ISRAEL SERENADE
2010-11
Tuesday
Departure ( 13 Days / 11 Nights)
Air fare NOT included
Tuesday, 2010: En Route
Depart CANADA on your flight to Israel.
Wednesday, 2010: Tel Aviv
Welcome to Israel!
Arrive Ben Gurion Airport. Meeting, assistance and transfer to your hotel in
vibrant Tel Aviv.
Thursday,
2010: 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, 2010:
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,
2010: 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 “Namal Tel Aviv”, a lively area
dotted with yachts and a pub-filled boardwalk (just a short ride from your
hotel). (B)
Sunday, 2010: 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! Hear of their traditions and
enjoy a Druze Dinner. (B.D)
Monday, 2010: 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.
Early evening Boat Ride on the
Sea of Galilee (spring-summer periods only) takes you to Tiberias on the lake’s
shore for overnight. Evening: Dinner at a fabulous seaside
restaurant. (B.D)
Tuesday, 2010: Tiberias/Jerusalem
Begin the day with a drive to Capernaum;
see the ruins of the ancient synagogue
dating back to the 4th 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. Stop at
a former Israeli army bunker once used as an outpost. Continue to a
Golan winery for some wine tasting. On to Katzrin, Capital of the Golan
to join the fascinating multi-media presentation “Kesem Hagolan” for a
greater understanding of this area. Arrive at Kibbutz Kfar Charuv,
settled by Americans and Israelis together; view 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, 2010: 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, 2010: Jerusalem
Enter the Old City from the Dung
Gate; walk to the Western Wall, the only remaining portion of the Second
Temple. Witness joyous Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah ceremonies! View the Dome
of the Rock. Drive to Mt. Zion to visit the traditional Tomb of
King David and the Room of the Last Supper. Proceed to the restored Jewish
Quarter; walk along the Cardo, the colonnaded main street of
Byzantine Jerusalem. Visit the Herodian Mansions, a completely excavated
residential quarter from 2000 years ago, or, walk through the extraordinary Hasmonean
Tunnel (tunnel schedule permitting.) Follow the Via Dolorosa
to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; walk through the exotic bazaars
with their wondrous aromas. End the day with an optional visit to
Bethlehem. Evening: Optional “Night
Spectacular” Sound and Light Show at the Citadel Museum (weather and
schedule permitting; please reserve at time of booking. Price $14,
does not include transportation).
(B)
Friday, 2010: 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, 2010: 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, 2010: En Route
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.
(B) Breakfast (L) Lunch (D) Dinner
We
Wish You A Most Enjoyable Trip!
