre (Biblical Ptolomeas) to visit the Crusaders Halls.
• On to the Sea of Galilee for an overnight stay.

Dinner and Overnight Sea of Galilee

Sea of Galilee

• We’ll start the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee (Optional mass on board the boat).
• Visit the ancient Boat museum from Jesus’ time.
• Drive to Capernaum, the town Jesus made his home after leaving Nazareth. Visit St Peter Primacy Church. Capernaum is the place where Jesus recruited the first of disciples.(Matthew 4:13, Luke 4:31-37, Matthew 8:14-17, Mark 2:1-12, Matthew 8:5-13, Mark 5:21-43, Matthew 11:23-24). Visit the excavation of the ancient synagogue and the house of St. Peter. .
• On to Tabgah, site of the multiplication (Feeding of 5000; Mark > 6).
• Visit Mount Beatitudes where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12).
• Drive to the Banias, site of the ancient Caesarea Philippe. It is here that Peter made his confession of faith in Jesus (Matthew 16:13). Drive to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee and Kursi.

Dinner and Overnight at the Sea of Galilee.

** Optional Israeli home hospitality in a Kibbutz.

Cana – Nazareth – Sephoris (Zippory)

• After breakfast we’ll have a tour of the kibbutz. Drive to the city of Cana of Galilee, where Jesus performed his first miracle. (John 2: 1-11), turning jars of water into wine. Continue to Nazareth, the home of Joseph and Mary, pass Mary’s Well, and visit the Church of the Annunciation. (Luke 1: 26-38).
• Drive to KFAR KEDEM-Hafla and seasonal choice of activity, Donkey Trail & Authentic period Garb , (Optional – additional charge – TBA) a biblical experience that enables you to “touch the past” for a visit and lunch. On to visit Sephoris. Ancient Zippori – also known by its Greek name Sepphoris – is first mentioned in Josephus Flavius’ description of the reign of Hasmonean king Alexander Jannaeus. A few decades hence, Zippori had become the most important city in the Galilee. See the stunning mosaic known as the Mona Lisa of the Galilee.
• On the way back to Sea of Galilee stop on ARBEL Cliff for breathtaking view of the Sea of Galilee

* Kibbutz Visit subject to Dinner and overnight in Kibbutz hotel

Mt. Tabor – Megiddo – Beth She’an – Jerusalem

• After breakfast drive to Mt Tabor and have a mass in the Church of Transfiguration.
• On to Megiddo, the fortress city of King Solomon, later built upon by King Ahab. The books of Daniel and Revelation will come alive as we study the final Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16: 14-19). View the Plains of Jezreel.
• Drive to Beit She’an. Recent excavations there have discovered the impressive ruins of the country’s largest city in the Roman and Byzantine periods, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 749 CE.
• The tour continues though the Jordan Valley. Drive past Jericho, believed to be the world’s oldest walled city. This was the first city taken by Joshua when the Hebrews returned from Egypt –‘and the walls fell down’ – and was also the site of the Mount of Temptation. (Mark 1:13).
• Drive to Dead Sea to enjoy the hotels Spa Facilities

Dinner and Overnight Dead Sea hotel.

Qumran – Dead Sea – Massada – Jerusalem

• After breakfast depart our hotel and drive to Massada. Ascend Massada by cable car. Massada is the site of the most dramatic act in Jewish history. Explore the ancient excavation of Herod’s Palaces, bathhouse, the storerooms, the Ramp, and the oldest synagogue in the world.
• Drive along the shore of the Dead Sea to Ein Gedi is an Oasis on the Dead Sea Near the 200 meter high waterfall is a cave where David had his famous meeting with King Saul. (1 Samuel 24: 1-23). A walk around the reserve confirms that Ein Gedi is one of the most beautiful nature reserves in the world.
• Qumran, where the 2000 years old Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

Pass the traditional site of the Inn if the Good Samaritan. Enter the city of Jerusalem in the traditional way and view the city from Mt. Scopus

Dinner and overnight Jerusalem

Jerusalem

• We start off an early morning visit of the Temple and the Western Wall. Ascend the Temple Mount.
• We then visit the City of David. We enter the Southern Steps via the new founded Herodian tunnels from the City of David.
• Visit the Western Wall Tunnels
• On to the Pool of Bethesda.
• On to Mt Zion to the Last Supper room (Matthew 26: 17-25) and King David’s Tomb.
• Visit the house of the high priest Caiphas and the Church of Peter in Gallicantu (Matthew 26:31-35). This is the place where Peter denied the Lord the 3^rd time.

Dinner and Overnight Jerusalem

Jerusalem – Bethlehem

• After breakfast we’ll ascend Mount of Olives (Matthew 24:3, Luke 21:37) for a breath taking panoramic view of the old city of Jerusalem. Walk along the Palm Sunday Way and visit the chapel of Dominus Flevit (Luke 19:41-44).
• Descend to the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-45, Mark 14:32-42) where Jesus spent the last night before he was arrested.
• Visit the Church of All Nations..
• On to Bethlehem visiting the Church of Nativity.

Dinner and Overnight Jerusalem

Jerusalem

Morning visit of the Western Wall Tunnels (per CRO availability)

• Walk along the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Walk through the colorful bazaar to Jaffa Gate.
• On to Israel Museum and visit the Scale Model of Jerusalem and the Shrine of the Book. Continue to Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial.

Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem

Jerusalem

• After breakfast drive to Valley of Ella where David slew Goliath (1 Samuel 17:23, 1 Samuel 17:4).
• Continue to Beth-Jamal Monastery for a visit and a meeting with the nuns of the monastary. Learn about their way of life in the Holy Land. Continue along Emmaus Road to the Church of Emmaus on our way back to Jerusalem.

PM Time:

Option 1: Afternoon free at leisure.

Option 2: Take part in the Archaeological experience at the City of David (Supplement charge)

Farewell dinner in hotel and overnight in Jerusalem

Departure

Transfer to the airport for our flight back home.