Jerusalem and Bethlehem Private Guided Tour

Overloaded with churches and home to the oldest continually used cemetery in the world, the Mount of Olives holds particular interest to religious pilgrim travelers to Jerusalem, but even the non-devout can appreciate the spectacular Old City panoramas from the peak. This sacred hill is believed to be the place where God will begin rising the dead on Judgement Day. For Christian believers, this is also where Jesus ascended to heaven after his crucifixion and subsequent resurrection. The Church of the Ascension on the top of the mount dates from 1910 and has the best views across Jerusalem. Walking down the slope, you come to the Church of the Pater Noster built next to the site where, according to tradition, Jesus instructed his disciples. Farther down, the Church of Dominus Flevit is claimed to be built over the site where Jesus wept for Jerusalem, and farther along is the onion-domed Russian Church of Mary Magdalene.

Follow in the footsteps of centuries of pilgrims, & enter one of the holiest sanctuaries on Earth. Lauded by both Jews and Muslims, this is the site where Abraham (father of all three monotheistic faiths) is said to have offered his son up as a sacrifice to God, where Solomon built the First Temple for the Ark of the Covenant, and where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have ascended to heaven during his early years of preaching Islam. Haram Al-Sharif is a place of deep significance (& contention over ownership) for those of faith. The wide plaza, above the old city, is centered around the glittering Dome of the Rock, which is Jerusalem's most iconic landmark. Beneath the golden dome is the sacred stone both Jews and Muslims believe to be where Abraham offered his son to God and where Muslims also believe the Prophet Muhammad began his journey to heaven. The southern side of the plaza is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. First established in 705 CE, it's among the oldest mosques in the world.

The Citadel, popularly known as the Tower of David, actually has no connection with David, having been erected by King Herod to protect the palace he built in approximately 24 BCE. His original citadel had three towers named after his brother Phasael, his wife Mariamne, and his friend Hippicus. After Titus' conquest of the city in 70 CE, the Romans stationed a garrison here, but later the citadel fell into disrepair. It was successively rebuilt by the Crusaders, Egypt's Mamelukes, and the Ottomans, during their years of reign over Jerusalem. The building you now see was built in the 14th century on the foundations of the original Phasael Tower. Inside is the Tower of David Museum, which relays the story of Jerusalem. A permanent display of archaeological exhibits can be viewed, along with temporary exhibitions that explore facets of Jerusalem's culture and heritage. If you climb up to the citadel's rooftop, you are rewarded with one of the best Old City vistas in town.

Mount Zion (the small hill immediately south of the Old City's Zion Gate) is home to Jewish and Muslim shrines as well as a number of churches. Since the Byzantine Age, Mount Zion has been revered as the place where Christ celebrated the Last Supper and where the Virgin Mary spent the last years of her life, according to some Christian traditions (another tradition says her last days were spent in Ephesus in Turkey). For Jews, Mount Zion's importance stems from this being the place of King David's Tomb. If you climb up the stairs from the tomb's courtyard, you'll come to the Last Supper Room, which has served as both church and mosque throughout its long history. The Church of the Dormition nearby is where the Virgin is supposed to have died, while just to the east is the Church of St. Peter of Gallicantu where Peter is said to have denied Jesus.

The Old City fortifications date from the Ottoman period, and nine magnificent gates at junctions within the wall's length lead into the Old City. The Damascus Gate is one of the most famous. Lion's Gate (sometimes called St. Stephen's Gate) leads onto the Mount of Olives outside the city walls. Zion Gate is the main entry into the Jewish Quarter, while Jaffa Gate is the main passageway for the Christian Quarter. Walking the wall ramparts is a wonderful way to experience the Old City. There are two sections that can be walked on: Jaffa Gate heading north to Lion's Gate or Jaffa Gate heading south to Dung Gate.