includes accommodation, daily tours, transportation, expert guides, entry fees, and two meals a day
Two dates to chose from
- Visit the finest wineries in Israel and Palestine
- Expert guides and meeting local people
- Tours with the Middle East’s only cooperative tour company committed to peace
- Visit important cultural, historic and religious sites to Christians, Muslims, Jews and Baha’i
- Drink wine with both Arab and Jewish viticulturists and hear their stories
- Stay in a kibbutz and with a Palestinian family
- Float in the Dead Sea
- Discover social enterprises which use wine
- Ancient Roman ruins
- Visit a Palestinian refugee camp
- Uncover ancient wine presses and the ancient local wine traditions
- Optional 3-day Jordan extension
Here in one of the cradles of civilisation, grapes have been grown for wine for thousands of years. Today a very high quality product is still made by both Arabs and Jews which is largely unknown and greatly underappreciated worldwide.
You will also be able to float in the Dead Sea, visit the traditional sites of Christ’s birth and death, and engage with local people from all different walks of life. Green Olive is the industry leader and one of the only tour operators able to seamlessly bring you to both Israeli and Palestinian areas. We are a unique collective committed to human rights and democratic values, and believe in the power of shared food and drink to bring people together.
Day 1 – arrival at Ben Gurion Airport
From the airport, you’ll be brought directly to your hotel by minivan. Your hotel is in the heart of Jaffa, the oldest part of what became Tel Aviv. That evening you’ll meet the tour participants and your group leader who will give you a briefing on the days to come.
Overnight at the Margosa Hotel.
Day 2 – walking tour of Jaffa and Tel Aviv
After breakfast, you’ll take a guided walking tour of the old city of Jaffa. You’ll see the world’s oldest port, mosques, churches and markets, as well as learn about the thousands of years of conquest by dozens of armies, the Zionist dream, and the Palestinian nakba (catastrophe). These important stories have all shaped the story of Jaffa, and indeed Tel Aviv.
Lunch today will be in a French-style bistrot where you will have the tour’s first introduction to local and international wines. You will then walk Rothschild Boulevard, see where Israeli Independence was declared and admire the UNESCO-World Heritage listed Bauhaus architecture.
Dinner tonight is in the finest wine bar in Tel Aviv, where you can eat and drink with the sophisticated locals who know a thing or two about food and wine.
Overnight at the Margosa Hotel.
Day 3 – Latrun and Jerusalem
We begin the day with a trip to the Trappist Monastery at Latrun, built on a strategic hilltop which has seen several important battles fought here and for many years was right on the Israel-Jordan border. You will learn its history and be able to try the local wine, olive oil and other products.
A short drive from here takes us to one of the most famous wine regions in Israel, the Judean Hills. Although the wine growing history of this area goes back to the earliest days of viticulture world wide, the modern wineries here are relatively new area. Today this region is characterised by Israeli artisan wine making and we will have lunch here.
We then wind our way through the hills to a city which needs no introduction – Jerusalem. This afternoon you will enjoy a walking tour of the old city. Visiting all four quarters with an expert guide will highlight the symbolic importance of this area to billions of people around the world. You will also see the most important religious sites like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall, the Via Dolorosa, the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque.
An important stop is the Cenacle, or Room of the Last Supper. This is where during the Passover feast Christ and his disciples drank wine and ate bread and is the origin of the Christian tradition of the Holy Sacrament.
Overnight at the Jerusalem Hotel.
Day 4 – Refugee camp, winery and settlement
This morning we cross the checkpoint into Bethlehem. We’ll show you the infamous Israeli West Bank barrier, and walk the section covered in graffiti by famous international artists including Banksy. You will also visit his Walled Off Hotel, before meeting some of the community leaders in the nearby Aida Refugee Camp. We’ll hear about the work they do and meet some of those living in the camp. Green Olive supports their work with a donation for the visit.
We will then meet Sam Khoury, the founder of Philokalia, a Palestinian winery near Bethlehem. He works exclusively with native grapes, on old ungrafted vines, to redevelop an ancient but largely forgotten industry in this part of the country.
