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Highlights of Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Tour

Highlights of Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Tour

Hotel Pickup
Day Tour
Certified Tour Guide
Breakfast Included
Entrance Fees Included
A/C Transport
English + Other Languages
Hotel & Attraction
This insightful tour takes you through the history and highlights of Jerusalem’s Old City and gives you a special chance to visit the birthplace of Christianity. A breathtaking panoramic view over Jerusalem.

This tour takes you through the history and highlights of Jerusalem’s Old City and gives you a special chance to visit the birthplace of Christianity. A breathtaking panoramic view over Jerusalem.

 

Highlights 

  • A memorable trip to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Via Dolorosa and other Christian landmarks.

  • Follow the Byzantine Cardo, an ancient main road which runs through the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem

  • Take a look at the Western Wall, and then follow the sacred route Jesus took carrying his cross along the Via Dolorosa – the Way of Sorrows

  • Visit the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher where Jesus was crucified and where his burial tomb is located

  • Take a stroll through the bazaars of the Christian and Muslim Quarters before departing for Bethlehem.

  • Pay a visit to the Church of the Nativity and Saint Catherine Church

Highlights

photo of Highlights of Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Tourphoto by: Highlights of Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Tour
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he famous birthplace of Jesus, wher you van visit the manger Square, Church of Nativity and enjoy great street food along the way. The city is under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

photo of Highlights of Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Tourphoto by: Highlights of Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Tour
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Mount Zion is the place of important sites and landmarks such as the Room of the Last Supper, King David’s Tomb, the Chamber of the Holocaust, and the Protestant Cemetery. In addition Oskar Schindler is buried here as a righteous gentile, and the Dormition Abbey is located here.

photo of Highlights of Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Tourphoto by: Highlights of Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Tour
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Gethsemane is where according to the Christian tradition and as described in the New Testament, Jesus prayed his last prayer the night before his crucifixion and was tormented before being handed over to the Romans by Judas Iscariot.

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What to expect

Our journey begins at the Mount of Olives overlooking the ancient Jewish cemetery where it is believed that the resurrection will begin when the Messiah comes (Zech 14:4). From this elevated location we can see across the Old City and down to the Temple Mount where the two holy Jewish Temples once stood.

We continue on towards Zion Gate by driving through the Kidron Valley where we see the Garden of Gethsemane, the Church of All Nations and the Jewish burial tombs of Absalom, King David’s son, Jehoshaphat and the Hezir family (Benei Hazir). At Zion Gate we enter Jerusalem’s Old City and make our way through the Armenian Quarter. Then we follow the 1,500 year old excavated Byzantine Cardo which has been restored and is now home to modern shops which line a section of the ancient road. We carry on through the Jewish Quarter and down to the Western Wall which was part of the supporting walls of the Temple Mount during the time of the Jewish Second Temple almost 2,000 years ago.

We then walk where Jesus once walked the Via Dolorosa (the Way of Sorrows), as thousands of pilgrims do each year. We stop at several of the Stations of the Cross where Jesus stopped briefly as he carried his cross to Golgotha (Calvary). The final station on this Way of Sorrows is at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where Christ was crucified and where his burial tomb is located. The Basilica was constructed during the Byzantine Era and underwent renovations and reconstruction over the years. Before we leave the Old City we meander through the typically Middle Eastern markets and then set off for Bethlehem, the city of Christ’s birth.

We arrive in the City of Bread, Bethlehem, which was home to Jesse, King David’s father as well as being Christ’s birthplace (Matthew 2:1). From Manger Square we enter the 4th century Church of the Nativity which is the oldest church in Israel still in use. Beneath the church is the Grotto of the Nativity where a star indicates the place where Jesus was born. Also in the Orthodox Church are the Manger and an alter dedicated to the Three Wise Men. This is the place where the well-known story of Christmas night took place and a visit here is a moving experience for all Christians.

The Church of the Nativity was neglected for centuries following the expulsion of the Crusaders, it also was damaged by an earthquake and fire. However during the British Mandate and more recently under Israeli authority the church has been restored and repaired. On the way out of the church we see the Armenian Chapel of the Kings or Magi and we visit the Crusader Church. From the Church of St. Catherine we go down into a two room cave which joins the Grotto of the Nativity. It was here that Saint Jerome spent 30 years translating the Hebrew Bible into the Latin version called The Vulgate. This is the perfect place for us to take a moment and sing some Christmas carols.

At the Franciscan Church we see the Milk Grotto where Mary fed baby Jesus and a drop of milk fell onto the stone turning the grotto white. In Luke 2:8-11 we read of an angel appearing to shepherds who were tending their sheep in a nearby field. We stop to see Shepherds Field, and the contemporary Church of the Angels designed by Antonio Berluzzi with panels retelling the story of Jesus’ early life. On our way back towards Jerusalem we pass the Field of Ruth. Here Ruth, King David’s great grandmother, worked in the fields of Boaz. (Ruth 2:1).

Tour Itinerary

Pick-up Times: 

  • 7:00 am: pickup from hotels in Herzliya
  • 7:15 am: pickup from hotels in Tel-Aviv 
  • 8:30 am: pickup from hotels in Jerusalem 

Tour Schedule: 

  • 8:30 am - 1:00 pm: Jerusalem 
  • 1:00 pm: Lunchtime will be in Jerusalem 
  • 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm: Bethlehem 

Drop-off Times: 

  • 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm: tour ends in Jerusalem 
  • 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm: tour ends in Tel-Aviv 
  • 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm: tour ends in Herzliya 

 

All times are approximate

  • To see all available pickup hotels, please click “book now” and choose the desired date and city.
  • This tour ends in Jerusalem, nevertheless, other drop-off points are available upon request when booking.
  • Price includes all entrance fees.

Good to know

Additional Note

  • This tour is subject to Palestinian authority regulations.

  • You MUST bring a valid passport to visit Bethlehem 

  • The Cave of Nativity might be overcrowded, and therefore the visit to it is not always possible.

  • Guests should bring their own lunch OR purchase lunch for $15 online at time of booking.

  • Price includes all entrance fees.

  • The Palestinian guide joins the group at the border post, and we might be requiered to also change a vehicle. 

  • Payments by credit card or PayPal incur an additional 4% credit card commission fee

  • Changes of the vehicle is required for transfers of pick up/drop off destinations to save time and avoid traffic and delay.

  • Price includes all entrance fees.

  • Age: 4+

     

 

What to bring and wear: 

  • Modest dress is required for holy places, passport, comfortable walking shoes, and water.

Cancellation Policy

  • No refunds will be provided for no-shows or cancellations on the day of travel
  • Cancellations are accepted 24 hours or more before tour begins.
  • Cancellations will incur a 4% commission fee if booked by credit card or Paypal.

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