Ashdod to Haifa Overnight Journey (Double Accommodations)
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Port
Ashdod (Jerusalem), Israel
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Activity Level
Strenuous Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$890
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
2 days / 1 night
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Meals Included
Meals included
Old City of Jerusalem & Its Walls
As a holy city for Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Jerusalem has always been of great symbolic importance. Among its 220 historic monuments, the Dome of the Rock stands out: built in the 7th century, it is decorated with beautiful geometric and floral motifs. It is recognized by all three religions as the site of Abraham's sacrifice. The Wailing Wall delimits the quarters of the different religious communities, while the Resurrection rotunda in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre houses Christ's tomb.
Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity & the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem
The inscribed property is situated 10 km south of Jerusalem on the site identified by Christian tradition as the birthplace of Jesus since the 2nd century. A church was first completed there in ad 339 and the edifice that replaced it after a fire in the 6th century retains elaborate floor mosaics from the original building. The site also includes Latin, Greek Orthodox, Franciscan and Armenian convents and churches, as well as bell towers, terraced gardens and a pilgrimage route.
Day 1 (L/D)
On the drive to Jerusalem, familiar names will catch your attention all along the way.
Begin with a magnificent view over the Golden City from Mount Scopus; then, walk through the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus spent the last moments before his arrest.
Re-board your coach for the short drive to Mt Zion, where you will visit the Room of the Last Supper and walk past King David's Tomb.
Enter the Old City of Jerusalem via the Zion Gate for a walk through the Jewish Quarter and the Roman Cardo to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Emperor Constantine constructed a vast sanctuary here, on the site of Christ's resurrection. The building was later destroyed but was rebuilt by the Crusaders. Inside the church you will see the five last Stations of the Cross.
After a pleasant lunch, drive to Bethlehem. Here, you will visit the Church of Nativity, built above the place where Christ is said to have been born. The actual Cave of the Nativity is a small crypt with a vaulted masonry roof. Poor Bethlehem families used the rocky hollows of the region as stables or dwellings, so the tradition that places the Nativity in a cave is not at odds with the story of the manger.
You will stay overnight either in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. After checking in at the hotel, enjoy dinner. Depending on the hotel's location, you'll take an evening drive either through Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. If in Jerusalem, you'll see the magnificently illuminated Old Town walls and enjoy a moonlit visit to the Western (or Wailing) Wall with a chance to touch the stones. If in Tel Aviv, you'll see the beautiful Old Port of Jaffa whose character remains completely intact and along modern Tel Aviv's Rothschild Boulevard and seafront promenade. Dinner and Overnight at the Inbal Jerusalem Hotel (or similar) after an exciting and memorable day.
Day 2 (B/L)
Leave Jerusalem via the Judean Mountains and drive through the Sharon Valley to Nazareth -- the childhood home of Jesus. Called the City of the Annunciation, Nazareth is revered as the spot where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, telling her that she would bear the Son of God. See the Church of the Annunciation, sited where Mary is said to have lived.
You will also see the Church of St Joseph, where Joseph's carpentry workshop is believed to have stood. Below ground level, an important Judeo-Christian baptismal basin is preserved.
Drive via Cana, where Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water to wine, to the Sea of Galilee and enjoy lunch on its shores.
You will drive past the Mount of the Beatitudes, where Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount.
Continue to Capernaum, St Peter's village, where Jesus lived during his ministry in the Galilee. See the ancient synagogue and the archaeological excavations of the 2,000-year-old village.
Visit the Yardenit baptismal site by the Jordan River.
At the conclusion of two exciting days in Israel, your motorcoach will bring you to Haifa's port where you will re-board the ship.
Please note: Bring your passport when visiting Bethlehem. Use of an audio headset (included) will enhance your tour experience. All meals are included unless specifically noted otherwise.
Important: It is solely each guest's responsibility to obtain (before traveling) any visas, vaccinations or tourist cards that are required for participating in Mid-Cruise Adventures or Overnight Journeys, unless noted otherwise in the description. Please be aware that you may need a visa for any and/or all countries that you will depart from and travel through as part of your Mid-Cruise Adventure or Overnight Journey, and for the country in which you will re-join the ship. Your travel agent can assist you with your visa needs. If you require further assistance, Seabourn's preferred visa service is CIBTvisas. Residents of the USA and Canada phone: 866-935-8472; or email: seabourn@cibtvisas.com. CIBTvisas' phone numbers and email addresses for residents of Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom can be found on our website. Applications and additional information can be downloaded from the CIBTvisas website at https://CIBTvisas.com/seabourn. You must advise CIBTvisas of your Mid-Cruise Adventures or Overnight Journeys, as the visa requirements for these vacation enhancements may vary from those required for your cruise.