HOW TO EXPLORE THE HOLY LAND (JERUSALEM + BETHLEHEM + NAZARETH + GALILEE + DEAD SEA)

Israel is a highly visited place by followers of the faith trying to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, but the Holy Land is also a sacred ground for those of Jewish and Muslim beliefs as well. It is quite fascinating to visit the places mentioned in scripture in person because it gives you a visual understanding of the scripture and you can picture what things might have been like. How long you spend on this journey depends on how long you have to spend in the area, you can spend a week or you can spend over two weeks, it just depends on how in-depth you want to go. Some of the top sites to visit on this journey are Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Galilee, and the Dead Sea. In this blog, I will share some tips about visiting these places and what tours you should join.

Jerusalem Cruises

There are multiple ways you can get to Jerusalem, one way is by cruise, and the other is by Flight. Since there isn't actually an airport in the city of Jerusalem, you have to take a flight to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport, which is an hour from Jerusalem. To get from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and back, you can take a high-speed train or bus, but if you are not familiar with local transportation here, I highly suggest joining a group tour. The other popular way to get to Jerusalem is by Cruise, where you can find many different Jerusalem cruises that stop by Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Jerusalem

Religious pilgrims have been traveling to Jerusalem for centuries, yet you don’t have to share their zeal in order to appreciate this city’s profound cultural and historical significance. Plan on seeing the major sights, but also leave plenty of time to walk through the streets and simply immerse yourself in the daily life of such an ancient and revered place. There are many sites in Jerusalem worth visiting including the Old City of Jerusalem and the Western Wall, both of which have lots of religious and historical significance.

For Visitors who are a hotel in the city, I recommend the following two tours:

There a many different tours you can book from or in Jerusalem from Viator or if you are going by Cruise you can book an excursion from the cruise itself. My top recommend tour is the Jerusalem Half Day Tour: Holy Sepulchre and Western Wall; this tour is $50 and is a great value for what it has to offer. Get a panoramic look at the city of Jerusalem and visit some of its most well-known sites on this half-day tour. Look down on the city from atop the Mount of Olives, with a view of the Dome of the Rock, one of the oldest works of Islamic architecture and Jerusalem's most recognizable landmark. Visit Holy Land sites like the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed the night before his crucifixion; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, located where Jesus was crucified; and more. Jerusalem hotel pickup and drop-off included.

Another popular tour to do in Jerusalem is the Old and New Jerusalem Full-Day Tour; this tour is $73.00 and is a solid price for what it has to offer. For Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike, Jerusalem is the spiritual center of the world. Take this guided all-day tour to better understand the city’s 4,000-year-old history and visit its important sites. See what is widely considered the holiest places in the world: the Western Wall, the holiest of Jewish sites; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, located where Jesus was crucified and buried; and many more. Finish the day with time at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust History Museum in New Jerusalem. Round-trip hotel transport is included.

For Travellers coming via cruise, I would recommend the following tour:

The Jerusalem & Bethlehem Tour from Haifa Port 2023 - Small Groups costs $255.00 per person, but this tour is not any ordinary tour. Cover Christian highlights of Jerusalem and Bethlehem on a full-day tour that combines two top destinations, making the most of your travel time from Haifa Port. Round-trip transport is tailored to your cruise schedule to ensure a worry-free day of exploring, and the itinerary is designed around key Biblical sites, from King David’s Tomb to Bethlehem’s magnificent churches. This tour is tailor-made for cruise visitors who have limited time and you get to see all the key biblical sites, and not have to worry about missing your cruise.

Another tour I recommend is the Ashdod Shore Excursion: Jerusalem and Bethlehem - for cruise ship guests only; this tour is $115, which is a really good price. When arriving in Israel at the Port of Ashdod, visit the holy sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem on this guided, full-day shore excursion. Discover the history of the different religions of this region and witness the mix of cultures. See the Dome of the Rock, an iconic Jerusalem landmark; the Church of the Nativity, where Jesus was born; the famous Western Wall, the holiest of Jewish sites; and many more. Port of Ashdod pickup and drop-off included.

Bethlehem

The obvious reason to travel to Bethlehem is to visit the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square. The city's outskirts contain Shepherds' Fields and the intriguing Mar Saba Monastery. All of these places are biblical points of interest to note. Bethlehem is a place that you must join a tour to visit due to the current political climate there.

My suggested tour in Bethlehem is the Bethlehem & Dead Sea Day Tour from Jerusalem & Tel Aviv; the tour is $65 per person and is worth the price. Combine a guided tour of Christian historical sights with a chance to float in the mineral-rich waters of the lowest point on earth during this full-day combo tour of Bethlehem and the Dead Sea. Departing from either Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, travel to the West Bank by comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle. Visit the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherds’ Field with a guide before enjoying free time at the salt lake. If you are staying in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, consider visiting Bethlehem and the Dead Sea, it is well worth your time.

Nazareth & Sea of Galilee

For travelers wanting to visit Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, there are tours available from both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem:

The Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee Day Trip from Tel Aviv tour is highly recommended; the tour is $94 per person and includes a Full day trip from Tel Aviv to Nazareth, Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee. Discover the New Testament sites of Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee on this day trip from Tel Aviv. In Nazareth, Jesus’ childhood home, explore the Church of the Annunciation and Church of St Joseph. After your Nazareth tour, visit some fabled miracle locations around the Sea of Galilee including the site of the feeding of the 5,000. Visit Capernaum and then pass through Tiberias on route to the Jordan River, with the chance to be baptized in its waters. Nazareth and Galilee tours don’t come much more comprehensive!

The Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee Day Trip from Jerusalem is slightly more expensive; for $100 per person, the tour includes a full-day trip from Jerusalem to Nazareth, Tiberias, and the Sea of Galilee. Visit the Holy Land sites of Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee on this full-day guided tour from Jerusalem. Travel to the city of Nazareth, described in the New Testament as the childhood home of Jesus. See popular Holy Land sites like the Basilica of the Annunciation and Mt. Tabor, the site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. At the Sea of Galilee, see where Jesus performed miracles and walk the shores where he first taught his followers. Also, consider being baptized where Jesus was, in the Jordan River.

If you are the more adventurous type, you can definitely explore all of the top points of interest in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Galilee, as well as the Dead Sea. If you are staying in Jerusalem, getting to Bethlehem, Nazareth, and the Dead Sea is pretty simple, as there are Bus routes designated for those places. If you stay in Tel Aviv, there is also local transportation that gets you to those points of interest. If you are traveling on a budget, I would suggest using this method, although be sure to do your research ahead of time.