Explore Palestine and Encounter it Rich History and Challenging Present
Palestine is a land that has witnessed and created innumerable civilizations, a history whose vestiges constitute an extraordinary richness. This trip is also an opportunity to discover the complex situation of injustice, a trip to better understand the past, present and future of Palestine
Day 1: Tel-Aviv - Jerusalem
Arrival at Tel-Aviv airport. Welcome and reception by a member of our team transfer to Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Jerusalem
Day 2: Jerusalem
After breakfast, visit the Old City of Jerusalem. In the Old City you will encounter oriental charm and be plunged into the souk’s colourful alleys, which take you to the meeting places of the three major monotheistic religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Visit the Via Dolorosa, believed to be the path that Jesus walked on the way to His crucifixion, the Holy Sepulchre which houses both the place of Calvary and the tomb of Christ. Passing through the Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Armenian districts, you can contemplate the vestiges and the religious and architectural imprints left by the different peoples who lived there. Continue the visit by taking the ancient Roman road, the Cardo, located in the heart of the old city, up to Mount Sion where you will discover the Dormition Abbey, the cave of the Last Supper and the tomb of King David. Visit the Church of Saint Peter in Gallicante, also known as the “Rooster Church”. The day ends walking in the Armenian quarter to the Jaffa gate. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Jerusalem
Day 3: Jerusalem – Bethlehem
After breakfast, visit the Wailing Wall, the holy place of Judaism, then the esplanade of the Haram Al-Sharif; the third holiest religious site in Islam. It contains the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, the gem emblematic of the Holy Land, with its golden dome shining brilliantly on the Jerusalem skyline. Then visit the Mount of Olives, with its 827m altitude, it offers a wonderful panoramic view of the old town and has places of great importance for the three monotheistic religions. Visit the chapel of Dominus Flevit, recalls the Gospel incident in which Jesus wept over the future fate of Jerusalem. Descent from the Mount to the Garden of Olive Trees with the Church of All Nations, Gethsemane, the place where Jesus would have prayed before his arrest. Departure for Bethlehem located 10 km from Jerusalem to discover the Basilica of the Nativity, one of the oldest churches in the world, built above the cave where Jesus was born. Visit the Milk Grotto and the historic city center, walk through the old quarters and market. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel in Bethlehem.
Day 4: Bethlehem –Jericho – Dead Sea
After breakfast, departure for a green oasis near the Dead Sea - Jericho - which was made famous by the discovery of one of the oldest cities of the Levant dating from the eighth millennium BC. Cross the canyon of Wadi Qelt to admire the monastery of St. George, which is situated on the ochre cliffs of the mountain. Continue to Jericho to see the Monastery of the Temptation. It was built on the slopes of the Mount of Temptation 350 meters above sea level, situated along a cliff overlooking the city of Jericho and the Jordan Valley. Visit Tell Al Sultan with the archaeological site of the oldest cities in the world that has remained permanently inhabited from the 10th millennium BC, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit Hisham Palace, built in the 8th century CE, and place of one of the greatest cultural treasures of Jericho, an 850 square meter floor mosaic from the Umayyad period, the largest and best preserved in the Middle East. Travel to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, 400m below sea level, where you will have the opportunity to enjoy the indescribable feeling of floating on the unusual waters of the Dead Sea. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Bethlehem.
Day 5: Bethlehem – Hebron
Start the day with a tour around the Separation Wall that separated Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Tour the Separation Wall, its numerous graffiti murals which serve as artistic testimonies on the living conditions of the Palestinian, made by Palestinian and international artists such as the famous artist Banksy. Then proceed to visit Dheisheh refugee camp with a member of a local association, a tour in the camp to get a clear idea about life conditions in the camp. Then, depart to Hebron, 30km south of Bethlehem. The region is the known as path Abraham, a Palestinian region of the Holy Land that is now surrounded by several Israeli settlements, built on land confiscated from the local Palestinian residents. Visit Hebron, a city built by the Canaanites around 4000 BCE. Visit the Old City and the neighbourhood occupied by 200 settlers and protected by more than 2,000 soldiers in the heart of this Palestinian city of 300,000 inhabitants. Visit the Tomb of the Patriarchs contains the graves of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their wives. Meet a local nonprofit association working within the Palestinian community to understand the injustice and the problems caused by the Israeli occupation. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Bethlehem.
Day 6: Bethlehem - Nablus – Ramallah – Bethlehem
Travel to the city of the city of Nablus. The mountainous landscapes, the city's famed soap factories, its olive oil and oriental pastries – especially the "Kenafeh" - are among the many charms of this city of great Oriental Levantine traditions. Visit Mount Gerizim, where the last of the Samaritan community in Palestine lives, and take in the wonderful panoramic view of Nablus. Visit the Old City of Nablus with its market dating back to the Ottoman period. Visit an ancient olive oil soap factory, the famous Old City spice shop, one of the oldest Turkish baths in the region, and Jacob’s Well. Drive to Ramallah, the place currently acting as the administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority. Visit Al Mouqataa compound and Yasser Arafat Museum, an interactive museum retracing the main events that have marked the Palestinian history and cause during the past century.
Day 7: Bethlehem – Tel-Aviv
After breakfast, transfer to Tel Aviv airport for the return flight.
* Price per adult sharing double or twin room * Supplement for single room * Reduction for child
