Acre- A World Heritage Site .
Acre is an exceptional historic walled port-city with continuous settlement from the Phoenician period. Acre preserves substantial remains of its medieval Crusader buildings beneath the existing Moslem fortified town dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. The remains of the Crusader town of Acre, both above and below the present-day street level, provide an exceptional picture of the layout and structures of the capital of the medieval Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. Present-day Acre is an important example of an Ottoman walled town, with typical urban components such as the citadel, mosques, khans, and baths well preserved, partly built on top of the underlying Crusader structures. Visit the Crusaders Halls and Al Jazar Mosque. Acre is a mixed population cityof Muslims, Christians & Jews.
Avdat -Once a Nabatean stronghold on the Spice Route from the Orient to Europe. The city of Avdat was named after the Nabatean king Oboda (30–9 BCE), who was buried there. Later, the last Nabatean king, Rabbel (70–106 CE), rebuilt Avdat.In 106 CE the Roman Empire took over the region, and Avdat continued to flourish until the seventh-century Arab conquest.
Bethsaida-located in the heart of the Jordan Park and along the Jordan River. Bethsaida is one of the most frequently mentioned towns in the New Testament, with at least three (Peter, Andrew, Philip) of the 12 apostles having been born there.
Beit Guvrin National Park, home to hundreds of caves, which first served as quarries for the people of the Hellenistic city (ca. 200 BC) to build their houses. Beneath the houses are storerooms, cisterns, a huge dovecote and ancient olive press.
Beit Shean - Located in the northern Jordan Valley. One of the biggest excavated sites in Israel with its bathhouse and Cardo, Roman Theater, the Amphitheater and the Paladius St. Was first settled in the fifth millennium NCE on a mound south of the Harod Stream, in the heart of a region of great fertility and abundant water, and at what became a major crossroads. TheTalmud mentions this city as being the "entrance to paradise.
Caesarea- an ancient city port that was built by Herod the Great.
Began in the third century BCE during the Hellenistic period as a small Phoenician port city called Straton’s Tower.In 90 BCE, the Hasmonean King Alexander Jannaeus conquered the city to expand the borders of his kingdom and develop its shipping industry. The population of Straton’s Tower remained Jewish until the Romans conquest in 63 BCE, when the granted the city its freedom. King Herod the Great transformed the city beginning in 22 BCE with the construction of its sophisticated port, warehouses, markets, great streets, bathhouses, temples and magnificent public buildings, naming it Caesarea. Every five years the city hosted gladiatorial games, sports competitions and performances.
A new audio-visual presentation brings to life the times of the Romans who controlled these shores 2,000 years ago. Today, it draws major venue attractions, for concerts and festivals.
Cana , located in Lower Galilee and identified in Christian tradition as Cana of the Galilee. Here, according to tradition, Jesus performed the miracle of the wine, when he went to a wedding of a poor couple and turned water into wine. In the 17th century Kafr Kana was officially recognized by the Vatican, and the pope officially confirmed that Kafr Kana is indeed Cana of the Galilee. Following this recognition the village was added to the list of Christian
holy places. The most important site in the village is the Catholic Church, built in 1879, on the traditional site of the miracle of the wine. Beside this church is the Greek Orthodox church of St. George, built in 1886.
Eilat- Over the years, the city of Eilat has become the ultimate resort city with hotels and beaches packed with thousands of Israeli vacationers and tourists from around the world, who come to relax in the country’s southernmost spot.
The secret of this little city’s charm is its special location in the northern end of the Bay of Eilat.The combination of a hot climate, a tropical sea and a breathtaking background of wild, bare granite mountains has turned it into a tourist gem all the year round.
Haifa- Israel's third largest city and northern capital . Situated in a broad natural bay between the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and the awe - inspiring Carmel mountain.The city's terraced landscape offers a rich variety of breathtaking panoramas, giving the observer the sensation of being on a heavenly peninsula. To the northeast, across the sparkling waters of the harbor sits the medieval walled fortress city of Acre.
One of the biggest attraction in Haifa is the Hanging Bahai Gardens located on Mount Carmel and the beautiful Bahai Temple and its amazing gardens.
Jaffa- One of the world’s oldest cities, with a harbor that has been in use since the Bronze Age. The city’s history is connected to a series of successive conquests that rocked Israel through the millennia. In biblical times, Jaffa was ruled by the Egyptians, the Canaanites, the Philistines and other ancient peoples. Following Israel’s 1948 War of Independence, Jaffa became part of the new State of Israel, and then was folded into the municipality of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. Today’s Jaffa is a city with a diverse population of Jews, Muslims and Christians. Currently undergoing a wave of gentrification, Jaffa is a socio-economic mix of young artists, new wealth and older, less affluent inhabitants. Culturally, Jaffa has become a place where creative types of all kinds live, work and set up shop.
Jerusalem- Thanks to a history that goes back more than - 5,000 years Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities . For over 3,000 years, Jerusalem has been conquered, destroyed, was recaptured and placed under siege several times. For many years it was considered the center of the world (so it appears in ancient maps) from which emerged three monotheistic religions that have shaped and still shape the world we live in today.
