Holy Land, 8-day pilgrimage

Arrival to Tel Aviv, Israeli passport control and security. Transfer to a hotel in Bethlehem, check-in, dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, trip to Jerusalem: the Mount of Olives (place of the Ascension, Our Father Church, Dominus Flevit Church), Garden of Gethsemane and Mary’s tomb. Later, a walk to the Lion’s Gate of Jerusalem and the 14 Stations of the Cross, finishing on Calvary at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. Lunch break during the day. Holy mass in Jerusalem.

After breakfast another trip to Jerusalem: the Western Wall and the Temple Mount. Then a walk to Mount Zion: the Cenacle, the Church of the Dormition, King David’s tomb, a local protestant cemetery with the grave of Oscar Schindler. Transfer to Ein Kerem – the homeland of John the Baptist, then Yad Vashem – the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre and finally the Knesset Menorah monument – the symbol of Israel and the Israeli Parliament. During the day: Mass and lunch break.
Return to the hotel, dinner and a restful overnight stay.

Breakfast, visit to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, free time at a local Palestinian market, then mass at the Shepherds’ Fields Chapel.
Return to the hotel, dinner, overnight stay.

Breakfast and afterwards a short trip to Jericho – the remnants of the oldest city in the world, the famous sycamore tree of Zacchaeus. Transfer along the Jordan River to the place where Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist, holy mass. In the afternoon some free time at the Dead Sea. On the way back a short stop at the Good Samaritan’s Inn.
Return to Bethlehem, dinner, overnight stay.

Last breakfast in Bethlehem and check-out. Transfer to Jaffa – Church of St. Peter. Our journey will continue along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea to Caesarea – the remnants of the city of Pontius Pilate. Transfer to Mount Tabor (by minibus). Drive to Cana for mass at the church standing on the place of the first miracle performed by Jesus.
Our trip will finish this day in Nazareth in a comfortable hotel with a generous dinner.

After breakfast, a day in Galilee – the region where Jesus spent most of his life and performed most of his miracles. Visit to Tabgha: the Church of the Multiplication of loaves and fish, the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter. Short transfer to Capernaum and a cruise on the Sea of Galilee with lunch (St. Peter’s fish). In the afternoon a steep climb (by coach) to the Mount of Beatitudes.
Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast and check-out, visit to the Assumption Basilica in Nazareth, holy mass. Later we head to the south; on the way a short stop in Haifa on Mount Carmel and for some pictures in the Bahai Gardens.
Return to Tel Aviv airport, check-in and flight back home.