Shalom & welcome to Israel.

Upon your arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport you will be met by our representative who will transfer you to your hotel. 

Post check in free time to relax and orient yourself with the surrounding. 

In Tel Aviv, there is always some new restaurant or bar opening, some music to listen to, some beats to get you groove on to. Whether you’re in the middle of a full tour of Israel or if you’re just there on a quick stopover, don’t miss out on the chance to explore Tel Aviv by night! 

In the cute little streets of Yafo (or Jaffa), located at the southern end of Tel Aviv, you’ll find many cafés, hip new bars, and vintage shops. At night, it’s a great little place to sit and watch the people pass you by. Yafo is an ancient port city, and one of the most interesting and charming areas for first-time visitors to Tel Aviv – so don’t forget to come back during the day to explore some more! To start your night right, we especially recommend the numerous wine bars around HaShuk HaPish Pishim, the famous flea market! Our hot tips: Shafa, Samuca, The Container, and Shayke’s cafe on Ole Zion street.

Tel Aviv has a number of great beaches to choose from, all with their own atmosphere. Gordon Beach and Alma Beach are both very good spots for an exceptional sunset. If you like walking by night, don’t hesitate to walk a section of the Jaffa Promenade, a safe and beautiful promenade that runs from Jaffa to north Tel Aviv, and can be done by day or night.

Music is everywhere in Tel Aviv, and whatever your taste in music, Tel Aviv will have your feet tapping and your knees a-jiggling! There are countless cafés, restaurants, bars and small concert places throughout Tel Aviv, with live music available almost every night. Again, it depends on your taste, but two of the hottest places currently in town for some live music are Levontin 7 (a bar/live venue for many of Israel’s up-and-coming bands), and the Abraham Hostel which by night has transformed itself into a great place to catch some live bands.  The city is full of clubs and bars, where locals dance to the beat from sunset to sunrise. If you don’t know where to go, just head out to Rothschild Boulevard in Central Tel Aviv. This is the main artery of Tel Aviv’s nightlife and there’s easily enough going on to keep everyone happy! Recommended clubs in the central area include Kuli Alma, The Block, Jimmy Who?, and The Sputnik Bar. Otherwise, we can highly recommend a Tel Aviv pub crawl as an awesome introduction to some of the hottest pubs and clubs in Tel Aviv! At the weekend, beach parties are also very popular, so keep your eyes peeled for advertising posters around town.

After breakfast with the assistance of a driver guide proceed for a city tour. Visit the Diaspora Museum and drive around the main streets of Tel-Aviv.  Also known as the "White City", Tel-Aviv was declared by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site for its Bauhaus style buildings, architecture and beaches. In Tel Aviv you are never too far away from the beach. Stop at Rabin Square, place of assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Continue to Old Jaffa, one of the oldest port cities in the world with a long history. Walk to the visitors center, St Peters church ,the galleries in the alleyways and the flea market. A short walk along the Artist's Quarter takes us to Neve Tzedek, and Rothschild Bouvelard the pedestrian mall of the city where you can enjoy live street music, arts, crafts and handmade jewellery.

Next, stop at Sheinkin, the lively and colourful street specially known with the unique shops, café life and youthful ambiance. Armenian Pottery with its bold colours and hand painted designs and Kippah Jewish Souvenirs (A Kippah is a brimless hat, often made of cloth that is worn by Jewish men and boys to cover their head. It signifies that God is above them) can be taken back home as gifts. Carmel market is not too far away and here  you could opt for a small culinary tour. Also visit the Rabin centre which is the only museum in Israel that deals with the timeline charting the history of the state of Israel.

After the tour remainder of the day is free to explore the shopping scene. Tel Aviv’s shopping scene is growing by the minute! Each day new stores open their doors with amazing designs and unique products. There is a shopping experience for every kind of taste, from high-end shopping malls to local streets with unique boutiques. Should you like a mall then head to Azrieli Mall There are three floors of shops, eight cinema screens and around thirty restaurants. The shopping area is vast and part of a larger complex, do not expect your visit to be short. If you get tired of shopping, visit the indoor viewing platform on 49th floor of the building that has one of the most beautiful views of the entire city. Tel Aviv’s newest mall, it is home of some of the biggest international chain stores, different from other malls in Tel Aviv, Fashion Mall has luxury shops that you don’t find anywhere else in the city. They regularly host cool events like concerts, food markets and parties

