Greek Orthodox Tour

Departure to Tel Aviv.

Arrive in Israel, transfer to hotel and overnight Tel Aviv.

Drive to Caesarea (Acts 9.30 Acts 10 24-48). Visit the Roman, Byzantine and Crusader ruins including the Theatre and the Aqueduct. Continue to Mount Carmel to see where Elijah the prophet performed the miracle of the fire against the false prophets of Baal (1st Kings 18). Visit Stella Maris Monastery, center of the Carmelites in the Holy Land.

Drive to Nazareth, the town where Jesus lived as a boy. Visit the Greek Orthodox Church in Nazareth and, Mary’s Well, where Mother Mary received the good news from the Angel Gabriel. Continue to the site of the first miracle of the Lord Jesus, the Greek Orthodox Church at Cana of Galilee (John 2. 1-11). From here to Mount Tabor, site of the transfiguration of our Lord to visit the Orthodox Monastery located on top of the Mountain. Visit Yardenit the Baptismal site on the Jordan River. Continue on to Tiberias. Here you will check in to your hotel, enjoy dinner and stay overnight.

Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee (John 6. 1, 6.23). Visit the Orthodox Church in Capernaum where most of the ministries of Jesus took place (Matt.4 13, 13.54, 17.54, Luke 7, Mark 1.2, John 4.46-54). The outstanding remains of the synagogue built by the Roman centurion who was the first heathen to accept our Lord and Savior. Visit the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus taught His disciples (Matt. 5,6,7,8) the Sermon on the Mount. Visit Tabgha where Jesus fed the multitude with just 2 fishes and 5 loves. (Matt..13, Mark .33-45 and John 21). Visit the eastern shore of the lake. The site of the miracle of the Gederenes at Kursi (Luke 8. 26-39, Matt 8. 28-34 and Mark 5). Return to Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

Today you will travel to Jerusalem.

En route to Jerusalem, you will stop at Beit Shean. This is one of the Decapolis cities during the Roman period; today, one of the largest excavations in Israel. Drive along the Jordan Valley to Jericho. Here you will visit the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Karantal built on top of the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by the Devil for 40 days. Also visit the ancient “Tel” here.  Your last stop before arriving in Jerusalem is The Inn of the good Samaritan and the Tomb of Lazarus.

Arrival in Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.

Spend the entire day in the old city of Jerusalem visiting the Jewish Quarter, the Cardo – ancient Byzantine Street, the Western Wall, The Via Dolorosa where Jesus carried His Cross, The Antonia fortress, the Lithostrothos (John 19.13) and finally the Church of the Holy Sepulcher with the Greek Orthodox church within. (Matt. 27.33-57, 28.10). Later visit the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem , the 6th century Orthodox Monastery at the Valley of the Cross, where tradition states that the olive tree used for Jesus’ Cross was carved.

Dinner and overnight Jerusalem.

Enjoy a morning walking tour of Jerusalem. Return to Mount of Olives and Follow in the Footsteps of Jesus. Visit Dominus

Return to Mount of Olives and Follow in the Footsteps of Jesus. Visit Dominus Flavit (Luke 19.41) where He wept over the city. The Garden of Gethsemane. The arrest and taking of Jesus to the house of the High priest Caiaphus (Matt. 26.34, Mark 14.30 and Luke 22.54-70). We continue to Mount Zion to see the Tomb of King David and the nearby Room of the Last Supper (Mark 14.13, Luke 22. 10-38). Continue to Ein Karem; the birthplace of John the Baptist (Luke 1.39-80).

Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

This morning, you will drive towards the Dead Sea, at Wadi Kelt

At Wadi Kelt see the 4th century Greek Monastery Of Saint George. Continue on to the Orthodox Monasteries built on the bank of the Jordan River east of Jericho commemorating the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. Continuing along the Dead Sea, stop in Qumran, site of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

On your return journey to Jerusalem stop at Bethlehem to visit the site of the nativity of Jesus. Visit the ancient Orthodox Basilica of the Nativity.

Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.

Depart your hotel, travel to Ben Gurion airport for your flight home.