الرحلة الدينية ستنتطلق من ملبورن - إستراليا الى الاراضي المقدسة ومن ثم زيارة الاماكن المقدسة في اوربا أي الزيارة ستشمل خمس دول ولمدة 23 يوما، وأي استفسار عن المعلومات المتعلقة بالرحلة والحجز أرجو الاتصال بالارقام الموجودة في الاعلان، هدفنا تسهيل زيارتكم بأقل الاسعار.
مقدما نتمنى لكم زيارة مباركة،
Israel and Europe May 2013
May 1, 2013
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, where you will be met by your guide. Travel to Tel Aviv for an orientation tour and continue to the ancient port city of Jaffa.
Dinner and overnight in Tel Aviv.
May 2, 2013
Depart Tel Aviv and drive north to Caesarea. Visit the Roman Theatre, Herod's Palace, the Crusaders' City and Harbor. Continue to Haifa, where we will view the Persian Gardens at the Bahai Shrine. Travel to Acre to visit the ancient city and harbor and proceed towards the Sea of Galilee.
Dinner and overnight in the Sea of Galilee area.
May 3, 2013
Begin the day with a short tour of Tiberias, followed by a boat ride to Capernaum to visit the remains of the 2nd century synagogue. Proceed to Tabgha, the site of the miracle of fishes and loaves, and visit the Church of Multiplication with its 4th century mosaic floor. Continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, the place where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. At the end of the day visit the Baptismal site on the Jordan River, Yardenit (please note that the entrance to the Baptism site is free but hiring of robes and lockers for close changing is additional and payable directly on the spot).
Dinner and overnight in the Sea of Galilee area.
May 4, 2013
Today we will drive to Nazareth, via Cana of Galilee. In Nazareth, we shall visit the Church of the Annunciation, St. Joseph’s Workshop and Mary’s Well. Begin driving towards Jerusalem, along the Jordan Valley. Visit Beit Shean on the way, with its excavated ruins of this beautiful Roman-Byzantine City (Scythhopolis). See the streets, public buildings and temples. Upon arrival to Jerusalem, stop at the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of the city.
Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
May 5, 2013
Begin the day with a visit to the Church of Ascension and the Church of Pater Noster. Descend to Dominus Flevit where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Proceed to the Garden of Gethsemane, visit the Church of All Nations and the traditional house of Caiphas. Continue to King David’s Tomb and the Room of the Last Supper on Mount Zion. Enter within the walls of the city and visit the Cardo, Temple Mount (depending on opening hours) and Western Wall.
Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
May 6, 2013
Begin the day with a visit to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust remembrance museum. Drive past the Supreme Court and the Knesset and view the Menorah, symbol of the state. Continue to the Israel Museum to visit the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are displayed and to see the model of Jerusalem during the Second Temple.
Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
May 7, 2013
Today we will enter the old city through St. Stephen’s Lion’s Gate. Continue to the church of Condemnation and Flagellation, where we begin the Via Dolorosa. The last five stations of the Cross are situated in the Holy Sepulchre. Proceed to Bethlehem to see the Shepherd’s field and visit the Church of the Nativity – the birth place of Jesus. Visit St. Jerome's Grotto where the Bible was translated from Hebrew. In the late afternoon, transfer to Ben Gurion Airport for your flight to Rome.
Arrive to Rome airport and meet after customs by the tour manager who will help them to the coach for the transfer to the hotel.
Walk to a restaurant near the hotel and have dinner.
Overnight in Rome.
May 8, 2013
In the morning, attend the Papal Blessing – which takes place only on Wednesdays.
Afternoon Rome city tour as before – entrance to the Colosseum and stop to view the Forum, visit San Paolo Fuori Le Mura, and entrance to St Sebastian’s Catacombs.
Dinner and overnight in Rome.
May 9, 2013
In the morning, visit holy sites with the Tour Manager as before – Basilica of St John in Lateran, visit the Scala Sancta steps, visit the basilica of Mary Major.
In the afternoon, a Vatican tour with a local guide as before.
Dinner and overnight in Rome.
May 10, 2013
Full day excursion to Cascia to visit the tomb of St Rita, as before.
Dinner and overnight in Rome.
May 11, 2013
Touring coach to collect the group and remain for today and the following day.
Transfer to Pietrelcina and visits as before – Church of Santa Ana, Parrochia Santa Maria Degli Angeli, and Monastery.
After visit to Piana Romana, transfer to Cassino, a town on the way back to Rome.
Dinner and overnight in Cassino.
May 12, 2013
Transfer back to Rome, and in the afternoon, visit the church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, a beautiful church with ceiling frescoes and wonderful paintings. Then entrance to the Mamertine Prison, where St Peter was once imprisoned and caused a spring to well up in the floor of his cell. N.B. I have included these visit as Santa Croce is stunning, and the Mamertine Prison is an important and evocative site. Do let me know if these appeal to the group.
Dinner and overnight in Rome.
