Tourism
Learn & Explore
We invite you to enjoy unique experiences in Israel for the IDSS Symposium!
Israel is open to unvaccinated tourists – for more information: http://israelsafe.com/
Tel Aviv, Jaffa & Caesarea
We drive north along the Mediterranean coast to Caesarea to visit the Crusader Fortress built upon the ancient city of Caesarea, named after Augustus Caesar, who imposed the tax that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Continue to visit Old Jaffa. Walk through the cobblestoned alleyways and visit the home of Simon the Tanner. Your route will take you along Tel Aviv’s Rothschild Boulevard, known for its large collection of historic buildings of the Bauhaus era (a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site). Visit the Neveh Tzedek area. Conclude the day with a visit to Sarona – a newly renovated complex in the heart of Tel Aviv, originally a German Templar Colony, today the site houses boutique stores, artist galleries, quaint cafes, and some of the city’s hottest restaurants and bars.
Cost of tour per person: US$ 205
Jerusalem of Gold
Introduction to Jerusalem. Ascend the mountains from Scopus to Mt of Olives for a breathtaking view of the city across the Kidron Valley to the Eastern Gate; see Chapel of Ascension, Dominos Flevit, walk the Palm Sunday Road. Visit the Garden of Gethsemane. Drive to Mount Zion. Visit Caiphus House. Continue to the Upper Room and Tomb of King David. See the ancient Cardo Maximus and the reconstructed Jewish Quarter. Enter the Old City from Jaffa Gate. Walk through the oriental bazaars to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Continue along the Via Dolorosa, stopping at St. Anne’s Church and the Pools of Bethesda. Walk through the marketplace to the Western Wall and view the Temple Mount.
Special site visit during the day: Option-1 Davidson Center and tour the archeological Garden and the Southern Steps excavation.
Option-2 Western Wall Tunnels, one of the most magnificent and significant remnants in Jerusalem from the days of the Second Temple, destroyed approximately 2,000 years ago.
Cost of tour per person: US$ 190
Sea of Galille & Nazareth
We begin the day at Nazareth where Jesus spent his boyhood. Visit the Church of the Annunciation and Mary’s Well. Continue to Nazareth Village, a reenacted village from the time of Jesus. Step into the Bible at Nazareth Village and experience life in the first century. Drive through the Jezreel Valley and Megiddo, identified as the site of Armageddon. Board the boat for a cruise on the Sea of Galilee. Enjoy traditional St. Peter Fish lunch. Continue to the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount. We then proceed to visit Tabgha where 5,000 were fed by Jesus who performed the miracle of the multiplication of fish and loaves. Visit Capernaum where Jesus began his ministry.
Cost of tour per person: US$ 250
Jerusalem & Bethlehem
Visit of Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus, including the Church of the Nativity, Manger Square and Shepherd’s Field. Conclude the tour with a visit to the Haas Promenade with its panoramic view of the city and the Kidronalley. This is where it is said that God showed Abraham where his descendants would one day build the Holy City. If time permits visit YadVashem– the Holocaust Museum in memory of the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis. Continue to Mount Zion. Visit Caiphus House. Continue to the Upper Room and Tomb of King David. Enter the Old City from Jaffa Gate. Walk through the oriental bazaars to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Continue along the Via Dolorosa, stopping at St. Anne’s Church and the Pools of Bethesda. Walk through the marketplace to the Western Wall and view the Temple Mount.
Cost of tour per person: US$ 190
Masada & The Dead Sea
Descend through the Judean wilderness to the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth, to the ancient caves of Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Drive to the fortress Masada, the last stronghold and stand of the zealots against Rome, on the edge of the barren Negev Desert. Ascend and descend the site by cable car.
Take a lunch break to relax at the beautiful shores and experience the amazing float in the dead sea’s water. (towel, shower, and beach entrance included). Shopping time: unique cosmetic products air enriched with Dead Sea minerals from international companies such as Ahava and others.
Cost of tour per person: US$ 240
Acre (Akko), Safed & Golan Heights
Drive to the Banias River Canyon for a hike along the new hanging path to the Banias waterfall, OR visit the Dan Nature Reserve with a biblical archaeological site and easy hiking routes.
Proceed to Safed famous for Jewish “Kabbalah”. The Kabbalist mystics lived, studied, taught, and wrote in the city. Walk through the ancient picturesque alleyways of the Jewish quarter with hidden niches and beautiful synagogues whose rich past is seen from the high ceilings, colorful decorations, and ancient Torah scrolls. Visit the small galleries in the artists’ quarter.
