Israel holds a special place in the hearts of every traditional Christian – being the birthplace of Jesus – and Christianity. Jesus, being born in Jerusalem – near Bethlehem, holds an integral place in the Christian lifestyle.
The place houses many sacred sites that relate to the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ. Visiting Israel should be in the top priority in your list of Christian tours to Israel as it brings you closer to your religion, culture, and spirituality.
Gaining an insight into the religious sites and places will bring you closer to the religion – thus will deepen your spiritual journey.
If this is your first trip to Israel, here is the itinerary which will help you get the best out of the trip!
Day 1: Arrival in Tel Aviv International Airport
Your journey begins with entering Israel through Tel Aviv International Airport. The place in itself, is not very religious – but it is the gateway to numerous holy places – while you can spend your first night enjoying the scenic view of the Mediterranean Sea.
Day 2: Visiting Caesarea Maritima and Mount Carmel
Both the monuments are beautiful scenic places, and have a lot of importance in Christianity. The value and the meaning that both of them bring to the religion – makes both these places truly remarkable. The amphitheatre at Caesarea Maritima is something that you must not miss out on. Enjoy the awesome Mediterranean coast at Mount Carmel with your friends and family.
Day 3: Paying homage to Childhood Home of Jesus – Nazareth
Nazareth is one of the most crucial places for the Christianity. At Nazareth, in the Basilica of the Annunciation, Angel Gabriel bestowed the role of Jesus’ mother to Mary. The place is where Jesus spent his entire childhood, while growing up with Mother Mary and Joseph. It is in this place that Jesus started his ministry – which makes this place as a place of humility as in Jesus, even being the Almighty – was raised in a humble background.
Day 4: Spend a day in the Sea of Galilee to get close to the spirituality
When you are in the Sea of Galilee, you must not miss out on Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, and Tabgha. Capernaum is the place where Jesus played a critical role in healing the sick and imparted his learnings. The place is where the seeds were first sowed and where he gained his followers. Mount of Beatitudes is the place where Jesus imparted the Sermon on the Mount, which is one of the most famous speeches. Tabgha is the place where Jesus fed 5,000 people, miraculously with just 5 loaves of bread and a couple of fish. The church in Tabgha marks this event making it one of the most special places to visit.
Day 5: Jordan River and Jerusalem – A Day of Rejuvenation
Jordan is the river where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist – the place has a lot of significance for Christians – and, if you want to renew your Christianity vows – you must not miss a chance. Jerusalem is the heart of Christianity – wherein you must visit the Mount of Olives and Church of the Holy Sepulchre – the church where Jesus was crucified.
Day 6: Departure from Israel
Don’t forget to visit the local markets in Israel before leaving. To understand a little better about Israel’s history, you can also visit Israel’s museum.
Travel tips when visiting Israel
When visiting israel make sure that you follow these travel tips to have a pleasurable travel:
- Respecting the local culture is a must and understanding their attire and their traditional beliefs is very important.
- Israel is a very hot place and keeping yourself hydrated should not be forgotten.
- The diverse religious traditions within Israel is something that you must respect and be courteous to the locals.