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DAY 01: NORTH AMERICA / EUROPE.
Tour members will gather at the ticket counter at the airport two
hours prior to their departure to Europe. Dinner and breakfast
will be served in-flight.
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DAY
02: ATHENS / TEL AVIV. 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.
DAY 03: TEL AVIV / GALILEE. Upon our early morning arrival we will be met and transferred to our
hotel for rest before we begin the thrilling journey of following in the
footsteps of Jesus. Ancient Joppa on the Sea is where Jonah set sail,
and where Peter raised Dorcas from the dead. Joppa was the home of
Simon the Tanner. Then through the citrus groves and farms of the rich
land of Sharon, northward to Caesarea, the Roman city of Herod where
sights include Crusader fortifications and the Roman aqueducts and
amphitheater. Driving through the Jezreel Valley to the fields of
Armageddon (Revelation 16:16) and Megiddo. Continuing northward along
the Mediterranean Sea to Haifa and Mt. Carmel - the biblical site of
Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal (I Kings:18). Traveling
westward across Galilee we will ascend Mt. Tabor (Psalm 89:12), seeing
Deboriya - the hometown of the prophetess Deborah - at the foothill of
Mt. Tabor (Judges 4 and 5). Overnight at our hotel on the shores of the
beautiful Sea of Galilee.
DAY 04: GALILEE / CAPERNAUM /
JERUSALEM. After breakfast, we board our boat
for a morning devotional service on the Sea of Galilee. After our
cruise, we continue to the ruins of Capernaum (John 6:24) to visit the
ancient ruins of the first century synagogue where Jesus preached (Matt. 4:13-17). View the Mt. of Beatitudes - site of the "Sermon on the
Mount" (Matt. 5-7). Visit Tabgha - the chapel dedicated to the
multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Mark 6:34-44). After lunch we
depart for the beautiful Pilgrims Park at the Jordan River for a
baptism. Continue to Bethshean and Samaria and then on to Jerusalem to
our hotel for dinner and overnight.
 DAY
05: JERUSALEM. After a night of rest and a
hearty breakfast this exciting day will begin with a drive to the top of
the Mount of Olives (Matt. 24:3) for a panoramic view of the Old City of
Jerusalem. Visit the chapel of the Ascension, the Church of Pater
Noster and Dominus Flevit. Walk along Hosanna Road to the Garden of
Gethsemane to visit the Church of the Nations which stands on the Rock
of the Agony where Jesus was betrayed by Judas (Matt. 26:36-57). See
the Pillar of Absalom, the Eastern (Golden) Gate and the Pinnacle of the
Temple. Continue to the Gibon Spring, Pool of Siloam. After lunch,
drive to Mt. Zion, where we visit the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu
- on the site of Caiphas House - the Upper Room (Luke 22:14-20). A
Service with communion will be offered here. Then on to the Tomb of King
David and the Dormition. Continue to tour the new part of Jerusalem,
the Hebrew University, the Shrine of the Book that houses the Dead
Sea Scrolls, Ein Karem - birthplace of John the Baptist - Kennedy
Memorial and the Model City at the Holy Land Hotel depicting in
miniature the Holy City as it appeared in the first century. Return to
our hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 06: MASADA / QUMRAN / JERICHO
/ JERUSALEM. 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 Fescha, 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 store houses, cisterns and a 6th century
Byzantine church are still on view. After lunch at Ein Gedi we 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. Then we proceed to Ancient Jericho, where
the walls came tumbling down and a commanding view of the Mt. of
Temptation and Elisha's Fountain. Here we will see the Inn of the Good
Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Continue to Bethany, the home of Mary,
Martha and Lazarus (John 11:1-46). Dinner and overnight at our hotel in
Jerusalem.
