“He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”Matthew 28:6
No feast is as closely bound to a place as Easter is to Jerusalem. Here Jesus came down from the Mount of Olives into the city, here he celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples, here he walked the way to the Cross, and here, early on the first day of the week, the women found the tomb empty. This journey is timed so that Holy Week and Easter fall during the days in Jerusalem.
Before you go to the Holy City, the way leads to Galilee – where it all began: to Nazareth with the Basilica of the Annunciation and to the Sea of Galilee with the Mount of Beatitudes, Tabgha and Capernaum. In this way it becomes clear from what life and ministry Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
On Maundy Thursday you follow the Via Dolorosa and visit the Upper Room on Mount Zion. Then the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane, Bethlehem and the desert by the Jordan are on the programme. Easter Sunday closes with a visit to Ein Karem, the home of John the Baptist – a quiet finale after eventful days.
In Joppa Peter raises the disciple Tabitha – a sign of resurrection power on the very first day of the journey.
The Annunciation to Mary stands at the beginning of the road that ends in Jerusalem.
The guide reads the Beatitudes at the place that tradition associates with the Sermon on the Mount.
In the synagogue and in the house of Peter the public ministry of Jesus begins.
The Way of the Cross is walked station by station through the lanes of the Old City.
In the Upper Room the Last Supper of Jesus comes alive on Maundy Thursday.
On the Palm Sunday path Jesus weeps over Jerusalem.
Beneath the ancient olive trees we reflect on the prayer of Jesus on the night of the betrayal.
At the baptismal site on the Jordan we remember the baptism of Jesus by John.
The meeting of Mary and Elisabeth and Mary's song of praise belong to this place.
Tip: bring your own Bible – at each place we open the relevant passage together.
Bible quotations: King James Version.
Tel Aviv Airport → Tel Aviv
After landing in Tel Aviv your local guide awaits you at the airport and accompanies you to the hotel. The first evening is for arriving: over dinner together your fellow travellers get to know one another, and the guide gives a first overview of the days ahead – from Galilee to the feast days of Holy Week and Easter in Jerusalem.
Tel Aviv → Jaffa → Caesarea → Cana → Nazareth
A walking tour shows the Bauhaus architecture for which Tel Aviv is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the old town of Jaffa, biblical Joppa, you encounter traditions from both Testaments. Along the ancient Via Maris you reach Caesarea with its Roman theatre and the remains of Herod's palace. Via Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine, you continue to Nazareth: the town centre, the Basilica of the Annunciation with its mosaics of Mary, the Church of St Gabriel and Mary's Well.
Mount of Beatitudes → Tabgha → Capernaum → Boat trip → Kibbutz
From the Mount of Beatitudes you overlook the whole lake while the guide recites the eight Beatitudes. At Tabgha you visit the Church of the Multiplication, then the fishing town of Capernaum with the remains of the synagogue and the house of Peter. At lunchtime, anyone who wishes can try St Peter's fish. In a boat modelled on the wooden boats of Jesus' time you sail out onto the lake. A tour of a kibbutz rounds off the day.
Nazareth → Jerusalem: Via Dolorosa → Holy Sepulchre → Zion → Western Wall → Davidson Center
On Maundy Thursday you travel south to the Holy City. On the Via Dolorosa you follow the Stations of the Cross to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Through the bazaar and past the Cardo you reach the Jewish Quarter and Mount Zion with the Upper Room and David's Tomb. After the Western Wall, the Davidson Center shows finds from the time of Jesus, Robinson's Arch and the Huldah Steps that once led up to the Temple. A computer model explains the history of the Temple precinct.
Mount of Olives → Dominus Flevit → Gethsemane → Mahane Yehuda Market → Bethlehem
From the Mount of Olives you look out over the whole city. On the Palm Sunday path you walk down, past Dominus Flevit, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem, into the Garden of Gethsemane with its ancient olive trees. Then you experience the Mahane Yehuda Market with its colours and scents. In Bethlehem you visit the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherds' Fields – in the midst of Passiontide a reminder that the way to the Cross began in a manger.
Jerusalem → Qasr el-Yahud → Qumran → Masada → Dead Sea → Jerusalem
Holy Saturday leads into the stillness of the desert. At the baptismal site of Qasr el-Yahud on the Jordan you remember the baptism of Jesus by John. Past Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, you drive to the rock fortress of Masada, easily reached by cable car. In the afternoon there is an opportunity for a short swim in the salt water of the Dead Sea before you return to Jerusalem.
Jerusalem → Ein Karem
The morning of Easter Day is at your disposal – for a service of your choice, for quiet prayer or for your own walk through the city. If you wish, you can instead visit the Holocaust memorial of Yad Vashem. In the afternoon the journey concludes in the picturesque village of Ein Karem with the Church of St John the Baptist, the setting for the story of the forerunner of Jesus and for the meeting of Mary and Elisabeth.
Jerusalem → Tel Aviv Airport
On Easter Monday it is time to say goodbye. The transfer takes you to Tel Aviv Airport for your journey home. If you are not yet ready to leave, you can extend your stay – with additional nights in a hotel at the Dead Sea, in Jerusalem or in Tel Aviv. We will gladly arrange such an extension with you in advance, so that the impressions of the feast days can resonate in peace.
The tour price depends on dates, group size and room allocation. You will receive your personal offer – free of charge and without obligation.
Enquire →⛔ No shopping stops: carpet, jewellery or leather showrooms are not part of this tour.
The price is available on request. We will prepare a personal offer for the respective Easter date – free and without obligation.
No, flights are not part of the package. On request we will enquire about suitable connections to Tel Aviv and back for you.
The morning of Easter Sunday is deliberately kept free so that you can attend a service of your choice.
Many pilgrims come to the city for the feast days. The guide plans the visits so that you can still experience the sites in peace.
Yes, an extension at the Dead Sea, in Jerusalem or in Tel Aviv is possible. Just mention it in your enquiry.
Easter in Jerusalem – Holy Week and Resurrection in the Holy Land
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8daysGospelsEight days from the Mediterranean via Galilee to Jerusalem and Bethlehem – with Mass celebrated at five holy shrines, from Stella Maris to the Church of the Nativity.
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