Signature Israel

Arrive in Tel Aviv, where you are met and transferred to your hotel.

Take a scenic, coastal drive to the ancient Roman capital, Caesarea, where Herod laid out a classical city. Near its amphitheater, view a partial inscription mentioning Pontius Pilate. Then, visit the seaport city of Acre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While at Acre, tour the Knights’ Halls, the Crusaders’ main fortress and palace; view the El Jazzar Mosque (White Mosque); and see covered markets. Continue to Tiberias and your hotel, which occupies a historic building along the Sea of Galilee.

See St. Peter’s House and Tabgha, where the miracle of the loaves and fishes is said to have occurred. In the afternoon, visit the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount, then continue to the Golan Heights, a rocky plateau with a rich history of strategic importance.

Visit Nazareth, where Jesus spent much of his life. See the Basilica of the Annunciation, built on the traditional spot where Mary’s home once stood; and the basement of the Church of St. Joseph, purported location of Joseph’s carpentry workshop. Continue overland through the Jordan Valley to the Decapolis city of Beit Shean. Arrive in Jerusalem this afternoon. Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.

Today, drive to the Mount of Olives for a view of the city overlooking the Temple Mount (or Al Haram el-Sharif). Visit the Garden of Gethsemane where, according to the Bible, Jesus prayed with his disciples before his crucifixion. Then, explore the fascinating, history-rich Old City of Jerusalem, built by King David in 1004 BC. Start at the Cardo, located in the center of the Jewish Quarter, then proceed to the Western Wall, one of Judaism’s most sacred sites, with views of the Temple Mount area and its Dome of the Rock. Later, visit the beautifully simple St. Anne’s Church with the Pool of Bethesda, where the water for the Temple rituals was stored. Walk the Via Dolorosa, the street traversed by Jesus when he was bearing his cross. Passing the Stations of the Cross through bazaars of the Old City, arrive at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, reputed site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial and resurrection.

After breakfast this morning, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities. Explore the Historic Jewish Quarter for site visits of the stunning new discoveries excavated at the City of David. See More of the Christian Quarter, with the opportunity to view the tomb at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Revisit the Old City to See the Tower of David and wander myriad alleyways, home to local merchants for centuries. Return to your luxurious hotel for an evening at leisure.

Pass the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament) en route to the Israel Museum, where you view the Shrine of the Book, home to a selection of the famous Dead Sea Scrolls. See a fascinating model of Jerusalem as it was during the time of the Second Temple. Then visit Yad Vashem, a vast Holocaust memorial on the Mount of Remembrance and a leading institution for Shoah research. Drive to Bethlehem, located in the West Bank, to see the Church of the Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Jesus.

Drive along the Dead Sea to Masada, where you ascend by cable car to the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots; here, Israelite fighters held out for three years against the invading Roman army before taking their own lives rather than allowing themselves to be enslaved. Stop at the Dead Sea before returning to Jerusalem.

Transfer to the airport and board your flight.