As a Catholic, it had always been my dream to visit the Holy Land to see places that I have read about in the Bible. Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel, is located on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the oldest cities in the world and has attracted millions of pilgrims over thousands of years. Jerusalem is considered holy to the three major religious groups: Jews, Christians and Muslim. Many friends were surprised when they heard that I was going to Israel. Not too many people have Israel on their bucket list as it’s often seen as dangerous or too controversial to visit. However, I found the Holy Land to be fascinating where different religions co-exist in this unique country and I was excited to visit it.
Day 1: Jerusalem Arrival
After spending a week in Greece, we flew to Israel to spend another week there. Upon arrival at Tel Aviv airport at around 10 P.M., we waited about 15 minutes to go through Border Control. We received a certificate of Border Control called B2 form in lieu of receiving a passport stamp. This certificate had to be kept safe with the passport. You may already know that you cannot travel to some Middle Eastern countries at all if you have an Israel stamp on your passport. With this certificate, there is no evidence that you have traveled to Israel.
After picking up our baggage, we headed to Jerusalem to the David Citadel Hotel where we spent the next three nights there. David Citadel Hotel is a 15-min walk from Jaffa gate of the Old City and located across from the Mamilla mall, an upscale shopping street and the only open-air mall in Jerusalem that opened in 2007. It is a convenient location within walking distance to restaurants. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Russian President Vladimir Putin and celebrity Mariah Carey have stayed at the David Citadel Hotel in the past. We had a great experience staying at the David Citadel Hotel due to the exceptional service, delicious food and awesome location.
We booked the tour through Central Holidays. This was our second time booking with them and their customer service was great and organized. We spent 3 days sightseeing Jerusalem before we headed to Tel-Aviv.
Day 2: Jerusalem City Tour
Aladdin, our tour guide (no, he didn’t come out of a lamp), picked us up around 8 A.M. and took us around Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The Bible came to life! We got to walk in the foot steps of Jesus and see the places where the events of the bible took place. Aladdin has over 30+ years experience as a tour guide and is very knowledgeable and easy going. We enjoyed learning Jerusalem history from him.
Church of Nativity
The Church of Nativity marks the site of Jesus’ birth place. From the cave beneath the Church of Nativity, the Saint Jerome’s Cave was where Saint Jerome spent 30 years translating the Scriptures from Hebrew and Greek into Latin. The text became the first official version of the Bible.
Shepherd’s Field
We stopped by the Grotto restaurant for lunch and the restaurant has a nice view of the Shepherd’s Field. At the Shepherd’s Field, this was where the angel’s announced good news about the birth of Jesus to the workers with low reputation such as shepherds.
Old City
The Old City, located at the heart of Jerusalem has four quarters pertaining to the Jews, Armenians, Christians and Muslims and the quarters are all connected. It is surrounded by a wall that encloses the popular sites namely the Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Dome of the Rock and Temple Mount. At the Old Town Market in the Old City, you can find anything the city has to offer such as souvenirs, artifacts, traditional clothing, special regional spice, treats and more. Tip: Don’t be afraid to bargain. Any price is open for negotiation.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
One of the notable landmarks in the Christian Quarter is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is located in the center of the Christian Quarter. Many people within the Christian faith see this site as as the site of Jesus crucifixion, burial and resurrection. On the stone of the anointing, preparation took place for Jesus burial after his crucifixion. Many believers who came here lay on the stone to pray. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is a major destination for Christians. The church believed to contain the slab of rock where the body of Jesus Christ was laid to rest. It took about 1.5 hours to wait in line to view the tomb of Jesus Christ (no photography inside the tomb). We also met Adeeb Joudeh who held the key to the church. We learned that Adeeb is responsible for opening the church and closing the church everyday.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is also shared by six Christian denominations: the Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Roman Catholic, Coptic, Ethiopian, and Syriac Orthodox churches. The keys to the church are held by two Muslin families in order to avoid disputes between denominations. Tip: Explore the different chapels within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to view the importance of the pilgrims’ devotion to the suffering of Christ.
Western Wall
The main part of the Jewish Quarter. This astonishing wall is the holiest site for the Jewish people. It’s the western supporting wall of the Temple Mount plaza, which was destroyed about 2000 years ago. This site symbolized the rebirth of the Jewish people and use for all kinds of religious ceremonies. This is the most known attraction to visit in Jerusalem. The wall is believed to be a unique place where you can have a direct line to Heaven. Insert a small piece of paper with your prayer and insert in cracks between the stones of the Wall separated by gender. Did you know your prayer will be buried in a special cemetery later?
Day 3: City of David Tour
On the third day, we visited the City of David, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in Israel and is Jerusalem’s ancient historic core. The City of David, where the city of Jerusalem was born some 3,000 years ago, and the palaces of the kings of David stood.
