Private Jerusalem and Bethlehem excursion from Haifa Port for cruisers | Greca.co

Early in the morning you will meet your guide at the agreed point within the Port of Haifa and you will start the excursion to the Holy City of Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

You will drive south up into the hills of Jerusalem in your air-conditioned vehicle. The first stop is at Mount of Olives, with its panoramic views, the highlight of which is the astonishing Dome of the Rock. Later you will drive on through the Kidron Valley, via the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed the night before his death, and you will enjoy a stroll around this beautiful garden.

Afterward, you will travel on to the Old City of Jerusalem, over 2,000 years old and made up of four very distinct quarters. Firstly you will walk through the Armenian Quarter, enjoying the bright-colored ceramics, then you will visit the Jewish Quarter, home to the Western (Wailing) Wall. Built by King Herod and destroyed by the Romans, it is the last remaining structure of the Second Temple and today acts as an open-air synagogue for religious Jews.

You will pass through the "Cardo", in Byzantine times a major thoroughfare, and today renovated and full of small galleries and stores. Finally, you will wander into the Christian Quarter, where Jesus walked along the Via Dolorosa, finally arriving at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site where he was crucified and buried and today a focal point for Christian pilgrims around the world.

Then you will continue in the Muslim quarter, enjoying the atmosphere of a Middle Eastern bazaar, and you will have the chance of drinking a cup of dark Arabic coffee before bargaining for sweets and souvenirs (your guide will help you in this regard).

Later you will travel to Bethlehem, around 30 minutes driving east, at your arrival you will walk through the Manger Square, flanked by both the Church of the Nativity and the Mosque of Oman, then you will explore the Milk Grotto where the Virgin Mary was said to have nursed Jesus. It is also possible to visit the Roman Catholic St. Catherine’s church, as well as the Greek Orthodox Church nearby.

At the end of the day, you will return to Haifa Port with your guide to rejoin your cruise ship.

Greca Tip: One of the traditions is to leave a paper with your wishes in the cracks of the wailing wall.