Wheel The World René Silberstein – Israel Trip | Nov. 2023

Activities:

• Welcome - arrival at Ben Gurion Airport - We can arrange a VIP agent to assist with arrival procedures at the airport (not included).

• Private transfer to Jerusalem & check-in to your hotel - (transfer included)

• Rest of your long flight and get acquainted to the local time

• Dinner at a local restaurant - We will be happy to give restaurant recommendations and help with reservations. Meal not included.

• Jerusalem: Cassia Hotel, Deluxe pool view room

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Free day to explore on your own - See recommendations below: (activities, guide and transfers are not included)

• Israel Museum - Visit the unique collections and expansive grounds of the Israel Museum, the country’s national museum. Linger over the renowned international and Israeli art, the world’s most complete Judaica collections and the charming Billy Rose Sculpture Garden. You can also visit the Shrine of the Book, home to the exceptional archaeological finds of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other rare ancient manuscripts.

• Stroll through Ein Kerem - Tucked into the hills of Jerusalem is the biblical Ein Kerem, whose name means "the spring in the vineyard." Step into another world while you visit this quaint neighborhood.

• Dinner at a local restaurant (not included)

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Full day walking tour - Transfers are not included

• Lookout from the Tower of David Museum - Enjoy a bird's-eye view of the Old and New Cities, as an introduction to your day and the places you will be visiting.

• Tour of the Jewish Quarter - See archaeological finds from the First and Second Temple periods, Roman ruins, vibrant synagogues, and learning institutions, all jostling for space in these busy stone streets.

• Church of the Holy Sepulchre - The church is situated on the hill called Golgotha or Calvary and contains the last five Stations of the Cross, including the sites of Jesus' crucifixion and burial. Several Christian denominations claim ownership to various parts of this site so holy to Christendom.

• Lunch break at the Arab Market - Browse in the famous Arab shuk (market) in the Muslim Quarter. Check out the local hummus and sweets, the many stalls selling spices, pastries, pottery, sheepskin, embroidered clothes, and so much more. Meet store owners whose stores have been in their family for generations. (meal not included)

• Time to reflect at the Western Wall - Proceed to the Kotel (The Western Wall), sacred because it is one of the last remnants of the Second Temple that was destroyed by the Romans. Feel the stones that have witnessed so much in the history of the Jews. Place your special and personal prayer in the cracks of the stones.

• The Western Wall Tunnels - Explore what’s under the Muslim Quarter through the Kotel Tunnels Tour. The Western Wall is impressive, but its greatness is truly discovered when you descend underground to the Western Wall Tunnels. The tunnels run along approximately 488 meters (1601ft) of the Western Wall, giving visitors a taste of the challenge that stood before Herod the Great during the biggest of all his immense building projects - the expansion of the Temple Mount.

• Dinner at a local restaurant - (meal not included)

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Private transfer to the museum - One transfer is included.

• Yad Vashem - private tour - Visit the museum at Yad Vashem, Israel’s National Memorial to the Holocaust. Tour this memorial to the darkest moment in the world and Jewish history, its children’s memorial, and exquisite gardens. Yad Vashem is an unforgettable place of tribute and remembrance. You'll be guided by a member of the Yad Vashem staff (included).

• Culinary tour in Machne Yehuda Market - After a meaningful morning continue to the bustling multi-ethnic market bursting with life, art, and flavor. Meet your guide for a tasting tour through Machane Yehuda Market. Enjoy the hustle and bustle with all the rich fragrances, colors, and sounds this iconic Jerusalem market offers. The tastings will replace lunch.

• Enjoy a free afternoon - Private tour in Bethlehem can be added here (not included).

• Jerusalem

Activities:

• Early breakfast at your hotel & check-out - Leave your hotel by 8:00 am.

• Drive to the Judean Desert and tour Masada National Park - Ascend the mountain by a cable car to explore Masada, a scene of the epic stand by Jewish rebels at the end of the Great Revolt against Rome nearly 2,000 years ago. The new museum at the Visitor Center 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.

• Dead Sea Resort for swim and lunch - Israel’s Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth, a stunning, other-worldly landscape of shimmering blue water ringed by bare, orange and yellow hills. The waters of the Dead Sea hold a potent solution of minerals and salts that have strong healing properties. Together with its ethereal beauty, these health-giving minerals make the Dead Sea’s beaches and spas popular vacation spots for Israelis and tourists alike. At one of the local hotels, have lunch, 'float' in the Dead Sea and enjoy the hotel's facilities.

• Drive to the Negev Desert and stop at Ben Gurion's grave - Stop at the gravesite of Paula and David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, whose vision for settling the desert is continuing to bloom. Overlook towards the breathtaking Tsin Canyon and the Avdat highlands in the heart of the Negev.

