2026 Jerusalem & Bethlehem from Ashdod Port Small Groups
Description
Visit religious highlights of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, on a full-day, group tour to Jerusalem and Bethlehem from Ashdod Port. Take in views from the Mount of Olives, and pass the Garden of Gethsemane as you enter old Jerusalem. Follow Jesus footsteps in Jerusalem walk along Via Dolorosa and Stations of the Cross, Church of Church of Holy Sepulchre, say a prayer beside the Western Wall in Jewish Quarter. Visit Bethlehem, The Church of the Nativity where Jesus was born.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Pickup from Ashdod Port. Guide will be waiting for you with COMPASS sign at the exit arrival terminal. Pickup all group members and proceed with the tour.
Drive to Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of the city. One of the city's most famous landmarks is the Mount of Olives. It separates the most holy place, the Temple Mount, from the Judean Desert to the east. We know it to be the place from which Jesus the Messiah ascended into heaven (Acts 1:11), and where He will one day return. The Mount of Olives is frequently mentioned in the New Testament as part of the route from Jerusalem to Bethany and the place where Jesus stood when he wept over Jerusalem (an event known as Flevit super illam in Latin). ... Jesus ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives according to Acts 1:9–12.
Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem where, according to the four Gospels of the New Testament, Jesus underwent the agony in the garden and was arrested before his crucifixion. It is a place of great resonance in Christianity. There are several small olive groves in church property, all adjacent to each other and identified with biblical Gethsemane.
Stop at Mount Zion to visit King David's Tomb, Room of Last Supper. In biblical usage, however, “Mount Zion” often means the city rather than the hill itself. ... Mount Zion is the place where Yahweh, the God of Israel, dwells (Isaiah 8:18; Psalm 74:2), the place where he is king (Isaiah 24:23) and where he has installed his king, David (Psalm 2:6). The Tomb of King David is one of the most sacred sites for the Jews. Nonetheless, according to the researchers, there is no certainty that this is in fact King David’s burial site. The bible mentions that King David was buried in the City of David, which is located at the foot of the Temple Mount. Located on an upper floor of King David's Tomb, the Room of the Last Supper, also called The Cenacle, is considered one of the holiest sites for Christianity in Jerusalem, since according to the tradition, it was the place where the last supper took place.
Enter the Old City and walk through the Armenian and Jewish quarters to the recently excavated and restored Cardo, the Roman Road. The southern part of the Cardo, uncovered in the Jewish Quarter, was built during the reign of the emperor Justinian (527-565), as a continuation of the earlier, Roman, northern part, thus linking the two main churches of Byzantine Jerusalem the Holy Sepulcher and the Nea Church. See the Jewish Wailing Wall, The Kotel. The Wailing Wall or Western Wall is an ancient limestone wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is a relatively small segment of a far longer ancient retaining wall, known also in its entirety as the "Western Wall". The Western Wall's holiness in Judaism is a result of its proximity to the Temple Mount. Because of the Temple Mount entry restrictions, the Wall is the holiest place where Jews are permitted to pray, though the Foundation Stone, the most sacred site in the Jewish faith, lies behind it.
Continue to the Christian Quarter. Walk along the Via Dolorosa and visit the Church of Holy Sepulchre. The Via Dolorosa is a processional route in the Old City of Jerusalem. It represents the path that Jesus would have taken, forced by the Roman soldiers, on the way to his crucifixion. Via Dolorosa (Latin for “Sorrowful Way” or “Way of Suffering”) is a narrow, stone path believed to be the route Jesus took to His Crucifixion nearly 2000 years ago. ... It is here that Christians relive and celebrate Christ's Passion, Death and Resurrection. The Via Dolorosa is filled with religion and ritual.
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the most sacred site in the world for millions of Christians. This is the site of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Helena identified this place as The Calvary, where Jesus was crucified. Calvary, or Golgotha, (Aramaic: “Skull”) also called Calvary, (from Latin calva: “bald head” or “skull”), skull-shaped hill in ancient Jerusalem, the site of Jesus' crucifixion. It is referred to in all four Gospels (Matthew 27:33, Mark 15:22, Luke 23:33, and John 19:17). According to the New Testament, Jesus was crucified at a spot outside Jerusalem called Golgotha, which in Aramaic means “place of the skull.” The Latin word for skull is calvaria, and in English many Christians refer to the site of the crucifixion as Calvary.
Cardo, the Roman Road. The southern part of the Cardo, uncovered in the Jewish Quarter, was built during the reign of the emperor Justinian (527-565), as a continuation of the earlier, Roman, northern part, thus linking the two main churches of Byzantine Jerusalem the Holy Sepulcher and the Nea Church
See the Jewish Wailing Wall, The Kotel. The Wailing Wall or Western Wall is an ancient limestone wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is a relatively small segment of a far longer ancient retaining wall, known also in its entirety as the "Western Wall". The Western Wall's holiness in Judaism is a result of its proximity to the Temple Mount. Because of the Temple Mount entry restrictions, the Wall is the holiest place where Jews are permitted to pray, though the Foundation Stone, the most sacred site in the Jewish faith, lies behind it.
