3 Days in Israel on a 10-day Silversea Cruise

 

Bahai Gardens in Haifa

If Israel is still on your bucket list as a must-see destination... now is the perfect time to make it happen because here at Reid Travel, we are featuring a marvelous 10-day Mediterranean cruise aboard Silversea's Silver Spirit to take you there in style.  You can do it this year if you hurry, and there is a "Same Time Next Year" opportunity as well.

Your friendly blogger, Helene Golden, has the pleasure of being the Signature hostess on this year's sailing on the Silver Spirit on October 16th and is so looking forward to cruising with our Signature clientele.  (We can still book it for you if you hurry!)  The 2016 sailing is on October 24th on the Silver Cloud.  Both sailings begin and end in Athens and include lovely destinations in the Greek Isles, Cyprus and Turkey.

Israel, a thin slice of land, 500 kilometers long by 140 kilometers wide, has a fascinating variety of landscapes, climates and history.  Small, yes; but there is so much to see and do - you can experience its extraordinary history as well as its modern treasures on this cruise.  Adding to the appeal is its distinction of being the home of three major religions:  Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

From the port of Ashdod, you can tour Jerusalem or Tel Aviv and Jaffa.  Jerusalem's Old City - added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site List in 1981--is home to several sites of key religious importance:  The Dome of the Rock, al-Aqsa Mosque for Muslims, the Temple Mount and Western Wall for Jews and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Christians. 

Visit Tel Aviv and its Bauhaus-style modernist buildings; the Carmel Market (the largest open-air market) and practice your bargaining skills; watch the sunset over the Mediterranean while sipping your favorite drink at a seaside cafe. 

Marvel over Haifa's Bahai Gardens located in the heart of Haifa (a UNESCO site).  These magical terraces must be one of the most beautiful gardens in the world.  Try to imagine a staircase of nineteen terraces extending all the way up the northern slope of Mount Carmel. 

Visit Safed in the upper Galilee, one of the holy Jewish cities which provides some bewitching views of the Golan.  The archaeological site of Capernaum is where Jesus lived, preached, and gathered the first of his disciples.  The beautiful remains of a fourth-century synagogue are the most prominent ruins here, while the modern church on the site is built over the remnants of a Byzantine church and the ruins of the House of St. Peter.  

Whatever your choice of sights in Israel, your experience aboard Silversea will be as extraordinary as the other ports you visit which will include:

• Agios Nikolaos, on the Greek island of Crete
• Limassol, on the southern coast of Cyprus
• Alanya, the beach resort on the southern coast of Turkey
• Antalya, the largest Turkish city on the Mediterranean coast
• Santorini, an island in the southern Aegean Sea that is so spectacular it defies description.

With our invaluable advice and unrivaled resources our Reid Travel advisors will insure that you get the most for your vacation dollar...hassle free!

800.248.8404 ~ www.reidtravel.com ~ mail@reidtravel.com