Christian Sites of Galilee & Nazareth

You will be met at the port by a Cruising Excursions representative who will then guide you to your air conditioned transportation.

This 10 hour tour allows you to see the sites of the New Testament, beginning with Armageddon’s strategic position and then tracing the path of Jesus’ life and upbringing to the sites around the Sea of Galilee. Your professional guide assisting on this tour will give you detailed information throughout the journey, please feel free to ask questions along the way.

You leave the Port of Haifa and travel to Nazareth, the childhood home of Jesus. On the way you will stop on the Carmel Mountain Range for a photo opportunity of the City of Haifa and the Coastal Plains.  You will visit the Basilica of the Annunciation. Built over the Grotto believed by many Christians to be the home of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the current church was constructed in 1969 on the same site as two earlier churches. In the fourth century, Helena, mother of Constantine the First, came to Israel as a pilgrim and identified this site. Her son built a massive church there -- mosaic floors from that church are on display inside the Basilica. Time permitting; you may also have the chance to see the Church of St. Joseph, traditionally identified as the woodworking shop of Joseph.

When you leave the Basilica, you will stroll through the bazaar and may even have a chance to do a little shopping.  You will then leave Nazareth on the city belt line, which offers spectacular views of the Nazareth basin. On the way, the bus will take you through the Village of Cana (Kfar Kana) which is believed to be the place where Jesus performed his first public miracle -- turning stone jugs of water into wine at a wedding celebration.

You continue on to the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus defined his ministry for the first time in the Sermon on the Mount. There is a beautiful church on the Mount donated by the people of Italy and designed by the famous architect Antonio Berlucci. There is also a magnificent view of the Southern Golan Heights, Tiberius, and the Sea of Galilee.

From the Mount of Beatitudes you will travel to Tabgha, either to the traditional site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes and (if time allows) the Church of the Primacy of Peter. Further along the Sea of Galilee are the ruins of Capernaum, the home of the apostles Peter, Andrew, James and John, as well as the tax collector, Matthew. According to the New Testament, Jesus taught in the synagogue in Capernaum on the Sabbath.

Next, you will go to Yardanit, a baptism site on the South Jordan River. Once at Yardanit, you will be free to go down to the Jordan River itself. The Jordan River, by the way, is where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. There is a very good souvenir shop on this site with items to fit any budget from post cards and refrigerator magnets to ancient widow's mites found in excavations here. Warning: You are welcome to collect water in a bottle but do NOT use this water for drinking!  After this visit, you will travel back to the Port.

Note: Due to traffic and/or crowds at the sites, the tour itinerary may be altered to avoid unforeseen delays. All sites mentioned in tour will be visited. Crowds are to be expected.

The Galilee Region is traditionally divided into upper and lower as well as Eastern and Western. This is a mountainous region with the highest mountain in the Lower Galilee being Mt. Camoun at a height of 604 meters (1981 ft) above sea level and the highest in the Upper Galilee being Mt. Meron at 1208 meters (3963 ft) above sea level. The Galilee is blessed with the highest rainfall in Israel and is famous for its wines and olive oil so famous, in fact, that there are references in Roman histories about the quality of these products. For most of the year the Galilee is green and has many different types of native wildlife.