Itinerary

1. 

   To the Holy Land

   We meet at Manchester Airport. easyJet flight EZY1827 departs at 12:30, arriving at 19:35. Transfer to our hotel in Bethlehem.

   Two night stay in Bethlehem at the centrally located Manger Square Hotel.

2. 

   Bethlehem

   After an early morning visit to Manger Square (Including the Milk Grotto) We drive to the village of Beit Sahour where we visit the Fields of the Shepherds (Mass.) Lunch is at the Shepherds Tent Restaurant.

   This afternoon we enter Manger Square and visit the Basilica of the Nativity and St Jerome's Caves.

3. 

   Aida Camp & Abu Ghosh

   We drive to the Aida refugee camp, where we join the Noor Women's group, and prepare a traditional Palestinian dish together, and make a short tour around the camp. We then enjoy the fruits of our labour with lunch together. We also visit a nearby Olive Wood Co-operative for a shopping opportunity. In the afternoon, we drive to Jerusalem via Abu Ghosh, a possible site of Emmaus (Mass). Here we visit the Benedictine Monastery and Crusader Church.

   Four night stay at the Golden Walls Hotel, close to the old city and biblical sites we shall be visiting.

4. 

   Mount of Olives & Via Dolorosa

   We continue to Jerusalem and the to the Mount of Olives, where we have a panoramic view of the walled city. As we look across the Kidron Valley, we see the golden Gate, the Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. On the Mount of Olives we visit the Pater Noster Church, Dominus Flevit Chapel (Mass), and the Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane. We finish our morning by the pool of Bethesda and the Church of St Anne.

   We continue to Ecce Homo convent, above the Lithostrotos where we enjoy lunch.

   In the afternoon we follow the Via Dolorosa through the lanes of the Old City to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

5. 

   Masada & the Dead Sea

   Choose either a free day to explore Jerusalem at your leisure, or join a full-day excursion to Masada and the Dead Sea.

   We drive into the Judean wilderness to Herod's desert fortress of Masada, which we ascend by cable car and enjoy a tour. We have an opportunity to float in therapeutic waters of the Dead Sea before lunch at the Lot Hotel. On our return journey to Jerusalem we call at Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Our final stop is at the Wadi Qelt to visit the monastery of St George.

6. 

   The Old City

   We begin the morning on Mount Zion in the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu (A possible site of the High Priest's house). We enter the Old City via Zion Gate and walk through the Jewish Quarter to the Western Wall, the holiest site for Jews. We pause to enjoy the view up to the Temple Mount (the Dome of the Rock) Lunch at the Armenian Bulghourji Restaurant. In the afternoon we visit the Syriac Church of St Mark (a possible site of the Upper Room) and join the Armenians for Vespers in St James' Cathedral.

7. 

   Via Nablus to Tiberias

   Some amy wish to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the early morning to witness the variety of liturgy. We leave Jerusalem for Bethany, to visit the church and tomb of Lazarus as well as Jeel-Al-Amal Boys home, sponsored by the McCabe Educational Trust. We continue to Nablus and the Shomron National Park to visit the remains of ancient Samaria. Lunch at the Samaria restaurant followed by a visit to Jacob's Well, a church now constructed over the site. In Nablus, we hope of link up with the local Catholic church of St Justinas in Rafidia.

   Four night stay at the Ron Beach Hotel by the Sea of Galilee, with visits to places associated with Jesus' early life and ministry.

8. 

   Nazareth

   We drive to Nazareth via Cana, scene of Jesus' first miracle. In Nazareth we walk from Gabriel's Church (Mary's Well), via the Synagogue Church to the Basilica of the Annunciation.

   We then visit Nazareth Village, a reconstruction of 1st Century Galilean life. After a biblical style lunch here, we drive to Mount Tabor, navigating its winding road by taxis to reach the beautiful Basilica of the Transfiguration, with its magnificent views over the plain of Armageddon.

9. 

   The Lakeside Ministry

   Today we visit the sites associated with Jesus' life around the Sea of Galilee, beginning with Magdala. We continue to the north of the lake and visit the ruins of Capernaum and the Church of the Multiplication ('The loaves and fishes') at Tabgha.

   We then drive up to the Convent of Beatitudes' Church and garden, commemorating the Sermon on the Mount. We have lunch here at the convent with plenty of time of wander around this peaceful setting.

10. 

    More Lakeside Visits

    We begin the day with a sail across the lake from the hotel to Kibbutz Ein Gev. We then visit Kursi, Bethsaida and Chorazin. Before lunch we take a walk along the shore of the lake. Lunch at St Peter's Restaurant.

    In the afternoon we visit the site of Mensa Christi. (St Peter's Primacy - the place where Jesus reappeared to his disciples after his resurrection) and celebrate a final mass together

11. 

    Homeward Bound or Travel to Jordan

    For those returning home:

    Our coach takes us to the Jordanian Border, before continuing to Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean Coast. We visit the site and enjoy lunch at the Port Cafe Restaurant. Continue to Ben Gurion Airport for our homeward easyJet flight EZY1828 which departs at 20:30, arriving in Manchester at 00:10.

    For those travelling to Jordan:

    We leave Tiberias and drive to the Sheikh Hussein border to cross into Jordan. A long drive today with a lunch break en route to Petra.

    Two night stay at the Petra Guest House

12. 

    The Rose Red City

    Petra's fame is well deserved and you will be struck by the scale of the site and the extraordinary beauty of the rock-cut tombs and temples. At the time of Jesus, Petra was a magnificent Nabatean city of enormous wealth, which controlled much of the trade that passed through the region.

    We enter Petra through the Siq on foot and then suddenly stand before the rock-cut treasury, hewn out of the red sandstone. We spend the day here with time for visit many of the breathtaking monuments, including some of the Royal Tombs. We lunch in the Basin Restaurant, within the site of Petra. We then visit Ain Musa (Moses' Well) in Wadi Musa.

13. 

    Kerak Crusader Castle

    Leaving Petra, we drive to Kerak Castle which we explore before lunch. This afternoon we continue to Amman and an Orientation tour before arriving at our hotel.

    Two night stay at the Amman Regency Hotel

14. 

    Baptismal Site

    This morning we visit Bethany beyond the Jordan, a wonderfully evocative site on the banks of the River Jordan and the site where John baptised Jesus. We continue to visit Mount Nebo, the mountain where Moses viewed the Promised Land. Then on to Madaba where we have lunch and view the mosaic map of the Middle East on the floor of the Church of St George, before returning to Amman.

15. 

    Home

    We visit the spectacular Roman site of Jerash, the best preserved of all the Decapolis cities. We tour the ruins of the site including the oval forum, the colonnaded street and the theatre.

    Lunch in Jerash, before driving back to the Sheikh Hussain Bridge, in to Israel, where we will be taken to Ben Gurion Airport. Our homeware easyJet flight EZY1828 departs at 20:30, arriving in Manchester at 00:10.

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