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Would you like to take a Christian trip to Israel to know the most sacred spaces of this religion? And do you also want to take the opportunity to cross to the neighboring country, Jordan, and visit places as fascinating as Petra or Jerash? In that case, this option is perfect for you, since it includes some destinations that every religious tourist and history lover should know at least once in his life. If you want this occasion to be yours, take a look at the following proposal.
This circuit is mainly considered as a Christian trip to Israel. Therefore, much of the itinerary runs through the main destinations of this country. This is the case of Jerusalem, a holy city for believers of the three monotheistic religions and, in particular, for those who profess the Christian faith. For this reason, and for its spectacular monuments, it has been a World Heritage Site since 1981, and occupies a prominent place in our circuit.
But it will by no means be the only Christian place we will visit on this trip. Every day we spend in Israel, references to Christian history will be numerous, whether episodes from the life of Christ, events narrated in the Old Testament or even events from the period of the medieval Crusades.
The string of places to visit is wide and we break it down below: San Juan de Acre, the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Capernaum, Bethlehem, Mount Carmel, the Jordan River … And all of them will be explained by our official guide to understand their religious and historical context, which gives them so much symbolic value.
Moreover, on this Christian trip to Israel There will also be time to freely enjoy other places with less religious significance but beautiful from a tourist point of view. This is the case of Tel Aviv, the vibrant Israeli city bathed by the Mediterranean Sea, with splendid beaches for those who wish to relax at the beginning or end of the circuit.
Jordan, which is also part of the Holy Land, is home to places of enormous interest that can serve as a perfect complement to a Christian trip to Israel.. This is the case, for example, with Madaba, a city visited by travelers from all over the world to contemplate precisely the first representation of this sacred territory: a Byzantine mosaic map of the sixth century, inside the church of San Jorge.
And of course, no one should leave this country without first knowing some places that leave everyone who comes to discover them speechless. We are talking about Petra, declared not only a World Heritage Site but also one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Or Wadi Rum, a desert that also holds the recognition of Unesco World Heritage. Or Jerash, often referred to as the ‘Pompeii of the East’ for its extraordinary Roman ruins. In short: a Christian trip through Israel and Jordan that offers many other attractions for any tourist in search of beauty and history.
This trip through Israel and Jordan It lasts 12 days and 11 nights, with beginning and end in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion International Airport). Here you can consult the detailed program, day by day.
This Christian journey through Israel and Jordan begins on Israeli soil, at Ben Gurion International Airport, just outside the city of Tel Aviv. There the staff of our agency will be waiting for you to welcome you and offer you the assistance you may need. After that, our driver will transfer you by private vehicle to the hotel in Tel Aviv to check-in. In this same hotel dinner will be served before going to rest in the rooms.
The second day of this Christian journey through Israel and Jordan serves as a contact with your new destination. Therefore, after the buffet breakfast included in the hotel, the day is free. In this way, you can spend your time to enjoy Tel Aviv or make one of the proposed excursions, in particular the Dead Sea.
If you decide to stay in Tel Aviv, you will discover a modern city, because in fact it is the most recently created city in Israel, emerged mainly in the early twentieth century. It is often called the White City, because of the predominant color in many buildings, especially those built by German Jewish architects who escaped Nazi persecution in the 30s. They brought with them the Bauhaus style and the result today is a World Heritage neighborhood.
On the other hand, those who prefer a relaxing day to begin this Christian trip to Israel and Jordan can go to one of the city’s beaches: it has 13, which occupy about 15 km of coastline, and there are for all tastes, from the most familiar to the most sporty, through the LGTBI or those reserved for religious bathers who expect maximum modesty. A sign that this is an open and tolerant city, where all people fit.
On the other hand, if you prefer to make the excursion to the Dead Sea, the experience will be unforgettable. On the one hand, because it is the lowest point on the planet, about -400 meters above sea level. And on the other, because its waters are of such high salinity that it allows the bather to float effortlessly. In addition, its muds are rich in minerals, so both elements (water and mud) are commonly used in the cosmetic industry, and the establishments on the banks are specialized in thermal and wellness treatments.
