Day 01
Old City of Jerusalem and Bethlehem's Sacred Sites
- A professional guide-driver will meet you in the lobby of your centrally located hotel or at another central point in Jerusalem, and you will set out on an interesting full-day tour. During this tour, you will see almost all the major sights of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Along the way, your guide will share a concise history of both cities.
- You will discover many exciting features and true facts through the stories of a licensed guide. You will learn unusual details and secrets of the Old City. Entering the Old City, you will pass through the Armenian Quarter on your way to the Jewish Quarter and the ancient Byzantine Cardo.
- The next stop is the famous Western Wall, part of the western retaining wall of the Temple Mount. It was built by Herod the Great during his expansion of the Temple in 20 BCE. The wall serves as an outdoor synagogue, with written prayers inserted into the crevices between its large stones.
- You will then follow the Via Dolorosa, also known as the Way of the Cross. Jesus walked this route from the place where he was sentenced to the site of the crucifixion, and many pilgrims choose to walk it as well, stopping at the various stations along the way.
- This road leads to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, one of the most significant pilgrimage sites for Christians, as it was built on the site where Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose from the dead.
- Afterward, you will continue to explore the old city of Bethlehem. The Church of St. Catherine was built over the cave where Jesus was born. It shares a wall with the Nativity Church, which marks the site of Christ's birthplace. Today's basilica, the oldest complete church in the Christian world, was built in the 6th century.
- You will then see the Chapel of The Shepherd's Field, which marks the place where the angels first announced the birth of Christ.
- Afterward, the tour returns to the meeting point in Jerusalem.
