Caesarea
About an hour drive from Tel Aviv, on the Mediterranean coast, you will visit the ancient amazing port city of Caesarea. Judea’s port city was built over 2000 years ago by King Herod. We walk through the ancient theater, the Crusader city and the fantastic aqueduct. We won’t skip the famous “Pilate stone”.
Haifa
Further north we will visit the Baha’i Gardens in Haifa, a beautiful and peaceful experience. The gardens are terraced on the slopes of Mount Carmel and offer stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea. They are home to the Shrine of the Bab, a sacred site for Baha’i followers, as well as several other shrines and monuments. The gardens are meticulously maintained and feature a variety of plants and flowers from around the world.
Akko
Old Akko (Acre) is another amazing port city with a mix of archeology, authentic Middle Eastern markets, the blue Mediterranean sea, and some delicious ethnic food. You will visit a unique underground Crusader city, walk through a recently discovered 12th century tunnel made and used by the Templars.
Currently home to thousands of residents, Akko is a study of contrasts – the convergence of East and West, modernity and antiquity, beauty and ruins. Known for centuries as the gateway to the Holy Land due to its location as a port of entry for international dignitaries and trade, Akko provides a unique glimpse into the Crusader and Ottoman periods in the region. The subterranean crusader city was revealed and restored under the Ottoman city above. This extraordinary phenomenon was awarded World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
POINTS OF INTEREST:
The Knights’ Kingdom
A 5,000-year old story unfolds inside the halls of the citadel – the museum’ displays and films projected on the walls tell the story
of the crusades.
The Hospitaller Fortress
The Hospitaller Order, which thrived in Jerusalem during the First Crusader Kingdom (1099-1187) transferred its headquarters to Akko during the Second Crusader Kingdom (1191-1291). The Hospitallers expanded their headquarters and rebuilt the site, which consisted of two to three floors around a central court as well as underground sections.
The Templars Tunnel
The Templars were a military-monastic order who – in the name of the pope – aided pilgrims and the ailing coming from Europe to visit the holy sites of the Land of Israel.
Nazareth
On the way we will stop in Nazareth, a unique city with Christian legacy, a Muslim majority and located in the Jewish state. World renowned as the childhood home of Jesus, Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel, and an important site for pilgrims and tourists, coming to visit the Basilica of the Annunciation. A bustling mini-metropolis, Nazareth offers shop-lined thoroughfares, stone-paved alleys lined with Ottoman-era mansions, and in recent years, has been reinventing itself as a sophisticated cultural and culinary destination. Everything in Nazareth is open for business on Shabbat (Saturday) and its friendly vibe and stunning location, right in the middle of the Lower Galilee.