Drive to the Mediterranean coast to visit ancient Phoenician and Crusader seaport of Akko (designated by UNESCO as a world heritage site), with ancient walls and underground Knight’s chambers, the Templar tunnel and the Hospitaller Castle.
Cost of tour per person: US$ 275
Tourism Terms and Conditions
- Entrance fees based on a minimum of 10 participants
- If minimum 10 participants are not met for full package rates can be adjusted according to final number of participants
- Pick up and drop off in central Tel Aviv hotels
- Registration to daily tours open until February 7, 2022
- Meals not included
- Rate is subject to changes and depends on staff salary tariff, sites and transportation rates
- VAT for Israeli passports holders will be added accordingly to the law
- Please note the following sites in the following locations are closed for tours on the following week days:
- Jerusalem on Saturday: Yad Vashem, Western Wall Tunnels and Davidson Center
- Nazareth on Sunday: the Nazareth Village
- Safed on Saturday
Tourism Cancellation Policy
- Refund of payments made towards tourism services will be refunded if written notification reaches the Symposium Secretariat by email, idss@ortra.com as follows:
- Until February 7, 2022 – Full refund with deduction of US$ 30 handling fee
- From February 8, 2022 until February 21, 2022 – 50% refund
- From February 22, 2022 – No refunds on cancellations
For further information please contact the Symposium Secretariat at: idss@ortra.com
Half Day Tours
The Magic of Jaffa
Depart from the Clock tower. Stroll through the picturesque alleyways of Old Jaffa, passing by art galleries and studio spaces. Followed by observation of the lighthouse and recall some stories associated with the history of the oldest port city in the world.
You will cross the street for a guided glimpse of the Flea Market and become familiar with the special human fabric that comprises Jaffa.
Cost per person: US$ 180
Sarona Tel Aviv
Depart from the visitor center of Sarona. Founded in 1871 by German Templers, this unique site underwent amazing changes. It’s residents were first appreciated for introducing advanced farming and manufacturing practices to the region; but later expelled for being Nazi subjects – in the heart of the First Hebrew City. Sarona transformed into a British military base, then the headquarters of both the Israeli Army and the Mossad – and finally one of Tel Aviv’s mots popular shopping and recreation sites.
Cost per person: US$ 230
Optional supplement: Sarona Market tasting tour (up to 2.5 hours). Cost for group of 10-15 PAX: US$ 1,700
Price includes: Transfer from the David Intercontinental Hotel to Jaffa/Sarona market by bus with A/C, and an English speaking licensed guide.
You are kindly asked to be at the Hilton lobby at 09:15. Transfer to tour departure points will leave the hotel at 09:30.
All tours end at the visited area by approx. 12:00.
Unique Experiences
If you are interested in a unique experience – please contact us at: idss@ortra.com
Israel Hot Spots
Tel Aviv-Jaffa
Tel Aviv rich in beauty and culture and with a unique history all of its own. Tel Aviv proudly boasts museums, opera, theaters, music and dance, and fine cuisine.
If Israel is a culinary superpower, Tel Aviv is its capital. Between the falafel stands and the gourmet restaurants that earn multiple forks in the Gault-Millau guide – not to mention a wide spectrum of Chinese, Italian, seafood and meat restaurants – a unique culinary culture has blossomed, unmatched by any other food mecca.
The Tel Aviv-Jaffa metropolitan area is comfortably situated along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Visitors can enjoy a 10 km promenade, clean sand beaches, lounge chairs, ice-cream vendors and die-hard beach-lovers that swim daily, winter and summer.
Tel Aviv, the first Hebrew city in modern times, was founded in 1909. The center of the city is mostly a result of a pioneering urban design by Sir Patrick Geddes in 1927-1929. In July 2003, UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, proclaimed the unique urban and historical fabric of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, known as the “White City”, as a World Cultural Heritage site.
By this proclamation, the international community recognized the exceptional architectural qualities of the buildings, streets, squares and avenues of Tel Aviv. This is the world’s largest cluster of buildings in the International Style, also known as Bauhaus.
Jerusalem
Jerusalem welcomes its visitors with a perfect mix of modernity and history, culture, and religion. The city is bursting with iconic venues and innovative spaces, rich with a tapestry of identities, faiths, and narratives. Over three billion people of faith look to Jerusalem for inspiration and to connect with the cultures that converge on this unique hilltop.
