There are some destinations in the world where you could well pinch yourself, hardly daring to believe you are actually there. The Holy Land with its place names indelibly etched on humanity must surely be one of those.
The Via Dolorosa, Gethsemane, Temple Mount and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the city of King David. The Church of the Nativity and Manger Square in Bethlehem.
You may find it hard to take all this in, such is the magnitude of what we will see.
Our momentous trip to the Holy Land begins in the important Israeli port city of Ashdod. Arriving in Jerusalem, we head for the cemetery on the Mount of Olives where Jesus went on Palm Sunday after arriving from Jericho.
From this vantage point, there is the most stunning panorama across the walls of the Old City (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) to the Temple Mount and the golden Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque.
We learn about where Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, arrested by the Romans and later sentenced by Pontius Pilate.
We then travel to Bethlehem located in the West Bank to visit site of the birthplace of Jesus, the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square. Lunch is provided in Bethlehem and there is time for souvenir shopping before we head back to port.
© Greek Cruises 2024
