Planning your trip to the Holy Land

 Visiting Israel is something every Christian should try to do at least once in their lifetime. It can be an expensive trip with a lot of planning involved, but the spiritual and cultural reward is more than worth it.

It's hard to describe how inspiring and humbling it is to visit the Holy Land. To walk the same paths our Lord and Saviour did, to visit many of the same locations he would have seen in his life, and to absorb the culture of a society that has survived turmoil, violence, and evil of the worst sort imaginable but still remains loving and welcoming to this day. It's an experience you won't forget!

When you think its time to make the journey yourself, keep these steps in mind to make sure you have the best trip possible.

There's no way around it, when you're planning an international trip, you have to do your homework. Make sure your passport is up to date and valid for at least six months from the date you enter the country. EI AL and Air Canada are the only two airliners who fly direct to Israel from Canada with direct flights available out of Toronto, so plan accordingly. 

Unlike other international destinations you may have visited, exchanging your Canadian currency is simple and easy in Israel. You should be able to exchange your funds at any bank and most hotels, restaurants, stores accept the big credit cards (Visa, American Express, Mastercard). While by-and-large Israel is a safe country, it's important to recognize the realities of the surrounding region. It might be wise to purchase travel insurance just as a piece of mind if nothing else.

When scheduling your trip, keep in mind that the country's busiest tourism season is during the summer, but also spikes around Jewish High Holidays. Succot in the Fall and Passover during the spring can also be busy (but what a thrill to be in the Holy Land during Passover!) If you don't mind crowds you can schedule any time you like, but if you want a more relaxing trip, you may want to avoid some of these busier times.

If you choose to travel to Israel as part of a tour (such as the ones offered by us!) many of these details will be worked out for you. Travelling as part of a tour is a great option. It's safer, you're sure to see some of the best spots the Holy Land has to offer as well as learn additional background information on them, and (when travelling with a C4i tour) you'll experience it all in the commune with fellow Christians. Exploring such an awe-inspiring and humbling location together can form bonds that will last a lifetime. 

Israel tends to have mild winters and warm summers, but similar to Canada, the temperature is given to change from day to day. It's important to remember that Israel enjoys an arid climate. That means that while the days may be warm, it can still get chilly once the sun goes down! So pack an extra sweater or two. 

Some religious sites have a dress code. This means pants for men and clothing that will cover the shoulder and knee for the ladies. Don't let this intimidate you though! So long as you are respectfully dressed you shouldn't have a problem.

 

Where to start! As a Christian, your problem won't be "what to see” but how much you'll be able to fit into your visit! There are definitely a few spots you won't want to miss though.

The Holy city of Jerusalem alone could easily fill your entire itinerary. Like stepping back in time, much of Jerusalem still retains the classic architecture, art, and culture from biblical times. 

Don't let its humble exterior fool you, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is positively gorgeous inside. More importantly, the Church is considered by many to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion. There is plenty of living history to explore and be awe struck by in this humbling location.

You'll also want to check out the Garden of Gethsemane, located at the bottom of the Mount of Olives. It's believed this area was a garden even in the time of Jesus' life, the quiet, secluded place he made his last prayers before being betrayed by Judas and given over to the Romans.

If you're retracing the life of Jesus, you'll obviously want to make it to Bethlehem and Nazareth as well. These beautiful, historic cities carry tremendous spiritual value to believers as the birthplace and childhood home of Christ. 

In Bethlehem, you'll absolutely want to visit the Church of the Nativity, a gorgeous Church that houses what is believed to be the exact location where Jesus came into this world. It is a blessed location that is sure to move the spirit inside any believer.

There are plenty of historic locations in Nazareth as well, but the Church of St. Joseph stands out. The Church was erected around what is believed to be the location of Joseph's workshop. It would have been here that Jesus' loving human father passed on the skills of his carpentry trade before he would fulfill his destiny as prophet, teacher, and saviour. 

In fact, if you're really looking to retrace the life of Jesus, and are blessed with a sound and healthy body, you can't do much better than The Jesus Trail. This trail begins in Nazareth and winds around roughly 60 kilometres of road to end at the Seas of Galilee. The trail is designed to best replicate Jesus' travelling ministry including his trip to the Mountain of Beatitudes where he made his Sermon on the Mound. The trail usually takes healthy hikers four days to complete and while the landscape is fairly easy going, keep in mind it can be very hot in the summer.

These few suggestions only scratch the surface of what you would want to see in the Holy Land. If it is within your means and ability to travel to Israel and see these sights for yourself, we highly recommend it. Disneyland might be a lot of fun, and it may be tempting to kickback in some tropical paradise, but nothing will make you feel closer to Jesus than walking the same land he walked on for yourself.