An exceptional cruise: Cyprus and the Holy Land

Included in tour package:<ul><li>Nicosia</li><li>Galilee and Tiberiade lake </li><li>Jerusalem and Bethl&eacute;em</li><li>Nazareth</li><li>Acre</li><li>Limassol</li><li>Paphos</li></ul>

We&#39;ll set off on a visit to Acre (Saint John of Acre), headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller during Crusades in the Holy Land. The old city of Acre, a UNESCO world heritage site, is home to many remarkable sites, such as ruins from the Greco-Roman period as well as from the time of the Crusades and the Ottoman Empire. Its fascinating historical heritage where East meets West and the unique ruins of the different cultures make it one of the most important cities of the ancient world.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
</ul>

Visit to Acre

We&rsquo;ll set off from the port of Haifa and travel through the Judea Mountains and the entrance to the valley which was besieged during the 1948 War of Independence. In Jerusalem, you will visit the Mount of Olives and the Church of Gethsemane, where Jesus Christ was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and captured by the Romans.&nbsp; In the afternoon you will have a discovery tour of Bethlehem, City of David and Jacob, and the famous Church of the Nativity. We&rsquo;ll return to Jerusalem for a discovery tour of the Old Town. First you will visit the colorful markets where people of the three main religions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam) live side by side before we reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the holiest Christian site in the world believed to encompass both the Calvary where Jesus Christ was crucified as well as the cave where his body was placed after his death. The tour then continues along the Via Dolorosa to the Wailing Wall, the most sacred place of worship for Jews, where they write their wishes on slips of paper which are then placed in the wall. Finally, you will visit Mount Zion, where Jesus Christ ate the Last Supper with his disciples, which inspired the Cenacle. In the middle of the day, there will be a stop in a local restaurant for lunch. Return on board at the end of the afternoon.

Depending on how busy the Church of the Nativity and Church of the Holy Sepulchre are, we may not be able to visit one or both locations.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>You must wear appropriate clothing for this excursion: men need long pants, women need their shoulders and legs covered.</li>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
</ul>

Jerusalem and Bethlehem

We&#39;ll set off for a guided visit of the medieval Byzantine castle of Limassol. You will see the castle and its shady gardens. The current building, dating from the 13th century, was built on top of the ruins of a Byzantine castle and has been restored and destroyed many times during the history of Cyprus. The Venetians demolished it, the Ottomans turned it into a military building and the British used it as a colonial prison. Today it houses the medieval museum of Cyprus, with exhibits such as Ottoman pottery, medieval armor and everyday objects from the Byzantine era. The reception hall of the castle was where Richard the Lionheart, king of England, married Berangaria of Navarre in 1191. In addition, he proclaimed himself to be the king of Cyprus in this very hall and made his wife the queen of England. There will then be some free time in the old town. You can wander through the historic centre, along the pedestrianised shopping streets, the Turkish zone which has had some major renovation work and the castle which is now surrounded by a pedestrian area. Return on board.

Duration: approximately 3 hours

<ul>
	<li>Good walking shoes are strongly recommended</li>
	<li>The order of the visits can change</li>
	<li>Times are approximate</li>
</ul>

Limassol

We&rsquo;ll set off for our guided visit to Nazareth. There will be a discovery tour of Nazareth, travelling through the lovely hills of Upper Galilee and the historic Jezreel Valley until you reach the spot where the Angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Messiah. We&rsquo;ll visit the Church of the Annunciation, the largest Catholic church in the Middle East and one of the holiest shrines in the Christian world. We&rsquo;ll continue to the Greek Orthodox Church of St Gabriel, where the water from an underground spring flows into the adjacent Mary&#39;s Well which you will also see. Then we&rsquo;ll visit St Joseph&#39;s Church, built in 1914 on the very spot believed to be the workshop of Joseph the carpenter. Coach transfer back to the port in Haifa.

