ISRAEL SERENADE - 2009-2010
Tuesday Departure
13 Days █ 11
Nights
Tour Includes:
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Professional Tour Director
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Choice of 9 Deluxe Hotel Plans
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8 Days of Comprehensive Sightseeing
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Plus! Walking Tours in Tel Aviv & Jerusalem
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Arrival and Departure Transfers
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USTOA $1 Million Traveles Asssistance
Program
16 Meals:
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Daily lsraeli Buffet Breakfast
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Lunch at Kibbutz Kfar Charuv
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Dinner in Tel Aviv
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Dinner at a Druze Restaurant
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Seaside Dinner in Tiberias
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Restaurant Dinner in Jerusalem
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Traditional Friday Night Dinner in Jerusalem
Plus!
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Visit the fascinating Palmach Museum
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Tour the Tank Division Memorial at Latrum
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Archeological "Dig" in Beit Guvrin National Park
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See the Multi-media Presentation at Caesarea Harbor
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Boat Cruise on the Sea of Galilee
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Descend to the Underwater Grottos at Rosh Hanikra
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Tour a Golan Height Ksibbutz
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Night Tour of "illuminated" Jerusalem
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Visit the Museum of the History of Jerusalem
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Tour the Herodian Mansions or Hasmonean Tunnel
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Complimentary Entrance to the exclusive DAN VIP Lounge at Ben Gurion Airport
(upon return to CANADA.)
(B) Breakfast (L) Lunch (D) Dinner
ITINERARY
Tuesday: En Route
Depart CANADA on your flight to Israel.
Wednesday: Tel Aviv
Welcome to Israel! Arrive Ben Gurion
Airport. Meeting, assistance and transfer to your hotel in vibrant Tel Aviv.
Thursday, 2008: Tel Aviv
Begin your day with a visit to the fascinating Palmach
Museum (subject to appointment confirmation) for a virtual tour of
the history of this underground military organization prior to the
establishment of the State of Israel.
Then on to Absalom (Soreq) Caves discovered by chance in a
miners’ blast some 40 years ago containing
stalactites and stalagmites that vary in shape and size, with some dating back
to up to 300,000 years. Continue to Natan
Rappaport’s brilliant bronze monument, the Scrolls of Fire, soaring high
in the scenic Judean Hills. Then, on to
the military junction at Latrun, once the border with Jordan; see the French
Trappist Monastery and visit the Tank Division Memorial. Return to Tel Aviv. (B)
Friday, 2008: Tel Aviv
Today, a great adventure! Spend the morning digging
and excavating at the Tel Maresha Dig at Beit Guvrin National
Park (weather permitting).
Continue to the old port city of Jaffa, magnificently restored.
Explore the reconstructed Artists’ Quarter with its galleries and
boutiques. Afterwards, on to Tel Aviv’s
Carmel Market (be sure to sample the delicious strawberries!) before
continuing to lively Nachlat Benjamin with its delightful cafes and
craft stalls for some great buys — definitely the place to be on Friday
afternoon! Tonight, Get Together Dinner.” (B.D.)
Saturday, 2008: Tel Aviv
Morning walking tour. Remainder of the day at leisure to enjoy
all of the delights of this seaside city. Don’t miss afternoon Israeli folk
dancing on the seaside promenade! Or, visit Little Tel Aviv, a lively area
dotted with yachts and a pub-filled boardwalk (just a short ride from your
hotel). (B)
Sunday, 2008: Tel Aviv/Haifa
Depart Tel Aviv. Drive to the Diaspora Museum;
experience 2500 years of the Diaspora through unconventional visual aids.
Continue to ancient Caesarea; explore the astounding Roman and Crusader
ruins including the impressive theater and aqueduct. Then, visit Caesarea Harbor, with its
thrilling, multi-media presentation—you’ll see ancient history come to life!
Arrive in Nazareth, the sacred town where Jesus spent part of his youth;
visit the Church and Mary’s Well. On to
the sparkling port city of Haifa; check into your hotel atop Mt.
Carmel. This evening, visit a Druze
Village where you’ll meet these unique Israelis in their home, hear of their
traditions and enjoy a Druze Dinner at a Restaurant. (B.D.)
Monday, Haifa/Tiberias
View the golden-domed Bahai Shrine and the
colorful Persian Gardens before departing Haifa. Drive along the coast to spectacular Rosh
Hanikra; descend by cable car to see the magnificent underwater
grottoes. Continue through the
picturesque seaside town of Nahariya to the timeless Crusader city of Acre;
walk through the subterranean city and the bazaars recalling the colorful
Middle Ages. Then, to Safed, one of Judaism’s holiest cities, where
Kabbalah flourished during the golden age; visit the ancient synagogues and the
charming Artists’ Quarter. Late afternoon Boat Ride on the Sea of
Galilee takes you to Tiberias on the lake’s shore for overnight
(during the winter season, the boat ride may be performed during the
morning). Evening: Dinner at
a fabulous seaside restaurant. (B.D.)
Tuesday, 2008: Tiberias/Jerusalem
Begin the day with a
drive to Capernaum; see the ruins of the ancient synagogue dating back
to the 5th-century. Then, ascend the strategic Golan Heights for a
greater understanding of the fierce battles that took place during the 1967
Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Visit Mt. Ben Tal, site of a
former Israeli bunker, for a spectacular view of the region. Arrive at Kibbutz Kfar Charuv,
settled by Americans and Israelis together;
view of the fertile valleys below as you tour the kibbutz and enjoy lunch
in the communal dining room. Travel to Bet Shean, an ancient city from
the time of King Saul; see the excavated remains of a Roman city. Continue to
“golden” Jerusalem for overnight. (B.L.)
Wednesday, 2008: Jerusalem
Drive to the Hadassah Medical Center to see the
brilliant Chagall Windows. On to Yad Vashem, memorial to the
Holocaust; visit the Museum, Children’s Pavilion and walk along the Avenue of
the Righteous. Then, to Mount Herzl to pay respects to Israel’s military
heroes. Visit the Herzl Museum (schedule permitting). Drive via
the Supreme Court Building and the Knesset (Parliament) to the Shrine
of the Book, home of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Time to walk through the Israel
Museum and the Billy Rose Sculpture Garden; see the Scale Model
of ancient Jerusalem. Evening:
Restaurant Dinner and Night Tour. (B.D.)
Thursday, 2008: Jerusalem
Friday, 2008: Jerusalem
Travel via the Judean desert and the shores of the Dead
Sea, the lowest place on earth, to Masada. Ascend by cable car to
this last stronghold of the Zealots in their struggle against the Romans. Visit
the excavations, Herod the Great’s palace, synagogue and bathhouse. Then,
opportunity to enjoy an “unsinkable” swim in the buoyant waters of the Dead
Sea. (We provide the changing facilities and lockers.) Drive via the
Qumran Caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, on your return to
Jerusalem. Evening: Traditional Friday Night Dinner. (B.D.)
Saturday, 2008: Jerusalem
Morning walking tour with your Tour Director through
the neighborhoods of Jerusalem. Then to the Museum of the History of
Jerusalem at David’s Citadel in the Old City. Remainder of the day
at leisure. (B)
Sunday, 2008: En Route
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. (B)
At Ben Gurion Airport, enjoy the comfort of the Dan
VIP Lounge while you await your flight’s departure. Please be sure to check on
boarding time of your flight with the hosts at the lounge as no announcement is
made within the lounge area.
We Wish You A Most
Enjoyable Trip!