Israel Ministry of Tourism Recommends:

10-DAY TOUR

DAY 1

Jerusalem

• Mount of Olives
  
• Tour of the Old City:
  
  • Ramparts Walk—Panoramic views of the Old City’s entry points: Citadel moat,
  • Jaffa and Damascus Gates
  • Western Wall
  • Jerusalem Archaeological Park at Southern
  • Wall excavations & “Davidson”
  • Visitors Centre
  • Western Wall Tunnels
  • Arab Market (shuk) in the Old City

DAY 2

Jerusalem—Old City and Surroundings

• City of David Visitors Centre, with excavations of 1st Temple Period, Warren’s Shaft and ancient water system 
  
• Rebuilt Jewish Quarter
  
• Christian Quarter—With the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
  
• Tower of David Museum—Presenting the History of Jerusalem at the Citadel
  
• Mount Zion, including:
  
  • King David’s Tomb
  • Room of the Last Supper (Coenaculum)
  • Church of the Dormition—Whereby
  • Catholic tradition Mary fell into eternal sleep

DAY 3

The new city of Jerusalem

• Yad Vashem—National Memorial and Museum of the Holocaust with new Historical Museum, Valley of Communities, Remembrance Hall & Children’s Memorial
  
• Israel Museum 
  
• Drive by the Government complex: the Knesset  (Israel’s Parliament) and the New Supreme Court Building
  
• Downtown Jerusalem—Walk in the pedestrian malls of Ben Yehuda St. & Nachlat Shiva, restored quarter of shops, galleries, cafes

DAY 4

Modern Tel Aviv & Old Jaffa

• Tour of Old Jaffa, and the Artists’ quarter in renovated Old City
  
• Tour “White City”
  
• Azrieli Observatory—A panoramic view of Tel Aviv from the 49th floor of Azrieli Tower
  
• See some of Tel-Aviv’s street scenes:
  
  • Sheinkin Street—Tel Aviv’s Yuppie area
  • Carmel open-air market, selling fruits, vegetables and clothing
  • Nachlat Binyamin Pedestrian Mall
  • Tel Aviv’s nightlife spots, including the port

DAY 5

Mediterranean Coast

• Caesarea National Park, remains of former Roman Capital and Crusader city. Tour of Roman theater, hippodrome and promenade to the renovated port area
  
• Winery in the Carmel region, including a tour as well as a taste of wines and cheeses
  
• Ussafiya or Daliat El Carmel—Druze village on Mount Carmel where you can watch Druze life and culture followed by a taste of traditional Druze home hospitality
  
• Haifa, Israel’s third largest city. City tour, including:

• Baha’i’ Shrine and Gardens—World center of the Baha’i’ Faith with hanging gardens
• Panoramic views of the city and the bay from the Louis Promenade 
• German Colony renovated neighborhood

 DAY 6

 The Galilee Region

• Akko (Acre)—The ancient Phoenician and Crusader seaport for a tour of the Old Walled city including:
  
  • Fishermen’s port
  • Bazaar
  • Turkish hamam 
    
• Rosh Hanikra—Northernmost point of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, with panoramic view and cable-car descent to the sea-carved grottos
  
• Nazareth—Childhood town of Jesus, with the Basilica of the Annunciation, Mary’s Well and the Church of St. Joseph

DAY 7

Galilee area

• Tiberias—A historical resort town on the Sea of Galilee
  
• Mount of Beatitudes—Site of the Sermon on the Mount
  
• Hula Nature Reserve—Last remnant of original swamp, wide variety of wildlife and flora
  
• Active tours in Northern Galilee—Bike tours, Jeep tours, kayaks or tubes at the Jordan River, horseback riding, etc.

DAY 8

Dead Sea

• Qumran—Ruins of ancient Essenes settlement where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered
  
• Masada—Ruins of King Herod’s mountaintop fortress and last stronghold of the Jewish revolt against the Romans in 73 C.E.  (ascend and descend by cable-car)
  
• Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, Biblical oasis where David hid from Saul
  
• Kibbutz Ein Gedi—Tour of Kibbutz Ein Gedi’s tourism facilities and Ein Gedi Antiquities National Park with a Byzantine-period synagogue
  
• Relax and float in the Dead Sea at Ein Bokek

DAY 9+10

Eilat

• Timna Park—Site of the ancient copper mines, today a geological park with hiking trails, lake, tourism attractions and rock formations, including Solomon’s Pillars
  
• Eilat—Israel’s Southernmost resort town on the Red Sea

Eilat tour, including:

• Underwater Observatory Marine Park—with underwater museum, aquarium, shark pools and oceanarium
  • Dolphin Reef—Beach and  water attractions and an opportunity to swim ordive with the dolphins as well as to observe their training
  • Scuba diving in Red Sea waters 
  • Cruise on the Red Sea
  • Birdwatching Center     
  • Camel riding and Bedouin hospitality
  • Jeep tour
  • Kings’ City—Biblical amusement park