DAY 01: NORTH AMERICA / GREECE. Tour members will gather at the ticket counter at the airport two hours prior to the departure to Europe. Dinner and breakfast will be served in flight. DAY 02: ATHENS / TEL AVIV / JERUSALEM. .jpg) Upon our arrival at the Athens airport we will be met by our representative and taken on a half day tour of Athens. Our sightseeing includes the Stadium and Temple of Zeus, Theatre of Dionysus and the Hill of Muses for a panoramic view of Athens and the Acropolis. See Mars Hill, where Paul addressed the citizens of Athens, and the monuments of the Acropolis - including the Parthenon, the Agora (marketplace) and Socrates' Prison. Return to the Athens airport for our trip to Tel Aviv. Upon arrival we will be met and transferred to our hotel in Jerusalem. DAY 03: MT. SCOPUS / THE MT. OF OLIVES / GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE / ST. STEPHENS GATE / POOL OF BETHESDA / THE WAY OF THE CROSS / THE OLD CITY / GOLGOTHA / THE GARDEN TOMB. After a good night of rest and a hearty breakfast, this exciting day will begin with a drive to Mt. Scopus and the Mt. of Olives (Matthew 24:3) for a panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem (Mark 14:32-26) and the Church of Agony where Jesus was betrayed by Judas (Matthew 26:36-57), we will proceed to St. Stephens Gate (Acts 7:51-60) from whence we will visit the Five Porch Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-16) and the Church of Saint Anne. Then we will follow in the footsteps of Jesus through the Old City to Pilate's Judgment Hall, the Chapel of the Flagellation, the Ecce Homo Arch (John 19:13) where Jesus was tried before Pilate (Mark 15:6). We then will traverse the Via Dolorosa to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull (John 19:17), where they crucified our Lord. Then on to a victory celebration at the Resurrection Tomb and Garden (John 20:1-18). DAY 04: MASADA / BETHANY / JERICHO / THE MT. OF TEMPTATION / THE VILLAGE OF THE ESSENES / THE QUMRAN CAVES / THE DEAD SEA.  This morning we drive via the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. A beautiful new road takes us south along the shores of the Dead Sea to Masada, truly a remarkable piece of history. On the way we view Ein Gedi, a green oasis in the middle of the desert. Then ascend to Masada by cable car to visit the magnificent ruins of the fortress, where from 70-73 A.D. the Jewish defenders made the last stand of the Judean revolt against Rome, and where the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a 6th century Byzantine church are still on view. Return along the Dead Sea to Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Visit the remains of the Community Center of the Essenes and the Caves of the Scrolls. We will continue on the Jericho Road viewing the Inn of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and the Judean wilderness. Then we visit Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus (John 11:1-46) en route to Jerusalem for dinner and overnight. DAY 05: THE NEW CITY / THE MODEL CITY / BETHLEHEM / THE KIDRON VALLEY / THE HOUSE OF CAIPHAS / MT. ZION / THE UPPER ROOM / THE WESTERN WALL / THE TEMPLE MOUNT. We will begin the day with a trip to New Jerusalem and enjoy a brief visit to the outdoor walking mall. Proceed to view the Model City of Jerusalem which depicts in miniature the Holy City as it appeared in the first century. Onward to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity and the birthplace of Jesus, observing Rachel's tomb, the Shepherd's Field (Luke 2:1-20) and the Field of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 1:16-17 and 4:13). The afternoon drive will take us through the Kidron Valley to the Pool of Siloam. Viewing the House of Caiphas, the High Priest, and the first century steps of stone that our Lord climbed, we will continue to the Room of the Last Supper (Luke 22:14-20) on the summit of Mt. Zion where the tomb of King David is memorialized. On to the Western Wall (or Wailing Wall) where the faithful Jews cry their petitions to God and to the Dome of the Rock which is built on the ancient site of Solomon's Temple (Genesis 22:9-14) and over the Rock of Sacrifice where Abraham offered Isaac (Genesis 22) and the ceremonial sacrifice of animals took place. DAY 06: ANCIENT JERICHO / GALILEE / NAZARETH / CANA / TUR'AN / TIBERIAS ON THE SEA OF GALILEE.  