Highlights of Israel: Jerusalem, the Dead Sea & Galilee

This morning you explore vibrant Tel Aviv and ancient Jaffa with your guide. You take in Tel Aviv's golden beaches and boulevards, its remarkable Bauhaus 'White City' architecture, and the vibrant Carmel Market, alive with colour, spices and food. You then explore the ancient port of Jaffa, one of the oldest ports in the world, wandering its winding stone lanes, artists' quarter and harbour, with beautiful views back along the coast. In the afternoon, you journey up to Jerusalem, the golden, holy city set in the Judean hills, arriving as the city takes on its evening glow. You might take a first orientation from a panoramic viewpoint such as the Mount of Olives, gazing over the Old City and its golden Dome of the Rock. As the day ends, you settle into your Jerusalem hotel, filled with anticipation of exploring one of the most extraordinary cities on earth. Rest well.

Today you explore the sacred, atmospheric Old City of Jerusalem, one of the most extraordinary places on earth, holy to three faiths. With your expert guide, you enter the ancient walls and walk the Via Dolorosa, the path of Jesus's final journey, to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built over the site of the Crucifixion and Resurrection, one of Christianity's holiest places. You stand before the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, where prayers are placed in the ancient stones, and gaze upon the magnificent golden Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, sacred to Islam and Judaism. You wander the labyrinth of ancient stone streets and bustling bazaars of the Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Armenian quarters, immersed in millennia of history and living faith. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, profoundly moved by the sacred heart of Jerusalem.

Today you explore more of Jerusalem's extraordinary heritage and visit nearby Bethlehem. You might visit the moving Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and museum, a profound and essential experience, the Israel Museum with its Dead Sea Scrolls and model of ancient Jerusalem, and Mount Zion, with the Room of the Last Supper and King David's Tomb. You then cross into Bethlehem, in the Palestinian territories, to visit the Church of the Nativity, built over the traditional birthplace of Jesus, one of the holiest sites in Christianity, and Manger Square, a moving pilgrimage for many. Your guide brings the layered history, faith and present-day life of these sacred places vividly and sensitively to life. As the day ends, you return to Jerusalem, deeply moved by the profound sites you have experienced. This evening, perhaps explore Jerusalem's atmospheric Mahane Yehuda market and its lively food scene.

Today you journey into the dramatic Judean desert to Masada and the Dead Sea. You drive down through the stark, beautiful desert to Masada, the great flat-topped mountain fortress rising above the Dead Sea, ascending by cable car to explore Herod's extraordinary mountaintop palaces, storehouses and the moving site of the Jewish rebels' tragic last stand against Rome, with breathtaking views over the desert and sea. You then descend to the shore of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, to float effortlessly in its warm, intensely salty, mineral-rich water, coat yourself in the famous therapeutic black mud, and relax amid the stark desert beauty, an extraordinary and unforgettable experience. As the day ends, you settle into your Dead Sea resort, perhaps enjoying its mineral spa. Relax this evening amid the desert stillness, savouring the remarkable landscapes of the day.

Today you journey north from the Dead Sea to the green Galilee, following the Jordan Valley. Along the way you might visit ancient Beit She'an, one of the best-preserved Roman-Byzantine cities in the region, with its spectacular colonnaded streets, theatre and bathhouses, or the site of Qasr el-Yahud on the river Jordan, the traditional site of Jesus's baptism. As you travel north, the stark desert gives way to the green, rolling hills and fertile valleys of the Galilee, a beautiful transformation. You arrive in the beautiful Galilee region, set around the shimmering Sea of Galilee, where Jesus spent much of his ministry. As the sun sets over the peaceful landscape, you settle into your Galilee accommodation, perhaps by the Sea of Galilee, immersed in the gentle beauty and profound significance of this beautiful region. Relax this evening, savouring the peace and beauty of the Galilee.

Today you explore the beautiful Galilee, following in the footsteps of Jesus. Around the shimmering Sea of Galilee, you visit Capernaum, where Jesus based his ministry, the Mount of Beatitudes, where he gave the Sermon on the Mount, and Tabgha, traditional site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, all set in beautiful, peaceful countryside. You might take a boat on the tranquil Sea of Galilee and visit the river Jordan. You also visit Nazareth, where Jesus grew up, exploring the Basilica of the Annunciation and the old town. The combination of profound biblical significance and gentle, green beauty is deeply moving. Along the way you take in the beautiful landscapes of the Galilee, its hills, vineyards and villages. As the day ends, you return to your accommodation, deeply moved by the beauty and significance of the Galilee. Rest well, savouring your final evening in the Holy Land.

After a final morning in the beautiful Galilee, you journey back towards the coast and Ben Gurion Airport for your onward international departure (with time, perhaps, for a final stop such as Caesarea's spectacular Roman ruins on the coast, or Haifa with its beautiful Bahai Gardens, en route). You leave having experienced the extraordinary depth of the Holy Land, the sacred Old City of Jerusalem, the float of the Dead Sea and dramatic Masada, the beautiful Galilee in the footsteps of Jesus, and vibrant Tel Aviv and ancient Jaffa. The images stay vivid long after you land, the golden Dome of the Rock, the prayers at the Western Wall, the float in the Dead Sea, the peaceful Sea of Galilee, and the layered faith and history of this remarkable land. Israel, a small country of astonishing depth, offers history, faith, culture and beauty in extraordinary abundance, and you depart already reflecting on one of the most remarkable journeys of your life.