Jerusalem is the holiest city of Judaism importance to the Jewish people is originated in the belief that this is the place God chose for his Divine Presence and name, and for that reason this is the place where the first and second Temples were built. According to the Christian faith, Jesus Christ was sentenced to death, crucified and then resurrected in Jerusalem, an act that not only became the central pillar of Christianity, but that also marked Jerusalem as the holiest site in Christendom.
Jerusalem began to occupy a special role in Islam after Muhammad’s death. Despite of the fact that the name Jerusalem is not specifically mentioned in the Koran, it is widely believed that Muhammad ascended to heaven from Jerusalem in his Miraj, his miraculous night journey from Mecca.
Jerusalem has many characteristics that distinguish it, one of the most prominent of them is the unique combination between ancient and modern. Jerusalem is the official capital of Israel. The populace of Jerusalem is more than the joined populaces of Tel Aviv and Haifa together .
Jerusalem is not only a city of history in discovery, it is also a city of art and culture - 70 museums are placed within the city, Theatres, festivals restaurants and night live.
Kaser-El-Yahud- an importance in both Jewish and Christian history. This is where Joshua and the Children of Israel crossed into the Promised Land after 40 years in the desert (Joshua 4). This was where the prophet Elijah rose up to heaven in chariot of fire (II Kings 2:11) and where John the Baptist baptized many pilgrims, including Jesus of Nazareth (Luke 3).
Massada- 500 meters high above the Dead Sea. The Fortress of Massada is set on a giant cliff, 600 m. length, 300 m. width and 2000 years old .The greatest castle in history built by King Herod. Here, was the last stronghold of the Jewish Zealots in their struggle against the Romans. The Zealots held out for three years against the legions of Flavius Silva and chose to die as free men at their own hands rather than submit to Roman slavery. From the top of Massada, the outlines of the Roman encampments are still visible below.
A cable car takes the visitors up to the cliff, to an unforgettable tour of the palaces, the warehouses and residential areas, the water complex, the impressive fortified system and to the most fascinating view of the Judean Desert.
Mitzpeh Ramon Crater the world’s largest natural crater and the largest Mahtesh (crater) in the Negev in the Ramon mountain range. The mahtesh is about 40 kilometers long; its maximum width is about 10 kilometers, and its walls are 200-300 meters high. The flora in the mahtesh is typical of the warm desert areas of the Negev, and it has many animals, including ibex, and various reptiles, while vultures nest on its cliffs.
Nazareth - Nazareth, , is the cradle of Christianity, the city where, according to tradition, the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit, and the place where Jesus spent his childhood and youth. Nazareth, in the lower Galilee, is located in the heart of a valley surrounded by mountains that embrace several of the most important Christian sites in the world. This is a city of religion and faith, of spirituality and holiness, but also a city with a rich history, fascinating archeology, modern culture and Middle Eastern charm.
Megiddo- (site of Armageddon) -mentioned in the New Testament as the battleground of the end of days (Revelation 16:14-21)./ Megiddo the Fortress City of King Solomon build here a Fortress, later was built upon by King Ahab. The books of Daniel and Revelation will come alive as we study about the final Battle of Armageddon, while viewing the.
Safed -Safed is a picturesque city of spiritual people and artists, wrapped in mysticism and mystery, and steeped in sacred atmosphere. Visitors to Safed sense the city’s warm embrace as they wander through its alleyways past charming stone houses with their artists’ studios and workshops.
Safed is one of the four holy cities in Israel. It has been a spiritual center since the 1600s when it was the center of Kabbala (Jewish mysticism). The Kabbalist mystics lived, studied, taught, and wrote in the city and many of the graves are objects of veneration.
Tel -Aviv Tel Aviv, often called “the city that never stops,” was the first modern Jewish city built in Israel, and is the country’s economic and cultural center. It is a lively, active city with entertainment, culture and art, festivals, and a rich night life.Hundreds of thousands of workers, visitors, tourists, and partygoers move about the city each day until the early hours of the morning, seeking out the city’s nightclubs, restaurants, and centers of entertainment. Tel Aviv hosts a wide range of architectural styles which were influenced by various schools of architecture - among which was the International Bauhaus style. The central portion of Tel Aviv - which is known as “The White City" - contains the largest group of buildings in the world built in the International Bauhaus style. For this reason the White City has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. This style originated in Germany and was based upon clean geometric shapes and asymmetry, and flourished from the 1930s until the establishment of the State. It soon attracted other city architects as well.
Tel Dan national reserve, a beautiful paradise that lies in the ancient city ruins of Dan. We will walk down the gorgeous trails leading through dense forest, streams and the Chatzbani River and see the fascinating archway built centuries before the Roman archways
The Dead Sea-The Hula Valley Nature reserve- The Hula Valley is an important resting and “refueling” place for migrating birds on their annual trip from Europe to Africa and back. Israel's first national park and home to thousands of birds, including cranes, storks, pelicans, cormorants, and several types of herons as well as rare water plants such as the lovely yellow iris. Buffalo were placed in parts of the reserve because their grazing helps preserve the open meadow entire Sea of Galilee and surrounding holy sites.