Israel

We begin our tour in Tel Aviv with a visit to Old Jaffa, the first Jewish city of the modern era, and we take a walking tour to view examples of the intriguing Bauhaus-style architecture from the 1930s. The local proliferation of the style won Tel Aviv recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the nickname of the ‘White City’. After lunch, we enjoy a special street art and graffiti tour. Tel Aviv is becoming one of the most culturally rich cities in the Middle East in several aspects – including in alternative contemporary art. Here, we see the best works of street art and graffiti, and we uncover the history, philosophy and different meanings of the art around us. This evening we visit Sarona Market, a lively, modern and urban market that offers both an excellent and wide range of contemporary Israeli cuisine

After breakfast, we head north along the Mediterranean coast, stopping to see the impressive remains of Caesarea, built by Herod the Great and once the seat of Roman rule. We continue on to Haifa, the largest harbour city of Israel, for a panoramic view of Haifa Bay and of the beautiful Bahá’í Gardens with its impressive temple. Next, we enjoy a special lunch at a Druze village, where we learn about the Druze community and its importance in Israel’s history. Heading northwest, we reach the ancient crusader port city of Acre, a fascinating town with an excavation site over 1,000 years old. Here, we’ll visit the Crusader Halls and see the underground tunnels and pathways, as well as the ancient port and fortifications that were still strong enough to allow the inhabitants of the town to hold out against the invading armies of Napoleon.

Our day starts with a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee, before paying a visit to Capernaum, where a 2nd century synagogue was discovered and which threw new light on the life of the community of that era. We also visit Safed, center of Jewish mysticism for hundreds of years, which has recently developed into a contemporary artists’ colony. Israel has also become well-known for the quality of its wines, and after lunch we visit the Golan Winery, where we have the chance to sample some of their vintages. We finish the day with a 4x4 Jeep tour of the Golan Heights, which offers views over the Sea of Galilee.

It may be wise not to eat too much breakfast today because our first stop is in Nazareth, where we enjoy a culinary tour of the local specialities – including ancient spices, confectionery, tehina from the Galilee, local coffee, and what is considered to be the best hummus in all of Israel. With our stomachs considerably fuller, we make our way south through the Jordan Valley towards Jerusalem, stopping on the way to visit Beit She’an – with spectacular ruins of the ancient Roman and Byzantine city. Arriving into Jerusalem, we take part in a truly authentic experience as we join a local family for a Shabbat dinner. This is a perfect opportunity to learn about Shabbat and its traditions, as well as enjoy an excellent meal.

We spend a full day today exploring many of the highlights of the old city of Jerusalem, starting with a stop at the Mount of Olives, which offers a panoramic view across the old city, then we make our way through the Christian Quarter. Continuing to the Arab Bazaar, where haggling has been raised to an art form, our walk takes us along a portion of the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. After lunch we enter Palestine for a visit to Bethlehem, where we take a short tour that includes a stop at the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd’s Field. We finish our day trying our hand at creating a popular Israeli dish – shakshuka – at an immersive workshop.

Today we venture into the City of David and tour its fascinating tunnels as well as see the newest excavations of Jerusalem during the time of the 1st Temple period. We continue our exploration with a walk-through the Jewish Quarter and we visit some of the renowned sites, including the Western Wall and the Cardo, an ancient commercial street where you can still shop today. After lunch, we visit Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and Museum, a powerful remembrance to the Holocaust situated atop Har Hazikaron, literally the “Hill of Memory.” Our morning finishes with some free time at Mahane Yehuda Market, established in 1887. Upon our return to Jerusalem this evening there will also be an opportunity to see the spectacular Sound & Light Show at the Tower of David museum.

A refreshing start to the day is ours as we enjoy leisure time to relax and float on the waters of the Dead Sea – a truly bizarre, but relaxing experience, which must be tried to be understood! Afterwards, we take a picturesque drive out to the site of Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in a series of caves between 1946 and 1956. The rest of our day is spent hiking in the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. The largest oasis in Israel, it is home to a variety of landscapes, botanical gardens, springs, and small waterfalls. If we are lucky, we may even be able to spot Nubian ibexes and rock hyraxes.

This morning we ascend by cable car to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Masada, where we marvel at King Herod’s desert fortress-palace and last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots against Roman domination in 73 CE. The afternoon is free to spend as we wish before we regroup in the evening to enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Here, we can reflect and share memories of all that we have learnt and enjoyed during this trip.

After breakfast, we make our independent onward journeys.