If you prefer the streets then head to Sheinkin Street. A small but packed street of cafes, restaurants and boutiques. Great for finding affordable trends and more premium International brands. A pop up market that happens twice a week in Nahalat Binyamin St. is the Nahalat Binyamin Craft Market. Everything is artisan, made by individuals and handcrafted. There is always an array of unique items like home furnishings, art, ceramics, jewelry, gifts, photography… you name it. You buy the art directly from the artists, and sometimes you can event get personalized items! The fair is open on Tuesdays and Fridays: summer: from 10 am to 6 pm, winter: 10 am to 4.30 pm

For breakfast this morning we recommend the Benedict. A favorite for the tourists in Israel and a breakfast institution in Tel Aviv. Serving breakfast 24/7 treat yourself to a nostalgic breakfast complete with full English fry-up. The freshly baked hot bread fills you with warmth, topped with delicious chocolate spread. Remember to book in advance or be prepared for queues.

After breakfast we head out for a full day exploring Galilee. Depart Tel Aviv via the coastal road and the landscape of the lower Galilee to Nazareth (105 kms : +/- 1 hr 30 Mins), the town where Jesus spent his childhood. Visit the Basilica of Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph. Next continue via Kana to Tiberias (31 kms : +/- 45 Mins) the lively resort town on the Sea of Galilee. It’s Old City holds important Jewish and Christian pilgrimage sites including the Tomb of Maimonides and Abulafia (Etz Chaim) Synagogue. The waterfront features the restaurant-lined Yigal Allon Promenade, a marina and a fish market. South of the city, Hamat Tiberias National Park is home to famed mineral hot springs dating to antiquity. 

After a break for lunch here drive along the Kinneret Lake to Capernaum (17 kms : +/- 30 Mins) and view the ruins of the ancient synagogue where Jesus taught. Later continue to Tabgha (3 kms : +/- 10 Mins). It is traditionally accepted as the place of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and the fourth resurrection appearance of Jesus after his Crucifixion. Visit the Church  here with the beautiful mosaic floor and proceed to Yardenit (23 kms : +/- 40 Mins) the famous baptismal site located where the Jordan River flows out from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea. Here enjoy the peaceful and natural surrounding before heading back to Tel Aviv for the night.

After returning back to the hotel remainder of the evening is free for own activities. Enjoy the pub scene or some shopping as per your preference. 

After breakfast and check out of your Tel Aviv hotel  and drive along the coastal road to Caesarea (56 kms : +/- 1 hr) the ancient Roman capital and port built by King Herod.  Enjoy a walking tour of the theatre, archaeological ruins and excavations.

Caesarea is known for Caesarea National Park, which includes a large Roman amphitheater and the historic port. On the site is an archaeological park with pillars and sculptures, and the remains of a hippodrome, with frescoes and stone seating. The ruins of the seafront Promontory Palace include the remains of a mosaic floor.

Onto Haifa (45 kms : +/- 1 hr) for a scenic view of the City, the Port and the magnificent Bahai Gardens and Shrine. Haifa is a northern Israeli port city built in tiers extending from the Mediterranean up the north slope of Mount Carmel. The city’s most iconic sites are the immaculately landscaped terraces of the Baháí Gardens and, at their heart, the gold-domed Shrine of the Báb. At the foot of the gardens lies the German Colony, with shops, galleries and restaurants in 19th-century buildings.

After a break for lunch at Haifa drive to Acre (26 kms : +/-35 Mins)  the Old City recognized by UNESCO as world heritage site. Acre (Akko) is a port city in northwest Israel, on the Mediterranean coast. It’s known for its well-preserved old city walls. In a tunnel in the walls is the Treasures in the Walls Ethnographic Museum, depicting daily life from the Ottoman times to the 20th century. The mosaic-covered Or Torah (Tunisian) Synagogue has 7 torah arks. The 18th-century Al-Jazzar Mosque has marble pillars and underground pools. Walk through the market and visit the remarkable underground Crusader City and crypt and learn about their fascinating history and culture. 

Continue to Rosh Hanikra (20 kms : +/- 35 Mins) and descend by cable into the limestone grottos and admire the spectacular natural formation. Rosh HaNikra or Hanikra is a geologic formation on the border between Israel and Lebanon, located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in the Western Galilee. It is a white chalk cliff face which opens up into spectacular grottos. 

After the tour head over to your hotel in Jerusalem (185 kms : +/- 3 hrs) and check into your hotel. Remainder of the evening is free to relax.  Should you be up to heading out there are a few interesting things we could recommend. The tenth annual Jerusalem Lights Festival starts on June 27 and continues through July 5. The free festival features a variety of visually stunning light and digital art installations throughout the Old City, along with interactive displays and street performances. So if you are here around this time don’t miss this event. 

