Haifa to Ashdod: Two-Day Tour for Cruise Passengers

All aboooooard  & welcome to Israel  cruise lines passengers

Haifa  for many years used to be the biggest port of Israel thanks to the development by the British Mandate before our independence, but lost its crown to Ashdod 120 kilometers south. Haifa is the third biggest city in Israel after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The location of Haifa on the Carmel Mountains made it a tourist site. Carmel in Hebrew means also good quality, ant it is been use as a brand name for Israel agriculture export.  The passengers terminal in Haifa port is very comfortable and the car park is very near. I’ll wait for u in the arrival hall.

2 days Christina pilgrim tour for cruise passengers,

from port of Haifa to port of Ashdod.

First day:   Haifa – Galilee – Jerusalem.

07:30        pickup from Haifa Cruise Ship Terminal.

 Bahai Gardens in Haifa is a must stop, it is located very near to the port. Only if time permit drive on Mount Carmel we’ll  pass the Druzevillages Isfiya and Daliyat al-Carmel. We can visit at Elijah monastery called Muhraka (open from 9 am) which means in Arabic “the fire” the fire that burnt the false prophets of Baal. This little Carmelites has a magnificent view  on the Jezreel Valley known as the location of the battle of Armageddon, Lower_Galilee, Mount Tabor and Nazareth.

Driving down to Yokneam and then we are very near Nazareth. Short visit at Church o the Annunciation and we’ll continue north to nearbyKafr Kanna. Half hour drive to Mount of Beatitudes  where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. The solemn blessings (beatitudines, benedictiones) which mark the opening of the Sermon in the Gospel of St. Matthew (5:3-10).

On the foothill of the mountain we have the holly Christian sites where Jesus spend probably the happiest period of his life  Ministry of Jesusperiod –  Capernaum, Tabgha  the traditional site of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes Mark (6:30-46), Church of primacy of peter,  and a unique small museum at Ginosar  The Sea of Galilee Boat – drive through Tiberias to the baptismal site Yardenit.

Here we can drive back to Jerusalem either through Hwy 6 or more beautiful and special along the Jordan Valley and only if we r very very lucky and u have lots of energy, we’ll be able to swim at the Dead Sea and have an observation on the caves in Qumran where the  Dead Sea scrolls were found.

Arriving Jerusalem about 7-8 pm

Second day  Jerusalem

O Jerusalem if I forget thee let my right forget its cunning (Psalms137:5)

07:00 pickup from hotel after check out and breakfast

The best place to start a tour in Jerusalem will be the peak of Mount of Olives

which is the most beautiful observation in Israel and  give us great view  on The Temple Mount,  as well as a point to remember  the history of Jerusalem.

Driving down we’ll pass The Garden of Gethsemane next to   Church of All Nations   and the pictures church  Maria Magdalene build by  the Russian Tsar  Alexander III 1886.  Crossing  Kidron Valley  we’ll be able to see some of the tombs in Valley of Jehoshaphat  we’ll try to park next to The Southern Wall and start our day walk at   Jerusalem Old City

Next to The Southern Wall we’ll try to understand why  the famous astronaut Neil Armstrong  said that “this  is the most significant place in the world” . Quick visit at City of David and then we’ll enter the old city through the Dung Gate. If time permit it is highly recommended to visit Jerusalem archaeological park.  Next we’ll visit The Wailing Wall  “Kotel” in Hebrew. If it will be possible we’ll climb The Temple Mountand exit through Gate of the Tribes.

Now we r next to Lions’ Gate and we can visit Pool of Bethesda and Church of St. Anne given to the White Fathers by the Ottoman Sultan in gratitude for French support during the Crimean War.

Now we shall walk in the footstep of Jesus Via Dolorosa  the way of suffering that will  lead to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher were Jesus was crucified buried and resurrect.  After luncheon in Avtimius market we’ll climb to Jaffa Gate and walk on the  Old City Ramparts to theJewish Quarter. Visit the Cardo and finally going down to The Dung Gate and back to our car.

If time permit and u wish to visit Bethlehem  Church of the Nativity we need to coordinate with a Palestinian guide to take u into the Palestinian authority territories

5 pm we need to start drive back to your ship at the port of Ashdod .

Optionals: Need to plan in advance

  • Yad Vashem the holocaust memorial museum
  • The Israel museum Jerusalem
  •  Cave of the Patriarchs at Hebron
  • Valley of Elah where the famous fight between David and goliath too place
    Herodium
  • Jeeping at Burma Road
  • Latrun