ISRAEL EXPRESS

After your arrival in the capital of the Holy Land, you will meet the driver who will welcome you at Ben Gurion airport and guide you to our private air-conditioned vehicle where you will be transfered to the hotel in Tel Aviv.

Also called the White City, Tel Aviv, which in Hebrew literally means "the hill (Tel) of spring (Aviv)", was founded in 1906 by the Jewish inhabitants of Jaffa, which it surpassed due to its rapid growth, to the point of merging into a single municipality in 1950. Today Tel Aviv is the center of the country's global economy and is also considered the cultural capital of Israel due to its cosmopolitan and modern character. With its excellent beaches, cafes, luxury shops and secular lifestyle, it annually receives many people who not only visit the country for religious tourism.

At the hotel, you will check in and the rest of the day will be to relax and start enjoying the hotel's amenities.

Greca Tip: Tel Aviv has a wide gastronomy but if you want to try street food we recommend you visit the Carmelo market.

After a tasty buffet breakfast at your hotel, you will go out with your guide to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee.

You will start the tour along the coastal road and you will deviate a bit to pass through the Armageddon valley, here you will see the ruins of Meggido, considered a World Heritage Site by Unesco, then you will continue towards Mount Precipice and finally arrive at Nazareth where you will visit the Basilica of the Annunciation here, according to tradition, the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would be the mother of Christ. You will visit the remains of what is supposed to be the house where Maria lived. Afterwards, you will go to the Church of San José, the place where the scriptures locate the carpentry workshop that the Jesús family ran.

After visiting Nazareth, you will head towards the shores of the Sea of ​​Galilee. In the old fishing village of Capernaum you will visit the house of Peter, the first Pope in history. Skirting the coast you will arrive at Tabgha, the place where the Bible places the miracle of the loaves and fish.

Your next destination will be Tiberias, where you will have free time to relax on its promenade, have a drink and shop. The last stop will be at Yardenit, the place on the banks of the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized. Later when you begin the return to Jerusalem you will pass through Mount Tabor where the Transfiguration took place.

After this wonderful tour you will be taken back at sunset to your hotel in Tel Aviv where you will stay.

Greca Tip: Don't forget to bring your well-charged camera or a portable charger.

After a delicious breakfast you will start the tour to the coastal cities of Israel.

You will drive through the city of Tel Aviv and to continue towards the north of Israel, you will take Via Maris, one of the three main commercial routes of Israel to reach the ancient Caesarea Maritima (ancient Roman colony) on the shores of the Mediterranean, here you will visit the Roman Theater, the Wall of the Fortress of the Crusaders and the Roman Aqueduct.

Continuing your route to Haifa you will climb Mount Carmel, which means garden in Arabic, recognized by the apparition of the Virgin of Carmen and where the prophet Elias' grotto is located to contemplate the Bahai Temple and its Persian Gardens, then you will have a panoramic view from the city of Haifa and its port.

You will continue with the itinerary approaching the border with Lebanon in Rosh Hanikra and descending in the cable car to the caves.

You will end the journey back to Tel Aviv making the last stop in Acre where you can see the medieval fortifications, the port and the Jezzar Pasha Mosque.

You will return to your hotel where you will stay.

Greca Tip: The Rosh Hanikra cable car is the shortest and steepest in the world.

After a tasty buffet breakfast at your hotel, you will go out with your guide to Golan Heights.

The tour begins as you leave Tel-Aviv traveling north on the coastal road along the Mediterranean Sea. You will turn inland and travel through the plain of Armageddon as mentioned in Revelations. From here you can see Megiddo site of an ancient biblical city .When you reach the southernmost point of the Sea of Galilee you will stop to look down on the sea from above and take in the gorgeous pastoral vista. The panoramic view which lies before you has the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) in the foreground and the undulating Golan Heights forming a dramatic backdrop.

You will cross the Jordan River at the foot of the Golan Heights and begin your ascent passing through Hamat Gader. a popular spa destination just as it was for the Romans almost 2000 years ago. You will continue through the lush green countryside until you reach the Shalom Observatory. From here you will have a stunning view looking back at the Sea of Galilee beneath you. It is easy to understand the strategic importance of the Heights as you see the Israeli city of Tiberias in the distance on the edge of the Sea of Galilee.