Continue to Bethlehem for an overview of Shepherds' Field; Visit the Church of Nativity and Manger's Square. Church of Nativity contains a grotto where Jesus is said to have been born. This grotto is also the oldest continually used site of Christian worship. For this reason, the site is incredibly significant for those making religious pilgrimages, or those who are interested in religion and the history. The Gospels of both Matthew and Luke place the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The Gospel of Luke states that Mary gave birth to Jesus and placed him in a manger “because there was no place for them in the inn. Far from the Christmas-card image, the place of Christ’s birth is a dimly-lit rock cave. Instead of a star above, a 14-point silver star on the marble floor of the Grotto of the Nativity bears the words “Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus Christus natus est” (Here Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary).
Return transfer to Ashdod port. Have a great evening. Hope you enjoyed and we are sure that you will keep fond memories of your spiritual adventure with us. If you ever want to repeat the authentic experience and spiritual feelings, we always will be here to assist you.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
100% on-time pick up from Ashdod port according to your cruise ship's arrival time Available according to all scheduled cruises in 2026
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
- A dress code is required to enter places of worship and selected museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders MUST be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
- Dress code is smart casual
Reviews(29)
The guide was professional, the trip was very interesting, everything was beyond expectation! This is the hospitality of a Christian tourist who came from the United States. Thanks.️
Our shore excursion was supposed to take place the day after the Hamas attack, Compass was very professional and handle all our inquiries and refund promptly. Despite the ongoing situation, they still respond to our text/ email promptly, truly wish to be able to do business with them in the future and tour the beautiful country. Thank you Compass and please stay safe!
This was a fantastic tour. Our guide Raphael was so fun. He was a wealth of information and certainly knew his way around the sights and the best way to utilize our time. We saw so much and learned so much. This is a long tour but well worth it. We went home very happy and exhausted😃
One of the Best tours Ive ever had in my life. Me and my husband went o a daily tour to Bethlehen and Jerusalem from Ashdod port. Beautiful and spiritual places. Bíblical stories become real thanks to our exellent tour guide Rafi with his perfect english and understanding of the gospels. Very recommendded, request for Rafi.
Rafi was pur your guide and was a fountain pf knowledge about the life and death of Jesus. The different religious groups that have to co-exist in the same area, the history that framed the tour. It was an amazing long day but worth it. We stopped for lunch after visiting the Holy Church of the Nativity. We sampled local salads and a rice and baked chicken dish. At the end some of the braver group tried Israeli coffee with cardamom; not for everyone!. Rafi made the hours go by fast and made it fun and very informative. He speaks multiple languages which was helpful for our Spanish couple on the tour. He was a great crowd controller when other tour groups started pushing in front of the group and almost crushing us in the effort. He's a good guy to have around. Our driver was incredible. His ability to turn and negotiate the tight curves and narrow roads was nothing short of a miracle. One small negative, we were asked to pay for bottled water on the bus. For the money we each paid for this tour I felt it should have been provided free of charge and felt insulted when asked for payment when reaching for a bottle.
What an experience. Yaniv was an amazing guide. His depth of knowledge & his life experiences blend into an extremely informative day. The additional guide in Bethlehem was also wonderful, friendly and informative. Lunch was good quality but a bit pricey. I would thoroughly recommend.
Excellent! Our guide Enrique was knowledgeable and professional! Also Benjamin to assisted in organizing the tour for my large group was very professional and organized. Highly recommended!
I went to the 2022 tour. I’m sorry cause I can’t remember the name of our tour guide, she was really really awesome! But most of all patience. I think we were the worst tour group could exist cause some peolple got missing, even though she explained 7 times the instructions. People were just difficult to lead. She told us to wait outside the church, we wait like 1 hour cause people were missing. Everyone thought that they were inside the church and maybe it was too crowded for them or something but noooo! They went shopping!!! We didn’t find them at the church, we were walking to the bus and then they were… eating and shopping. She smoked like 3 cigarettes in one shot at some point and I feel her. When I get myself in unbelievable situations, I just need a cigarette. It was craaaaaaaazy! Hope she forgives this group :( I hope she reads it and finds it funny now. You were amazing
Excellent disposition of Guide Saul, very clear and extensive explanations, punctuality and adaptation to our requirements
Our tour guide in Bethlehem was excellent! He was cheerful, very knowledgeable, and patient. He made sure that everyone in our group was able to see and touch the Holy Manger and the area where the Three Kings' relics were. We had a great time in Bethlehem and our driver was also very nice -- he treated us to bread that looks like pretzels.