From here we flip things around 180 degrees and visit the oldest Israeli settlement bloc of Gush Etzion. We will have lunch in the Gush Etzion Winery, and discuss the economic role of businesses like this in supporting Israeli settlements, as well as the motivation for those who chose to live here. There will be a tour of a nearby settlement and the chance to discuss life here with a resident.
Our accommodation tonight is in the nearby suburb of Beit Sahour, in a comfortable Palestinian family home. Our hosts will serve us dinner and today is a great chance to really get to know people and begin forming your opinions of this land.
Day 5 – Bethlehem, Taybeh and the Dead Sea
This morning begins with a visit to Manager Square and the old town centre of Bethlehem. Here you can see the Mosque of Omar and the Church of the Nativity, built around the traditional site of the birthplace of Christ.
From here we travel north, to the Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh. It is well known for its beer and wine, and you will be able to try both on a tour of this charming little place.
Our final journey for the day is to descend from the fertile hills of the West Bank to 435 metres below sea level and a place where nothing grows – the Dead Sea. After a tiring day a relaxing float in the medicinal waters is the best thing. We will also be staying nearby, in the luxurious Oasis Resort Hotel in Jericho.
Day 6 – Jericho, the Jordan Valley and the Galilee
We will begin this morning with a tour of Jericho and the Jordan Valley. You can see the archeological dig of Tell As Sultan, making Jericho the oldest continuously inhabited city on Earth, and the baptismal site of Christ in the Jordan River. As we drive up the Jordan Valley towards the Sea of Galilee the landscape chances dramatically.
We will head to Nazareth for lunch, the largest Arab town in the Galilee, and home to the impressive Basilica of the Annunciation. Just up the road is Kfar Kana, in Biblical times known as Cana and where tradition holds Christ turned water into wine. An essential stop on a Holy Land wine tour!
Overnight tonight is at Nof Ginosar, a spacious hotel in a kibbutz, a collective farming community typical of early Zionist settlement. Most rooms have great views overlooking the only large freshwater lake in the Middle East.
Day 7 – Golan Heights, Jish and Safed
Today we explore the volcanic plateau on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee known as the Golan Heights. Until 1967 this area was populated mostly by a mixture of Druze and Muslim Arabs, and was part of Syria, but in the Six Day War it was conquered by Israel. Many fled the fighting or were forced into Syria, and you will be able to see some of the depopulated villages. Those that stayed mostly retain Syrian, rather than Israeli, citizenship and the UN has a significant presence here.
The geography is also fascinating, and we can ascend an extinct volcano to enjoy views of the Syrian town of Qunietra. The cone has excellent conditions for growing grapes and we will visit the Pelter winery and taste some of their wine while learning about life close to the border.
From here we drive to the mixed Muslim-Maronite town of Jish. Lunch and a visit to the Jascala winery await us here. This is one of just two Arab-owned wineries in Israel, and the town itself also has a fascinating foundation story.
The last stop this afternoon is the old Jewish town of Safed. This is one of the four sacred Jewish holy cities and is known for its observant religious community, winding hilly alleyways and beautiful Sephardi synagogues from the 15th century.
Overnight Nof Ginosar Kibbutz Hotel.
Day 8 – Haifa, Caesarea and departure
All good things must come to an end and today is the final day of our wine adventure. But before you head home we have time to visit to one final, special winery. The Tulip Winery is in Kfar Tikva (lit: The Village of Hope), a community for adults with cognitive, developmental and emotional disabilities. Tulip employs special people in the wine-making process while encouraging community involvement and joint activities. We can enjoy a glass with lovely views of the Jizreel Valley.
Nearby is Haifa, Israel’s third largest city. It is home to a busy port, a mixed Arab-Jewish population, and the stunning Bahai Gardens. After a visit here and the chance to learn about this young religion, some of our group may chose to take the train directly to Ben Gurion Airport.
For those with later flights, this afternoon we can also visit the ruined Roman city of Caesarea. Here you can see a hippodrome, theatre and the world’s first artificial port.
As well as the airport, we can also arrange onward transportation to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Allenby Bridge for crossing into Jordan, or anywhere else in the country.
Itinerary subject to change. Minimum of 6 participants required for the tour to run. Final confirmation will be made 1 month prior.
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