A brief overview of the tour
We visit Caesarea and see the remains of Herod's 2000 year old port city. After exploring the archaeological park and seeing the Roman amphitheatre we continue on to Zichron. We follow Zichron's 19th century cobbled main street lined with historic buildings. We visit Beit Nili, the local Winery and then drive on to Haifa. Here we can visit the Baha'i Gardens, the German Templar settlement and the Muhraka Monastery. On our return journey we stop at the Druze village of Daliat-el-Carmel and take a walk though their special market place.
Important and useful notes
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The private tour price is determined by distance, vehicle size, language and duration of the tour.
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The base price includes 10 hours a day , Each additional hour- $40
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Entrance fees, meals, parking fees, toll roads and tips are NOT included.
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Accommodation is not included in the price.
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Guide's overnight is not included in the price.
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On Saturdays and Jewish holidays a supplement of $125 per day will apply.
A detailed description of the tour
Being a private tour we can plan the day according to your interests but here is a rough outline of what you could see and do on this exciting tour. We drive up the coast to Caesarea; here Herod built a Roman city dedicated to Caesar Augustus. During Jesus' lifetime the city was the capital of the Province of Judea. Caesarea grew to be a prosperous port city with a population of several hundred thousand. We explore the excavated remains of this 1st century metropolis which had aqueducts, stores, homes, warehouses, a hippodrome, temples, Herod's palace and the ancient port. One of the highlights is a visit to the perfectly preserved Roman amphitheatre which is still used today to host international and local performances. There are also remains from other historic periods including a Crusader fortress and an Ottoman mosque.
Leaving Caesarea we drive inland to the quaint town of Zichron Ya'akov. The town's idyllic location is at the end of the Carmel Mountain range and facing the Mediterranean Sea. The town was founded in 1882 by Baron Rothschild and settled by 100 Jewish immigrants from Romania. Under Rothschild's patronage the agricultural community was given European-style cottages with inner courtyards. These picturesque houses still line the main cobbled street and today house cafes and specialty boutiques. We will visit Beit Nili, the base for a World War I spy ring and learn their fascinating story. We could take a look at the beautiful Ohel Ya'akov Synagogue (1886). If you are a wine enthusiast we can make a stop at the Carmel Winery, Israel's first winery dating back to 1885.
Our next stop is Haifa where we can visit the Baha'i Gardens and get a panoramic view of the city from the top of these magnificent terraced gardens. We can also visit the German Templar settlement or the Muhraka Monastery. The monastery is at the highest point of the Carmel Mountain range and is believed to be built on the site where the Prophet Elijah stayed during the Crusader era. The elevated position of the Monastery offers spectacular views of the valley below.
On our return journey we can stop at the Druze village of Daliat-el-Carmel and take a walk through their market place. The fascinating Druze culture includes delicious food, distinctive traditional clothing and unique religious beliefs.
