Israel Discovery
Operated by: Insight Vacations
8 Days
Locations Visited
Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Haifa, Acre, Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, Tiberius, Nazareth, Qumran, Dead Sea, Masada, Jerusalem ...more Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Haifa, Acre, Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, Tiberius, Nazareth, Qumran, Dead Sea, Masada, Jerusalem"Great trip"It was a great trip. We had a wonderful tour director. Rafi was knowledgeable, friendly and helpful in making special arrangements when necessary.
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Day 1
Welcome to Tel Aviv.
You will be met at Ben Gurion Airport and driven to your hotel in Tel Aviv. At 19:30 meet your travel companions for a Welcome Reception and a short introduction to your trip.
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Day 2
Exploring Vibrant Tel Aviv.
Morning sightseeing showcases the highlights of this vibrant city including the Habimah National Theatre, Rabin Square and Carmel Market. Savour a delicious falafel lunch. Venture along the seashore to the ancient city of Jaffa to see the famous clock tower and the old harbour. Visit the artists' quarter with its galleries, boutiques and picturesque narrow lanes. At night, enjoy a traditional Shabbat dinner.(Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner with Wine)
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Day 3
Caesarea, Acre, Nazareth and Galilee.
Travel from Tel Aviv, along the coastal road to Caesarea. Explore the ancient Roman and Crusader ruins, including the huge amphitheatre. Travel via Haifa to Acre, fought over for centuries and captured in turn by Saracens and Crusaders, including Richard the Lionheart. See the fortress, the old harbour area and Crusader crypt, before continuing to Nazareth. Visit one of Christianity’s most sacred places, the Church of Annunciation, built on the site where the angel Gabriel is said to have appeared to Mary. Head on to your hotel in Tiberias, which is located on the Sea of Galilee. The day concludes with a brief introduction to life on a Kibbutz.(Breakfast / Lunch)
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Day 4
To the Dead Sea.
Visit the ancient wooden boat that dates back to when Jesus was alive, and enjoy a cruise on the Sea of Galilee. Visit Capernaum, where Jesus is said to have entered the Synagogue to teach, before heading to the Mount of Beatitudes, where he preached the Sermon on the Mount. Journey through ever-changing landscapes along the Jordan Valley, past ancient Jericho, to take a dip in the buoyant salt waters of the Dead Sea.(Breakfast / Dinner)
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Day 5
Masada and the Holy City of Jerusalem.
Take a cable car ride up to the fortress of Masada, where Jewish Zealots held out for three years against Herod's armies. Pass the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found at Qumran. Travel through the Judean Hills to Mount Scopus for breathtaking views of Jerusalem. Visit King David's Tomb on Mount Zion, and the Room of the Last Supper. Enter the Old City and follow the winding cobbled alleyways to the magnificent Wailing Wall, the most sacred monument in Judaism.(Breakfast)
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Day 6
Exploring Jerusalem.
Visit Yad Vashem, a memorial for those who perished in the Holocaust. Continue to the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book wing which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls.(Breakfast)
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Day 7
Optional Bethlehem Experience.
Enjoy a relaxed morning or alternatively choose to meet your Local Expert at the West Bank border and continue to the Holy city of Bethlehem. The Optional Experience includes visiting the Church of the Nativity, one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world. The structure is built over the cave that tradition marks as the birthplace of Christ, and is considered sacred by followers of both Christianity and Islam. In the afternoon, all travellers will visit the Garden of Gethsemene and walk through the Old City to see the Temple Mount, one of Islam’s holiest sites. Continue along the Via Dolorosa past the Stations of the Cross, Ecce Homo Arch, and the Pool of Bethesda, to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. At night, toast your adventures over a hearty Celebration Dinner with wine.(Breakfast / Dinner with Wine)
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Day 8
Depart Jerusalem.
