PRE-TOUR to Holy Land
Day 1 Toronto – Tel Aviv Overnight flight to Tel Aviv
Day 2 Tel Aviv – Haifa Upon arrival in Tel Aviv we are met by our local representative and make our way north to Haifa. Arrival and check-in at your hotel. Dinner and overnight at the hotel (D)
Day 3 Haifa - Tiberias: Capernaum and Sea of Galilee sites Early breakfast at the hotel. Mass at the Chapel of Stella Maris * (Star of the Sea), and visit Mt. Carmel. Drive to Tiberias. Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. We will visit a replica of a fishing boat from the time of Christ.Our visit continues with Capernaum, the Heptapegon (Peter's Primacy), followed by a visit to Tabgha where we celebrate Mass. We ascend by motorcoach to the Mt. of Beatitudes to gain a panoramic vista of the Sea of Galilee. We continue to the Baptismal Site at the Jordan River to renew our baptismal vows, then a visit to Bethsaida. We return to Tiberias and our hotel. Dinner and overnight at your hotel (B, D)
Day 4 Tiberias – Nazareth – Cana – Mt. tabor - Jerusalem Breakfast at the hotel. We make our way to Nazareth where we visit the Basilica of the Annunciation for Mass, then continue to St. Joseph's Workshop and Mary's Well. Then to Cana, site of Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding feast, where we invite couples to renew their wedding vows. Our next stop is the site of the Transfiguration at Mt. Tabor. We arrive in Jerusalem for the evening. Dinner and overnight at your hotel (B, D)
Day 5 Jerusalem: Old City, Mt. of Olives & Mt. Zion Breakfast at the hotel. We begin today entering through Stephen's Gate, with a visit to the Church of St. Anne, marking the place of birth of the Blessed Mother, visiting as well the nearby Pools of Bethesda. We proceed to the Chapel of the Flagellation (where Our Lord was scourged), then carry the cross as we follow the Via Dolorosa (Stations of the Cross). After the Stations, we return to the Ecce Homo Arch and Lithostrotos, where we celebrate Mass. We begin this afternoon with a ride to Mt. Scopus and to the Mt. of Olives, where we gain a panoramic view of the old City of Jerusalem. We visit the Ascension Mosque, Pater Noster (commemorating the "Our Father"), Dominus Flevit (where Jesus wept over Jerusalem), and the Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane. After lunch on our own, we continue onto the Church of St. Peter in Gallicanctu (where Peter denied Christ), the House of Caiphas, the Church of the Dormition of Our Lady, and the Upper Room, commemorating the Last Supper. Dinner and overnight at your hotel (B, D)
Day 6 Jerusalem: Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Bethlehem, Ein Karem & Church of Visitation Breakfast at the hotel. We begin this morning with Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Then we make our way to Bethlehem, visiting first Shepherds’ Field, followed by the Church of the Nativity, St. Jerome's Chapel, and St. Catherine's Church. We will allow extra time for shopping in Bethlehem. Returning, we stop in Ein Karem where we visit the Church of St. John the Baptist and the Church of the Visitation. The balance of the day is at leisure to browse in the local markets. Afternoon visit to the Yad Vashem Memorial Museum, telling the story of the Holocaust and serving as a sober reminder of man's inhumanity to man. Dinner and overnight at your hotel (B, D)
Day 7 Jerusalem–Tel Aviv–Madrid We transfer to the Tel Aviv airport for your flight to Madrid