Proposed Pilgrimage Itinerary *

Day 1 - Arrive Tel Aviv
Check-in at Dublin airport for Turkish airlines flight to Istanbul. On arrival in Istanbul, connect with onward flight to Tel Aviv. Meet coach and guide, and transfer to the Legacy hotel in Nazareth for 3 nights, dinner, bed & breakfast.

Day 2 - Nazareth, Mount Tabor & Cana
Morning drive to Mount Tabor and ascend by taxi for Mass at the church of the Transfiguration. Enjoy the view of the Armageddon Valley. Drive to Cana and visit the church of the Wedding Feast - site of Jesus' first miracle. Renewal of Marriage Vows for married couples on the trip. Continue to Nazareth and visit the Basilica of the Annunciation for Mass, see the Cave - home of the Holy Family, St Josephs workshop and Marys Well. Return to hotel for dinner.

Day 3 - Sea of Galilee
Drive along by the Sea of Galilee to the Mount of Beatitudes for Mass and a full reading of the Beatitudes. Take a boat trip across the Sea of Galilee to Ein Gev, with relevant readings. Return to Capernaum to visit the old Synagogue and see the excavations of St Peters house. Nearby, visit the church of the Primacy by the sea-shore and the church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish at Tabgha. Return to hotel for dinner.

Day 4 - River Jordan & Bethany
We leave Nazareth and drive south along the Jordan Valley into Jericho. Here we can see the Mount of Temptation and the Sycamore tree of Zacchaeus. Continue to the Dead Sea and enjoy a �dip� near Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Drive by the Inn of the Good Samaritan, to Bethany to celebrate Mass and visit the tomb of Lazarus. Continue to Qasr el Yahud the true Baptismal site of Jesus on the River Jordan, here we can renew our Baptismal Vows. After we drive to Bethlehem and check-in to the Manger Square hotel, located just a stone's throw from the Church of the Nativity for 4 nights, with breakfast and dinner.

Day 5 - Bethlehem
Day in and around Bethlehem. Visit the Basilica of the Nativity, the Holy Manger, Churches of St Catherine, St Jerome, St Joseph, and the Holy Innocents. Visit the beautiful Milk Grotto. Afternoon visit to the Shepherds Fields, where we celebrate Mass. Dinner at hotel.

Day 6 - Christmas Day
We awake on Christmas Day in Bethlehem only meters away from Holy Manger. Today we will spend the day where Jesus was born and absorb the festivities. We take a morning visit to the church of the Nativity and see the Holy Manger, and celebrate Christmas Mass. We return to our hotel for a special Christmas lunch, afterwards we can take the afternoon free to enjoy the activates in Manger Square. Return to the hotel for dinner and enjoy the rest of the Christmas evening.

Day 7 - Mount of Olives
Drive to the Mount of Olives. Take a group photo and view the Old City. Visit the Ascension Dome, Pater Noster Church, Dominus Flevit, Assumption church and Grotto and the Garden of Gethsemane. This afternoon celebrate Mass in the church of St Peter in Gallicantu - Church of the Cock-Crow, see the dungeon where Jesus was held on Holy Thursday night. Afternoon visit to Ein Karem - the churches of the Visitation and St John the Baptist. Return to hotel.

Day 8 - Jerusalem
Morning in the Old City of Jerusalem. Visit the Church of St Anne and Pool of Bethesda. Walk the Via Dolorosa to the church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Rock of Calvary. Visit the Western Wall. Walk on Mount Zion and visit the church of the Dormition, Tomb of David, and Room of the Last Supper. Final dinner at hotel.

Day 9 - Depart Tel Aviv
Early morning transfer to Tel Aviv airport for flight to Istanbul. Connect with flight to Dublin.



There will be quite a bit of walking on this pilgrimage. Please talk to the tour leader or call the Marian Pilgrimage office for advice if you are at all concerned.