Roman Catholic Holy Land Tour

Day 1 – Departure:

• Depart USA

Day 2 – Arrival to Israel, Joppa, Nazareth

• Arrival to Ben Gurion airport
• VIP assistance at airport.
• “Joppa” (Jaffa) where Jonah the Prophet boarded the boat for Tarshish
• Drive to Caesarea where Paul was imprisoned and tried, and where he converted Cornelius
• Nazareth where Jesus spent his early years to visit Mary’s Well and the Church of the Annunciation
• Village of Cana, the site of Jesus’ first miracle.
• Dinner and Dinner overnight Ramada Olivier Nazareth hotel https://en.ramadanazareth.com/

Day 3 – Sea of Galilee

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Tiberius on the shores of the Sea of Galilee
• Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee from Tiberius to Nof Ginnosar
• View the remains of a boat from the time of Jesus
• Capernaum, center of Jesus’ Ministry. Located here are the ruins of an ancient synagogue and the site of Peter’s house
• Tabgha, the site of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fish and see the fish mosaic from the 5th century Byzantine Basilica
• Drive to the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the “Sermon on the Mount”
• Travel through the Upper Galilee to Banias Springs (Caesarea Philippe), where Peter made his confession of faith
• Overnight and Dinner Ramada Olivier Nazareth hotel

Day 4 – Yardenit, Jericho, Jerusalem

• Breakfast at hotel
• Yardenit on the shores of the Jordan River and renew Baptismal promises.
• Visit Tabor, site of the Transfiguration
• Drive through the Jordan Valley to Beit Shean, where excavations have revealed 18 levels of history
• Jericho, the oldest and lowest inhabited city in the world
• Ascend the Judean Hills passing the Inn of the Good Samaritan
• Visit the Tomb of Lazarus in Bethany
• Overnight and Dinner Jerusalem Notre Dame hotel https://www.notredamecenter.org/

Day 5 – Jerusalem

• Breakfast at hotel
• Tour Jerusalem
• Lookout Jerusalem from Mount of Olives
• Walk down the traditional Palm Sunday route to the Church of All Nations and the Garden of Gethsemane
• Drive via the Kidron Valley to Mount Zion and visit the Room of the Last Supper and David’s Tomb
• Jewish Quarter see the Cardo and Western Wall
• Enjoy the panoramic view of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount
• Christian Quarter visit Ann’s Crusader Church, Ecce Homo (Lithostrotos), Antonia Fortress and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Garden Tomb (Garden’s Calvary)
• End day with a communion service in Bethlehem
• Overnight and Dinner Jerusalem Notre Dame hotel

Day 6 – Modern Jerusalem and Bethlehem

• Breakfast at hotel
• Scale model of ancient Jerusalem in the time of the Second Temple
• Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial
• Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed.
• Afternoon drive to Manger Square in Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity and the Milk Grotto
• Overnight and Dinner Jerusalem Notre Dame

Day 7 – Dead Sea and Masada

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive through the Judean Wilderness to the lowest point on earth – the Dead Sea
• Lookout George’s Monastery in Wadi Kelt
• Drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to Masada, the last stronghold of the Jewish zealots against the Romans.
• Ascend by cable car and tour the famed archaeological site including Herod’s palace, an ancient synagogue and a bathhouse.
• Visit Ein Gedi a nearby oasis and enjoy an opportunity to “float” in the unique waters of the Dead Sea.
• Visit Qumran where the Essene community wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls.
• Overnight and Dinner Jerusalem Notre Dame Hotel

Day 8 – Ein Karem and Market of Jerusalem

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Ein Karem with 2 churches the Visitation and John the Baptist
• Drive by the Knesset – Israel Parliament
• Market of Jerusalem Mahne Yehuda
• Overnight and Dinner Jerusalem Notre Dame hotel

Day 9 – Elah Valley and Farewell Dinner

• Breakfast at hotel
• 12:00 noon late check out of hotel
• Elah Valley where David fought Goliath
• Abu Gosh village
• Farewell Dinner
• Transfer to airport

Day 10 – Departure and arrival home