Alongside the city’s 3,000 years of history, for the discerning and well-travelled millennial, Jerusalem provides an exotic location with a vibrant nightlife and cultural scene, and is just a short haul destination for tourists from the UK and Europe.
Jerusalem has many attractions for culture lovers and offers an array of events and festivals that take place throughout the year.
The Old City, with its quaint alleys and captivating heritage, is highly recommended. Whether you seek religious sanctity or cultural enrichment, the Old City offers it all. The Western Wall, The City of David, The Via Dolorosa and The Dome of the Rock, are just a few of the many historical and biblical sites which attract visitors.
Once you leave the Old City, the new city offers many other sites of cultural, music, art, and gastronomical interest. There are many museums to visit, including the top ranking Israel Museum with the Shrine of the Book, Bible Lands Museum, Museum for Islamic Art, etc. Visitors may also stroll through neighborhoods with inspiring, magnificent views, such as Yemin Moshe, the German Colony and Ein Kerem.
Ben Gurion Airport is merely a 40 minute drive from Jerusalem, while other major cities and important sights such as Masada, Dead Sea, Haifa and Tel Aviv are easily accessible.
The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth, a place of beauty, and a place you should really visit during your time in Israel.
The Dead Sea is part of the long border between Israel and Jordan whose towering mountains can be seen from the Israeli side, part of the Judean and Negev deserts. The Dead Sea is a place popular with Israeli’s wanting a few days of relaxation, people, taking advantage of the medical properties of the water, as well as tourists staying for a short time to experience the unique Sea and surroundings. People famously cover themselves in the mineral-rich mud and float in the salty waters at the beaches which line the shores of the Dead Sea.
Masada & Ein Gedi
Masada, is, aside from the Dead Sea itself, the great attraction of the area. Atop a mountain to the side of the Sea lies this ancient fortress. With a steep history and ascent, Masada is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is traditionally climbed early in the morning by tourists wishing to see the ruins at the top as the sun rises over the Dead Sea and mountains of Jordan in the distance. Today it is not necessary to climb, as a cable car has been built.
Further North near the Dead Sea is the Ein Gedi National Park. Situated in the famous Kibbutz, this park contains a range of cool water hiking trails which allow you to cool off in the heat. The higher you go, the quieter it will be and the more likely you will be able to find your own little oasis.
Ein Gedi also has a public beach and spa which is much closer to Jerusalem than the majority of the beaches, if you have less time.
The North
The North of Israel is a land of immense natural beauty, historic and religious significance, and demographic diversity.
Israel’s Northern Coastline is home to some of the most impressive historical sites, natural beaches, works of nature, and diverse and interesting places to visit. The north coast of Israel includes areas like Mount Carmel, Ramat Hanadiv, Nahariya, Akko and much more. Exploring the north coast of Israel offers breathtaking beauty, pristine nature and some of the most stunning views in all of Israel.
The Galilee is one of the most beautiful regions of Israel. Situated in the north of the country, it is characterized by its beautiful lush landscape with agriculture, amazing natural landforms, historic sites, and quaint rural villages.
The Golan Heights are a green rocky plateau located to the east of the Sea of Galilee in the far north of Israel. About 40 miles from north to south, and an average of 12 miles from east to west, it is a relatively small region. Despite its size, the Golan Heights is very important, supplying Israel with over one third of its water, and, historically as the site of many important battles.
The Golan Heights contains some of Israel’s most beautiful spots, shaped by the rugged and in places lunar landscape. Its great resource – water has created green landscapes, and some beautiful water-features. The Saar Falls are arguably Israel’s most spectacular waterfalls, competing for the honor with the Banias Waterfall, the most iconic and largest waterfall in Israel set within the Banias Nature Reserve, with a great selection of hikes as well as some important history.
Mount Bental offers breathtaking views across both Israel’s Galilee and the flat plains of Syria. A cafe here called Koffee Anan is a clever pun – it means Coffee in the Clouds in Hebrew, and is the name of the past head of the UN – you’ll see the significance of this if you visit.
The Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret) is a magnificent geographical marvel surrounded by pretty rural agricultural settlements.
Famous due to its prominence among New Testament writings (as is the whole of the Galilee as the place Jesus lived), the Sea of Galilee is one of the earliest settled areas in the Land of Israel and boasts archaeological ruins sitting alongside some of the first pioneering settlements in Israel, as well as religious sites, modern cities, and endless outdoor pursuits.
