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A 7-Day Tour Day 1 Begin your gastronomic adventure in Israel in the
Golan Heights, which few people know has become a magnet for wine, food and olive-oil
connoisseurs. Wine, oil and livestock have been the traditional produce of the
Golan for centuries. One of the finest illustrations of this fact is the Talmudic
village of Katsrin, where wine- and oil-presses have been discovered, and an oil
press is on display and even used. After a short tour of the ancient village,
you can proceed to the nearby industrial zone to visit the Eden Water Mineral
Water Plant (04-696-1050; 04-696-28245, ext. 236) and Katsrin’s winery, one of
many in the Golan Heights. For list of wineries in the Golan Heights click
here Drive north through the Druze villages of Buk’ata and Mas’ade, stopping for
the special Druze pita bread, cheese and za’atar (The biblical hyssop). Descend
from the Golan to the Hula Valley via the headwaters of the Jordan. Due to the
abundance of water, the area is dotted with fish ponds. Dinner at a fish restaurant
is a great choice in this region. In the late afternoon, head down to the Sea
of Galilee to enjoy a fish dinner along the lakefront, the local favorite being
St. Peter’s (tilapia). Overnight at the Hula Valley or the Tiberias area Day
2 Start the day at the Hula Nature Reserve. The reserve has lovely walking trails,
including a "floating bridge" over the wetland, and special lookout points where
visitors can observe the wild birds. In the spring of 1994, another stage in the
campaign to restore the Hula Valley was completed: the flooding of 250 acres of
uncultivated land, located approximately two kilometers north of the Hula Nature
Reserve. Visitors can visit the re-flooded area to appreciate nature’s
powers. While at the Hula valley Nature reserve don’t forget to stop at “Oforia,”
a spectacular multimedia display that tells the story of the migratory route that
crosses the region and the millions of birds that use it. Continue to Rosh Pina,
one of the first communities established by the early Zionists settlers, for a
taste of rural life in the Galilee. Enjoy a meal at in one of the many
fine country-style eateries that dot this picturesque community. A special treat
is the chocolate factory in the restored part of Rosh Pina, located in the 19th-century
one-room school house. Proceed to Safed (Tzefat), one of the four holy cities
in Israel and the home of Lurianic Kabalah (a branch of Jewish mysticism conceived
by the 16-century Rabbi Isaac Luria).Stroll along the lanes of Safed’s old city,
visiting its many synagogues and its unique artist’s colony. Visit Hameiri Dairy
. Day 3 Begin the day in Acre. The remains of the Crusader town, dating
from 1104 to 1291, lie almost intact both above and below today's street level,
providing an exceptional picture of the layout and structures of the capital of
the medieval Crusader kingdom, along with touches of the Ottoman fortified market
town Acre was during the 18th and 19th centuries. Explore the Knights Halls, the
Al-Jazaar Mosque, the bathhouse with its multi-media display, and the new ethnic
museum, built right into the rooms of the old wall. Stroll through the
alleys of the Old City, stop in at its spice shops, and taste the local humus
and other Middle Eastern and Mediterranean delicacies. Continue to Mount Carmel
and a visit to Zikhron Ya'akov – an area abundant in vineyards and wine and visit
a local winery. For more information visit"Israel Wines" website. Continue to
Tel Aviv. In the heart of the city, you’ll enjoy the colors and aromas of the
Carmel Market, Tel Aviv’s open air fresh produce market. In July, 2003, UNESCO
Organization proclaimed the unique urban and historical fabric of early Tel Aviv,
known as the White City, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the midst of the White
City is Rothschild Boulevard, with many interesting architectural monuments, as
well as a selection of the city’s good restaurants. Tel Aviv boasts restaurants
for every palate, preference and pocket. Ask your concierge for the best recommendations.
Some of the best fish restaurants in the city are located in the Tel Aviv Port,
along with ice cream bars and cafes. Overnight in Tel Aviv . Day 4 Begin
you day with a visit to Jaffa, where you can buy the freshest bread for miles
around at the bakery on Jaffa’s main drag, Yefet Street, a favorite with locals
that does its best business on Saturday nights. Stroll the alleyways of old Jaffa
and enjoy the artists’ colony, the picturesque fishermen’s port, the archaeological
remains and restaurants. Neve Tsedek, the first Jewish neighborhood outside the
walls of old Jaffa, is now a gentrified part of town that is one of the city’s
cultural hubs as well. Take highway 1 to Jerusalem via the Judean Mountains. A
scenic detour through the Eshtaol Forest near Beit Shemesh will showcase the region
of Samson’s exploits and includes Tel Zor’a, where Samson’s traditional tomb is
located. As a Nazirite, this biblical strongman wasn’t allowed to drink wine.
Assuming you have no such restrictions, click here for a list of wineries in the
Judean Mountains and Lowlands that you can incorporate into your day. Overnight
in Jerusalem. Day 5 Start your visit in Israel’s capital at the Tower of
David Museum dedicated to the history of Jerusalem from the founding of the city
to modern times, in its unique location in the old Turkish citadel near the Old
City’s Jaffa Gate. Continue to the Jewish Quarter, which was home to European
and Sephardic Jews who prayed and studied during the centuries under Ottoman rule,
to visit the Broad Wall, a 2,700 year old defensive fortification; the Ariel -
First Temple period museum; and Herodian Mansions. Descend from the Jewish Quarter
to the Western Wall, the last remnant of the Herodian Temple Mount. Visit the
Southern Wall Excavations. Walk on the original street from two thousand years
ago, climb the ancient steps, and visit the Multimedia Davidson Center, in the
basement of an eighth-century CE building. Wander the Old City markets, steeping
yourself in its sights, sounds and aromas, and try your hand at hunting and bargaining
for treasures. Dinner at one of the many fine restaurants in Jerusalem. Overnight
in Jerusalem. Day 6 Start the day with a Visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust
Memorial, Walk through the astounding new Museum with its new and moving focus
on the individual in the Holocaust, the Children’s Memorial and Hall of Remembrance.
Drive through the New City viewing old and new neighborhoods and the Knesset (The
Israeli Parliament) (open for visits on Sundays and Thursdays) and the beautifully
designed Supreme Court building. At the nearby Israel Museum, among many
other fascinating exhibits discover the mysteries of the Dead Sea Scrolls at the
Shrine of the Book and see the Model of ancient Jerusalem. For a change of pace
visit Mahane Yehuda, the produce market of the capital, where a number of good
restaurants have opened there lately, in the old stone buildings. Finish the day
with optional evening tours that explore the development of Jerusalem from the
19th century on. (Must be pre-arranged, can be booked through the concierge at
your hotel) Overnight in Jerusalem. Day 7 Get an early start today and
drive south to the Dead Sea and Massada, taking the cable car to the top to view
the ruins of King Herod’s mountaintop fortress and the last stronghold of the
Jewish revolt against the Romans in 73 CE, which has been declared a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Visit the new museum in the Visitor Center, which reveals the secrets
of the daily life of the rebels, the story of the excavations, and how the site
became one of Israel’s most important symbols. After a dip in the healthful
waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest, saltiest body of water on earth, continue
through the desert town of Arad to enjoy Bedouin hospitality in the Nokdim Farm
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