Whichever option is chosen, dinner will be ready again in the evening at the hotel, booked on a half-board basis, as in the rest of the circuit.
On the third day of this Christian trip to Israel, the guided tours included in the package begin. There are several planned for this day and all, of maximum interest, so the free breakfast buffet should provide strength for the first part of the day.
The first visit will take us to Jaffa (Jaffa in Hebrew). It is the oldest neighborhood in Tel Aviv, which until the mid-twentieth century was a separate municipality. It is a picturesque neighborhood of fishermen and artists, which already existed 3,000 years ago and, in fact, is mentioned in the Torah and the Old Testament. During antiquity it was a port through which Egyptian and Phoenician ships usually passed. And in later centuries it lived the dominations of Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders and Ottomans, who also left their mark, as you can see during the tour.
After visiting Jaffa we will move to Caesarea, another place full of history, although in this case in the form of an archaeological park. Here we will discover the remains of an important port enclave, founded by Herod the Great in the first century BC and ‘baptized’ in honor of Caesar. In later centuries it was one of the most prosperous cities in the Eastern Mediterranean, as evidenced by its Roman sites and monuments still standing, among which its Roman Theater stands out. Later civilizations also made their contributions: Byzantines, Arabs, Mamluks, Crusaders… The latter, for example, undertook an important reconstruction of the city, and this can be seen during the visit, although most of these constructions were reduced to ruins.
After the visit of Caesarea, we will continue along the coast in a northerly direction until we reach Haifa. Here awaits us the first great sacred place of our Christian trip to Israel: the mountain range of Mount Carmel, over which the city largely extends. In addition to the extraordinary views it offers of the surroundings (Bahai Gardens and Haifa Bay), this place is eternally linked to the Virgen del Carmen and the religious order of the Carmelites, founded here by hermits or pilgrims in the twelfth century, inspired by the prophet Elias, who retired to these mountains in the ninth century BC. And to know this episode, nothing better than our visit to the Monastery of Stella Maris, located here.
The route of this day will then take us to another place with a lot of history, a few kilometers further north: Acre or San Juan de Acre, according to the name of the Crusaders in the late twelfth century. The city, named Akko in Hebrew, has several millennia of history and its oldest part is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our visit will focus on the Crusader Fortress of the Hospitaller Order, with its spectacular Hall of Columns and numerous legends linked to the place.
To conclude the day, we will move to the hotel where you will have dinner and stay at night, in the region of Galilee, halfway between Acre and the Sea of Galilee, which we will meet the next day.
In this Christian journey through Israel, this fourth day is one of those that Jesus will be most present, since we will dedicate it to the Sea of Galilee and to nearby places of great significance, because they are related to different miracles worked by Christ.
After breakfast at the hotel, we will get into our vehicle to approach this great lake, which is also called Lake Tiberias. Upon arrival, we will take a boat trip and, during the journey, it will be inevitable to mention Christ: here he convinced Peter, John, James and Andrew to abandon their hard life as fishermen to follow him on his mission. And on these waters, to dispel doubts, he worked the miracle of the fish and that of their steps on the waters.
After the boat ride, we will go to the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus exercised his gifts as a speaker and gave the famous Sermon on the Mount, taking advantage of the natural slope of the slope to use it as an improvised auditorium. This natural elevation rises on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and here was built in the twentieth century a church commemorating the episode.
It also has its memorial church the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, in the current town of Tabgha. It is a humble Benedictine temple and inside is the stone on which Christ would have performed this prodigy, which served to feed the crowd that followed him from Capernaum. A beautiful mosaic from the late fifth century evokes this miracle.