May 13, 2013
In the morning, transfer to Rome airport for the flight to Toulouse. On arrival in Toulouse, transfer to Lourdes.
In the afternoon, walk to the Grotto on own.
Dinner and overnight in Lourdes.
May 14, 2013
Attend Mass in the morning – we will try to ensure this is an international Mass with English parts, but depending on the Basilica’s schedule of worship, it may be in French only.
Visit the Shrine and St Bernadette’s houses.
Dinner and overnight in Lourdes.
May 15, 2013
Take a ride on the funicular to the top of the Pic du Jer mountain, and walk to the Observation Point to enjoy spectacular views over Lourdes and the surrounding countryside.
Some free time to enjoy the scenery, then ride the funicular back down to the town and the rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy the unique atmosphere of Lourdes.
Dinner and overnight in Lourdes.
May 16, 2013
In the morning, transfer to Toulouse airport for the flight to La Coruña. On arrival in La Coruña airport, a local coach transfer to the hotel in Santiago de Compostela. N.B. There seem to be several flights per day on this route, but none of them are direct – the group will need to change planes in Madrid. I have therefore left the rest of the day free after arrival, as the travel may take most of the day.
Dinner and overnight in Santiago de Compostela.
May 17, 2013
In the morning, take a guided city tour of Santiago – view the main sights, and walk the final 200m of the Camino de Santiago to the Praza do Obradoiro before climbing the steps of the spectacular cathedral and a visit to this important pilgrimage site.
In the afternoon, take an excursion out to Cape Finisterre, an alternative part of the Camino de Santiago and the westernmost point of mainland Europe – the name comes from the Latin for ‘the end of the world’. Stop to view the town of Fisterra, and visit the ornate Igrexa de Santa Maria de las Areas church. Then transfer to the lighthouse, where pilgrims often stop to meditate on their journey to Santiago and light a candle. Transfer to Cabo de la Nave to look out over the ocean, where there is nothing to break the water until the USA on the other side of the Atlantic.
Return to Santiago and dinner at the hotel.
Overnight in Santiago de Compostela.
May 18, 2013
Touring coach to collect the group and remain until Day 14.
In the morning, attend the 09h30 Mass at the Cathedral of Santiago.
Then take a full day excursion to the Rias Altas region as before.
Return to Santiago in the late afternoon.
Dinner and overnight in Santiago de Compostela.
May 19, 2013
Transfer to Braga and visit the spectacular Sanctuary of Bom Jesús do Monte – climb the Baroque staircase and visit the church at the top of the hill.
Transfer to Coimbra and take a walking tour of the town with a local guide, including visits to the old town and to the Cathedral, plus entrance to the beautiful Joanina Library at Coimbra University, the oldest university in Europe.
Dinner and overnight in Coimbra.
May 20, 2013
Transfer to Tomar and entrance to the Convent of Santo Cristo – a former Knights Templar church, this is the third place on the UNESCO ‘Heritage Trail’, along with Batalha and Alcobaça.
Transfer to Fátima and attend an English Mass at the Chapel of the Apparition, visit the Basilica and visit the shrine.
Travel the Via Sacra and visit the Hungarian Calvary Chapel.
Visit the area of Aljustrel to view the houses of the children who witnessed the Apparition, then walk to Valinhos to view the monument to the apparition. I have quoted based on the Casa Das Irmãs Dominicanas, a religious hotel run by Dominican sisters.
Dinner and overnight in Fátima.
May 21, 2013
Full day excursion to monasteries on the UNESCO-listed Heritage Trail: transfer to Batalha and entrance to the Monastery, with its lovely carvings and the tomb of João I and his wife.
Then transfer to Alcobaça and entrance to the Monastery, which also has a beautiful monument – the tombs of Pedro I and his beloved Ines de Castro.
Then transfer to the charming seaside town of Nazaré and some free time to explore.
Return to Lisbon.
Farewell dinner and overnight in Lisbon.
May 22, 2013
Transfer to Lisbon airport and the itinerary ends.
ISRAEL TOUR DETAILS:
Rates are based on the following hotels or similar:
1 night @ Sea Net Hotel Tel Aviv or similar
2 nights @ Degania B Country Lodging or similar
3 nights @ National Hotel Jerusalem or Jerusalem Tower Hotel or similar
Israel Remarks
Tour is based on minimum of 25 full paying adults per bus as above.
Tour is based on 2 people per room.
Israel Rates Include:
• Meeting and assistance at Ben Gurion airport upon arrival and departure.
• Escort group transfers on arrival and departure.
• 6 nights hotel accommodation at the above listed hotels on Half Board basis (dinner and breakfast included) throughout group’s stay.
• 7 days touring with air-conditioned motor coach & English speaking guide as per our suggested itinerary.
• Porterage at the hotels.
• Overnight for staff where needed.
• Entrance fees as per our suggested itinerary.
Israel Rates do not include:
• Meals not mentioned above.
• Beverages with meals.
• Any insurance.
• Anything that is not mentioned above.
