ShoreTrips says...

Archeological excavations, spectacular Mediterranean views and fascinating ancient history. This tour's got it all.

We begin our tour with a drive to Caesarea, located on Israel’s Mediterranean Coast about halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa. Its beautifully restored harbor was built by King Herod and is an engineering marvel.

Caesarea National Park boasts one of Israel's most impressive archaeological sites. The area was excavated during the 1950's and 60's when archaeologists uncovered the Roman amphitheater, hippodrome, a Roman temple, city walls, a castle, and a church from the Crusades. Your knowledgeable guide will bring the ruins to life with accompanying historical facts.

From here we visit the modern day city of Tel-Aviv, center of Israeli business and entertainment. We'll pay our respects at Rabin Square, site of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995.

Continuing on to Old Jaffa, we'll see one of the oldest port cities in the world. Due to its location on a hill above a bay and its strategic location at the crossroads of Israel, the city was a center of historical events for thousands of years. The port of Jaffa was used by King Solomon for importing wood in order to build the first temple in Jerusalem. The old mixes with the new as we stroll the Artist's Quarter, a lively place of artist galleries and colorful alleys.

We'll visit Neve Tzedek, the first neighborhood of Tel Aviv, built in 1887. After a lengthy period of neglect, revitalization began in the 1980's. The result is a fashionable oasis in the midst of the bustling city with Oriental architecture, unique boutiques and visual and performing arts.

A stop at Nahalat Benyamin, a pedestrian mall in the city, will give you the chance to browse arts, crafts and handmade jewelry while enjoying live street music.

Finally, we'll visit Sheinkin, a lovely street especially known for its quirky shops, cafe life and youthful ambiance before returning to the ship.