Best of Israel and Jordan

Highlights

• 20 Meals (10 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 7 dinners)
• Airport transfers when air is provided by Mayflower
• $60 in Mayflower Money

Day-by-Day

Tel Aviv/Caesarea/Nazareth

The second largest city in Israel on the Mediterranean coast, Tel Aviv is a bustling metropolis with a diverse population. Often called “The White City” for its UNESCO-designated Bauhaus architecture, Tel Aviv boasts an amazing blend of ancient and contemporary sites. Visit Rabin Square, see Independence Hall where David Ben Gurion declared Israel’s independence in May 1948 and Neve Tzedek with its historic homes and art galleries. Continue on to Caesarea, built by King Herod, and its ancient Roman theatre, still used today. It was from here that Paul the Apostle, as a prisoner, sailed on his hazardous journey to Rome. Stand in awe of the ancient hippodrome, the Crusader moat and massive aqueduct. Then continue to Nazareth, where you will visit the Basilica of the Annunciation and St. Joseph’s Church before arriving in Tiberias.

World Heritage Site of Acre

See the historic walled city of Acre, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, dating back to the Phoenician period. It is a city of intrigue where you can walk through a labyrinth of alleys and streets and explore the remnants of Crusader, Muslim and Ottoman conquerors.

Layered and woven around one another, you’ll see the Crusaders city and Templar Castle, the later Ottoman city and the British prison from the years leading up to Israel’s independence. Continue to the beautiful Banias Falls and ascend the Golan Heights above the Banias spring to visit the Nimrod Fortress and view the Syrian border.

Discover Biblical History - Mount of the Beatitudes and Tabgha

Drive along the Sea of Galilee as Biblical sites come into view. Stop at the Mount of Beatitudes, the church with the octagonal dome where Jesus blessed his disciplines some 2,000 years ago and gave his sermon on the mount. Go to Tabgha, where Jesus fed the 5,000 with two fish and five loaves of bread. Visit the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter and Capernaum, where Jesus performed many miracles during his ministry. Enjoy a traditional St. Peter’s Fish lunch at Ein Gev and experience first-hand what daily life is really like on a kibbutz, Israel’s communal living system.

Jerusalem - The Eternal City

Your city tour includes many Biblical and historical sites important in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Drive up to the Mt. of Olives for beautiful panoramic views of the Holy City. Next visit the Garden of Gethsemane, the Basilica of Agony and the Tomb of the Virgin Mary. Enter through Damascus Gate and enjoy a walking tour of the Old City, the Four Quarters through the Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Armenian quarters. Walk up the Via Dolorosa to Calvary Hill, regarded in Catholicism as the site where Christ was crucified and ascended into heaven. After lunch, walk through the narrow “souk” of Jerusalem to the Western Wall - the only remaining wall of Herod’s Temple and through the rebuilt Jewish Quarter. Wander through the Cardo, the reconstructed shopping arcade of Roman times.

Optional Excursion to the Dead Sea and Masada

Drive through the Jordan Valley and the Judean Wilderness. Pass by the beautiful waterfalls of Ein Gedi, an oasis some 1200 feet below sea level. Ascend by cable car to Masada and marvel at the ancient ruins of King Herod’s fortress, the last stronghold of the Jewish Rebellion against the Romans. Witness the well-preserved fortifications, waterworks, temples and palaces. Take a swim (or float) in the Dead Sea. See the Qumran Caves, where the earliest Biblical documents, the Dead Sea Scrolls, were discovered, possibly written by the first century sect, the Essenes.

Optional Excursions to Bethlehem and Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial

Visit the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem. See Manger Square, Church of the Nativity where Jesus was born and Grotto of the Nativity, buried under the Greek monastery.

On another optional excursion, tour the museum of Yad Vashem, a memorial to the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust. This living museum has been entrusted with documenting the history of the Jewish people during the Holocaust period, preserving the memory and story of each of the six million victims, and imparting the legacy of the Holocaust for generations to come.

Treasures of Jordan

Travel on to Jordan crossing the Allenby Bridge. Visit Madaba to view the 6th century mosaic map in St. George’s Church. Enjoy panoramic views of the Jordan Valley, a visit to Mount Nebo, alleged burial place of Moses and The Dead Sea.

Enjoy a morning tour of Petra, the Rose Red city. Here walk the Siq, a narrow gorge that leads into the city of Petra, emerging dramatically in front of the Treasury along the way. It is impossible to describe the feeling of standing at the foot of the Treasury, looking up at some of the amazing carvings and sharp lines that have survived for all these years. Also see The Monastery, the Silk Tomb and the Roman Colonnade and Amphitheater which could seat 7,000.

On a morning tour of Amman, the capital of Jordan, see a fascinating city of contrasts – a unique blend of old and new, ideally situated on a hilly area between the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley. See the Citadel, the Roman Theater and a view of the residential areas.

Optional Excursion to Jerash

Visit the former Roman city of Jerash. This ancient city is considered to be one of the best preserved Roman sites in the world. This is due to the fact that Jerash was buried in sand for centuries. The history of Jerash goes back to prehistoric times. Flint implements can be found on the slopes east of the Triumphal Arch which indicate this was the site of the Neolithic settlement. Outside the walls to the north was a small Early Bronze Age village dating back 2500 BC, and on the hilltops above are remains of an old burial ground.

Accommodations

Lodging

Day Two

Tal Hotel, Tel Aviv, Israel

Days Three and Four

Royal Plaza, Tiberias, Israel

Days Five through Eight

Prima Royale, Jerusalem, Israel

Day Nine

Taybet Zaman Hotel, Petra, Jordan

Days Ten and Eleven

Days Inn, Amman, Jordan

Dates & Rates

2012 Departure Dates	Per Person Twin	Single Room Add
October 18	$2,395	$799

Call for air rates and schedules from your city to Tel Aviv, Israel and from Amman, Jordan

Destination Map