There is no better way to discover the true essence of a country than to take in some of its historical and natural splendors and along the way have the opportunity to meet some of the country’s local wine makers, and sample some of the wines that have gained international reputation.
En route we will pass through some very historical and religious sites that will transport us to an earlier place in time whilst staying in comfortable 4 or 5 star hotels and enjoying some of the local dishes. Indulge yourself and savor the wines of an ancient country.
LAND TOUR INCLUDES:
Transfers to and from the airport
Ground transportation on private air conditioned motor coach
English speaking tour guide
Hotel Accommodation
Meals as specified (B-Breakfast; L-Lunch; D-Dinner)
Entrance fees to points of interest specified
Special features – One evening meeting with a wine expert for an introduction lecture on Israeli wine and wineries, visits and wine tasting at the wineries mentioned and farewell dinner at a Winery restaurant
NOT INCLUDED:
Airfare, Gratuities, Taxes and Insurance
Arrive in Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv and meet your representative for transfer to your hotel for check-in. Free time before dinner.
Begin day with a drive around the main streets of Tel Aviv. Continue to Old Jaffa with time to marvel at the panoramic views from the hill top before walking around the restored artist’s quarter. Depart Jaffa for tour Neve Tzedek, south of the Yemenite Quarter. In the evening meet with a wine expert for an introductory lecture on Israeli wine and wineries.
Return to the hotel in time for dinner and overnight.
Travel along the coastal plain to Caesarea. Our first winery visit and wine tasting will be at Carmel’s Zichron Yaacov wine cellars. Built in 1892 by Baron Edmond de Rothschild, this is the largest winery in Israel. Continue through the Druze villages to Haifa, where our touring starts at the summit of Mount Carmel with a breathtaking view of Haifa Bay and Western Galilee. Day ends in Tiberius.
Dinner and overnight.
To Safed, located in the mountains of the Upper Galilee and commanding a magnificent view in all directions. Visit the Hameiri Dairy, where the fine boutique cheeses in the country are produced. Next is Moshav Kerem Ben Zimra overlooking Mount Hermon, where a visit is paid to the family owned Dalton Winery. Following Dalton we head to the Rimon Winery. We proceed to Golan Heights on the mountainous north to tour the legendary olive gardens and orchards.
Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Begin with a short tour of Tiberias on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Kinneret. From the Marina we will take a boat ride to Capernaum with a stop at the remains of a 2nd century synagogue. Visit the Church of Multiplication and then Yardenit, the popular Baptismal site on the Jordan River.
Return to hotel for dinner and overnight.
Head for the small village of Cana of Galilee situated north of Nazareth. Arriving in Nazareth, the Arab capital of Israel, visit the Church of the Annunciation. Travel along the Jordan Valley past the ancient city of Beit She’an some 30 km south of Lake Kinneret and stop in Beit Alpha to visit the synagogue. Approaching the Holy City of Jerusalem, we stop to enjoy the panoramic view from one of the nearby mountains. Check-in to your Jerusalem hotel for some free time before dinner.
Discover the highlights of the Old City beginning at the Tomb of King David located on Mount Zion. Enter the walled city and walk through the newly restored Jewish Quarter, home to numerous synagogues, yeshivas and the Western Wall. See the Roman Cardo, The Herodian Quarter and the Wohl Museum of Archaeology.
Take a moment to pause at the Western Wall. Afterwards we head to the Via Dolorosa—the path that Jesus walked to His Crucifixion. On our way to Mount Scopus, overlooking the city to the Mount of Olives, we stop for yet another magnificent panoramic view of the Old City. Leaving Jerusalem we head for the city of Bethlehem stopping en route at Rachel’s Tomb. Next is Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity.
Return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
Drive to the Hadassah Medical Center located in Ein Kerem, the campus synagogue is renowned for its stained glass windows created by Marc Chagall. Then to the Yad Vashem complex, memorial to the Holocaust, and The Israel Museum, where you will have the opportunity to visit the Shrine of the Book housing the famous Dead Sea Scrolls.
Sitting on a hilltop in Givat Ram, see menorah of the Knesset, and before leaving drive by the Givat Ram Campus of the Hebrew University. Next head to the Judea region, home to an up-and-coming wine route with more than 25 operating wineries. Visit one of the top 3 wineries in the region, (the Flam Winery, the Ella Valley Winery and the Zorah Winery). The tour will include a demonstration on the process of wine making and includes tastings of 3 types of wines.
Return to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight.
Head towards the Dead Sea, stopping at the archaeological site of Qumran, situated in the West Bank, where extensive excavations have uncovered nearly 900 scrolls since the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Drive along the shores of the Dead Sea to Masada where you will ascend by cable car and tour the ancient fortress. Descend by cable car, and, time and weather permitting, float in the Dead Sea.
The tour ends with a farewell dinner at Hans Sternbach Vineyard at the village of Giv`at-Yesha`ayahu. Begin with a visit to the first rate winery followed by dinner. Along with Palestinian dishes, try several fine dishes, pared with the winery’s wine.
After dinner return to Jerusalem.
Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your return flight home.
Tours are based on a minimum of 20 participants and are guaranteed outside 14 days of departure. Bookings made within 14 days of departure are on a request basis.
We can also custom-design tours of any size according to your individual requests.
B-Breakfast; L-Lunch; D-Dinner