Good Guide, driver make the difference
Israel
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May 2 - May 10, 2023
We had an intensive 9-day tour planned, so it was critical to get the right guide and driver. We also wanted a short time break, even if it meant having an extra long day to make up the sites missed.
We were fortunate to acquire one of the best guides in Israel, Ille, and an excellent driver in Michael. Ille spoke very good English and had an encyclopedic knowledge about everything. He also knew everyone and was able to get us singular access to important sites, even with dense crowds and long lines. Ille is very personable and accommodating and was able to make several day-to-day adjustments to our schedule to better fit our needs. For example, we swapped out going to Haifa for traveling through Bethlehem on the way back without problem.
We were extremely impressed by Jerusalem, of course, but Masada was much different, and more dramatic, than I had pictured. Also, the vide of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv couldn’t be more different. Btw, we felt extremely safe in every sector of Old Jerusalem, even walking at night outside the walls. The same for Tel Aviv.
Tel Aviv
Hotel Reviews
This is an iconic and historical hotel. It’s very pricy but this was our last big splurge., The garden grounds alone are worth a stay. The staff are absolutely first rate and very attentive and helpful. The large rooms are magnificent. Ours had a balcony overlooking a peaceful courtyard. Each night chocolates were delivered. The included breakfast is so massive, with at least fifty stations of all sorts of freshly prepared items, that there was no way to taste them all. There is also a lovely indoor garden restaurant. The American Colony hotel is located within easy walking or taxi distance of the Damascus Gate. There are also many good restaurants in the area.
A beautiful hotel located just two walking blocks from the beach and a string of excellent seafood restaurants.
Activity Reviews
I went on a private group tour of Tel Aviv and Jaffa and it was a great experience. Our guide, LA, was amazing and knew all the right places to take us. We were able to skip lines that would have taken a long time otherwise. Overall, it was a fantastic trip.
I was part of a private group when we visited the Old City of Jerusalem. Our guide was LA and he was very knowledgeable and knew all the right places to take us. It was an unforgettable experience.
Our group visited Mount of Olives and Mt. Zion with our guide, LA. He was extremely knowledgeable and made the experience highly enjoyable. It was fascinating to explore these historical sites.
In a private group tour, we visited Yad Vashem, Ein Karim, and the Israel Museum. Our guide, LA, was very knowledgeable and provided great insight into the history of the museum exhibits. I particularly enjoyed the Israeli National Museum.
We had a great day trip to Masada and Qumran with our guide, LA. The experience was interesting, and it was clear our guide knew the history of these sites very well.
We had to change our plans and ended up not going to Haifa, Caesarea, and Acre due to feeling unwell but instead traveled directly from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. However, we were able to visit Palestine, which proved to be an extremely interesting experience.
Hello Jim . Hope you had safe flight back home.
thank you for your time to share these reviews . highly appreciated and helpful,
be well and safe.
Samir