We do recommend a visit to the Western/Wailing wall. One of the holiest places in Judaism, the spiritual atmosphere at the Western Wall is enhanced by evening breezes and the bright lighting that showcases the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock. The atmosphere is particularly special on Friday evenings, as visitors usher in the Jewish Sabbath, with energetic prayers filled with singing and dancing.

To check out the local food scene there are a number of restaurants and pubs along Shimon Ben Shetach Street in Central Jerusalem. The Kikar Ha Musica has several upscale restaurants that are open late into the night and hosts free musical performances daily. After the sun sets, the Shuk Mahane Yehuda Market changes from an outdoor food market into a thriving culinary venue filled with several pubs and eateries. The storefront shutters come down to reveal many colorful spray paint artworks.

After breakfast today we head out for a day trip exploring Bethlehem and Jericho. Drive through the Judean desert and enjoy a roadside view of the Good Samaritan Inn. Located just off the main road from Jerusalem to Jericho, this site is associated with the popular biblical story about the Good Samaritan who, according to the parable, stopped to help a stricken traveller, dressed his wounds and took him to a nearby inn. Archaeologists have unearthed a Herod-era palace on the site, as well as a church built by the Byzantines and an inn constructed during the Crusader period. The site is well orientated and interesting

After a short stop at sea level for a panoramic view, continue to Jericho, the oldest city in the world. Stop to see Sycamore tree climbed by Zacchaeus, in order to get a better look at  Jesus and proceed for an overview of Mt. of Temptation. One of Jericho's – indeed, the entire West Bank's – most impressive sights is the Monastery of the Qurantul, built on the spot where the Bible says Jesus resisted Satan after his 40-day fast in the desert. It is an incredible feat of engineering, cut into the cliff face with dramatic views over the Dead Sea to Jordan.

It is impossible not feel a sense of history strolling around the mounds and ruins at Tel Al Sultan, where remains of dwellings and fortifications dating back some 10,000 years have been unearthed. You will see what look like sand dunes and stairways (the oldest known stairways in the world); underneath, the layers of civilisation beneath go back even further into the mists of history. The remains of a round tower, thought to date from 8000 BCE, indicates that Jericho was possibly the world’s first fortified city; legend has it that the tower withstood seven earthquakes. Though a large portion of ancient Jericho remains unexcavated, Tel Al Sultan is an essential part of any trip to the city. What has already been identified here is very well explained on signposts throughout the site.

Recall the Biblical tale of Joshua marching his troops around Jericho’s city walls until they fell. For a piece of culinary history head over to ABU OMAR next to the main square, this local favourite serves the best roast chicken in the West Bank. It is double the price for a sit-down meal versus taking away, but grabbing a table is well worth it.

After lunch proceed to the city of Bethlehem. Bethlehem is a Palestinian town south of Jerusalem in the West Bank. The biblical birthplace of Jesus, it’s a major Christian pilgrimage destination. The birth is marked by an inlaid silver star in a grotto under the 6th-century Church of the Nativity, which shares Manger Square with the 15th-century Church of St. Catherine and the 1860 Mosque of Omar.

Entering the church that marks the site of Christ’s birthplace means having to stoop low. The only doorway in the fortress-like front wall is just 1.2 metres high. The previous entrance to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem was lowered around the year 1500 to stop looters from driving their carts in. To Christians, it seems appropriate to bow low before entering the place where God humbled himself to become man. Today’s basilica, the oldest complete church in the Christian world, was built by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century. It replaced the original church of Constantine the Great, built over the cave venerated as Christ’s birthplace, and dedicated in AD 339. Today’s Church of the Nativity is cool and dark, its interior bare with no pews. Wall mosaics from the 12th century — depicting saints, angels and Church councils — have had their original sheen restored.The restorers even uncovered a 2-metre mosaic of an angel that had been lost for centuries. Trapdoors in the floor allow glimpses of the mosaic floor of Constantine’s basilica. The red limestone pillars were quarried locally. Many are adorned with Crusader paintings of saints.

Next visit the Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria. This 19th-century church adjoins the 6th-century Church of the Nativity and they even share a wall. The Church of St Catherine is the parish church for Bethlehem’s Catholics. It is also often used by groups of pilgrims. According to the traditional story, this early 4th-century martyr from Egypt was of noble birth and well educated. At the age of 18, she challenged the emperor Maxentius (or his father, the emperor Maximian) for persecuting Christians and worshipping false gods. The enraged emperor ordered her to be tortured on a wheel — hence the term “Catherine wheel”. But when Catherine touched the wheel, it broke. She was then beheaded and tradition says angels carried her body to Mount Sinai, where in the 6th century a church and monastery were built in her honour. St Catherine of Alexandria has been ranked with St Margaret and St Barbara as one of the 14 “most helpful” saints in heaven. She is also one of the saints reputed to have spoken to St Joan of Arc.

