Depart the USA on your transatlantic flight to Tel Aviv, Israel. After arrival in Tel Aviv, you are met by a representative of Mayflower Cruises & Tours and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax or explore this vibrant city on the shores of the Mediterranean. Tonight, join your Tour Manager and fellow travelers for a welcome dinner at the hotel. Meal: D After breakfast, embark on a full day of sightseeing. Begin in Tel Aviv, often called “The White City” for its UNESCO-designated Bauhaus architecture. Boasting an amazing blend of ancient and contemporary sites, visit Rabin Square and see Independence Hall where David Ben Gurion declared Israel’s independence.

In Jaffa, see the Ottoman clock tower, Church of St. Peter, Simon the Tanner’s house – of historical importance from its references in the Book of Acts, and Andromeda Rock, known for its reference in Greek mythology.

Continue to Caesarea, built by King Herod. See its ancient Roman theatre, still used today, and stand in awe of the ancient hippodrome, the Crusader moat and massive aqueduct. At the final stop in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Acre, see the Crusaders City and Templar Castle, the later Ottoman city and the British prison from the years leading up to Israel’s independence. Arrive in Tiberias for overnight and an included dinner. Meals: B, D Depart by coach for the Mount of Beatitudes, the church with the octagonal dome where Jesus blessed his disciples some 2,000 years ago and gave his Sermon on the Mount. Enjoy a visit to Tabgha, where Jesus fed the 5,000 with two fish and five loaves of bread. Visit the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter (Mensa Christi) and Capernaum where the ruins of the village are explored.

Continue to the beautiful Banias Falls and ascend the Golan Heights to visit Nimrod Fortress and the Mt. Bental overlook. Meals: B, D Experience a sailing across the Sea of Galilee and visit the Ancient Boat Museum. Enjoy a traditional St. Peter’s Fish lunch at Ein Gev and witness first-hand what daily life is really like on a kibbutz, Israel’s communal living system.

During the excursion in Nazareth, visit the Basilica of the Annunciation and St. Joseph’s Church before arriving in Jerusalem this evening. Meals: B, L, D Today’s city tour includes many Biblical and historical sites important in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Drive up to the Mount of Olives for beautiful panoramic views of the Holy City. Visit the Garden of Gethsemane, the Basilica of Agony and the Tomb of the Virgin Mary. Enter through Damascus Gate and enjoy a walking tour of the Old City and the Four Quarters.

Walk up the Via Dolorosa to Calvary Hill, regarded in Catholicism as the site where Christ was crucified and ascended into heaven. Continue with a walk through the narrow “souk” of Jerusalem to the Western Wall. Wander through the Cardo, the reconstructed shopping arcade of Roman times before returning to the hotel. Meals: B, D Today is yours to explore Jerusalem on your own or join us for an optional excursion to Masada. Drive through the Jordan Valley and the Judean Wilderness.

Visit the beautiful waterfalls of Ein Gedi, an oasis some 1,200-feet below sea level. Ascend by cable car to Masada and marvel at the ancient ruins of King Herod’s fortress. A visit to Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were found, completes the tour. Meals: B, D The day is left free of planned activities for you to continue your exploration of this amazing city. Or you may choose to join us on a morning optional excursion to Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus. In the afternoon, you may choose an optional excursion to the museum of Yad Vashem, a living museum memorial to the six million Jews who perished during the Holocaust. Meals: B, D After breakfast, travel by coach to Jordan, crossing at the King Hussein Bridge. The life enriching experience in Jordan begins with a visit to the Dead Sea – the lowest point on the face of the Earth, at 1,368 feet below sea level. You’ll have time to experience the ‘healing waters’ of this remarkable ‘natural health spa’ and enjoy an included lunch. After lunch, continue to Madaba to view the 6th-century mosaic map on the floor in St. George’s Church. The day ends with a visit to Mt. Nebo, a holy site from where Moses was said to have seen the forbidden ‘Promised Land’.

Enjoy beautiful views of the Holy Land from your vantage point at 2,330 feet above sea level. Continue to the hotel in Amman for check-in and dinner. Meals: B, L, D This morning, depart by motorcoach for Petra, the ‘Rose Red’ city. Upon arrival, your life enriching experience begins. Your guide leads you on a walk through the Siq – a narrow gorge carved by the forces of water erosion, complete with fossils embedded in the rock. As you exit the Siq, the awe-inspiring view of the Treasury awaits. It is impossible to describe the feeling of standing at the foot of this amazing archaeological masterpiece, whose carvings have survived for centuries.

Continue exploring the site as you see the Monastery, the Silk Tomb and the Roman Colonnade and Amphitheater which could seat 7,000 people. After this incredible day, return to the hotel in Amman for dinner and overnight. Meals: B, L, D On a morning tour of this capital city, discover fascinating contrasts – a unique blend of old and new, ideally situated on a hilly area between the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley. See the Citadel, the Roman Theater and a view of the residential areas.

In Jerash, walk among the ruins of the former walled Roman settlement – said to be the best preserved Roman ruins outside of Italy. Hadrian’s Arch, a monument from the 2nd century, greets you as you pass through it on the way to the site. Once inside, marvel at the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis, see the Forum surrounded by 160 columns, visit the Hippodrome and stroll along the Cardo – a colonnaded street running the length of the city. All of this was buried after an earthquake devastated the area in 749 A.D., and was only discovered 200 years ago! This evening, join your Tour Manager and fellow travelers for a farewell dinner. Meals: B, D Today will be an early morning as you transfer to the Amman airport and return home filled with memories of life enriching experiences in Israel and Jordan. Meal: B