The famed city of Caesarea was built on the site of an older town, Straton Tower, first mentioned in the letters of Zeno, an Egyptian treasury official of the third century BCE.
Zeno disembarked at the harbor while on this way from Egypt to Syria. The remains of the older town, named after a King Straton of Sidon are north of a wall built much later in the Crusader period.
In 96 BCE the city fell into Jewish hands in a Hasmonean campaign to secure the coastline and develop fishing and shipping industries. In 63 BCE the Roman general Pompey the Great conquered Caesarea and declared it to be a free town under the authority of the Roman governor of Syria.
The great leap in its development and fame arrived in 22 BCE When Herod the Great gained control of Caesarea and began his colossal building projects there.
Flavius Josephus wrote that Herod “observed there was a city by the seaside that was much decayed (its name was Straton´s Tower)…Herod rebuilt it all with white stone and adorned it with several most splendid palaces…and built a haven”.
Herod indeed planned and entire city, based on the Roman model and including imposing public buildings, a theater, hippodrome, temples and a surrounding wall. A palace was built for the Roman governor of Judea. Two aqueducts were built from the foot of the Carmel Mountains, many sections of them still visible today, including one pillar with an inscription carved by soldiers of the 10th Roman Legion. Herod named the city for the emperor Augustus and its crowning glory was the port – one of the most impressive building projects built anywhere in this period.
The Roman governor Pontius Pilate, who condemned Jesus to be executed, lived at Caesarea and plaque bearing his name and recording a dedication he made has been found. It is the only written evidence of Pilate outside the gospels. Peter, the successor chosen by Jesus made his first direct convert to christianity in Caesarea, of a man named Cornelius. Herod later imprisoned Peter in Jerusalem during Passover, but he escaped and made his way to Caesarea and from there he set sail for Rome and into history.
There had been endless friction between the Jews and non-Jews of Caesarea, so when the revolt against Rome erupted in 66 CE, the conflict quickly became bloody in the city. The Roman general Vespasian (later emperor) made Caesarea his base from which to launch the conquest of Jerusalem.
The remains of the town today date mainly from Crusader period. It was captured during the first Crusader campaign in 1101 and became the center of the marine transport system along the coast.
The Crusaders built and rebuilt the city´s fortifications, especially in 1249 during the campaign of Louis IX of France (who became Saint Louis after his death).
In the 1265 the Mameluk Sultan Baybars conquered Caesarea and destroyed its wall to discourage any resettlement. The city and its surroundings remained in ruins.
In the recent years efforts have been made to expose the Roman, Byzantine and Crusader parts of the city, including the eastern Crusader entrance.
The Pillars of the drawbridge are well preserved the entrance gate was carved with capitals, cornices and other architectural devices that have also survived.
Four Days Daily Regular Tours
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Departing Sat, Sun.& Mon. from:
Netania 6:30 hours
Hertzlia 7:00 hours
Tel Aviv 7:15 hours
Jerusalem 8:30 hours
The pick up time from Netaniya can be changed to 07:45 and from Jerusalem to 06:00 (depends on tour destination)
Price:
469$ Per Person
Highlights
Day 1: Jerusalem New & Old.
Overnight Jerusalem hotel. Panoramic overview from the Mount of Olives, overlook Jerusalem-new city and the Temple Mount Esplanade of old city. Travel along the Kidron Valley to view the Garden of Gethsemane and the walls of the city . Via the Armenian Quarter enter The Western (Wailing) Wall square via the local Bazaar to the Christian Quarter, the Stations of the Cross (Via Dolorosa) and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre – the site of the crucifixion. Walk along the 1700 year old Byzantine main street, the Cardo
and the renovated Jewish Quarter. Ascend Mt. Zion - Hall of last supper, David’s tomb - enter the 500 year old city ramparts. Stop for overview of Bethlehem and Judean Desert. Tour the new city, see Knesset, Menorah and government buildings. Visit Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. Drive back to hotel in Jerusalem.
* Modest dress and comfortable shoes required.
* *On Saturdays Holocaust Museum is closed. Substituted by visit to Garden of Gethsemane.
*** You may replace this tour also with Tour 2A: Jerusalem & Bethlehem.
Day 2: Massada & Dead Sea .
Overnight Tel Aviv hotel. Descend to the Judean Desert via the inn of the Good Samaritan. Ascend Massada by cable car to tour the 2000-year-old fortress and palace built by King Herod. Drive via Ein Gedi, stop at Qumran,
view the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Float in the mineral-rich Dead Sea - at 400m. below sea level, the lowest place on earth. Take a mud-bath! And benefit from the therapeutic qualities of the natural Dead Sea mud. Drive back to hotel in Tel Aviv.