The Mosque of Omar, located at the corner of Paul VI Street and Manger Square, was built in 1860 in honor of Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab, who in the 7th century conquered the Byzantine Empire. The Caliph prayed in the southern aisle of the Basilica of the Nativity, however, in the Pact of Omar, he decreed that the Basilica would remain a Christian place of worship. The document stipulated that Muslims would be allowed to pray there only individually and prohibited the call to prayer (al-Adhan) from being made from the church walls. The Mosque was originally a small and modest building; however, in 1953 the Jordanian government sponsored renovations. Again in 2004, the Emirati Association reconstructed the Mosque after it was damaged during the Second Intifada (2000 - 2005).

Next the tour passes Shepherds Field Chapel a Roman Catholic religious building. The chapel marks the place where, according to Catholic tradition, angels first announced the birth of Christ. The Roman Catholics and the Greek Orthodox each have their own Shepherds' Field. The Roman Catholic site features a Franciscan Chapel designed to resemble the shepherds' tent while the Greek Orthodox site features a 5th century church built over a cave. Finally stop at a local souvenir store for special olive wood carvings and return to Jerusalem thereafter.

On returning back remainder of the evening is free. 

Prepping for a day of sightseeing in Jerusalem always starts with a good breakfast. From delicate pastries to all-you-can-eat buffets, there is plenty to choose from in the Holy City.

Trattoria Haba is a popular kosher dairy café and bakery next to the Machane Yehuda Market, which makes it a busy and colourful place to start the day. Created by seasoned chef Michael Katz, the trattoria is well known in the city for its delicious shakshuka, perfect croissants and a vegetarian- and vegan-friendly menu. One of the city’s more popular restaurants, Café Rimon has two central locations in Jerusalem. Its flagship café on Lunz Street is just off bustling Ben Yehuda street and the second one is in Mamilla Mall on the outskirts of the Old City, a mere 15-minute walk from the Western Wall. Although well known for its lunch and dinner menu, this upscale kosher restaurant also has one of the city’s best breakfast deals: an all-you-can eat buffet every Friday morning. The breakfast menu includes frittatas, shakshuka and good old American-style pancakes, as well as a selection of salads, cheeses, yoghurt and granola.

After breakfast head out and start the tour with a visit to Mt. Scopus with stunning views of Jerusalem’s skyline. Stop at Mount Zion to visit King David's Tomb, Room of Last Supper and the Dormition Abbey. Looking down we see a 3,000-year-old Jewish cemetery. As we leave the mount we pass the Garden of Gethsemane, the Church of All Nations and Kidron Valley, site of ancient Jewish tombs. 

The tour continues to the Jewish Quarter where we see the 1,500-year-old Cardo, an excavated Byzantine street. Later Crusaders added stores flanking the Cardo and today modern stores fill the Crusader structures. The tour of old Jerusalem takes you along part of the Via Dolorosa; this is the route Jesus took as he carried his cross towards Calvary. At the end of the Via Dolorosa is the sacred Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This 4th century church holds the site where Jesus was crucified and Christ’s burial tomb.  Nearby is the slab upon which, it’s believed, Jesus’ dead body was laid. Devotion and emotion have been spilled on to this spot for nearly 2,000 years — a powerful experience to witness, regardless of your faith. Only a few steps away, under a grand dome, pilgrims line up to enter the Holy Sepulchre and place a candle near the tomb of Jesus. Today the church has more than 30 chapels and precious religious relics. 

Much of Jerusalem’s importance rests upon a very special rock, Dome of the Rock which lies under this glittering dome. Muslims believe Muhammad journeyed to heaven from this rock, and they’ve worshipped here for 1,300 years. This glittering shrine, the Dome of the Rock, is one of Jerusalem’s enduring landmarks. Intricate geometric designs in stone and tile fit within its pure and simple lines. While today this plaza functions as a massive mosque for Muslims, Jews call this place “Temple Mount.” It was the site of their ancient temple complex — only the foundation of which survives. It’s here that they believe Abraham, as a test of his faith, was asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Considering this spot the center of the earth, Jews have worshipped here for 3,000 years.

