15 Days Levant Legends Adventure

About the destination: Beirut is the capital of Lebanon and the gateway to the country. It is multi-cultural and successfully blends the passions of the east with the refinement of the west. Modern and old and liberal and traditional, Beirut offers superb restaurants, amazing nightlife, excellent shopping and hotels of all ranges. It is also rich in history and architectural heritage that span several millennia and civilizations, with traces of Roman and Phoenician heritage visible to this day. Beirut is also a great departure point to explore the rest of Lebanon, which offers a blunt contrast to the wealthy capital with a western silhouette, all within no more than a two hour drive. With its beautiful architecture and scenery, delicious cuisine, exciting nightlife and amazing history, Beirut is a destination not to be missed.

About the destination: Amman, considered by some the cultural capital of the Middle East, is the capital of Jordan. Situated on a hilly area between the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley, Amman today is a modern and cosmopolitan city full of ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, art galleries and boutiques but you can see evidence of the city’s extensive past everywhere. The heart of all the town is the Citadel with Romans and Ammonites ruins. From the top of the Citadel you can see a wonderful landscape over the hills of the city. Whilst the city we see may not be very old, on the hill of the Citadel there is evidence of the ancient history of the city that was Greek Philadelphia. There is an interesting Archaeological museum worth visiting. Nearby, there is the Roman theatre and some museums with interesting displays of mosaics, jewelry and costume. A walk around the city brings you to mosques and a surprising variety of churches, souks and shops. Amman is a busy city where the modern and the traditional coexist side by side. Moreover, Amman is the perfect starting point if you want to visit all the area around this town. From Amman is very easy to reach Jerash, Ajlun, Pella, the Dead Sea and the Desert Castles.

About the destination: People have lived in Rum for thousands of years, struggling to survive in its harsh environment. They have been hunters, pastoralists, farmers and traders, as Rum is close to national borders. Even the famous Nabateans once occupied Rum, leaving behind several structures, including a temple. Local people gained notoriety more recently when they joined the arab revolt forces under the leadership of king Faisal and fought along with Lawrence of Arabia during the Arab Revolt (1917/18) to fight the occupying Turkish and German armies. Lawrence himself makes many references to Wadi Rum in his book ‘The Seven Pillars of Wisdom’, a title apparently inspired by one of Rum’s imposing mountains. The exploits of Lawrence have become part of local folklore, and some popular tourist sites are named after him, although whether he used these exact sites is open to debate. Virtually all the people living in and around Wadi Rum today are of Bedouin origin and, until recently, led nomadic lives, relying on their goat herds. They are resourceful, hospitable people who are largely responsible for developing Wadi Rum as a tourist destination. Recognizing the unique natural and cultural history of Wadi Rum and the vital importance of tourism to the local economy, the government of Jordan declared Wadi Rum a protected area in 1998. With support from the World Bank they commissioned the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, a national NGO, to prepare a conservation plan and build a team of local people to manage the area. This team is now under the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and is pioneering ways to restore and safeguard Rum’s sensitive desert habitats from ever-increasing human pressure.

About the destination: Jerusalem is the capital city of Israel and it’s a holy city to the three major monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Jerusalem is located in the Judean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea. Despite all the troubles surrounding the city, the city presents a harmonious whole you feel that the weight of the spiritual environs descends on your shoulders as soon as you enter the city. The Old City and its Walls form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This ancient city is home to holy sites for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and is filled with sites of massive religious significance and a bustling approach to life. The three main sights inside the Old City are the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Supulchre and the Temple Mount area which includes the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa mosque. Via Dolorosa is the most popular street inside the Old City, especially among the Christian pilgrims since this was the path that Jesus Christ walked on the way to his crucifixion. There are 14 Stations of the Cross along the way .The 14th Station of the Cross and the final and most important location in Christianity is located in the Center of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Modern Jerusalem, where most of the hotels and restaurants are located, is built around the Old City. Jerusalem is the holiest of Holy Cities and offers so much to see and explore. The city is a fascinating blend of tradition, religion and modern life. It manages to feel totally exotic and mysterious, and yet completely familiar and welcoming.

About the destination: Tel Aviv, located on the Mediterranean coast, is the second largest city in Israel. Tel Aviv is Israel’s center of entertainment and it has everything you need, wonderful beaches, luxury restaurants and small trendy cafes, interesting architecture, theaters, museums, shops and lots of great clubs and bars. Roaming Old City of Jaffa and the beautiful parks and gardens around it, is probably one of the more authentic things there is to do in this city. The Old City of Jaffa is near the Jaffa Port, claimed to be the oldest port in the world. Today there are restaurants, galleries and shops and street festivals in this picturesque port. One of the major landmarks of Tel Aviv is the rise of the Old City of Jaffa with the spire of St Peter's Church. The promenade from the northern beaches to the walls of Machmoudia Mosque runs along the shoreline and it is one of the must-do of any time in Tel Aviv. Whatever the weather and whatever the time of the day, with the Mediterranean on one side, this is a superb walk. If cosmopolitan life, interesting cafes and restaurants, hip clubs, beautiful beaches and stunning deserts are your thing, then Tel Aviv is definitely your place.