Golden Spirit Tours -

STATE OF ISRAEL

Israel lies on the tectonic plates where the continents of Africa and Asia, the East and the West, and the Heavenly and the Earthly all collide. No other place is quite like it.

So this tiny land encompasses incredible diversity on every level-deserts and forested mountains, awesome holy sites and hedonistic beaches, ancient walled cities and coral reefs in crystal-clear waters, medieval bazaars and sleek high-tech society. To millions of Jews, Christian, Muslims, Israel is the Holy Land where Solomon reigned in all this glory, where Jesus taught and performed miracles, and where Muhammad visited during a miraculous night journey from Mecca. Yet amid this swirl of charisma, history, legends, and spiritual pull, Israel is also a modern, lively, innovative country that’s fun and fascinating for visitors.

VISIT ISRAEL

Israel attracts thousands of people from around the world by the wide variety of places and landscapes, by its historical, archaeological, religious and the stark contrast of the ancient with the modern.

Nothing is easier than traveling in Israel. Situated on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, it is a harbor for dozens of international airlines. Its compact geography allows going from one place to another in a short time. Visit the holy places and many beautiful landscapes that Israel can offer. In Jerusalem, we feel fascinated by the history of the Holy City. Stroll along the walls of old Jerusalem. Get fascinated by following the footsteps of Jesus along the Via Dolorosa and entering the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. You will be fascinated by the archaeological sites of the city. At the Dead Sea, visit a completely different field and meet the lowest point on earth, 400 meters below sea level. Float in the waters and experience the healing properties of natural black mud. Visit the historical places of Galilee including Capernaum, Tabgha, Mount of Beatitudes, Nazareth, and Mount Tabor and capture the emotions of the site of Jesus’ baptism, at the Jordan River.

THE BEST OF ISRAEL

For a country the size of New Jersey, Israel is startlingly diverse.

When you find yourself in the silent, haunting deserts cape near the Dead Sea, spotting ibexes on cliffs that are dotted with inaccessible caves- like those in which the Dead Sea Scrolls lay hidden for more than 18 centuries-it can be hard to believe that less than 60 minutes away is the 19th century East European ghetto world of Jerusalem’s Orthodox Mea Shearim quarter. And a few blocks from Mea Shearim, you’ll find the labyrinthine medieval Arab bazaars of the Old City, with calls to prayer from the city’s minarets punctuating your wanderings. Hop into a sherut (shared taxi) to Tel Aviv, and in an hour you’re in a world of glass skyscrapers, surf-boards, and bikinis on the beach. Travel 2½ hours to the north and you can explore ruined Crusader castles in the green forests of the Galilee Mountains.

The Holy Land surprises visitors in other ways as well. Thirty-five years ago, the country was still an austere, no-frills society Israelis lived with few luxuries, and this Spartan life was part of the national ideology. Today, Israel society is frenetically inventive, the country’s economy is booming, the standard of living has skyrocketed, and many surveys rank Israel’s per-capita income among the top 20 in the world. Israel is becoming a nation with lively sense of style and a taste for the good life. Luxury and better-quality hotel accommodations have popped up all over the country, and visitors find an interesting array of restaurants, shopping opportunities, and sophisticated boutique wineries.

Distance by car (in hours approx)