A thousand years before Christ, King David united the 12 tribes of Israel and captured Jerusalem. His son, Solomon, built the First Temple right here. It was later destroyed, and the Second Temple was built. Then came the catastrophic year for the Jews: AD 70, when the Romans destroyed their temple and ushered in the Diaspora. That’s when the Jews became a people without a land and dispersed throughout the world. The tour continues to the Western Wall, a sacred Jewish site. The Western Wall was part of the original Second Holy Jewish Temple and the only part to survive destruction in 70AD. On the tour you can join others from around the world and place a prayer note between the stones of the wall. Here, at that surviving bit of foundation - called “the Western Wall” - Jews mourn a horrible past, and pray for a better future. The square operates as an open-air synagogue. The faithful believe prayers left in cracks between these ancient stones will be answered.

The Old City, corralled by its wall into much less than a square mile, is divided into four quarters: Jewish, Muslim, Armenian, and Christian. The Christian Quarter surrounds the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. A high point for visiting Christians is the Via Dolorosa, the route it’s believed Jesus walked as he carried the cross. Pilgrims from around Christendom retrace his steps. The 14 “stations of the cross” remind the faithful of the Passion — the events that culminated in the Crucifixion.

Take a lunch break then visit the Old City’s Middle Eastern bazaar.

We leave the Old City and travel through the The Damascus Gate  into modern Jerusalem. Joining locals in an afternoon stroll down Ben Yehuda Street, in Jerusalem’s New City, diversity of Israel’s Jewish melting-pot community shows itself in the way people dress. This is especially evident at places of worship and in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. Instead of ancient structures and religious landmarks new Jerusalem holds modern-day wonders. We make our final stop at Yad VaShem Holocaust Museum to learn about the Holocaust and how Israeli society has dealt with, and continues to deal with a loss of 1/3 of the Jewish people. At Yad VaShem you can see a vast collection of historic photographs, authentic artifacts, documents,  video testimonials by Holocaust survivors and memorials to those that lost their lives. *Children under 10 are not allowed inside the Holocaust museum. 

Some shopping at the local market and we head back to the hotel giving you the remainder of the evening free.

After an early breakfast check out and drive down to the Judean desert visiting Qaser El Yahud and Qumran en route. Qasr el-Yehud (Castle of the Jews) is a baptismal location on the Jordan River. This  is believed to be the Biblical site where John baptized Jesus; this symbolized his spiritual birth. This stretch of the river is also where Joshua led the Israelites crossed the River Jordan into the Promised Land. The Prophet Elijah is said to have ascended to heaven from this location. The area covers both banks of the Jordan River – on the east bank in the Kingdom of Jordan and on the west bank at Qasr el-Yehud. 

Qumran is best known as the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered not so long ago. Located on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea in the Judean Desert approximately, Qumran is located between Jerusalem and the major Dead Sea beaches and attractions such as Ein Gedi and Masada. Remains dating back to the Iron Age have been uncovered at Qumran as well as walls, pottery and a cistern from later settlements. 

Driving along the Dead Sea, the lowest place on Earth, you marvel at the timelessness of the landscape — and the history it’s witnessed. Our next  destination is Masada — an ancient fortress ,dramatically capping a mountain and the site of a pivotal event in Jewish history. A gondola zips us effortlessly to the summit or Ascend by cable car and tour the mountain fortress built by King Herod, where the Zealots of the first century made their last stand against the Romans. Built over 2,000 years ago as one of King Herod’s many palaces, Masada served as a refuge of last resort back when the Jews were the rebellious subjects of Roman occupation.Visit the remains of the walls, palace, synagogue, water cisterns, mosaic floors, roman baths and other findings. Remarks : For sunrise at Masada, participants will need to climb up the snake path. The cable car only begins at 08:00 (The guide will meet you at the top once the cable car begins).

Descend by cable car and continue to the Dead Sea. Enjoy the unique opportunity to float in the Dead Sea and cover yourself with the mineral rich mud that many believe has its therapeutic value. The Dead Sea is well known for its high concentration of mineral rich waters and the healing properties that come with it. Whether it is salt, soaps, lotions or Dead Sea mud, this is one of the things to buy from Israel for anyone who wants to improve their skin, treat acne, or  treat psoriasis.

A must do is the Dead Sea boat ride, which enables a unique glimpse into the scenic wonder of the Dead Sea from new and unfamiliar angles. Along the tour, you will be exposed to unique salt-crystals and formations along the shores of the sea, with stunning desert mountains surrounding you on both sides. The multi-colors and hues of the sea, sky, and mountains will surely transform this into a tranquil and awe inspiring experience. Comfortable walking shoes, hat, sunscreen, bathing suit and towel are recommended. 

On arrival at Tel Aviv check into your hotel and relax for the remainder of the evening.