We will go to Capernaum after this visit. This is the village where Jesus met some of his disciples and began to spread his message. This town today is a large archaeological site, which houses places as symbolic as the House of Peter, which also served as a church, and a large synagogue.
In the afternoon, we will leave the shores of the Sea of Galilee but not the region, because there will still be important places that every Christian trip to Israel will be. must include. For example, Cana of Galilee, which is the likely place where Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine, during the wedding at Cana. Here, therefore, is located the church of the Wedding at Cana, and is one of the main places of pilgrimage for those who visit the Holy Land, not only for its enormous symbolism, but also for its beauty.
And to conclude the day, Nazareth, another of those fundamental places in the life of Jesus and, therefore, in every Christian trip to Israel. Despite being one of the cities with the largest Arab population in Israel, it is also a holy place for Christianity: this is where the Holy Family had its home and where Jesus spent his childhood. Moreover, this would be where the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary the news of her son’s arrival. Therefore, the main places to visit are related to it: the Basilica of the Annunciation or church of San Gabriel, as well as the church of San José where Mary’s companion had his carpentry workshop.
After the visit of Nazareth we returned to our hotel in Galilee with time for dinner and thus conclude this day, one of the most exciting and intense of this Christian trip to Israel.
On the fifth day of this Christian journey through Israel and Jordan, the mystical and supernatural sense is very present, due to the important places that are in the program. After breakfast at the hotel in Galilee, we will head towards the first of them: Safed.
Safed is one of the holy cities for Judaism (along with Jerusalem, Tiberias and Hebron). The reason: to be the ‘capital’ of Kabbalah, the most mystical side of this religion. We will talk extensively about it and walk through its narrow streets and synagogues, which will make us understand this philosophy close to esotericism. Its location is also very particular: at about 900 meters of altitude, at a very steep elevation above the Sea of Galilee.
From Safed we will move to the Jordan River, specifically to one of the places where it is believed that Christ could have been baptized by St. John the Baptist: Yardenit (the other is Qasr el Yahud or Bethany Beyond the Jordan, further south). In this stretch of the river an enclosure has been built that gives context to this important biblical episode and where, in addition, many visitors and pilgrims immerse themselves in the waters to emulate the rite of purification carried out by Jesus.
The last of the visits of this fifth day is Mount Tabor, another essential place in any Christian trip through Israel. In this imposing natural elevation is the Basilica of the Transfiguration, which commemorates that supernatural phenomenon starring Jesus Christ: the radiance in which he was involved and then establish communication with the prophets Moses and Elijah, as well as with God, who called him “son”, in the presence of St. Peter, James and St. John. In this basilica we will enter to learn more about the monument and what it represents.
And after this last visit we will go by road to Jerusalem, where we will sleep the next three nights to calmly discover this holy city, as it is a key stop on this Christian journey through Israel.. Upon arrival at the hotel, dinner will be served and then we retire to the rooms to rest.
Our first day in Jerusalem will begin with the transfer, after breakfast, to the Yad Vashem museum. In this Christian journey through Israel, dominated by feelings of love, fraternity and mercy, could not miss a visit to this place full of emotion.
Yad Vashem is the museum dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, perpetrated by the Nazis in the context of World War II. Despite being a place promoted by the Israeli and, therefore, Jewish authorities, it offers a tribute and learning that are shared by any religion and any person of peace.
After visiting this museum we will head to the most central places of Jerusalem, starting with the Mount of Olives. This mountain, located east of the Old City, offers magnificent panoramic views of Jerusalem and, at the same time, is full of holy sites for Jews and Christians. For the former, for its spectacular Jewish Cemetery, the most important of this religion. And for Christians, for the places related to Jesus’ last prayer and his subsequent arrest. To remember those momentous moments in the life of Christ, we will visit the Garden of Gethsemane and its Basilica, also called of the Agony or of the Nations.
