CLASSICAL ISRAEL

Free day at leisure and overnight in Tel Aviv. (B)

Drive along the coastal plain to Caesarea, once the Roman capital of the region. See the excavations of the Crusaders’ city, the Roman port, aqueduct and the amphitheater that has been restored to its former glory as a concert venue. Proceed to Megiddo, identified as the site of Armageddon. Visit the archaeological excavations including the well-preserved water supply system. Continue to Daliyat el-Carmel, a Druze village, and enjoy a late lunch at a local restaurant. Proceed via Mount Carmel to Haifa for a panoramic view of the Bay of Haifa and the Golden domed Baha’i Shrine and gardens. Overnight at a Kibbutz guesthouse. (B)

Drive to Safed, the center of Jewish mysticism. Here you will visit the ancient synagogues and the Artists’ colony. Continue to the Golan Heights to see the former Syrian bunkers, Kuneitra and the new Israeli town of Katzrin. Stop at the Golan Winery for a tour and wine tasting. Then head to “Golan Magic,” for a multimedia presentation of the area and its history. Overnight at a Kibbutz guesthouse. (B)

Start the day with a visit to Nazareth and the Church of the Annunciation. Next, it’s on to Tiberias and then Capernaum to see the ruins of the synagogue and octagonal Church of St. Peter. Visit the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Then, drive via Beit Shean to Beit Alpha to see the remains of the mosaic floor of an ancient synagogue depicting the zodiac. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)

The day’s adventures begin with a magnificent panoramic view from the Mount of Olives. Enroute to the Old City, we visit the Tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper on Mt. Zion. Enter the walled city and walk through the newly restored Jewish quarter. Visit the Roman Cardo, the Herodian quarter, and continue to the Western Wall. Walk along Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Continue to Bethlehem, view Rachel’s Tomb, and then visit the Church of the Nativity and Manger’s Square. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B)

Drive to the Israel Museum. Visit the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea scrolls are housed, and see the miniature model of Jerusalem as it was during the Second Temple period. Next, enjoy a tour at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Continue to visit Mount Herzl cemetery and Yad Vashem, the memorial to the Holocaust. Drive through Mea Shearim, the ultraorthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem, and learn about their unique lifestyle. In the evening, enjoy a Middle Eastern dinner followed by the spectacular “Sound & Light” show** at the Tower of David Museum. Overnight in Jerusalem. (B,D)

Drive through the Judean desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, at 1388 feet below sea level. Stop at the Qumran Caves to visit the site where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. Drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to Masada. Ascend by cable car and tour the ancient fortress where the Zealots made their last stand against the Romans before committing mass suicide in 73 AD. Descend by cable car. Next, stop for lunch and experience the spa facilities in one of the leading hotels in the area and enjoy some time to float in the hyper-saline Dead Sea.** Overnight in Jerusalem. (B,L)

Free day at leisure. (B)

Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your flight home. (B)