Port
Haifa (Tel Aviv), Israel
Activity Level
Strenuous
Excursion Type
Local Sightseeing,All,68
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Starting At
$849
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
Duration
2 Days / 1 Night
Meals Included
Meals included
Day 1 (L/D)
Leave the ship in Haifa and drive to Nazareth, the childhood home of Jesus, also called the City of Annunciation. This is where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, telling her that she would bear the Son of God.
Visit the Church of Annunciation, built over an ancient house believed to be Mary’s house, and St Joseph’s Church built, according to tradition, over his carpentry shop.
After a delightful lunch served on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, drive by the Mount of the Beatitudes where Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount and pass through Tabgha, said to be the site where he performed the miracles of the loaves and fishes.
At Capernaum, St Peter’s village, you will see the ancient synagogue where Jesus taught, and St Peter’s house. Visit the Yardenit baptismal site by the Jordan River then drive down the Jordan Valley and through the Judean Hills to Jerusalem.
After checking in at your hotel, dinner will be served followed by a drive around the magnificently illuminated Old Town walls. You’ll stop at Dung Gate for a moonlit visit to the Western (Wailing) Wall—the last vestige of the ramparts that surrounded the Holy Temple of the Jews built by King Solomon. After your visit and a chance to touch one of the ancient stones, return to your hotel and overnight.
Dinner and Overnight at the Leonardo Jerusalem (or similar) after an exciting and memorable day.
Day 2 (B/L)
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and drive to Bethlehem to visit the Church of Nativity built above the place where Christ is said to have been born. The actual Cave of the Nativity is a small crypt with a vaulted masonry roof. Poor Bethlehem families used the rocky hollows of the region as stables or dwellings, so the tradition that places the Nativity in a cave is consistent with local lore. This church was first built by Queen Helene in the 4th century and is the only Byzantine church in the Holy Land.
Next, leave Bethlehem and head to Jerusalem. You’ll take in a magnificent view over the Golden City, with its Temple Mount, from atop the Mount of Olives. Then, walk through the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus spent his last moments before his arrest. Visit the Church of all Nations and after lunch you will begin your walking tour on Mount Zion.
Visit the Room of the Last Supper. Enter the Old City via Zion Gate and upon reaching the restored Jewish Quarter, visit the 2nd century Roman Cardo. Here you will see the walls of the 2nd Temple of Jerusalem. Proceed through the colorful bazaar to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Emperor Constantine constructed a vast sanctuary on the site of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. The building was later destroyed but was rebuilt by the Crusaders. Inside the church you will see the last five stations of the Via Dolorosa. Continue your walk through the Christian Quarter to the Jaffa Gate.
At the conclusion of two exciting days in Israel, your motor coach will bring you to Ashdod’s port where you will re-board the ship.
Notes:
Modest attire is required; knees, shoulders and midriffs must be covered.
Important: Visa requirements for these vacation enhancements may vary from those required for your cruise. It is solely each guest's responsibility to obtain (before traveling) any visas, vaccinations or tourist cards that are required for participating in Overland Adventures or Overnights, unless noted otherwise in the description. Please be aware that you may need a visa for any and/or all countries that you will depart from and travel through as part of your Overland Adventure or Overnight, and for the country in which you will re-join the ship. If you require further assistance, Holland America Line's preferred visa service is CIBTvisas. You must advise CIBTvisas of your Overland Adventures or Overnights, as the visa requirements for these vacation enhancements may vary from those required for your cruise. For CIBTvisas contact information, please visit https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/faq.cruise-preparation.visa-service-provider.html .