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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. |
