Often on a holy land tour to Israel, one of the first picturesque views of an ancient city will be that of Jaffa situated on a natural harbor atop a hill on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and only minutes from Tel Aviv. This ancient port city is the oldest municipality in Israel, and famous for being mentioned in the bible stories of Solomon, Jonah, and Peter.
In Israel you will find Megiddo (1 Kings 4:28, 9, 15, 2 Kings 23, Kings 29 and Revelation 16:16), identified as Armageddon (Revelation 16) and where The Book of Revelations describes an apocalyptic military battle. Today on an Israel tour you will find expansive agriculture field, plains, and ancient ruins at Megiddo with over 26 layers of ruins one on top of another on the mount. Here you will also find ruins from Solomon’s time, and beyond.
One of the important places in the scripture you will visit during your Christian tour of Israel is Bethlehem, where according to tradition Mary gave birth to Jesus in a cave, and where it’s currently marked by a star in the Byzantine church the Church of the Nativity that commemorates the birth of Jesus. Scriptures do not mention the existence of a cave, however it was during these times custom to build houses in front of caves, which provided additional shelter for animals and storage space.
One of the unforgettable highlights during a tour to the Holy Land will be Masada, the famous Israeli fortress built by King Herod the Great between 37 and 31 BCE, and later used and fortified by Israeli hold-outs against the Roman Empire in 73 CE.
The ancient ruins of Beit She’an are sure to impress during your trip to the Holy Land. Located 17 miles south of the Sea of Galilee, the ancient city was situated in a strategically important junction of the Harod and Jordan Valleys. The fertile lands were made famous with the Jewish sages to say "If the Garden of Eden is in the land of Israel, then its gate is Beth She’an."