Culture and History

We are proud to offer expertly crafted private guided tours and small group tours which focus on Israel’s cultural and historical legacy, together with her dynamic, energy enthused current day culture.
Both the historical and present day Israel have been influenced by an astonishing array of civilisations, peoples and cultures. Early maps of the world placed Jerusalem at the centre, and indeed Israel is the physical land bridge between three continents. Accordingly, since the dawn of human trade and exploration, it has been a critical meeting point for peoples and civilisations. In other words people have been conducting ‘tours in Israel’ for thousands of years! Where land bridges necessitate the physical mingling of traders, armies wanderers and prophets, the cross breeding and evolution of ideas becomes ineluctable. It is therefore no surprise that Israel has been the birthplace of some of the world’s most radical thinkers. For example, Abraham who pronounced against child sacrifice, and announced in favour of just one God; the prophet Isiah whose prophesy ‘and they shall turn their swords into ploughshares’ today stands as the UN’s motto; and Jesus, whose spiritual and social teachings were considered anti-establishment in their own time, but whose legacy is perhaps unrivalled by any other person who lived. Radical ideas continue to emerge from this tiny country, and today Israel boasts more start-ups and VC dollars per head than any other place on earth.
In our view, anyone interested in the history and development of the West – and of West meets East – owes themselves a fully engaging Israel tour. With our expert guides – many of whom have a master’s degree in relevant subjects – your private tour of Israel will dig deep, and you will ask questions relating to both the state of the world thousands of years ago, and the state of the world today. One of our recent clients put it best, “I can’t remember the last time I went on holiday and learned so much – not just about ancient times but also today’s world” (Karen R, London).
Here are some of our top cultural sites, all of which can be integrated into your luxury tour of Israel:

• First amongst Israel’s UNESCO world heritage sites is the unparalleled Old City of Jerusalem – complex, multi-layered, rich in human narrative, unmissable and unforgettable. Jerusalem is also home to The Israel Museum which could keep one happily busy for days, and of which the New York Times states, “[it] can easily stand amid the world’s major national museums”. Its collections include a female figurine now considered the oldest artwork in the world, the Dead Sea Scrolls, a mighty archaeology wing, and impressive classical and contemporary art pieces.
• UNESCO sites also include the biblical Tels of Megiddo, Hazor and Beersheba, and Israel offers countless other sites of weighty religious significance such as Tel Dan, Tzfat, Caesarea Philip (Banias), Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, Mount Tabor, and the Jordan River (Quasr El-Yahud), and Bethlehem (in the West Bank).
• The UNESCO sites also stretch down to the Negev desert and take in the Nabatean cities of Avdat and Shivta, central to the ancient trade route for frankincense and myrrh;
  For Crusader history, UNESCO recognises the ancient walled (and tunnelled!) city of Acre; and we strongly suggest a stop at fairy tale Crusader era Nimrod Castle. If you are interested in Crusader history please let us know so that we can include other sites from this period in your itinerary.
• UNESCO additionally recognises the ancient Herodian fort at Masada which is stunning because of its story and its vast desert scenery. Also among our most loved Roman sites are the impressive ruins at Beth She’an including the amphitheatre and baths, the quite simply stunning mosaics at Zippori, and the impressive ruins at Caesarea on the Mediterranean shore.
• UNESCO recognises Israel’s modern architectural achievements and protects the White City of Tel Aviv which is celebrated for its Bauhaus and Eclectic architecture.
• Israel is also full of intrigue for those interested in religious heritage and sociology. While we offer Jewish Heritage and Christian Heritage tours to those who identify, we often arrange tours focusing on the cradle of monotheism, comparative religion and the sociology of religion for those interested in religions from a civilisation perspective.
• Culture lovers – make no mistake! Israel is not just about ancient ruins. Culture in Israel is well and alive. In Tel Aviv, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Design Museum of Holon, Batsheva Dance Company and Israel Philharmonic are all serious draws for those interested in the arts.