Historic Cities & Sites of Israel

Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, you’ll be escorted to your hotel. Relax and enjoy lunch at your leisure before your Israel experience commences with a walk along Rothschild Boulevard to see its Bauhaus architecture, and visit artsy Neve Tzedek, one of the first established neighborhoods in Tel Aviv, passing by Independence Hall, where David Ben Gurion proclaimed the establishment of The State of Israel, along the way. Time permitting, you’ll be taken on a brief tour of Jaffa, too. This evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel.

Meet your guide and travel to Nazareth, in Northern Israel’s Lower Galilee. Best known as Jesus’ boyhood home, and the town where Mary learned from the Angel Gabriel that she was to have a child. Today, it’s the largest Arab city in the country. Then, head to Capernaum to tour the ancient synagogue where Jesus taught. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before traveling onwards to your hotel in Tiberias. This evening, dinner will be at a local restaurant, after which you can enjoy some time at your leisure. We suggest taking a walk along the seafront promenade.

This morning, set out for Jerusalem, stopping at Qasr el Yahud, the traditional baptismal site on the Jordan River, and continue onto Jericho which some consider to be the oldest city in the world. During your visit, take a cable car up to the Mount of Temptation, and see Zacchaeus’ Sycamore Tree and visit Tel Jericho (or Tell es-Sultan), a UNESCO-nominated archaeological site. After lunch at a local restaurant, journey onto Bethlehem, best known as the site of the nativity, where you’ll visit the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square, before making your way into Jerusalem. Dinner will be at your hotel this evening.

Today you’ll experience all four quarters of the Old City, whose history dates back more than 3,000 years. Highlights and attractions include Temple Mount (safety permitting), the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, the Garden of Gethsemane, Via Dolorosa, the Tomb of King David, the Garden tomb, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher—the site of the crucifixion and Jesus’ tomb. You’ll have time to explore the Arab Market and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, before proceeding to Yad Vashem, on the slopes of the Mount of Remembrance. Explore at your own pace before heading back to your hotel where dinner will be served this evening.

Start your morning by taking in panoramic views of the city from the Mount of Olives before heading east, passing the Dead Sea, and the Qumran caves, where The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant en route to Masada, one of King Herod's desert fortresses, perched on a plateau overlooking the Dead Sea. The Northern Palace 'hangs' at three levels from the cliff face and offers breathtaking views over the Dead Sea and surrounding desert. After, you’ll be escorted to the airport for your flight to Athens where, upon arrival, you’ll be transferred to your hotel. The balance of the evening is at leisure.

This morning, you’ll be met by your guide and driver, and assisted to the local cruise terminal, where you’ll board your Azamara cruise.