Youo will travel on to Katzrin where excavations have uncovered a village from the Mishnah and Talmud periods. The village has been partially restored and you can see the archaeological findings which include a synagogue, houses and an oil press. Here you can also see evidence of former volcanic activity in the Golan Heights as black basalt rock forms part of the landscape. Katzrin is sometimes called the Capital of the Golan. As far back as the Middle Bronze Age this location has been occupied, and later the Romans, Mamluks, Ottomans and even French have ruled this picturesque city.

You will continue to Mount Bental to see what remains of Syrian fortifications. The Syrian bunkers, base and trenches were captured by the Israeli's in the Six Day War of 1967. From here you can see how close Syria is, as you look down on the Syrian city of Kuneitra just beyond the Canadian UN forces which have protected this peaceful border since the cease fire in 1974.

After this amazing day full of history and beautiful landscapes you will return to your Hotel in Tel Aviv for accommodation.

Greca Tip: Don't miss the oportunity of taking panoramic photos from the Golan Heights, the result is incredible.

After a delicious breakfast, you will go out with your guide to begin the tour to the Holy City of Jerusalem.

You will begin the tour by going up to the Mount of Olives, an exceptional viewpoint from which you can admire the Old City in all its splendor, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Basilica of Agony and the Kidron Valley.

You will enter the old city through the Armenian quarter passing through the Dormition Abbey to admire its incredible zodiac mosaic, one of the best preserved in Jerusalem.

You will continue the tour of the Jewish quarter where you will visit the Byzantine cardo with its spectacular mosaic of the map of Jerusalem, later you will visit the Wailing Wall, the only preserved remains of the ancient Temple of Jerusalem that was destroyed by the Romans. One of the traditions is to leave a paper with your wishes in the cracks in the wall. You will also see on the back of the wall, the Dome of the Rock, a holy place for Islam.

You will tour the Christian quarter and you will approach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the point where Jesus was crucified, according to the scriptures. In addition, you will follow his footprints on the path he walked towards the cross along the Via Dolorosa.

After learning about the ancient history of the city, you will get ready at your next stop to see the modern area, where you will contemplate the architecture of the Parliament of Israel, the Knesset and visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum to review the episodes of the most recent history. .

After a journey of approximately 9 hours, you will be back to the collection point after enjoying this wonderful excursion.

Important: On holidays, Yad Vashem is replaced with a visit to Ein Karem in the southwestern part of Jerusalem, traditionally
Known as the birthplace of John the Baptist. You will stop at the Spring of Mary and continue to the Church of San Juan el Bautista.

Greca Tip: Remember to wear modest dress (no shorts or sleeveless shirts) and head covering are required for visiting holy sites.

After a tasty breakfast at the hotel, at the indicated time you will be picked up to begin the excursion to the Judean desert. The first place you will visit is the Qumran Caves, where the Dead Sea scrolls were found, then you will visit the ancient fort of Masada, the last fortification of the Jews in the fight against the Romans, which you will ascend by cable car. In 40 B.C. Once Judea was controlled and after having sheltered his family there, Herod fortified Masada to defend himself against the Egyptians. You will be able to enjoy the excavations of Herod's Palace, the Synagogue and the Aqueduct, as well as the views of the Roman Field.

Next you will go to the Dead Sea, where the saltiest waters on the planet are found, also known for being the region of Sodom in the Bible. You will have free time to bathe in its waters.

Finally you will return to your hotel in Jerusalem.

Greca Tip: In the Dead Sea, avoid getting salt in your eyes, wear flip-flops so as not to damage your feet, high-factor sun protection, and a hat.

After a generous breakfast in the hotel and, at the time indicated, you will be transferred to Tel Aviv airport to board your international flight.

From all of us here at Greca Travel, we wish you a safe journey! We hope to see you again soon to help create yet more wonderful moments that will be lovingly etched in your memory forever.

Good trip! Or, as you will say: "neesiá tova".

Greca Tip: The better souvenirs from Israel will always be the religious ones.