Ashdod Shore Excursion: Private Jerusalem and Bethlehem Day Trip
Jerusalem, Israel
Rating: 
Trip Type: Ports of Call Tours
Duration: 10 hours
When your cruise ship docks at Ashdod Port, head out on a full-day tour and explore the historic holy towns of Jerusalem and Bethlehem with a private guide. This must-do shore excursion includes visits to the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem’s Old City to see sites such as the Western Wall and the Muslim bazaar. Explore Bethlehem in the afternoon, discovering the spiritual sites of Manger Square, the Milk Grotto, Church of St Catherine and more!
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When your cruise ship docks at Ashdod Port, head out on a full-day tour and explore the historic holy towns of Jerusalem and Bethlehem with a private guide. This must-do shore excursion includes visits to the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem’s Old City to see sites such as the Western Wall and the Muslim bazaar. Explore Bethlehem in the afternoon, discovering the spiritual sites of Manger Square, the Milk Grotto, Church of St Catherine and more!
Meet your private guide outside Ashdod Port and travel to Jerusalem by air-conditioned coach, roughly two hours away. As you enter the city, stop to admire the views from the Mount of Olives, gazing out at the Dome of the Rock at Temple Mount Esplanade.
Travel through Kidron Valley, past the monumental burial tombs at the Garden of Gethsemane – where Jesus was said to have prayed before his crucifixion – to the walls of the Armenian quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City.
Stretch your legs on a walk, ambling along the old Byzantine main road, and stop to admire the Western Wall, nicknamed the ‘wailing wall’ after the vast crowds of worshipers who use it as an open-air synagogue. Soak up the atmosphere and continue through the Jewish quarter to the Christian quarter for a walk along the Via Dolorosa. The road was once an important pilgrimage route for Christian visitors, believed to mark the way to the site of Jesus’ crucifixion at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Wander away from the Christian quarter and check out the Muslim bazaar, a bustling place where Hebron glass and Armenian pottery knickknacks are sold alongside spices and coffee. Browse the stalls with your guide and soak up the colorful atmosphere, before leaving Jerusalem for Bethlehem – roughly half an hour away.
The hub of activity in the holy town is Manger Square, a sacred site that’s flanked by the Church of the Nativity and the Mosque of Oman – two important places of worship for Bethlehem’s different religions. Stroll around Manger Square to see the places of significance from nativity stories, such as the Milk Grotto where the Virgin Mary was said to have nursed the baby Jesus. Visit the Roman Catholic Church of St Catherine as well as the town’s ornate Greek Orthodox Church, and then travel north to Ashdod Port where your shore excursion finishes.
Worry-free Shore Excursion:
We will ensure your timely return to the Ashdod port for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.
Travel through Kidron Valley, past the monumental burial tombs at the Garden of Gethsemane – where Jesus was said to have prayed before his crucifixion – to the walls of the Armenian quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City.
Stretch your legs on a walk, ambling along the old Byzantine main road, and stop to admire the Western Wall, nicknamed the ‘wailing wall’ after the vast crowds of worshipers who use it as an open-air synagogue. Soak up the atmosphere and continue through the Jewish quarter to the Christian quarter for a walk along the Via Dolorosa. The road was once an important pilgrimage route for Christian visitors, believed to mark the way to the site of Jesus’ crucifixion at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Wander away from the Christian quarter and check out the Muslim bazaar, a bustling place where Hebron glass and Armenian pottery knickknacks are sold alongside spices and coffee. Browse the stalls with your guide and soak up the colorful atmosphere, before leaving Jerusalem for Bethlehem – roughly half an hour away.
The hub of activity in the holy town is Manger Square, a sacred site that’s flanked by the Church of the Nativity and the Mosque of Oman – two important places of worship for Bethlehem’s different religions. Stroll around Manger Square to see the places of significance from nativity stories, such as the Milk Grotto where the Virgin Mary was said to have nursed the baby Jesus. Visit the Roman Catholic Church of St Catherine as well as the town’s ornate Greek Orthodox Church, and then travel north to Ashdod Port where your shore excursion finishes.
Worry-free Shore Excursion:
We will ensure your timely return to the Ashdod port for this activity. In the rare event your ship has departed, we will arrange for transportation to the next port-of call. If your ship is delayed and you are unable to attend this activity, your money will be refunded. See our terms and conditions for full details.
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