Qumran is located 10 miles south of Jericho by the Dead Sea on perfect desolate area ideal for the Essenes sect, known also as the “Dead Sea Sect” whom lived there. The archeological site was excavated by Roland de Vaux, a Catholic priest in the years of 1953-56 and excavations continue to this day. Qumran is famous and of great importance for the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in nearby mountain caves, and a frequent sightseeing visit during holy land Christian tours in Israel.
Mount Zion, also written as Sion, in the Old Testament became a symbol and metaphor for the Promise Land, the Land of Israel. In the New Testament Mount Zion metaphorically is referred as the heavenly Jerusalem, God's eternal holy city.
Bethlehem the birthplace of Jesus offers a spiritually rewarding experience to Christians traveling to the holy land. The Palestinian city located in the West Bank is home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, although the size of the community has dwindled due to emegration. The city also known as Beit Lahm, Beit Sahur, Bet Lehem, Betar, Beth-Lehem, and several other names as well as the “City of David” since the Hebrew Bible identifies it as the city David was from and where he was crowned as the king of Israel.
Often on a holy land tour to Israel, one of the first picturesque views of an ancient city will be that of Jaffa situated on a natural harbor atop a hill on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and only minutes from Tel Aviv. This ancient port city is the oldest municipality in Israel, and famous for being mentioned in the bible stories of Solomon, Jonah, and Peter.
The ancient ruins of Beit She’an are sure to impress during your trip to the Holy Land. Located 17 miles south of the Sea of Galilee, the ancient city was situated in a strategically important junction of the Harod and Jordan Valleys. The fertile lands were made famous with the Jewish sages to say "If the Garden of Eden is in the land of Israel, then its gate is Beth She’an."