Walking Tour Jerusalem Old City

This is the basic tour and can be adapted to your personal needs. Surrounded by the impressive 16th-century Ottoman city walls and representing the heart of the city both historically and spiritually, the Old City is divided culturally and historically into four Quarters: (clockwise from the north-east) the Muslim Quarter, the Jewish Quarter, the Armenian Quarter, and the Christian Quarter. You will be led through the picturesque alleyways as your guide explains ancient and modern history, intermingled with wonderful, miraculous stories. Then we will visit the Tower of David and take the famous ramparts walk. Next, you will visit the holy Western Wall (also known as the Wailing Wall), which is the only surviving wall of the Temple Mount. Some people say that the current Western Wall is a part of the Temple itself, but most suggest that the Western Wall is actually a part of the remaining wall that surrounded the Temple Mount. The depth and meaning of the Western Wall can be found in its Hebrew name. The kabbalah explains that the word kotel (כותל) can be broken into two words, כו תל. The word כו is the numeric value of 26, the value of the Tetragrammaton, one of Gd's Divine names. And the word תל means “hill” or “mountain.” So, the Kotel’s very name hints at the fact that G‑d’s Holy Presence is still to be found on the Temple Mount. And this energy you will surely tap into when you visit the Western Wall.

Plus…Kotel Tunnels Tour (Western Wall underground tunnels)

Next, you will partake in a fascinating tour of the Western Wall Tunnels, where hidden layers of the Wall are revealed underground. They tell the story of ancient Jerusalem and of generations of longing for it. The tour takes approximately an hour and 15 minutes. The tunnel exposes a total length of 485 m of the wall, revealing the methods of construction and the various activities in the vicinity of the Temple Mount.[1] . The foundation stones here are enormous – one is a 570-ton monster the size of a small bus. The excavations included many amazing archeological finds along the way, including discoveries from the Herodian period, sections of a reconstruction of the Western Wall dating to the Umayyad period, and various structures dating to the Ayyubid, Mamluke, and Hasmonean periods constructed to support buildings in the vicinity of the Temple Mount. (Depending on availability!)

Or City of David

Over 3,000 years ago, King David established Jerusalem as the unified capital of the tribes of Israel. Later, his son, King Solomon, built the First Temple next to the City of David on top of Mount Moriah, making it one of the most important sites in the world. The tour of the City of David begins with a breathtaking observation point overlooking Biblical Jerusalem, which sends visitors 3,800 years back in time to the days of Abraham, when the first foundations of the city were laid. As one moves through the site, one comes in contact with archeological excavations and thrilling biblical finds that span thousands of years of history, including both the First and Second Temples of Jerusalem.

Or Hezekiah's Tunnel

The tour continues underground to the Gihon Spring, the major water source of Jerusalem. When faced with the approach of the Assyrian army in the 8th century B.C.E., King Hezekiah built an impressive tunnel system dug deep into the mountains of Jerusalem in order to protect the city’s water source. Visitors seeking adventure can trek through knee-deep water (not recommended in the winter because the water is extremely cold) in King Hezekiah's 2,700-year-old water tunnel. Continuing to the Shiloah Pool, the major water drawing source in biblical times, one reaches the Herodian Road, the ancient thoroughfare that led pilgrims north to the Temple. For many, this is the highlight of their visit to Jerusalem.

Estimated Time: 4-6 hours.