Private Jerusalem and Dead Sea excursion from Ashdod Port for cruisers | Greca.co

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

You will drive east 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 through the 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).

Then you will go to Ein Gedi beach to bathe in the waters of the Dead Sea, whose high level of salinity will allow you to literally float on them. You will be able to bathe in the sea without needing to know how to swim!

We recommend enjoying a thalassotherapy session, taking advantage of the properties of the local clay. You can hire one of these treatments on the beach (not included in the excursion).

You can take advantage of the free time to have lunch on your own in the surroundings.

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

Greca Tip: Do not forget to bring a bathing suit, towel, sunscreen and a hat.