JERUSALEM TOURS
CITY OF MYTH: Our tour of the Old City takes in all four quarters and key sites including the Western Wall, the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Jaffa Gate. Throughout, our focus will be on understanding why this small area of land on the edge of the desert has been so fiercely claimed by Jews, Christians and Muslims, and why today it is so fiercely contested by Israelis and Palestinians. What can we see today that might help us explain how it came to be this way? Why are its holy sites so important? How did its four quarters come into being and how do its different groups interact? And what is its relationship with the new city which surrounds it? Along the way we'll take the time to experience the immense beauty of the Old City and its buildings, viewpoints, coffee-houses, and hummus joints.
CHRISTIAN JERUSALEM: Jerusalem is full of hugely important Christian sites, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (where Jesus was crucified and buried), the Cenacle (where the Last Supper took place), and the Church of All Nations (where Jesus prayed before being arrested). Tours of these sites can be tailored to the needs of all Christian denominations, as well as anyone who has an interest in the holy city's rich Christian history.
JEWISH JERUSALEM: This tour focuses on the most important sites, including the Western Wall, City of David (the remains of ancient Jerusalem), the Southern Wall excavations, and the synagogues of the Jewish Quarter. Throughout the tour we'll discover exactly why Jerusalem has been so important to Jews throughout history and how this is reflected in the city today.
MACHANEH YEHUDA FOOD TOUR: This is a tour about food, culture, and identity in Jerusalem's Machaneh Yehuda market and the neighborhood of Nahlaot. Find out about the different cuisines which successful waves of Jewish immigrants brought to the area, and how food reflected the wider culture. All this, and lots to eat!
FROM MACHANEH YEHUDA TO DAMASCUS GATE: The route from the famous Machane Yehuda market to the Old City's Damascus Gate is one of the most interesting in the whole of Jerusalem. Starting with some good food and coffee in the market, we'll then walk towards the Ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Sharim, the historic buildings of HaNeviim Street, explore Arab-Jewish relations in Musrara, before heading to Sheikh Jarrah and the commercial heart of East Jerusalem. This is an urban walking tour aimed primarily at people who have already visited Jerusalem's main sites, and are interested in understanding Jerusalem's politics and society in more depth.
These are just samples. For more tour options, please get in touch!