• Check-in to your hotel - Dinner is available in the hotel's lobby bar or buffet meal at the dining hall (not included).

• South: Kedma Hotel, Sde Boker, Kedma room

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Jeep ride in Ramon Crater - A morning jeep ride in Makhtesh Ramon. Ride through the stunning Negev Desert and get to know the endless variations of the landscape. Explore the area of Makhtesh Ramon and immerse yourself in the details of the land around you.

• Lunch in a local restaurant - (meal not included)

• Nana Winery - tour and tasting - Tour and tasting at Nana Farm Winery. In the heart of desert, between ancient stone terraces and barren golden sand hills, wine vineyards appear. The powerful site is hard to describe in words. Experienced vintner Eran Raz, nicknamed "Nana", has created a quality leading wine in what some may be surprised to call ideal conditions for quality vine growth.

• Travel back to your hotel and enjoy the hotel's facilities - Spa treatments are available.

• Dinner at the hotel - At the hotel's lobby bar or dining room (meal not included)

• South

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel & check-out

• Begin your day with a visit to Ben Gurion's Desert Home - Paula and David moved to their Desert home in 1953, following their acceptance as Sde Boker Kibbutz members, which manifested Ben-Gurion’s pioneering vision of settling the Negev.Their home has remained as it was left in 1973, according to Ben-Gurion’s instructions in his will, that his home will be open for the public to come visit. Since 1974, visitors can enjoy a tour of his home – as they would if they we’re his own personal guests.

• Travel to Tel Aviv

• Afternoon tour of Old Jaffa - Jaffa is one of the most ancient port cities in Israel and the Mediterranean basin. Today Jaffa is a mixed city, where Jews and Arabs live alongside each other. Tel Aviv, Jaffa's younger sister, was established centuries later, in the year 1909, but the two were united into one municipality in 1949, yet each part kept its unique feel and atmosphere. Jaffa has been regenerated in recent years with the old narrow streets and courtyards becoming a highly popular part of Tel Aviv’s urban tapestry.

• Check-in & dinner at a local restaurant - (meal and transfers are not included)

• Tel Aviv: Isrtoel Port Tower, Port Superior with Sea View

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel - TLV ISR LODGING general

• Your guide will meet you at the hotel's lobby and begin your trip - Drive north along the coast.

• Tour of Caesarea - On the Mediterranean coast, Caesarea National Park is one of Israel’s most impressive archeological sites. Here, amazing ancient harbor ruins, beautiful beaches, and impressive modern residences sit side-by-side. The city was initially built by King Herod in the 1st century BC, who dreamt of a major seaport to connect the Province of Judea with Rome. For this purpose, the king's men designed an entirely artificial harbor that was in use for about a millennium. Caesarea became a central city in Roman and Byzantine times as can be seen from the massive archeological remains on site. View the spectacular Roman amphitheater, still used today as a performance venue, as well as the hippodrome that held 20,000 spectators for chariot races.

• Lookout over the Bahai Gardens in Haifa - From the Louis Promenade at the top of Mount Carmel, we will admire the stunning scenery. Nicknamed the Balcony of the Country, a 400-meter long promenade at the top of the Baha'i Gardens offers a view of the entire Haifa Bay, all the way to the border with Lebanon. This impressive spot offers a truly spectacular view, so have a camera ready!

• Akko Old City tour and market - The ancient city of Akko is situated on the Mediterranean, is one of the oldest ports in the world, and a city shared by Jews and Muslims. Walk narrow streets past towering ramparts, deep moats, green domes, venerable synagogues, slender Muslim minarets, and secret passageways. Discover the subterranean city built in the Middle Ages by the Crusaders beneath Akko. Learn about the city’s ancient history as well as its important role in Israel’s modern history.

• Dinner back in Tel Aviv on own

• Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel

• Free day to explore Tel Aviv on own - Transportation, guide and activities are not included on this day.
  suggestion: a visit to the Israeli Art collection at the Tel Aviv Art Museum

• Dinner at a local restaurant on own

• Tel Aviv

Activities:

• Breakfast at your hotel & check-out - Check-out by noon. You can leave your luggage at the storage room.

• Free day to explore the city on your own - Feel the weekend's atmosphere at this vibrant modern city. (Activities, guide and transportation are not included on this day)

• Recommended: Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel) - The Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel), is the largest market in Tel Aviv. Touring the market reveals the taste of the ages of Tel-Aviv in the youthful atmosphere of the city's central market. The Polish, the Persian, and the Yemeni...in this case, it is not the opening line of a joke, but the fascinating culinary traditions that mix in this place. The established market that was founded over 90 years ago, can now reveal its secrets, stories, and legends to you. Enjoy tastes throughout the tour.

• Private transfer to the airport - Fly back home. We look forward to hosting you again.