Culinary and Culture in Israel
WeRIsrael
In this tour you will experience the most iconic places of Israel starting off in Jerusalem. You will discover the Old City and visit the Western Wall. Shop at the Machane Yehuda Market and experience a traditional Shabbat dinner with a hosting family. You will also get the possibility to enjoy the beautiful views of teh Judean Desert.
DAY01: Airport – Jerusalem
Welcome to Israel!
Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv. Reception by a representative of WeRIsrael and transfer to Jerusalem. Arrive at the hotel and be welcomed with fresh lemonade or orange juice. Take your time to freshen up in the hotel.
Opening dinner – 'Israeli Society – all you need to know!'
Overnight: Lady Stern hotel, Jerusalem
DAY02: Jerusalem Old City
Good morning Jerusalem!
Today, you will discover the variety of cultures, customs, tastes, and smells of the Old City in Jerusalem, one of the most interesting places in the world! Visit the four quarters of the Old City and hear about the unique characteristics of each of them. Discover who really owns the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Christian quarter; what is the story behind the maps hanging on the walls of the Armenian quarter; why is there an Austrian enclave in the center of the Muslim quarter; and learn about the 'third dome' of the recent renovated synagogue in the Jewish quarter. As you will see, every quarter has a unique history, secrets, architecture, cuisine, and atmosphere.
We will visit the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the "Cardo Maximus", a Roman street, the Khalidi Library, and much more. You can't finish your day without the best dessert the Old City has to offer – the famous knafeh of Jafar! Knafeh is a pastry made with goat cheese and served with an amazing sweet syrup. Continue with a walk through the Oriental Bazar and buy yourself and your family a souvenir. Don't forget to bargain! Return to the hotel and freshen up.
Eat dinner at an Ultra-Orthodox home and learn how to bake the famous Jewish bread – challah.
Overnight: Lady Stern hotel, Jerusalem
DAY 03: Jerusalem - Segway tour - Machane Yehuda Market - Shabbat dinner
Open your day with a typical Israeli breakfast at the hotel – enjoy fresh salad and fruit, taste the unique cheeses, and take a big bite of warm bread!
In the morning enjoy a Segway tour through the city. You will visit the magical neighborhood of Mishkenot Sha'ananim, ride across the Old City and the New City, see Jerusalem from an amazing vantage point, and so much more!
At noon, arrive at Machane Yehuda, the famous market of Jerusalem for a tasting tour. Visit the different stands and discover the unique and fascinating stories behind the people there. Experience the market through the stories, the people, the smells, and the atmosphere.
Take some time to shop in the market. Ask your guide, which is the best shop to buy spices to take home!
Experience a traditional Shabbat dinner with a hosting family. Taste the traditional food, sing along with your friends, and just enjoy yourselves!
Overnight: Lady Stern hotel, Jerusalem
DAY 4: Masada – Dead Sea
Drive to the Dead Sea area and enjoy beautiful views of the Judean Desert.
Stop on the way to see the interesting graffiti on old buildings next to the Dead Sea shore, protesting the drying up of the Dead Sea.
From there, continue to the Masada Fortress: Ascend and descend by cable car and join a guided walking tour around the fortress. Another option for the brave is to climb the Masada at sunrise. You will never see such a beautiful sunrise in your life!
Continue on to the Dead Sea shore – float in the water and cover yourself with natural mud! Your skin will feel so healthy that you won’t want to leave!
Drive along the Jordan Valley to the Galilee region.
Overnight: Sea of Galilee hotel near Tiberias
DAY 5: Golan Heights - Jeep ride - Wine tasting
Open the curtains in the hotel and reveal the sight of the magical shores of the Sea of Galilee.
Drive to the Golan Heights. Visit Mt. Bental – one of the best viewpoints in the area, where you can see how close the borders of the Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan are. Hear stories about the 1948 War of Independence and the 1967 war, both shaped the landscape of the area.
Israel is known for its amazing wines so for lunch, we will enjoy Wine tasting and lunch in one if Israel's finest wineries in the Golan Heights.
In the afternoon, we’ll take a jeep ride through the beautiful mountain scenery of the Golan Heights. We’ll stop for coffee and baklava and talk to a Druze woman who might agree to give us some details about the secret Druze religion. You will hear about the healing forces of the local medicinal herbs in the area and learn some "grandmother secrets" you can use at home.
Overnight: Sea of Galilee hotel near Tiberias
DAY 6: Galilee - Olive Oil workshop – Boat ride
Today, we will explore the Galilee.
We will start our day by participating in an olive oil workshop and we’ll see why Israel is famous for its olive oil. Hopefully, we will have a chance to experience the olive harvest - if it's the right season!
For lunch, we will cook with Maryam! We will arrive at Maryam's home, a Bedouin woman. Maryam will teach us the secrets of the Bedouin cuisine and then we will implement what we learnt and cook a traditional dish together!
Take a boat trip on the Sea of Galilee during sunset and join in an Israeli sing-along!
Overnight: Sea of Galilee hotel near Tiberias
DAY 7: Caesarea - Tel Aviv – EatWith
Today, we are heading to the center of the country, starting the day with a visit to Caesarea. See the remains of the once magnificent port built by Herod the Great as well as the ancient theater and the hippodrome. See the site where Paul appeared before Festus and King Agrippa before he was sent to Rome, and simply enjoy the air and the view of the Mediterranean Sea.
From there, we will drive to the cultural capital of Israel – Tel Aviv! The rest of the day will be dedicated to another very important aspect of culture – fashion! We will do a fashion and style tour through the streets of Tel Aviv - visit the studios of leading designers, see how the city inspires them, get to know some new fashion start-ups, etc.
We think that in order for you to really understand Israeli culture, you have to spend an evening with locals in their home in Tel Aviv. This is exactly what the Israeli startup Eatwith does! So, this evening, we will have dinner in a local home through the Eatwith initiative.
Overnight: Tal hotel, Tel Aviv
DAY 8: Tel Aviv – Jaffa - Neve Tsedek - Pub crawl
Start the morning with a tour of Old Jaffa. Walk through the old city and the Artists' Quarter and enjoy the perfect breeze from the sea.
Continue along the small authentic streets of the neighborhood of Neve Tsedek, which is full of galleries and local artists.
Check out the best two ice-cream places in the neighborhood and decide which one has a larger variety of flavors!
Enjoy a free afternoon at the amazing beach of Tel Aviv.
Night life is a big part of a country's culture. Tonight, you will experience a pub crawl in the city that never sleeps!
Overnight: Tal hotel, Tel Aviv
DAY 9: Tel Aviv – Airport
Depart to the airport for your flight home
Lufthansa City Center