* Recommended hats, bathing suits, towels, comfortable shoes and beach thongs.
Day 3: Caesarea Haifa, Acco. Rosh Hanikra .
Overnight in north. Exit north to Caesarea, the ancient Roman Capital and port. Walking tour of theatre and archaeological ruins and excavations. Continue to Haife, Mt. Carmel, scenic view of Bahai garden, city and port. Drive to Rosh Hanikra to visit the limestone grottos and view border with Lebanon. Return via Acre to visit the Crusader underground city and crypt. Walk through the Old City market. Return to hotels.
Day 4: Nazareth & Sea of Galilea
Begin the journey north by travelling along Israel’s scenic coastal plain via the plain of Armageddon to Nazareth.
In Nazareth visit the Church of Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph’s carpentry. Onwards via Kafer Cana to view the Mount of Beatitudes and Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish at Tabgha. Stop to view the ruins of the ancient synagogue of Capernaum and the city of Christ. Drive via Tiberias to the site of baptismal on the Jordan River. Return via scenic view of Mt. Tabor, the site of transfiguration.
Suggestions/Tips
* The order of the days and sleeping arrangements might be changed
* Rates differ during Peak Season & Holidays
* Single supplement $45 per night
Departing Sat, Sun.& Mon. from:
Jerusalem 6:00 hours
Hertzlia 7:00 hours
Tel Aviv 7:15 hours
Netanya 7:45 hours
Price:
340$ Per Person
Highlights
This tour may begin on alternate days.
Day 1:
Nazareth: Begin the journey north by travelling along Israel’s scenic coastal plain via the plain of Armageddon to Nazareth. In Nazareth visit the Church of Annunciation and the Church of St. Joseph\’s carpentry.
Mount of Beatitudes: Onwards via Kafer Cana to view the Mount of Beatitudes and Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish at Tabgha. Stop to view the ruins of the ancient synagogue of Capernaum and the city of Christ.
Tiberias: Drive via Tiberias to the site of baptismal on the Jordan River. Return via scenic view of Mt. Tabor, the site of transfiguration. Overnight in north.
Day 2:
Sea of Galilee, Jordan Valley and Golan Heigths: Continue north to Poriya and overview of Sea of Galilee, Jordan Valley and Golan Heights. Continue to overlook of Hammat Gader and ascend the Golan Heights to Shalom Observatory.
Katzrin: Onwards to the city of Katzrin, the museum and the excavations of Talmudic Katzrin.
Israel-Syria Border: Ascend Mt Bental, overlook Kuneitra Valley and the triangular border with Syria, Jordan and Israel. Continue and stop at former Syrian fortification. Return via Jordan River crossing. Overnight in north.
Day 3:
Caesarea: Caesarea is a town in Israel on the outskirts of Caesarea Maritima, the ancient port city. It is located mid-way between Tel Aviv (45km) and Haifa, on the Israeli Mediterranean coast near the city of Hadera. We exit north to Caesarea, the ancient Roman Capital and port. Walking tour of theatre and archaeological ruins and excavations.
Haifa: Continue to Haifa, Mt. Carmel, scenic view of Bahai garden, city and port.
Rosh Hanikra: Drive to Rosh Hanikra to visit the limestone grottos and view border with Lebanon.
Acre: Return via Acre to visit the Crusader underground city and crypt. End tour with a walk through the Old City market.
Suggestions/Tips
* The order of the days and sleeping arrangements might be changed
* Overnight at hotel in the region.
* Single supplement $90.
Departing from:
Hertzlia 7:00 hours
Tel Aviv 7:15 hours
Netanya 7:45 hours
Jerusalem 8:30 hours
Price:
74$-78$ Per Person (Depending on the city of departure)
Highlights
Caesarea: Caesarea is a town in Israel on the outskirts of Caesarea Maritima, the ancient port city. It is located mid-way between Tel Aviv (45km) and Haifa, on the Israeli Mediterranean coast near the city of Hadera. We exit north to Caesarea, the ancient Roman Capital and port. Walking tour of theatre and archaeological ruins and excavations.
Haifa: Continue to Haifa, Mt. Carmel, scenic view of Bahai garden, city and port.
Rosh Hanikra: Drive to Rosh Hanikra to visit the limestone grottos and view border with Lebanon.
Acre: Return via Acre to visit the Crusader underground city and crypt. Walk through the Old City market. Return to hotels.
