Depart for your overnight flight to Tel Aviv. Meals will be served on board.
(Day 2) - Arrival in Tel Aviv - Tiberias
We will arrive at Tel Aviv via Ben Gurion Airport where we will meet our tour guide and transfer with our bus to our hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.
(Day 3) - Cana - Nazareth - Haifa- Tiberias
After breakfast, leave to Cana of Galilee: the place of the first miracle of Jesus. Continue to Nazareth and start a walking tour from Mary’s Fountain till the Basilica of the Annunciation for a visit to Mary’s House to celebrate mass, the Upper Basilica, the Museum and the Church of the Holy Family. In the afternoon, leave to Haifa, capital of the industry and the major port. Ascend to Mount Carmel (included) passing by the Persian Gardens of the Bah. Visit the Church of Stella Maris, the birthplace of the Carmelite Order which contains a natural grotto of the Prophet Elijah. Back to your hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.
(Day 4) - Sea of Galilee - Mount Tabor - Jordan River
After breakfast, leave to Mount of Beatitudes to recall the Sermon of the Mountain. Continue to Tabgha (Heptapegon) for a visit to the Church of the Multiplication of Fish and Loaves, admiring the well conserved Byzantine mosaic from the fifth century. Then, visit the small chapel of the Primacy of St. Peter before heading to Capernaum (included), the Town of Jesus for a detailed visit of its ruins: the remains of the House of Peter, and the White Synagogue. Then, you will experience a boat ride (included) crossing along the Sea of Galilee. In the afternoon, ascend to Mount Tabor (included) and visit the Basilica of the Transfiguration celebrate mass, built on the ruins of two earlier sanctuaries: Byzantine and Crusader. Descend and continue to River Jordan where you will have the opportunity to renew your baptismal vows. Back to your hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.
(Day 5) - Tiberias - Qumran - Dead Sea - Jericho - Bethlehem
After breakfast, leave Tiberias through the Jordan Valley and travel South wards to Qumran (included) to visit the ruins of the Essenes Monastery and view the Caves of the Scrolls. Transfer then to the Dead Sea for a possible bath in its salty water. Continue to Jericho, considered as the oldest city in the world for a visit to Tel El- Sultan (included); the site of the biblical Jericho and view of Mount of Temptation. In the afternoon, drive through the Judean Desert, passing by the Good Samaritan Inn to Bethlehem, the city of King David. Arrive to your selected hotel for dinner and overnight.
(Day 6) - Gethsemane - Mount of Olives - Mt. Zion
After breakfast, start your day with a visit to Gethsemane for a visit to the Church of Agony. Then, we drive to Mount of Olives for a visit to the Ascension Chapel (included) and then to Pater Noster Church (included). Walk down to the small Chapel of Dominus Flevit and enjoy a panoramic view of the Holy City with all its major shrines. In the afternoon, explore Mount of Zion: St. Peter in Galicantu (included), David’s Tomb, the Last Supper Room (The Cenacle) and the Dormition Abbey. Then, enter Zion’s Gate, walk through the Cardo Maximum and the Jewish Quarter to the Wailing Wall. Back to your hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
(Day 7) - Jerusalem's New City - Israel's Museum - Ein Karem - Bethlehem
After breakfast, an orientation tour through the New City of Jerusalem, passing by the Knesset (the Parliament) and the Hebrew University to the Israeli Museum (included) for a visit the Model of Jerusalem from the Second Temple. (Possible visit to the Shrine of the Book which hosts most of the Dead Sea Scrolls and findings). Continue then to Ein Karem, the birthplace of St. John the Baptist for a visit to the Church that recalls his birth and the one of the Visitation. In the afternoon, drive to Bethlehem for a detailed visit to the Basilica of the Nativity: the Grotto of Nativity, the Manger, St. Catherine Church, St. Joseph and St. Jerome Chapel to celebrate mass. Continue to the town of Beit Sahour to visit the Shepherd’s Field with the natural grottoes and the remains of the Byzantine churches and monasteries. Back to your hotel in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
(Day 8) - Old City of Jerusalem - St. Anne’s - Farewell dinner
After breakfast, transfer to the Lion’s Gate and enter the Old City for a visit to St. Anne Church and the Pool Of Bethesda (included). Continue then walking through the Via Dolorosa (The way of the Cross) to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre for a detailed visit to Mount Calvary, the Holy Tomb and St. Helen Chapel to celebrate mass there. In the afternoon, you will have free time to rest and/or for personal activities. It could be dedicated to walk one more time through the narrow streets of the Old City of Jerusalem, back to Bethlehem. Farewell dinner (included) at a special Bedouin style restaurant with the intervention of a traditional folkloric dance group, overnight at the hotel.
(Day 9) - Bethlehem - Tel Aviv Airport
After breakfast, we will leave to Ben Gurion Airport for our flights home after an 8 day life changing experience.
OPTIONAL EXTENSION
(Day 1) - Depart Tel Aviv - Arrive Rome
Arrive in Rome after the flights. We will have a transfer to our hotel in Rome for dinner and overnight
(Day 2) - Rome - St. Peter’s Basilica
After breakfast, we will be transferred to the Vatican to attend the Papal audience. In the afternoon, we will have a guided tour into the Vatican Museum and St. Peter’s Basilica where we celebrate mass. Back to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
(Day 3) - Rome Classical - Ancient
After breakfast, we will dedicate this day to explore the most important church and monuments of Rome with Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni in Laterano to celebrate mass. Then, we will visit the roman coliseum with the forum. Panoramic tour through the streets of Rome passing by the monument of Vittorio Emmanuele. Then, continue for a visit to Trevi Mountain, Pizza Spagna and the Spanish steps. Back to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
(Day 4) - Rome - Assisi (108 Miles)
This morning, we will enjoy a full day of touring the hometown of St. Francis. The Patron Saint of Animals and the Environment. Additionally, he is responsible for founding the Franciscan Order, and the inspiration for our Holy Father, Pope Francis. During the tour, your group will have the opportunity to visit the tomb of St. Francis at his Basilica, view a series of frescoes depicting his life, as well as, view a few of the saints' possessions. We will visit St. Mary of the Angels Basilica. Made up of two structures, both of which you will visit. The Porziuncola is where St. Francis founded his order of the Friar Minor (Franciscans), and the Capella del Transito, which is the place of St. Francis death. Then, we visit the beautiful Rose Garden where St. Francis and other friars lived, as well as the cave where the Saint retired to pray. The last stop on your tour will be to the Church that honors St. Clare, the foundress of the Poor Clare Sisters. Return to the Hotel for dinner and overnight.
(Day 5) - Cascia - Castel Gandolfo - free time
Depart Assisi after breakfast and drive to Cascia to visit the shrine of St. Rita. After that, Celebrate Mass. Then, we will have a lunch break. Then, we depart for Castel Gandolfo and check in at a beautiful hotel over the lake. Walk to the center of the village to see the summer residence of the popes and enjoy free time to stroll around the narrow streets of the village, time will be given for buying souvenirs and tasting ice-cream. Return to the hotel for a great farewell dinner with a stunning view over the illuminated lake. Overnight at the hotel.
After a wonderful experience, we will have a departure transfer to the airport for our flights back home.