DAY
07: JERUSALEM / BETHLEHEM. View the Kidron
Valley and the Mount of Olives from the Eastern Gate as you start a
walking tour to the Old City of Jerusalem entering through St. Stephen's
Gate to the Pool of Bethesda and Saint Anne's Church, the Ecce Homo Arch
(Behold the Man) (John 19:13) where Jesus was tried before Pilate
(Mark 15:6). We will also see the Lithostrotos and the Via Dolorosa. Continue
to the Temple Area of Mt. Moriah. Visit the El Aksa Mosque, the Wailing Wall and 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. Walk through the Old City bazaars to the Church of
the Holy Sepulcher. View the Tower of David and the Citadel as you
leave the Old City through Jaffa Gate. After lunch visit the Garden
Tomb and Golgotha -Place of the Skull. Onward to Bethlehem to visit the
Church of the Nativity and the birth place of Jesus, and Shepherds
Fields (Luke 2:1-20). Then we see the Fields of Boaz and Ruth
(Ruth 1:16-17 & 4:13). We observe Rachel's Tomb on our way back to our hotel.
DAY 08:
JERUSALEM / TEL AVIV / ATHENS.
This morning after breakfast, we will return to the Tel Aviv Airport for
our flight to Athens. Upon arrival we have time at leisure for shopping
or activities of your own. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
 DAY
09: PIRAEUS / MYKONOS. Transfer to port and
embark the cruise vessel for your 3 day cruise. Our first port of call
is the island of Mykonos; cubic white houses and those world famous
windmills. Free time to explore this lovely island.
DAY 10: RHODES.
Rhodos, the island of "roses", is the legendary home of
the sun god Apollo. The old town (which is the largest inhabited
medieval town of Europe) and its mighty fortifications (built by the
crusaders of St. John) are the finest surviving example of defensive
architecture and is of great interest to all visitors. An optional tour
takes us to Lindos. This entire city is guarded by medieval walls which
were constructed by the Knights of St. John in the 14th century. Within,
stands the ancient Acropolis of Lindos, 400 feet above the sea. From the
Acropolis a breathtaking view covering the great expanse of the Aegean
Sea and St. Paul's Bay, where the Apostle cast harbor during his
historic voyage to Ephessos.
DAY 11: KUSADASI / PATMOS.
Continue to Kusadasi, a lively Turkish port and gateway to ancient
Ephessos. Our optional tour takes us to visit Ancient Ephessos, the
Greek colony founded by the Athenians. Here history truly comes to life;
walking towards the ancient harbor down a marble road rutted by the
wheels of countless chariots. You pass architectural masterpieces like
the Magnesian Gate and the Library of Celsus before arriving to the
Great Amphitheater where Paul spoke to the Ephesians. We continue our
cruise for the island of Patmos; considered a holy island for the
Christian religion it was here in Patmos where John the Divine, while in
exile, wrote the Apocalyptic Revelations which constitute the last part
of the new Testament. Our optional tour takes us up to the monastery of
St. John which still keeps its character of a medieval fortress. Inside
the walls you will be able to admire the Byzantine wealth of the
Christian Orthodox religion while from its ramparts you will have the
most stunning panoramic view of the luminous sea.
 DAY
12: ATHENS / CORINTH / FERRY. After we
disembark the ship, we begin our journey to Corinth, taking the coastal
road along the Saronic Gulf to the Corinth Canal, which connects the
Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea. Short stop for pictures and continue to
the site of ancient Corinth, Paul's beloved city and site of his most
extensive ministry. Dominated by the Acro-Corinth rising 1,700 feet above
the ruins, the marketplace is laid out exactly as it stood in the days
of the great Apostle. We see the bema (the judgment seat) where Paul
stood before Galilo and preached (Acts 18). The museum contains a
superb collection of artifacts portraying life in ancient Corinth.
Continue to the port for our overnight ferry to Rome.
DAY 13: ITALY / POMPEII / ROME.
This morning we disembark our ferry and travel
by motor coach to Rome. First we stop at Pompeii to visit the
excavations. We will also stop at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
 DAY
14: ROME. A morning visit to the Vatican City
includes the Museum, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Square, Church of
St. Peter, Basilica of St. Paul, the ancient Appian Way and the
catacombs of St. Caliztus. Afternoon sightseeing will include Moses'
Fountain, Quirinale Palace, Pantheon, Roman Forum, Arch of Titus, the
Coliseum - site of early Christian martyrdom - and Mamertine Prison,
possibly the final place of confinement of the Apostle Paul before his
execution. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.
DAY 15: ROME / NORTH AMERICA.
We transfer to the airport for our departure from Rome to North
America. The close of our unforgettable tour - to have walked in the
paths of the Master and the early Christians. |