Duration: approximately 5 hours

<ul>
	<li>Non-revealing, modest clothing is essential (gentlemen should wear long trousers and ladies should have their shoulders and legs covered).</li>
	<li>Good walking shoes are recommended.</li>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
</ul>

Nazareth

Nicosia is the capital city of Cyprus and its largest metropolis. We&rsquo;ll visit B&uuml;y&uuml;k Han, the largest caravanserai of Cyprus considered to be one of the finest buildings on the island. This former commercial district was built in 1572 by the Ottomans and was restored in 2002. Afterwards, we&rsquo;ll take a stroll in the traditional pedestrian neighborhood of La&iuml;ki Geitonia. Its charm lies in its lovely alleys and typical houses from the 18th century. We&#39;ll get to taste local products during our visit.PLEASE NOTE<ul><li>The order of the visits can change.</li><li>Times are approximate.</li><li>A valid passport is mandatory for this excursion. </li></ul>

Excursion to Nicosia

We&rsquo;ll leave from Limassol by coach and head towards Paphos. On our way, we&rsquo;ll stop off at Petra Tou Romiou, also known as Aphrodite&rsquo;s Rock, a popular attraction because its status in mythology as her birthplace. We&rsquo;ll then continue on to Paphos, visiting two major sites in the Kato Pafos Archaeological Park. The first are the impressive, underground tombs dating back to the 4th century BCE. Because of their beauty and importance, they are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are carved out of solid rock, and a few are decorated with high, Doric pillars. Important officials rather than actual kings were buried here, but the magnificence of the tombs gave the locality its name. We&rsquo;ll also visit several restored Roman villas, including the Houses of Dionysus, Theseus, and Aion. Afterwards, we&rsquo;ll continue on to the coastal town of Yeroskipou and visit a Loukoum (Turkish Delight) factory for a tasting. We&rsquo;ll return to the ship in Limassol.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
</ul>

Paphos

We&rsquo;ll set off by coach for our excursion to Galilee and Lake Tiberias, a freshwater lake known also as the Sea of Galilee or Kinneret in Hebrew. This is the main water source in Israel and is for Christians the place where many of the events described in the Bible occurred. The excursion will first take you to Cana (or Kafr Cana), where Jesus performed the miracle of transforming water into wine. We&rsquo;ll continue on to the Mount of Beatitudes, from where there are wonderful views of Lake Tiberias. This is the hill where Jesus is believed to have delivered his &ldquo;Sermon on the Mount&rdquo;. You will also visit the Church of the Beatitudes, where the stained glass windows under the dome depict the eight beatitudes of Jesus. Next we&rsquo;ll head for Tabgha, believed to be one of the most beautiful and most peaceful holy Christian sites and which was the scene of many gospel stories. You will also visit the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes which is said to contain the stone on which Jesus placed the five loaves and two fishes that he multiplied in order to feed a crowd of 5,000 people. You will also visit the Church of the Primacy of St Peter, built in 1933 by Franciscans and believed to be where after he had risen, Jesus reinstated Peter as chief among the Apostles. We&rsquo;ll continue to Capernaum, which was the base camp for Jesus during his Galilean ministry. It was here that he was said to have preached to the synagogue and healed the sick, and where he chose his first four disciples Peter, Andrew, James and John from among the local fishermen. We&rsquo;ll visit the Synagogue and the house of St Peter, of which only ruins remain and where Jesus was said to have lived. Next we&rsquo;ll travel to Jordan where Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist.

Duration: approximately 9:00 of which 4 hours will be spent on the transfer there and back

<ul>
	<li>Non-revealing, modest clothing is essential (gentlemen should wear long trousers and ladies should have their shoulders and legs covered).</li>
	<li>Good walking shoes are recommended.</li>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
</ul>

Galilee and Lake Tiberias

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CLASSIC EXCURSIONS PACKAGE

Included in tour package: Nicosia Galilee and Tiberiade lake Jerusalem and Bethléem Nazareth Acre Limassol Paphos

CLASSIC EXCURSIONS PACKAGE

CLASSIC EXCURSIONS PACKAGE

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An exceptional cruise: Cyprus and the Holy Land

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