An early morning departure from Jerusalem driving through the Judean wilderness enroute to Ancient Jericho where the walls came tumbling down (I Kings 17:1-6 and II Kings 2:19-22) and a commanding view of the Mt. of Temptation (Matthew 4:1-11) and Elisha's Fountain. We continue northward to the Province of Galilee enroute to Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus. Onto the Church of Annunciation (Luke 1:5-42) and Mary's Fountain (Luke 4:16-22) before proceeding to Cana, the site of the first miracle of Jesus (John 2:1-11), Tur'an and to Tiberias (John 6:23). This evening we check into our hotel on the shores of the beautiful Sea of Galilee. DAY 07: TIBERIAS / THE SEA OF GALILEE / CAPERNAUM / MOUNT OF BEATITUDES / TABGHA / CAESAREA PHILIPPI / MT. HERMON / GOLAN HEIGHTS / THE JORDAN RIVER. This day will be an exciting day in the Galilee area. After a delicious breakfast we will depart from the Roman hot springs resort city of Tiberias via a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum (John 6:24) to visit the ancient ruins of this first century synagogue where Jesus preached (Matthew 4:13-17). Then onto the Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and to Tabgha, the chapel dedicated to the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Mark 6:34-44). We will then proceed to Upper Galilee and the site of Peter's Confession (Matthew 16:16) at Caesarea Philippi and to Mt. Hermon (Psalm 89:12), the probable site of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8) and the present day Golan Heights where Israel, Lebanon and Syria come together. We will follow the fresh mountain waters of Mt. Hermon to the Sea of Galilee and to the outlet passage at the southern tip of the sea. We will stop at the beautiful Pilgrims Park at the Jordan River. Return to our hotel for overnight. DAY 08: MT. TABOR / DEBORIYA / NAIN / HAIFA / MT. CARMEL/ MEGIDDO / CAESAREA / ANCIENT JOPPA / TEL AVIV.  Traveling westward across Galilee, we will view Mt. Tabor (Psalms 89:12), Deboriya, the hometown of the Prophetess Deborah at the foothill of Tabor (Judges 4 and 5), the Village of Nain where Jesus brought life to a dead child (Luke 7:11-18), enroute to Haifa and Mt. Carmel, the biblical site of Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal (I Kings 18). Continuing southward along the Mediterranean Sea we will view Megiddo and the fields of Armageddon (Revelations 16:16) while driving through the Jezreel Valley. Continue along the Way of the Sea southward to Caesarea, the Roman City of Herod where sights include Crusader fortifications and the Roman aqueducts and amphitheater. Drive through the citrus groves and farms of the rich land of Sharon, continue to Tel Aviv for dinner and overnight. DAY 09: TEL AVIV / ATHENS. After breakfast we will proceed to the airport for our flight to the capital of Greece - Athens - one of the greatest cities of antiquity. Balance of the day at leisure. DAY 10: ATHENS / CORINTH.  In the morning we will visit the 11th century church, built in the golden age of Byzantine art, which contains a series of mosaics without parallel in the legacy of Byzantium. Crossing the Corinthian Canal, which connects the Aegean and Ionian Seas, we see the isthmus where boats were once dragged from one sea to the other. Visit modern Corinth and the ruins of the ancient city where Paul worked with Aquila and Priscilla. We will see the first century shops, Fountain of Peirene, the Temple of Apollo and the Bema Seat. Return to Athens for dinner and overnight at our hotel. DAY 11: ATHENS. Today is a free day at leisure or you may wish to participate in an optional full-day cruise to Poros, Aegina and Hydra. DAY 12: ATHENS/NORTH AMERICA. Morning departure from Athens to North America. The close of an unforgettable tour of the Bible Lands and to have walked in the paths of the Master and the early Christians. | 
