Arrive in Tel Aviv and meet your driver for a private transfer to your hotel. Rest up from your trip or begin exploring this dynamic city at your leisure.




(Accommodations, Tel Aviv)

Explore the highlights of Tel Aviv, beginning with the neighborhood of Jaffa. Tel Aviv's full name is Tel Aviv-Jaffa and Jaffa is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world with its first settlements being traced back to 1800 BCE. Today, Jaffa is a bustling entertainment area full of restaurants, bars, and art galleries, with a diverse population of Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

Continue to the famous Flea Market, one of the trendiest entertainment spots in recent years, that is a refuge for hip locals, young families, and artists, with its unique atmosphere of old and new.

Then take a walk via Neve Tzedek, a hip neighborhood where the intellectual elite lived during Israel's early days, and visit the Carmel Market, "The Shuk". As Tel Aviv's biggest market, you'll find locals and tourists alike, attracting even those that have already visited Israel many times. Everything from fresh fruits, vegetables, and spices to electronics and clothing is sold here, along with some of the best street food Tel Aviv has to offer. Your tour includes a tasting card* which will allow you to indulge in the abundance of the Carmel market at your own time and convenience. End the day walking by Rothschild Boulevard, otherwise known as The White City, and a UNESCO World Heritage site for its high concentration of Bauhaus Buildings.

*Independent tasting card: includes tastings of special blend turkish coffee, market snacks - changes seasonally, kebab or market's home-made stew, three market tapas and beer, majadara - oriental rice and lentils dish - or stuffed vine leaves, health drink.


(Breakfast & Accommodations, Tel Aviv)

Visit the ancient city of Caesarea, built by Herod the Great and once the Roman capital of Judea. The ancient port, the Roman hippodrome, the amphitheater, and an impressive palace are among the many historical treasures in this fascinating ancient city.

Next stop is Haifa, Israel's third largest city. Sitting on the slopes of Mt. Carmel, Haifa is renowned as an example of coexistence between Arabs and Jews. This stop will include a visit to the impressive Baha'i Gardens that dominate the Bay. You will also have the unique experience of visiting a Druze village just outside Haifa to learn about this unique culture. The Druze are an Arab minority, the majority of the population split between Syria, Lebanon and Israel. They live peacefully in Israel and are renowned for their hospitality. Their mysterious religion and unique culture set them apart from other Israeli Arabs. A visit to Daliat el-Carmel's ancient quarters and the Legacy House, will reveal some of their secrets. You will also have lunch while enjoying their hospitality and delightful food.

Next, travel to the ancient crusader port city of Acre (Akko), a fascinating UNESCO town. Visit the Crusader Halls and the Hospitaller Fortress and walk the underground Templars' Tunnel that leads from the fortress to the city's port. Continue to Tiberias and check into your hotel for the evening.

(Breakfast, Tel Aviv; Lunch, Haifa; Accommodations, Tiberias)

Awake in Tiberias and start the day with a visit to the Mystical City of Safed, strolling through the narrow, winding alleys, and visiting some of the beautiful synagogues. Browse through the artists' workshops and galleries found in the flourishing artists' quarter. Next is a visit to Adir Boutique Dairy Center and Winery, where you will take part in an interesting goat cheese making workshop and experience the skill of cheese making while tasting wine, cheese, and frozen goat yogurt. Continue with a visit to the Golan Olive Oil Mill for a tour and tasting in the city of Katzrin. Next, proceed to Mount Bental overlook for a tour of the Northern border. Finish the evening with an expert speaker for a background on the history and geopolitical situation of the region. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

(Breakfast & Accommodations, Tiberias)

After breakfast and checking out of your Tiberias hotel, drive to the ancient remains of Beit Shean, founded some six millennia ago, mentioned in The Scriptures in the tragedy of King Saul's defeat on nearby Mount Gilboa. Around 2,300 years ago it was rebuilt as a Hellenistic city that rose to greatness under the Romans and the Byzantines but was felled by an earthquake in 749 CE, leaving behind splendid colonnaded streets, a bathhouse, theater and shrines, reconstructed in the shadow of the biblical tell.

The Jordan Rift Valley will lead us to Kasser El Yahud - "the Jews Passage." According to tradition, this spot on the Jordan River is both where the Israelites, led by Joshua son of Nun, crossed the river to enter the Promised Land following the Exodus from Egypt; and where approximately 300 years later, the Prophet Elijah crossed the river in the opposite direction, to be taken into heaven by fiery chariots, witnessed by his disciple Elisha.

Continue to Qumran, home of the Dead Sea Scrolls, first discovered in the caves in 1947 by a Bedouin shepherd looking for a lost goat, that were revealed to be the oldest biblical Hebrew scriptures ever found. In the afternoon, check in to your Dead Sea hotel and enjoy the amazing experience of floating in the highly saline waters of the Dead Sea, or relax at the spa.

