Day 1 – Wed: Ben Gurion airport/ Tel Aviv
Arrival to Ben Gurion airport, where you will be met and assisted before passport control, by our VIP service representative; transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Tel-Aviv.
Day 2 – Thu: Tel Aviv, Jaffa
Start the day with a visit to the Palmach museum dedicated to the Hagana, the underground military organization. Next, visit ltzhak Rabin center; learn the legacy of the late Prime Minister and explore the making, the history and the development of the state. Continue to Jaffa, an ancient port city, named for Japheth, one of the sons of Noah who built it after the flood; Visit the old city and stroll around the restored city, the Artists' quarter, galleries, and the renovated harbor. Visit Tel-Aviv Museum, Israel's largest art museum that displays a wide collection of permanent and temporary exhibits of both Israeli and international artists. Witness the old meet the new as you visit Sarona, originally a 140-year-old German Templar colony, occupied later by the British forces and handed back to the Israelis in 1947; it has now been restored, preserving the original architecture, and converted to a lively pedestrian open air commercial center. Overnight in Tel-Aviv. [B]
Day 3 – Fri: Tel Aviv
Start the day with a visit to Ayalon Institute, once a secret underground ammunition factory. Drive through the main streets of Tel Aviv, passing by Rabin's Square, place of assassination of Prime Minister ltzhak Rabin. Stop at Tel Aviv port and enjoy the promenade along the seafront with the unique shops, cafes and youthful ambiance. Continue to Neve Tzedek, the first neighborhood of Tel Aviv built in 1887 outside the old port city of Jaffa; explore the narrow alleys and the unique low buildings; Proceed to the Carmel market and enjoy the vibrant noises, smells and colors. End the day at Nahalat Benyamin and enjoy the live street music, arts, crafts and handmade jewelry. Overnight in Tel-Aviv. [B]
Day 4 – Sat: Tel Aviv
At leisure Overnight in Tel-Aviv.
Day 5 – Sun: Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Haifa, Acre, Rosh Pinna
Drive along the coastal plain to Caesarea, once the roman capital of the region. Explore the ruins and excavations of the Crusaders' city and the Amphitheatre which has been restored as a concert venue; learn the history of the city through a multimedia presentation; Proceed to Haifa to visit the Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum ("Af al Pi Chen") and hear the story of the illegal immigrants to Israel at the time of the British mandate. Visit Acre, one of the ancient port cities in Israel, declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site; learn the history of the city through its unique buildings, fortresses and intact fortifications. Visit the underground Crusader City and walk through the old city, mosques and local market. Overnight Mitzpe Hayamim hotel or similar. [B/D]
Day 6 – Mon: Rosh Pinna (Safed, Golan Heights)
Drive to Safed, one of the four holy cities in Israel, also considered the center of the Kabballah, the Jewish mysticism; Visit the Joseph Caro and the Ari synagogues, the most important synagogues in the city; stroll around the artists' quarter and the picturesque alleyways. Continue to the Golan Heights; Stop at Gadot overlook, the memorial site for the fallen of the Golan, located over former Syrian bunkers and see the monument built on site in honor of the Alexandroni brigade. Stop at the Golan Winery for a tour and wine tasting; Continue to Mount Bental, a dormant volcanic mountain, for a panoramic view of Mount Hermon and the Golan; learn the story of one of the largest tank battles that took place in 1973 war. Return to your hotel. Overnight Mitzpe Hayamim hotel or similar. [B/D]
Day 7 – Tue: Rosh Pinna, Tiberias, Capernaum, Nazareth, Jerusalem
Visit Tiberias; Continue to Capernaum and explore the ruins of the synagogue and church of St. Peter. Enjoy a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and visit the lgal Alon center where an ancient 2000-year-old ancient boat discovered is displayed. Onto Nazareth to visit the church of Annunciation. Continue to Beit Shean, also called "Scythopolis", the biggest archeological park in Israel with beautiful excavations from Roman and Byzantine periods. Drive via the Jordan valley to Jerusalem; Stop at Mount Scopus for a blessing as you enter the city. Overnight in Jerusalem. [B]
Day 8 – Wed: Jerusalem (Old City)
Tour the Old City of Jerusalem; Visit the Jewish and Christian quarters; Walk through the Cardo, the reconstructed main street of Byzantine Jerusalem. Visit the Wailing Wall. Learn the story of ancient Jerusalem as you tour the Western Wall tunnels; discover the hidden layers of the walls revealed underground. Return to your hotel to freshen up and get ready for your night out. Enjoy a Middle Eastern dinner followed by the spectacular night show at Tower of David Museum. Overnight in Jerusalem. [B/D]
Day 9 – Thu: Jerusalem (New City)
Start the day with a visit to the Israel Museum, the shrine of the book where the Dead Sea scrolls are housed, and the new Holyland model, a miniature replica of Jerusalem as it was during the second temple period. Continue for a tour at the Knesset, Israel's parliament house and see the Menorah with the biblical emblems. Experience the contemporary Jerusalem at the famous Mahane Yehuda market with its authentic and colorful stands; Enjoy the "Shuk bites" and taste a variety of local food. Continue to Yad Vashem, the memorial to the holocaust. Overnight in Jerusalem. [B/S]
Day 10 – Fri: Jerusalem (Ein Gedi, Massada, Dead Sea)
Drive through the Judean desert; Stop at Ein Gedi nature reserve and explore the lush oasis filled with waterfalls, vegetation and rare wildlife. Continue to Massada, ascend by cable car and tour the ancient fortress; visit the remains of the walls, palaces, synagogue, the bathhouses etc. Descend by cable car. Next, stop for lunch and Spa facilities in one of the leading hotels in the area. Overnight in Jerusalem. [B]
Day 11 – Sat: Jerusalem
At leisure. Overnight in Jerusalem.
Day 12 – Sun: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, USA
Ben Gurion airport Transfer to Ben Gurion airport where you will be met and assisted by our VIP representative who will escort you through security and passport control.
[B] = Breakfast | [B/D] = Breakfast and Dinner | [B/S] Breakfast and Snacks
