Past to the Future – The Highlights of the Jewish State – 11 days

Day 1 – Thursday, Arrival

Our representative will meet you after the passport control upon your arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, assisting as you pick up your luggage and head out for the transfer to your hotel.

Check in at the hotel in Tel Aviv.

Overnight: Tel Aviv

Day 2 – Friday, Tel Aviv tour

Our first day of touring will begin immediately after breakfast.  An interesting walking tour through Tel Aviv and Jaffa is ahead of us. We will start on Rothschild Boulevard, where we will see Tel Aviv’s beautiful Bauhaus style architecture, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Amongst the buildings will be the newly renovated independence hall, the site commemorating the declaration of the founding of the state of israel on the 14^th of May 1948. We will continue on to Neve Tzedek – Tel Aviv’s very first neighborhood. The next stop will be Jaffa, the world’s oldest port city, for a view of the old city and its well known artist’s colony.

To end our day, you will enjoy free time at one of Tel Aviv’s busiest areas on Friday afternoons – the Nachalat Binyamin Crafts Fair and Carmel Outdoor Food Market – for great sounds, smells and of course, great shopping!

Overnight: Tel Aviv

Day 3 – Saturday

Free time –Day at leisure in Tel Aviv

Overnight: Tel Aviv

Day 4 – Sunday, Travel to the North

After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and drive to Rehovot. Our first stop will be at the Weizman Institute which played a key role in the development of the state. We will enjoy the new amazing presentation of high technology and see the mansion house of Haim Weizman the first president of Israel. We will then continue on to Zichron Yaacov for a stroll through the historical streets of one of the earliest settlements from Israel’s first immigration period, followed by a visit to the Carmel Mizrachi Winery for a wine tasting tour. We will then drive to Daliat El-Carmel, a Druze village located on top of Mount Carmel, to learn about the unique Druze community and enjoy free time for an authentic Druze lunch (separate).  Finally, we go on to Haifa with a stop at the Louis Promenade for a great view of the Haifa Bay and the beautiful Baha’i Gardens.

Overnight: Haifa

Day 5 – Monday, Tzfat and the Golan Heights

Check out after an Israeli breakfast in the hotel. Our journey will begin with a short visit to Tiberias, a city located on the shores of Lake Kinneret and a significant spiritual center during the Mishna and Talmudic periods. Continue on to Tzfat, where we will walk through the mystic alleyways of city and hear stories of the Kabbalists & their ancient synagogues.  Our Tzfat tour will end with a visit to its famous artists’ colony where we will meet a Kabala artist and learn about his special techniques and context.  We will drive to Rosh Pina, originally founded in 1878 by a group of ultra-orthodox Jews intending to become farmers with the support of Baron Edmund de Rothschild. Rosh Pina is one of Israel’s oldest colonies but today boasts a small town known for great restaurants, cafes and art galleries.

In the afternoon, we will drive over to the beautiful Hula Valley, Israel’s first Nature Reserve. The HaHula Tourism Complex is located at the center of the Hula Valley and is considered to be one of the world’s most important centers for bird watching and ornithology.

Overnight: Kibbutz hotel

Day 6 – Tuesday, Adventure Day

This touring day will give you an opportunity to enjoy the North of Israel in a unique and exciting way. We will start our day by driving to Mount Bental, a beautiful spot for a panoramic view of the Upper Galilee, the Golan Heights and Syria. We will then continue on to Golan Magic, an entertaining 3-D multi-media adventure viewed on a 180-degree screen. After the film, a walk through the giant model of the Golan Heights, the largest of its kind in the world, accompanied by special narration, sound and light effects. Then, we will finish the first half of the day with a visit to The Golan Olive Oil Mill and Visitor Center.  As we walk through this uniquely-designed building with ancient ambience, our guide will explain the olive oil production process, including the evolution from antique tools to modern machinery.

The rest of day is free! We will be happy to provide you with a list of the options in the area and recommend the most suitable ones for your party.

Some options include: biking or hiking tour, rappelling, kayaks on the Jordan River or even participating in a gourmet chocolate workshop, and so much more…

Evening Option (Seasonal)– a lantern tour in either the valley of the lost river or Nimrod fortress

Overnight: Kibbutz hotel

Day 7 – Wednesday, Travel to Jerusalem

Check out from the hotel and depart for our touring day. Our first stop will be the Tel Hai Museum.  This memorial is dedicated to a dramatic battle in 1920 lead by Joseph Trumpeldor, a hero known for his loyalty to the nation.

Then, we will visit the “Naharayim Experience at Gesher.” Nicknamed the “start-up” of last century, this unusual light and sound show is filled with models demonstrating the dam system, running water and a combination of sounds and colors. The demonstration shows how the desert transformed into a symbol of – and a vision for – Jewish immigration and industrial development in Israel.

Our day will continue with a drive to Jerusalem through the Jordan Valley’s stunning landscape. We will stop at Mt. Scopus upon arrival in Jerusalem for a magnificent view of the city and a brief explanation about the capitol’s past and future.

Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 8 – Thursday*, Old City of Jerusalem

After breakfast, Start with the City of David for a virtual reality movie about King David’s historical city, and a “wet” walking tour of the ancient water system connecting Warren’s Shaft and to the Shiloah tunnels (Hezekiah’s tunnel).then the recently discovered Herodian Road  will lead you, as it once led so many worshippers during the Second Temple period, in the direction of the Western Wall and the Temple Mount,  to the Archaeological Garden & the new Southern Wall excavations (Davidson Center). See the restored Jewish Quarter, the Western Wall (HaKotel) and the colorful bazaars and the Cardo.

*Thursday is the day many Bar Mitzvah celebrations take place at the Western Wall.  During our walk, we will meet some of them and get to wish them a MAZAL TOV!

After dinner at the hotel, we’ll listen to a fascinating lecture entitled “Behind the Scenes” about Israel’s current events including recent highlights and future plans.

Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 9 – Friday, Jerusalem’s New City

Visit the graves of Israel’s former prime ministers and soldiers who died in battle at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery. We will then continue to the new Museum at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, including Valley of the Communities. We will pass by the Knesset – Israel’s Parliament building, as well as the famous Menorah and the new home of Israel’s Supreme Court.

We will visit the Israel Museum to see the Shrine of the Book with a display of Dead Sea Scrolls, and visit the model of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period.   Then, continue on for a neighborhood tour around the Mahane Yehuda Market to meet different local ethnic groups and taste some of their cultural foods.

Drive to the Western Wall to participate in millennium spanning tradition of Kabbalat Shabbat services as the Jewish Sabbath descends over Jerusalem.  Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 10 – Saturday,

Day at leisure in Jerusalem –(or an Optional tour at extra cost to the Dead Sea & Masada )

Evening Option: Enjoy a breathtaking night tour of the Old City, including a light and sound show combined with 3D slides projected onto the great wall in the Tower of David.  This show is highly recommended due to its unique way of depicting the different periods in Jerusalem’s long history. Duration: Around one hour.

Overnight: Jerusalem

Day 11 – Sunday, Departure

Check out of the hotel following breakfast.

- Transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for the flight home

Enjoy your ride back home, looking forward to see you here again,

The CTO staff