Anyone can go on holiday, take a well-earned vacation, travel to exotic places and see the sights. But perhaps you’re looking for more this year; something more life-changing? At Elite Tour Club, we’ve formulated four new luxury travel experiences to choose from. All will find you amid the world’s most holy places, and in lands steeped in religious heritage and spiritual history.
Whether you are Jewish, Christian or Muslim, or are fascinated by the history of the great faiths, our religious tours in the Middle East and North Africa will fire your imagination and move you closer to spirituality.
Jerusalem and Bethlehem are ultimate pilgrimage cities, and form part of our Christian Heritage Tour (8 days/7 nights) and Jewish Heritage Tour (12 days/11 nights). Jerusalem’s revered ‘Haram esh-Sharif’ or ‘Western Wall’ is the city’s oldest surviving structure and is a sturdy feature of our Jewish Heritage Tour.
Another ancient and significant site is the Church of the Nativity, which is said to have been saved from destruction in 614 AD, because its ‘Magi icons’ — ‘Persia-admiring graphics’ — cooled the tempers of invading Persian hordes who descended on Bethlehem. So thankfully, this marker of the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth stands glorious and is considered to be the oldest church in the Holy Land.
Our Jewish Heritage Tour includes a walk among the ruins of Caesarea Maritima, the ancient port city that King Herod the Great named in honour of the Roman enforcer, Caesar Augustus. The city was in ruins by the nineteenth century when, in 1884, it began to flourish as a fishing village extending from the stones of the Crusader fort. Back in 22 BC, Herod the Great established its first harbour and erected Temples to Rome and Augustus, and Caesarea Maritima became a famous arena for Olympian sports, gladiatorial contests and theatrical extravaganzas beside the sparkling Mediterranean.
At Elite Tour Club, we believe we’ve planned our The Route of the Holy Family travel experience (9 days/8 nights) in the most impactful way. It focuses particularly on Egypt as a sanctuary for the Holy Family. You will trace their hurried steps to escape King Herod’s cull of male babies — his desperate attempt to cease breaking-news of a newborn Messiah.
Our Muslim Heritage Tour (9 days/8 nights) will lead you through the old Cairo mosques of Al Azhar, Imam El Hussein, Saida Zeineb, Imam El Shafi and Saida Nafisa. And among Damascus’ 2,000 mosques, you’ll visit Umayyad Mosque. Completed in 715 AD, it is thought to be the oldest place of continuous prayer since the ascent of Islam. Umayyad is also one of the world’s largest mosques, and the mausoleum of Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub lies within its walls.
Whichever of our 5-star-accommodation Religious Tours you decide to join, Elite Tour Club consultants will happily include visits to additional churches, synagogues and mosques. All will welcome your attendance at their services.
To book a set itinerary, or create your own tailor made luxury tour, call us on 0800 619 3450 or email tours@elitetourclub.com and out travel consultants will be happy to help.