(Breakfast, Tiberias; Accommodations, Dead Sea)

After breakfast at the hotel, head to the Negev Desert where you will visit Masada. Sitting atop a lone rock cliff at the western end of the Judean Desert, Masada was King Herod's private fortress, which became a base for a small band of Jewish zealots in the revolt against the Romans following the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 BCE. Ascend Masada by cable car and enjoy sweeping desert views on your way up. Next, drive to Kfar Hanokdim, an oasis in the Judean Desert that features goat hair Bedouin style tents, spacious lodges made of local stone and many relaxing spots to unwind among palm trees and captivating nature. Wrap up the tour with an exciting Camel Trek followed by a traditional Hafla Meal. From there drive directly to Jerusalem for check in and overnight.

(Breakfast, Dead Sea; Lunch; Kfar Hanokdim; Accommodations, Jerusalem)

After enjoying a wonderful Israeli breakfast buffet, ascend Mt. Scopus for a breathtaking panoramic view and an introduction to the Old and New City of Jerusalem. Enter the Old City and walk through the Armenian and Jewish quarters to the recently excavated and restored Cardo, the Roman road that was once the heart of the city. See the Jewish Wailing Wall, the Kotel, the last remnant of the Second Temple of Jerusalem and the holiest place of the Jewish people. In the background sits the golden Dome of the Rock, sacred to Islam as the place from where Prophet Muhammad began his Night Journey. Continue to the Christian Quarter and walk along the Via Dolorosa, or Way of the Cross, the path Jesus followed on the way to crucifixion. The final stations are inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre built by Constantine the Great, the site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus according to the Catholic Tradition. Afterwards, take some free time perusing the souks of the Arab Bazaar.

In the afternoon, you'll take a trip to Bethlehem, walk by Manger Square, and visit the Church of the Nativity. One of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world, the church is built over the cave that tradition marks as the birthplace of Jesus. Walk along the barrier wall that separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem and see the graffiti by renowned and mysterious artist Banksy, and maybe catch a glimpse of Walled Off Hotel. Starting as a temporary art exhibit, it's been open for years as a full-service hotel, with only 9 rooms each with a signature graffiti. Return to Jerusalem and spend your evening at leisure in your hotel.

(Breakfast & Accommodations, Jerusalem)

Today take a journey through some of the milestones that led to the birth of the State of Israel. Start the day at the Herzl Vision Experience in Mount Herzl, an interactive tour through the life and times of Theodor Herzl, an Austro-Hungarian Jewish journalist who is considered the father of Zionism. Next, visit the Yad Vashem museum and memorial for the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. You'll also take a tour of the Holocaust History Museum, built mostly underground, that presents the story of the Holocaust from a unique Jewish perspective. Move on to the sobering exhibit at the Children's Pavilion, that commemorates the death of over 1.5 million Jewish children in the Holocaust. End this portion of the tour at the Holocaust Art Museum that focuses only on the works created during the Shoah based on the experience of the individual.

Continue with an exploration of modern Jerusalem at the Kneset, the Israeli Parliament, and its famous Menorah, the symbol of the Jewish People and State. Afterwards, walk through the neighborhoods of Yemin Moshe and Mishkenot Sha'ananim, two of the first neighborhoods built outside the Walls of the Old City. Continue by Ben Yehuda Pedestrian Mall and Nachalat Shiva to the Machane Yehuda Market, the main, colorful market of Jerusalem that provides a rare glimpse into the Jerusalemite Culture. Your tour includes an independent tastings tour in which you will receive a tasting card that features a taste of traditional baked goods, Jerusalem mixed grill, authentic hummus, a health drink, boutique beer or dim-sum, and a market coffee or ice cream.

(Breakfast & Accommodations, Jerusalem)

Today discover Ein Kerem, a tranquil and picturesque village nested in the Judean Hills just a few minutes away from the busy streets of Jerusalem. Ein Kerem is important in Chrisitian tradition as the birthplace of John the Baptist. You'll visit the beautiful church bearing his name, and Mary's Well, in commemoration of Mary Mother of Jesus who visited her cousin Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, while both were pregnant. Walk through the village's narrow alleys, taking time to step into the arts and crafts galleries and workshops of this true hidden gem.

Next, hike along Road 395, one of the most beautiful scenic roads in Israel, where you'll have the option to visit many worthy stops on the way to the Valley of Ellah. Your first optional extension is at Kibbutz Tzuba where you can experience the ruins of the Crusader fortress of Belmont (30 mins to 2 hrs) or the Galita Chocolate Farm, renowned for its fine chocolates by Belgium-trained chocolatier, Galita. You can stop to learn about their chocolate or for more hiking, continue to the Caesar's Route, a 90 minute hike along the Israel Trail.

After hiking along 395, you'll arrive at the Ellah Valley, "the valley of the oak or terebinth" best known as the place where the epic battle between David and Goliath took place and you can pick a stone from the same stream that David used in his battle against the Philistine giant. The Valley is home to some of the most renowned boutique wineries in Israel, such as Ellah Valley Winery, Castel, and Flam, among others. You'll visit one of them and learn about Kosher winemaking, and taste some of the best wines of the land.

(Breakfast & Accommodations, Jerusalem)

Enjoy one last breakfast in Israel before meeting your private departure transfer to Ben Gurion Airport to return home or continue to your next Avanti destination.



(Breakfast, Jerusalem)