Nazareth & Sea of Galilee Day Tour from Tel Aviv

Description

Walk where Jesus walked. From the Church of the Annunciation to the shores of Galilee, experience the sites that shaped Christianity in a single, unforgettable day.

This full-day journey takes you through the landscapes and sacred sites that defined the life of Jesus. From the hills of Nazareth to the tranquil shores of the Sea of Galilee, every stop connects you to stories that have shaped faith for two millennia.

Your day begins early as you travel north along the Mediterranean coast, passing Herzliya and Netanya before turning inland toward the Jezreel Valley. As you cross this ancient agricultural plain, your guide points out Megiddo in the distance, the biblical site destined to witness the final battle of Armageddon according to the Book of Revelation.

Approaching Nazareth, you’ll see the Mount of Precipitation where, according to Luke’s Gospel, an angry crowd attempted to throw Jesus from the cliff after he spoke in the synagogue. The modern city of Nazareth rises around you as you arrive at its spiritual heart: the Church of the Annunciation.

Built over the grotto where tradition holds the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, this striking modernist basilica houses beautiful mosaics donated by Catholic communities worldwide. Adjacent stands the Church of Saint Joseph, constructed above what is believed to have been Joseph’s carpentry workshop. Here, the Holy Family lived their everyday lives.

Leaving Nazareth, you pass through Cana, where Jesus performed his first miracle by turning water into wine at a wedding feast. The road then descends toward the Sea of Galilee, and suddenly the blue waters appear, framed by the Golan Heights rising to the east.

At Capernaum, on the northern shore, you explore the ruins of a 2,000-year-old fishing village that served as Jesus’s base during his Galilean ministry. Walk through the remains of the ancient synagogue where he taught, and see the excavated house of Peter, now protected beneath a modern church. Nearby, the Church of the Multiplication marks the hillside where Jesus fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish.

The tour follows the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, the lake where Jesus calmed the storm and walked on water. You pass Tiberias, the ancient city named for the Roman Emperor, its history stretching back over 2,000 years.

At the southern end of the Sea of Galilee, where the Jordan River flows from the lake, you reach Yardenit. This peaceful baptismal site offers the opportunity to be baptized in the same river where John baptized Jesus. White robes are available for those who wish to participate in this meaningful ceremony.

As you begin the return journey, Mount Tabor rises to the west, the traditional site of the Transfiguration, where Jesus appeared in radiant glory before Peter, James, and John.