Your journey comes to an end with transfers to Ben Gurion Airport.(Breakfast)
Price Includes
Included Insight Services
- Our highly-skilled Travel Director will ensure your journey is seamless, serving as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxury, air-conditioned coach with onboard washroom. Alternate vehicles without onboard washroom may be used on occasion.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will enchant you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Complimentary transfers are available on arrival and departure days, or with additional accommodation booked through Insight Vacations.
Authentic Dining
- Tel Aviv: Enjoy a Welcome Drink and mingle with your fellow travel companions to begin your journey.
- Tel Aviv: Participate in a Friday night Shabbat dinner
- Isfiya: Feast on local specialities in a private Druze home and hear about life in the village from one of its residents.
- Jerusalem: Toast the culmination of your travels with a lively Celebration Dinner.
- Dining Summary: 7 Buffet Breakfasts (BB), 2 Lunches (L), 1 Dinner (D) and 2 Dinners with Wine (DW), all with tea or coffee.
Stay in Style
- Tel Aviv: The Sheraton Tel Aviv Hotel is considered one of Tel Aviv’s more sophisticated hotels, located on the waterfront and providing guests with luxury accommodation.
- Tiberias: The Leonardo Plaza Tiberias Hotel is centrally located close to the Old Town and offers beautifully decorated rooms.
- Dead Sea: The magnificent Hod Hamidbar Resort and Spa Hotel on the shore of the Dead Sea, offers you serenity, relaxation and the perfect pampering experience in its modern spa.
- Jerusalem: The Leonardo Plaza Hotel Jerusalem is located in the heart of the city and offers panoramic views of the Jerusalem skyline. It has many top facilities and is a good base from which to explore the Old and New Cities.
Top Rated Highlights
- Tel Aviv: Explore with your Local Expert and see the Habimah National Theatre, Rabin Square and browse around the Carmel Market.
- Jaffa: Visit the ancient port and artists' quarter and see the famous clock tower and old harbour.
- Caesarea: With your Local Expert, explore the Roman and Crusader ruins of Caesarea, formerly one of the splendid cities in Palestine.
- Nazareth: Visit the Church of the Annunciation built on the site where the angel Gabriel is said to have appeared to Mary.
- Capernaum: Visit the Synagogue where Jesus taught and the Mount of Beatitudes, where he preached the Sermon on the Mount
- Dead Sea: Alongside your Local Expert, ascend to the ancient fortress of Masada by cable car where Jewish Zealots held out for three years against Herod’s armies, before sacrificing themselves.
- Dead Sea: Be sure to take a dip in the famously mineral-rich waters where it's easy to float.
- Sea of Galilee: Enjoy a morning boat ride at the very place where Jesus is said to have walked on water.
- Sea of Galilee: Your Local Expert will give a brief talk on the history and contemporary life on a Kibbutz.
- Jerusalem: Visit the Garden of Gethsemene and see the Temple Mount, Room of the Last Supper, the Pool of Bethesda and Ecce Homo Arch.
- Jerusalem: Visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum.
- Jerusalem: At the Israel Museum, wander to the Shrine of the Book wing housing the Dead Sea Scrolls.
- Jerusalem: Accompanied by your Local Expert, walk the Stations of the Cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - site of the Crucifixion.
Dates & Prices
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Optional Add-Ons
Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.
Jerusalem
Jerusalem By Night
Adult Price: $25.00
Drive through the time-worn streets of Jerusalem by night to witness the ancient sites and monuments beautifully illuminated. Enter the walled old city and walk through the twisting maze of alleyways of the Jewish quarter to the flood lit Western Wall. Above it shines the golden orb of the Dome of the Rock.
Jerusalem
Bethlehem Excursion
Adult Price: $40.00
Meet your local guide at the West Bank border and continue to the city of Bethlehem. Visit the Church of the Nativity, one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world. The structure is built over the cave that tradition marks as the birthplace of Christ, and it is considered sacred by followers of both Christianity and Islam. Important: Please note from the Check Point this tour will be operated by a local Bethlehem guide and coach.
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