A2 – Holy Land: Encounter with History.

Arrival at the airport, assistance, and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.

Breakfast. Departure from CAESAREA MARITIME, the ancient Roman capital, where we will visit its Theater, the Crusader Fortress Wall, and the Roman Aqueduct. We will continue to the city of HAIFA, climb Mount Carmel, where the Grotto of Prophet Elijah is located, and contemplate the Baha'i Temple and its Persian Gardens, enjoying a panoramic view of the city and the port. Continue to ST. JOAN D’ACRE, the Crusader capital, visiting the medieval fortresses. Arrival in NAZARETH. Dinner and accommodation included.

Breakfast. We'll begin the day with a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee. We'll continue to visit Magdala, where we'll see remains of the town and its synagogue, and visit the modern church. Later, we'll visit the Mount of Beatitudes, where the Sermon on the Mount took place. We'll arrive in Tabgha , site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. We'll visit Capernaum, where the House of St. Peter and the ruins of the ancient synagogue are located. We'll return to Nazareth. Dinner and overnight stay included.

NOTE: The boat trip on the Sea of Galilee can be done the following day.

Breakfast. In the morning, we will visit the city of Nazareth, visiting the Church of the Annunciation, the Carpentry of St. Joseph, and the Fountain of the Virgin. We will continue to Mount Precipice, from where we can admire a beautiful panoramic view of Nazareth and its surroundings. We will continue the day with a visit to Cana of Galilee, where Jesus' first miracle took place. In the afternoon, we will depart for Jerusalem through the Jordan River Valley, bordering the oasis of Jericho, where we will enjoy a panoramic view of the Mount of Temptation and the Dead Sea. We will ascend through the Judean Desert and enter Jerusalem, the city that is a messenger of peace and the cradle of the three great monotheistic religions. Overnight stay.

Breakfast and departure. We visit the Ain Karem neighborhood, home to the Church of St. John the Baptist, the birthplace of St. John the Baptist. Then, in Bethlehem, we visit the Church of the Nativity, home to the Manger Grotto and the 14-pointed Star, marking the birthplace of Jesus. We will also see the Basilica of St. Catherine and the Grotto of St. Jerome, where he translated the Bible into Latin. In the afternoon, we visit the Shepherds' Field in Beit Sahour, where angels announced the birth of Jesus. Return to the hotel. Overnight stay.

Breakfast. Departure for the Judean Desert to visit Masada, the last Jewish stronghold in their struggle against the Romans. We will take the cable car to see the remains of the palaces and fortifications that once stood there. Afterward, we will have free time at the Dead Sea to swim at one of its beaches (temperature permitting). Return to Jerusalem and overnight stay.

Breakfast. Departure for the Old City, beginning with a visit to the Wailing Wall, a sacred site for Judaism. We then head to the Temple Mount, the third holiest site in Islam, with the imposing Dome of the Rock, the symbol of Jerusalem. We will then walk along the Via Dolorosa, the path Jesus traveled carrying the cross, reaching Golgotha, the site of his crucifixion, and the Holy Sepulchre, where he was buried and resurrected. We will visit Mount Zion, with the Tomb of King David, the Cenacle (site of the Last Supper and Pentecost), and the Dormition Abbey, which commemorates the Assumption of Mary. From the Mount of Olives, we will enjoy a panoramic view of the city and finally visit the Garden of Gethsemane and the Basilica of the Agony, the site of Jesus' prayer before his arrest. Overnight stay.

Breakfast and transfer to Airport.