Afterwards, we will go to the interior of the Old City, where the most sacred places for the three monotheistic religions are located, as we will have the opportunity to see and visit in first person. We will head to the Esplanade of the Mosques, from where Muslims believe that Muhammad ascended to the heavens (Dome of the Rock). We will also see the Western Wall or Western Wall, which is the only thing left standing of Solomon’s Second Temple, destroyed by Titus’ Roman troops in 70 AD. And, of course, we will travel the Via Dolorosa, the one that Jesus Christ completed on the way to his Crucifixion. His death occurred on Mount Calvary, just where some time later the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built (which we will visit) and in whose crypt is the empty tomb of Jesus.
In the last stretch of the day we will move to Mount Zion, next to the southern entrance of the walls. Here we will find several buildings loaded with symbolism. On the one hand, the tomb of King David, who is also considered a prophet for Christians and Muslims. And on the other, the Upper Room, that is, the room where it is believed that the Last Supper of Jesus with his apostles could have taken place. And very close to here, the Dormition Abbey, a nineteenth-century building built to commemorate the place where the Virgin Mary would have entered into eternal sleep.
All these places are, therefore, essential in any Christian trip to Israel., so they are protagonists on our sixth day of circuit. At the end of the day we will return to our hotel for dinner and rest.
On this seventh day of our Christian journey through Israel, we take Jerusalem as a starting point for several very close excursions, which will occupy the whole day. Therefore, breakfast at the hotel will charge us with energy for the visits of the day.
The first one is very special: Bethlehem. In this town, today in the territory of the West Bank, Jesus was born. Specifically in a grotto that today is part of the Basilica of the Nativity. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the first Christian temples to be built, at the wish of Emperor Constantine I, in early Christian style. We will also visit the Campo de los Pastores, with its small temple that commemorates the visit of the shepherds and, therefore, the first announcement of the birth of Jesus. Undoubtedly, a very special place at Christmas, but it can be visited with equal emotion throughout the year.
From Bethlehem we will return to Jerusalem, this time to discover the most modern area of the city. In it we will visit the Israel Museum, where the Sanctuary of the Book is located: there are exposed the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, one of the oldest documents preserved from the Torah or Old Testament. In addition, models of Herodian Jerusalem and other informative resources will help us better understand what the city and the region was like in biblical times.
Finally, we will move to the neighborhood of Ein Karem, one of the most picturesque in Jerusalem for its artisan atmosphere. It is also because of the presence of important temples, which deserve to be in this Christian journey through Israel: on the one hand, the church of San Juan Bautista, on the birthplace of this prophet and faithful follower of Christ; and on the other, the Church of the Visitation, which commemorates the meeting between Elizabeth and Mary, both pregnant with their respective children, John and Jesus.
With the visit of Ein Karem and its temples, we will conclude our tour of Jerusalem and its surroundings, so we will return to the hotel for dinner and rest, facing the next day, which will take us to Jordanian lands.
On the eighth day, our Christian journey through Israel and Jordan arrives in this second country. To do this, after breakfast at the hotel in Jerusalem, we will leave for the Sheikh Hussein border post, the northernmost and closest to the city that will occupy our morning: Jerash.
This is the ancient Gerasa, a Roman city that was part of the so-called Decapolis (ten cities of great importance at the eastern end of that great empire). Its cultural and economic flourishing is easy to imagine for its large archaeological park: important monuments such as two theaters, numerous pagan and Christian temples, a circus or hippodrome and the Cardus Maximus, which takes the visitor to the spectacular Oval Square, ancient forum, are still preserved. It is no coincidence, therefore, that Emperor Hadrian visited it and in his honor the Arc de Triomphe was erected, which can still be admired today.
After this visit, which is an immersive journey through time, we will travel to Amman, the Jordanian capital. In this city, the largest and most vibrant in the country, we will make a brief panoramic tour of the city to discover its most representative places. For example, the Roman Theater, as Amman can also boast of having a history of several thousand years, with Roman domination included.
After the panoramic tour of Amman, we will go to the hotel booked in this city, where before resting dinner will be served.
