Best of Israel
From Tel Aviv to Tel Aviv
Tour Operator: Trafalgar
Prices From:
Tour Overview
An extraordinary first-hand encounter with familiar places and stories, this Best of Israel travel experience will bring centuries of history to life and reveal the proud traditions of the resilient Jewish people. You'll also visit Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus and visit Manger Square.
Highlights
View the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem and the Baha'i Shrine from the summit of Mount Carmel in Haifa- Scenic Cruise boat ride on the Sea of Galilee
- Explore Jerusalem with a Local Specialist
- Connect with Locals In Jaffa, meet the Hiffawi family for a Be My Guest lunch and taste the coffee they have been making for generations. You'll also learn their story of living as Christians in a multi-religious society. (Day 7)
- Dive into Culture Visit the Western Wall, otherwise known as the Wailing Wall, renowned as one of the holiest places for the Jewish faith. (Day 3)
- Visit the Fortress of Masada and the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, the Mount of Olives and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, the Church of Annunciation in Nazareth, Jesus Boat at the Sea of Galilee, the old Synagogue and the Mount of Beatitudes near Capernaum, the ancient Synagogue and artists' colony at Safed, the underground Crusader City of Acre and the Roman Amphitheatre at Caesarea
Places You'll See
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Itinerary
Day 1: Journey from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem
Location: Jerusalem
Accommodation: Dan Panorama
Your journey through a land regarded by many as the holiest of the holy begins in the sacred city of Jerusalem, which you will have an opportunity to explore before joining your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Drink to herald an epic journey into antiquity. L'chaim!
Day 2: A Day to Explore the Dead Sea and Masada
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Journey across the rocky Judean Desert to the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found accidentally by a Bedouin boy in 1947. Visit the striking clifftop fortress of Masada, where a Roman siege ended in the tragic mass suicide of over 900 Zealots. Their sacrifice remains as a symbol of Israel's pledge to remain free. Stroll through the excavations of Herod's palatial retreat, before returning to the lowest point on earth to float in the salty waters of the Dead Sea (time permitting). This evening, we share a traditional meal at our hotel.
Day 3: The Church of Nativity in Bethlehem
Location: Masada Bar Yehuda
Meals: Breakfast
Tread in the footsteps of prophets, crusaders and kings, admiring the Old City of Jerusalem from the sacred vantage point of the Mount of Olives. Stroll through the Jewish Quarter where you'll Dive Into Culture at the Wailing Wall and watch faithful Jews cede their prayers to the crevices of its ancient rocks. See the Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount and follow the path taken by Christ past the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa to Golgotha, arriving at the 4th-century Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Christians gather to commemorate at the traditional site of His Resurrection. Later this afternoon, travel to Bethlehem where the story of Mary, Joseph and Jesus officially begins. Visit the Church of Nativity, built on the site traditionally considered to be the birthplace of Jesus, and the Manger Square before returning to Jerusalem.
Day 4: Onwards to Lower Galilee
Location: Jerusalem, Tiberias
Accommodation: Kibbutz Lavi
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning, continue your compelling discovery of Jerusalem and visit Yad Vashem to commemorate the millions of lives lost in the Holocaust during World War II. See the Dead Sea Scrolls at Israel Museum's Shrine of the Book, the Knesset, and the Givat Ram Campus of the Hebrew University, before travelling through the farmlands of the Jordan Valley. In Nazareth, you'll have an opportunity to visit the sacred Catholic Shrine of the Church of Annunciation, whose cupola overlooks the cave in which Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary to share the blessing that she would conceive and give birth to the Son of God. Celebrate a strong sense of community at your overnight stop at a Kibbutz hotel, where you'll dine this evening.
Day 5: Admire Capernaum, the Mount of Beatitudes and Safed
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Begin the day with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and visit the Jesus Boat, an ancient fishing vessel dating to the 1st century AD. Continue to the ruins of the old synagogue at Capernaum, said to have been built on the home of St. Peter. Then visit the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Next, venture to one of Judaism's Four Holy Cities and the birthplace of the Kabbalah movement, Safed. Proceed to your Kibbutz hotel in Lower Galilee where you'll enjoy dinner.
Day 6: On to Acre, Haifa, Caesarea and Tel Aviv
Location: Tel Aviv
Accommodation: Dan Panorama
Meals: Breakfast
Continue to the almost-intact 12th-century underground city of Acre to admire its medieval Crusader buildings, before enjoying views of the Baha'i Shrine and the beautiful Persian Hanging Gardens of Haifa, created as a memorial to the founders of the Bahá'í Faith. Imagine seafaring traders plying their wares in the ancient port city of Caesarea, then travel to the vibrant city of Tel Aviv, our home for the next two nights.
Day 7: Discover Coastal Tel Aviv
Location: Tel Aviv
Meals: Breakfast, Be My Guest
Visit Rabin Square this morning. Here you'll learn about the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who has become a symbol of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Continue to Newe Zedek, the first neighbourhood of Tel Aviv and soak up the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Rothchild Boulevard. Next, stroll through the ancient ruins of Old Jaffa and explore the biblical stories and ancient mythology of the Old Port. The robust aroma of coffee makes an appearance next at an exclusive Be My Guest experience in Ajami neighbourhood, where you'll Connect With Locals over lunch and learn about the personal story of a Christian girl growing up in a Jewish, Muslim and Christian area.
Day 8: Farewell Tel Aviv
Location: Tel Aviv
Meals: Breakfast
Our epic journey through the sacred lands of Israel has come to an end. All that's left to say is a fond farewell to fellow pilgrims as you prepare for your journey home. Find out more about your free airport transfer at trafalgar.com/freetransfers.
What's Included
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Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
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All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
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1 lunch (Be My Guest)
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All porterage and restaurant gratuities
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3 dinners
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Handcrafted Highlights
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7 breakfasts
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An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
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Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
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Handcrafted Highlights
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Audio Headsets for flexible sightseeing
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Optional Experiences and free time
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Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
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Daily breakfast and up to half your evening meals
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