WONDERS OF MADRID & JERUSALEM

After arriving at Madrid-Barajas Airport, we will be greeted and transferred to our hotel.

We will have the rest of the day to relax and begin enjoying the capital of Spain.

Madrid, lively and awake at all hours, is famous for being an open city where people of all kinds and from anywhere come together.

In addition to its well-known museums, lively avenues with all kinds of shops, world cuisine restaurants, and incomparable nightlife, Madrid surprises with quiet historic corners full of charm for strolls.

There, we will find centuries-old taverns with family traditions where friends gather for a drink, neighborhoods of all styles, and alternative cultural centers away from the more touristy circuits.

At the same time, this city has an authenticity that is hard to match. It is hospitable, diverse, and undoubtedly one of the most interesting in Europe.

Greca Tip: As in any other large city, the center of Madrid offers a diverse variety of gastronomic venues to suit all tastes, where you can taste the traditional local tapas.

After breakfast, you will have the day free to enjoy Madrid at your own pace. Having a free day in Madrid allows you to explore and enjoy many of the attractions and activities the capital of Spain has to offer.

Madrid hosts world-renowned art museums such as the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía Museum, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. These institutions showcase an extensive collection of masterpieces, including works by Goya, Velázquez, Picasso, Dalí, and many others.

Moreover, the city exhibits an intriguing blend of historic and modern landmarks. The Royal Palace of Madrid, Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, and Retiro Park are just a few examples of emblematic sites that highlight Madrid's historical significance.

The culinary scene in this beautiful city is diverse and lively, offering a plethora of traditional Spanish cuisine, including tapas, cocido madrileño (a hearty stew), and bocadillos de calamares (fried squid sandwiches). The city is filled with traditional taverns, markets like Mercado de San Miguel, and contemporary restaurants.

The city's energy is palpable, especially in neighborhoods like Malasaña, Chueca, and La Latina, known for their eclectic mix of modern bars, restaurants, and cultural centers.

Greca Tip: If you prefer not to go on excursions and want to explore Madrid at your own pace, you can walk along Gran Vía, one of the city's most famous avenues, where you can find shops, restaurants, and establishments for all tastes.

At the indicated time, one of our vehicles will take you to Madrid-Barajas Airport to board your flight to Tel Aviv.

After your arrival in the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, an assistant from our English-speaking team will meet you, inform you of all the details of your trip and the day-to-day way of life of the city as well as answer any questions or queries you may have.

The transfer to your hotel in Tel Aviv will take place in one of our private air-conditioned vehicles and your assistant will help you with the hotel registration. The rest of the day is free for you to relax and enjoy the comforts of your hotel.

Greca Tip: In Israel, check-in on Saturdays and holidays will be two hours after sunset.

After a tasty breakfast at the hotel, you will have the rest of the day free to explore the city at your own pace.

We recommend the option of doing the tour to Masada and the Dead Sea.

At the indicated time you will be picked up to begin the excursion to the Judea 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 tasty buffet breakfast you will leave hand in hand with your guide, you will visit modern Jerusalem, where you will visit the Shrine of the Book located in the Israel Museum and you will be able to appreciate one of the oldest biblical documents found to date, the manuscripts of the Sea Dead.

You will also see a replica of the ancient city of Jerusalem, the model of the city in the times of Jesus.

Later, you will go to Ein Karem better known as the Spring of Mary, you will visit the church of the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, it is thought that the mother of Jesus visited Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. You will have the opportunity to visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial and Museum.

In the afternoon you will start the excursion to Bethlehem, to visit one of the oldest Christian temples, the Church of the Nativity, built on the Grotto of the Nativity or Grotto of the Nativity, it is thought to be the place where the child was born Jesus. Other Christian sites to visit are the Chapels of San Jerónimo and San José.

Having known and enjoyed all this wonderful history, you will return to your hotel in Jerusalem.

Greca Tip: Avoid leaving your belongings away from you, a package would only alter the security of the place.

After a delicious breakfast, you will go out with your guide to one of the most sacred places in the history of Christianity in the Holy Land, the Mount of Olives, the place where Jesus performed his prayers and where he was captured by the Romans, and It says that he ascended to heaven.

During the tour you will be able to panoramically appreciate the entire Holy Walled City of Israel, then you will visit the Basilica of the Nations or of the Agony, possessor of the rock where Jesus prayed the night he was arrested.

You will enter the Old City where the most important religious sites of Jewish Israel are located, such as the Western Wall or Wailing Wall, part of what was the ancient temple of Jerusalem built by King Solomon, it is the most important temple for all the Jews.

Finally, you will travel the Via Dolorosa, itinerary that Jesus took when he was on his way to the crucifixion, during this tour you will visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Mount Sion, King David's Tomb, Cenacle (Room of the Last Supper), the Abbey of the Dormition.

After having delved into the entire religious history of Israel, you will be back to the hotel in Jerusalem.

Greca Tip: Never accept the first price offered at the points of sale, if you haggle, you will save a few shekels.

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.