Jerusalem & Bethlehem from Ashdod Port: Small group tour

Eight to ten hours tracing Jesus's path from the Mount of Olives through Jerusalem's Old City to Bethlehem

A full-day guided tour from Ashdod Port to Jerusalem and Bethlehem for small groups, timed to cruise ship arrivals and departures. You start at the Mount of Olives for a panoramic view of the city, then walk the Via Dolorosa through the Christian Quarter to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, pray at the Western Wall in the Jewish Quarter, and travel to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity. An English-speaking guide leads all stops. Air-conditioned transport handles the route between sites.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Garden of Gethsemane30m
2. Old City of Jerusalem2h
3. Cardo30m
4. Western Wall1h
5. Church of the Nativity1h

Jerusalem and Bethlehem religious highlights

• Pickup from Ashdod Port
• Drive to Mount of Olives viewpoint
• Visit Garden of Gethsemane
• Visit Mount Zion tombs and room
• Walk Old City Armenian and Jewish quarters
• See Cardo Roman Road
• Visit Western Wall
• Walk Via Dolorosa in Christian Quarter
• Visit Church of Holy Sepulchre
• Continue to Bethlehem overview Shepherds' Field
• Visit Church of Nativity and Manger's Square
• Return transfer to Ashdod Port

The experience

The tour picks you up at Ashdod Port as soon as your ship docks and coordinates the return to match your re-boarding time, so the full day fits inside your port call. A guide holding a COMPASS sign meets you at the arrival terminal, then the group heads to the Mount of Olives for a view across the city before entering the Old City itself.

You walk through the Armenian and Jewish quarters on the recently restored Cardo, the Roman road built during the reign of Emperor Justinian in the 6th century. The route takes you to the Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews are permitted to pray, then continues into the Christian Quarter along the Via Dolorosa. The stone path believed to be the route Jesus took to his crucifixion nearly 2,000 years ago. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built at the site of the crucifixion and resurrection, is the final stop in Jerusalem before the group travels to Bethlehem.

In Bethlehem, you visit the Church of the Nativity, built over the grotto where Jesus is said to have been born. A 14-point silver star marks the exact spot on the marble floor. The tour also passes the Garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the Mount of Olives and stops at Mount Zion to see King David's Tomb and the Room of the Last Supper. All transport is in air-conditioned vehicles, and the guide speaks English throughout.

What’s included

• All transfers in air-conditioned vehicles according to the tour itinerary.
• pickup from Ashdod Port coordinated with your cruise ship's arrival.
• government-licensed English-speaking guide for all stops.
• return transfer to Ashdod Port timed to your ship's departure.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00 and 08:30

Book up to1h before

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Compass Travel Israel

Is this one for you?Small groups keep the pace manageable through crowded Old City quarters and allow the guide to answer questions at each site. The fixed schedule is built around cruise ship timing, so you don't coordinate logistics yourself: pickup and return are set the moment you book.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What should I wear to enter the churches and religious sites on this tour?

A dress code is required at all places of worship. Knees and shoulders must be covered for both men and women. No shorts or sleeveless tops are allowed. Dress code is smart casual overall, and you risk refused entry if you don't comply.

What is the Via Dolorosa and what happens when we walk it?

The Via Dolorosa is a narrow stone path in Jerusalem's Old City representing the route Jesus took to his crucifixion. You walk it as part of the tour through the Christian Quarter on the way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, following the Stations of the Cross.

How does the tour timing work with my cruise ship schedule?

Pickup from Ashdod Port is coordinated with your ship's arrival and disembarkation time. Return transfer is timed to your re-boarding time. At booking, you provide your ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time so the 8–10 hour tour fits your port call exactly.

Is the Church of the Nativity the only site in Bethlehem, or do we see other places there?

The Church of the Nativity is the main stop in Bethlehem. The tour also includes an overview of Shepherds' Field and Manger's Square before returning to Ashdod Port.

What is the Cardo and why do we visit it?

The Cardo is the Roman road uncovered in Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter, built during Emperor Justinian's reign (527–565) as a continuation of an earlier Roman northern section. It linked the two main churches of Byzantine Jerusalem (the Holy Sepulcher and the Nea Church), and you walk its recently restored southern section as part of the Old City route.