Palestine Pilgrimage – Standard Itinerary
Introduction
Below you will find details of the standard Itinerary of Palestine Pilgrimage. We are happy to arrange an itinerary with you that is specific to your group. Normally accommodation is provided in Tiberias or Nazareth and Bethlehem on a half-board basis. Flights can be offered from London Heathrow, London Luton or Manchester.
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Standard Tour Itinerary
Day one – London to Tiberius
We will depart from the United Kingdom on a direct flight to Tel Aviv, arriving late afternoon or early evening. After clearing immigration and customs we will meet our guide and bus and will be taken to our hotel in Tiberias or Nazareth for our evening meal and overnight.
Day two – The Galilee
We will begin our first day of pilgrimage with Mass on the shore of the lake of Galilee where Jesus shared breakfast with his disciples after his resurrection. After spending some time here we then visit the site of the feeding of the five thousand. We will then visit the town of Capernaum, central to the ministry of Jesus in this area; after which we will enjoy a boat ride across the lake and then stop for lunch at a local Arab restaurant. After lunch we will visit the Jordan River Baptismal site; here there will be the opportunity to renew our baptismal vows and to relax. We return to our hotel for our evening meal and overnight accommodation.
Day three – Nazareth and Mount Tabor
After breakfast we travel to Nazareth where we celebrate Mass in the house of Mary, the site of the annunciation. We will then tour Nazareth, visiting the site of Joseph’s workshop and the synagogue where Jesus preached. We will call at Mary’s well and then break for lunch.
After lunch we will travel to Mount Tabor, the traditional site of the transfiguration; after a taxi ride to the top of the mountain we will visit the church and enjoy the spectacular views. We return to our hotel for our evening meal and overnight accommodation.
Day four – Jericho and the Dead Sea
Before breakfast we have Mass on the Mount of Beatitudes. After Mass we will leave to travel along the Jordan valley to Jericho. We will arrive in Jericho and have a tour of the city along with the opportunity to see the mountain where Jesus spent his fast of 40 days and nights. After our tour we will stop at the Temptation Restaurant for lunch and shopping. After lunch we will leave for the Dead Sea where the brave can enjoy a swim and the faint-hearted can enjoy an ice cream! Then we will travel to our hotel in Bethlehem for our evening meal and overnight accommodation.
Day five – Bethlehem
After breakfast we visit the Church of the Nativity where we will celebrate Mass. Then we will walk to Bethlehem University to visit the campus, meet the students and staff and enjoy lunch in the Hotel Management School. After lunch we will go to the Shepherd’s fields, here there will be the opportunity to visit a local co-operative souvenir shop; nearly 70 families make and sell their work here. We return to our hotel for our evening meal and overnight accommodation.
Day six – Jerusalem
After breakfast the coach will take us for a full day walking tour of Jerusalem. We will visit the Mount of Olives, starting at the church of the Our Father and then re-tracing the steps of Jesus on the first Palm Sunday we will walk down to the church of Dominus Flevit (the Lord wept) where we will celebrate Mass and enjoy the panoramic view over the Old City. Then we will walk to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations, visit the cave of betrayal and the “tomb of the virgin”. Then we will visit Mount Zion, seeing the Upper Room, the tomb of King David and the site of the Dormition of our Lady. We will finish the morning with a visit to the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu, the site of Caiaphas’ house.
After a break for lunch we visit the church of St Anne built near the pool of Bethesda and then we will follow the way of the cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We will tour the church and then walk through the souk to Jaffa gate where the Coach will meet us and take us back to Bethlehem for our evening meal and overnight accommodation
Day seven – Meet the local Christians
After breakfast, we will travel to celebrate Sunday Mass with the community in one of the local villages. After Mass we will have coffee with the parishioners and the opportunity to meet with the priest and families of the parish. There will be the chance to explore the parish and then enjoy lunch. After lunch we will return to our hotel for packing and in the evening have a splendid meal in a local Bedouin restaurant. .
Day eight – Ain Kerem, Abu Gosh and return to London
After breakfast we leave the hotel and visit the town of Ain Karem, the birthplace of John the Baptist. Here we will celebrate Mass before driving on to Abu Gosh, the site of Emmaus. After visiting the 12th century Crusader church we will drive to the convent of Our Lady to enjoy the views back to Jerusalem and to have our final lunch. We will then make our way to the airport where we will catch the evening flight to the United Kingdom.