View of Mount of Olives
Mount of Olives is a mountain adjacent to Jerusalem’s Old City. The mountain was once covered with olive trees. Jesus often traveled to Mount of Olives to pray and to rest and it was also the place where he was with his disciples the night before he was arrested. He was also ascended into heaven from there.
Hezekiah’s Tunnels
A visit to 533 meters long Hezekiah’s Tunnel includes walking through the water as much as 70 cm deep. It took us approximately 40 minutes to walk through a one-way wet tunnel. The water was super cold when we first walked it it. We were screaming and laughing as we walked through the pitch dark tunnel. It was a very memorable experience. Walking through the tunnel requires flashlight and water shoes. The minimum recommended age for visiting the water system is 5 years old. Did you know the water flow of Gihon Spring rivals that of all the springs in the Judean Hills, releasing enough water to fill 50,000 full-size water bottles per hour? Tip: bring flashlight or headlamp, water shoes.
Day 4: Galilee Tour
On our last day in Jerusalem, we did a Galilee tour, which included stopping at Nazareth where Jesus spent his childhood and visiting the Capernaum where Jesus spent most of his time teaching and performing miracles.
Mount of Beatitudes
This was the place where Jesus gave his important sermon on the mountain. It has a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee as a backdrop.
Basilica of Annunciation
The church stands over the cave where Mary, Joseph and Jesus. It’s considered the holiest church in Nazareth.
Mary’s well
Where Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and announced that she would bear the son of God.
St Peter Primacy
The Church of the Primacy of Saint Peter where Jesus tested Saint Peter and commissioned him as the leader of this church. Jesus had dinner with Peter on the rock.
Sea of Galilee
Despite the name “Sea of Galilee”, this is a freshwater lake in Israel and considered as the lowest freshwater lake on Earth. It is the main water source from Israel. Jesus ministered around the shore fresh water lake about 8 miles wide and 12 miles long. located 700 ft below sea level.
Capernaum
The center of Jesus activities in the Galilee and his home town. Jesus performed countless miracles.
St. Peter’s house
St Peter’s house was located close to the shores of the Sea of Galilee. In the 5th century AD, a church in the shape of an Octagon was built over St. Peter’s house.
Tips Before You Go:
Keep in mind that Jewish’s Sabbath (day of rest) begins at sundown on Friday in Jerusalem and lasts until shortly after sundown on Saturday. During Sabbath, a Sabbath elevator stops automatically at every floor (or every other floor depending on the hotel setting) and allows guests to step in and out without having to press any buttons. We did not know about the Sabbath elevator until we got yelled at by a Jewish couple for pressing the 9th floor. They told us to get out of the elevator. We had to step out and used a non-Jewish elevator. Don’t make the same mistake that we did. Most businesses, shops and restaurants begin to close up although some non-Kosher restaurants remain open. Public transportation do not run at all in Jerusalem during Sabbath. When visiting Holy Places, avoid showing skin as it’s a sign of disrespectful. Do dress modestly covering knees and shoulders.
The Jerusalem City Pass can be purchased before your arrival in Israel, which serves you for a while week and saves you from dealing with change and standing in lines and it offers a discount for great attractions.
Before the trip, the State Department had warnings on places to avoid in Israel. At first, I was a little nervous about my trip to Israel. All that changed when I was there. I felt safe going with a tour group. After getting to know the Israel people, I felt sad for them. From generation to generation, these people had struggled due to political and religion conflicts. They hope that one day there can be peace in Israel and all the neighboring countries all come to agreements.
Jerusalem Apps
Here are a few apps to explore the capital with ease and comfort.
- A Personal Tour Guide: A Voice Tours in Jerusalem Guided tours without paying a guide With the Jerusalem Development Authority app experience the Old City with a voice guide. The app offers 23 recommended routes including family-friendly ones to discover the Herodian Quarter, the ancient Walls, Jerusalem Park and more. The app is downloadable for free on all smartphones and available in Hebrew, English, French and Russian.
- Israel Museum: The Israel Museum app is a guide to the museum’s collection with digital tours of the Shrine of the Book wing, one of the more iconic structures in Israel. The app is in Hebrew, English, Arabic, Russian, Spanish, French and more.
- Abraham Tours: This is a unique app that will accompany you on your trips to Jerusalem. It recommends routes in Jerusalem for travelers of all types. The app is available in Hebrew, English, Japanese Norwegian, Russian, Romanian and more.
- JLM NightGuide: The app reveals many bars, events and attraction on offer. The app is available in Hebrew and English.
What was your experience like if you have been to Holy Land before?