13-Days to Israel and Rome

Monday March 5th

Enroute

Today we depart onboard our overnight flight for Tel Aviv.

Tuesday March 6th

Tel Aviv / Joppa / Bat Yam

Upon arrival at Tel Aviv airport and after customs and immigration you will board your motorcoach and enjoy a short tour to the ancient port of Joppa to see the artist quarters and the house where St. Peter had his vision to minister to the gentiles.

After your tour, you will check into your hotel in Bat Yam for the evening.

Overnight, Bat Yam.

Wednesday March 7th

Bat Yam / Caesarea / Haifa / Acco / Tiberias

Travel along the Sharon Valley, by-pass Netanya, and arrive at the excavations of Caesarea to visit the roman theater and the crusaders' castle.

Travel north to Haifa, a main port city in Israel.

From the top of Mt. Carmel, enjoy the magnificent view of the bay, the Persian Gardens and Bahai Temple.

Continue to the Stella Maris Carmelite monastery where the prophet Elijah was hiding from King Ahab, and along the Haifa Bay to Acco, with its crusaders' excavation, fishing harbor, caravanserais and oriental markets.

Departing Acco, you will cross the lower Galilean mountains, continue through the Druze village of Marrar and come to Solomon's fortified city of Megiddo and the valley of Jezreel.

Visit the excavations and view the water tunnel system before going on to hotel in Tiberias for the evening.

Overnight, Tiberias.

Thursday March 8th

Tiberias / Boat To Capernaum / Mt. Beatitudes / Cana / Sepporis / Nazareth / Beth Shean / Tiberias

This morning, board your boat to cross the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, home of Peter and where Jesus preached. Visit the Ancient Synagogue and the town's excavations.

Continue to the Mt. of Beatitudes, famously known as the place Jesus gave his "Sermon on the Mount", for a magnificent view over the Sea of Galilee.

Your bus and guide will then take you along the shores of the sea to the outlet of the Jordan River.

Ascend the galilean mountains to the village of Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle at the wedding by changing water into wine.

Continue to Sepphoris, an important town during Jesus' lifetime and the traditional birthplace of Mary.

Proceed to Nazareth where Jesus grew to manhood and visit the Church of the Annunciation, the Virgin's Well and the old streets. View the fertile, green Jezreel Valley and its kibbutzim, on your way to the village of Nain where Jesus woke the boy from the dead.

Continue to the nearby Beit Shean excavation located at the foothills of the Gilboa Mountains where King Saul died fighting the Philistines. View the excavation that contains 18 levels of civilization before returning your hotel in Tiberias for the evening.

Overnight, Tiberias.

Friday March 9th

Tiberias / Korazin / Hatzor / Tel Dan / Metulla / Banias / Golan/ Tiberias

The day will begin with a visit to the excavated city of Korazin located 3 miles north of Capernaum. This is a New Testament Jewish town, upon which Jesus put a curse because of their rejection of the gospel.

Continue to Hatzor, a tremendous Tel covering 25 acres. Hatzor was the largest city in Israel in biblical times. An underground water system has been found there, twice the size of the one at Megiddo. It was a fortified city of King Solomon’s.

Proceed to Tel Dan, the northern most city of ancient Israel. Many biblical events happening at Dan are recorded in the old testament. Nearby is Metulla. There we’ll eat Lunch at a Kibbutz.

After lunch, visit the "good fence" at Metulla. which is now the northernmost city of Israel.

Continue to Banias also called Caesarea Philippi in the new testament located at the base of Mt. Hermon and the site of Peter's confession of Jesus' divinity. Following your tour, return to Tiberias for the evening.

Overnight, Tiberias.

Saturday March 10th

Tiberias / Jordan Rift Valley / Jericho / Qumran / Masada / Dead Sea Kibbutz

Depart tiberias this morning traveling to Jericho (depending on security situation), the first city conquered by Joshua.

Visit this biblical site before driving along the shores of the Dead Sea to Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls where found, near the oasis if Ein Gedi.

Arrive at Massada rock excavation where you will take the cable car up to visit King Herod's palace, fortification and water system. It was on Massada rock that the Zealots held out against the Romans and then committed suicide rather than be enslaved by them.

Drive to your kibbutz guest house for dinner and overnight.

Overnight, Dead Sea.

Sunday March 11th

Dead Sea Kibbutz / Lachish / Elah Valley / Beit-Shemesh / Jerusalem Model City / Jerusalem

Depart the Dead Sea area to the biblical historical sites of Gath and Lachish.

Proceed to the Judean Hills, through the historical Elah Valley. We’ll visit the site where David killed Goliath.

Next we’ll visit the biblical tel of Beit-Shemesh.

Next we’ll visit the new Israel model.

Then we continue to our Jerusalem hotel.

Overnight, Jerusalem.

Monday March 12th

Jerusalem: New City Of Jerusalem With Yad Vashem / Mount Scopus / Bethlehem

Start the day with a visit to the model of the old city of Jerusalem, where you can see the city as it was during the time of the Second Temple.

Continue to Yad Vashem, a memorial to the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust.

Drive past the Knesset (israel's parliament building) to the Israel Museum.

Visit the Shrine of the Book, housing the priceless Dead Sea Scrolls.

Drive past the Monastery of the Cross, where it is believed the wood for Jesus's cross was found, and up to Mt. Scopus, for a stunning view of the old city.

Drive to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, for a visit to the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's Fields.

Overnight, Jerusalem.

Tuesday March 13th

Walking Tour of The Old City of Jerusalem

Today we will enjoy a walking tour of the Old City of Jerusalem with its narrow streets.

Start your tour at the Damascus Gate and walk to the Lion's Gate.

Continue along the Via Dolorosa with the 14 stations of the cross-to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Proceed to the Temple Mount to visit the Dome of the Rock, mosque and temple area and the Wailing (Western) Wall.

Visit the Burnt House and part of the excavation dating from the time of Jesus.

Also visit the Cardo, an excavation of roman ruins, and the reconstructed Jewish Quarter.

Travel through the numerous bazaars to Joppa Gate and David's Citadel.

We will also be visiting the Garden Tomb.

Overnight, Jerusalem.

Jerusalem

Wednesday March 14th

AM: Free / PM: Flight to Rome

Enjoy a leisurely day in Jerusalem, shopping, exploring, or perhaps just resting, before transferring to Ben Gurion airport for an evening flight to Rome.

There we will transfer directly to the hotel.

Overnight, Rome.

Thursday March 15th

AM: Historical Rome Tour / PM: Catacombs Tour

This morning's sightseeing of the "Eternal City" will include the Via Veneto, Via Bissolati, Santa Susanna, Via Nazionale, Church of St. Peter in Chains with the statue of Moses by Michelangelo, the Colosseum, the Capitoline Hill and the panoramic view of the Roman Forum, Circus Maximus, St. Paul's Gate and the Pyramid of Caius Cestius.

In the afternoon continue along the Tiber River, past the Castle of St. Angelo to the Catacombs.

After your visit here, return to your hotel in Rome for the evening.

Overnight, Rome.

Friday March 16th

Vatican City / Museum / Sistine Chapel

This morning enjoy a visit to the Vatican City to see the Basilica of St. Peter.

Also visit the Vatican Museum with its priceless treasures of artwork from such famous artist's as Michaelangelo and Raphael, including the Sistine Chapel.

Drive by Piazza Barberini, the Pantheon, the Justice Palace, and Trevi Fountain.

Overnight, Rome.

Saturday March 17th

Enroute

Today we depart on our flight from Rome back to the U.S.

For more information regarding tour costs and extensions, contact Gil Travel by email or phone 800.223.3855.