On this ninth day of Christian travel to Israel and Jordan we stop, momentarily, from focusing on the sacred places and episodes of this religion. But it is worth it because we will focus on a unique and unrepeatable destination: Petra. Therefore, we will get up early and have breakfast at the hotel to travel to this enclave located in the south of the country.
As soon as we arrive at the Visitor Center and enter the enclosure we will realize that this is a special place. We will pass the Tomb of the Obelisks and enter the Siq or canyon that, later, leads to the most famous monument of Petra: the Treasury, built when the Nabataean Empire reached its zenith, between the first centuries BC and I AD. Moviegoers will also remember the scenes that Harrison Ford recorded here as Indiana Jones.
But Petra doesn’t end there, far from it. Behind the Treasury opens an overwhelming place of cannons and monuments carved into the rock: the Street of the Façades, the Theater, the temples of Nabataean religion, the Colonnaded Street in the ancient Roman city … And as icing on the tour, the more than 800 steps that take us to the Al Deir Monastery, so called because that was the use that Byzantine civilization gave it in the early days of Christianity.
Undoubtedly, an extraordinary destination that has been preserved over the centuries thanks, to a large extent, to the fact that its spaces continued to be used by the local Bedouin tribes. The visit will leave us a collection of memories that you can share and comment from tonight, in the hotel where you will dine and sleep, located Wadi Musa (the town adjacent to Petra).
After breakfast at the hotel in Wadi Musa, we will return to our vehicle to continue south, as another of the great tourist attractions of Jordan awaits us: the Wadi Rum desert.
It is another of the places immortalized by the cinema, in this case
Lawrence of Arabia
, a film starring T.E. Lawrence, a British soldier and writer who participated in the Arab Rebellion against the Ottoman Empire. But although many associate it with it, in reality the beauty and magnetism of this nature reserve is easily appreciated as soon as you arrive. And above all, on the 4×4 routes that run along tracks and desert dunes, like the one we will do for two hours. Before our eyes will appear mountains of impossible shapes, bridges and stone arches, rocky canyons with petroglyphs and small oases of vegetation …
After living this experience in the desert, we will return to Amman by road. But on the way we will stop at another of those places that can not be missing in a Christian journey through Israel and Jordan: Madaba. This city, very important in the first centuries of Christianity, has always stood out for its tolerant spirit and interreligious coexistence. It is no coincidence that here the proportion of followers of Jesus is the highest in the whole country, and that the number of churches is also very high. Precisely in one, that of St. George, we will enter to learn about an authentic treasure: the Byzantine map-mosaic of the Holy Land, considered the oldest cartographic representation of this territory.
After admiring this historical, religious and artistic gem, we will complete the road trip to Amman, where our hotel is again located, with dinner included.
On the eleventh day of the circuit, we left Jordan to return to Tel Aviv and spend the last night there. It will be a day of more relaxed pace, since after breakfast we will leave for the Allenby border crossing to cross the border calmly and reach the city where our city began. Christian journey through Israel.
Depending on the wait we will find at the border, there will be more or less free time in Tel Aviv, but in any case it may be a good time to make the last purchases or enjoy this modern city with some leisure, gastronomy or beach plan, for example. And at nightfall, dinner will be offered at the hotel, prior to the last rest of the trip.
After twelve days of Christian travel through Israel and Jordan, and after having also visited other places of enormous tourist interest, it is time to end the circuit. After breakfast at the hotel, there may be free time for a last walk around the city. And at the agreed time, we will pick you up at the hotel for transfer to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion International Airport. In the terminal we will offer the last assistance that may be necessary and we will say goodbye with all our gratitude, wishing that soon there will be a reunion in the Holy Land or in other destinations managed by our agency.
In 12 days of Christian travel through Israel and Jordan, the most important services are included in the package. They are as follows:
These are the services and costs that are not included in the Christian travel package for Israel and Jordan
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