#G1PhotoFridayAfrica

Perfect Sunset in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

on December 8, 2018

The Serengeti National Park is best known for its annual migration of wildebeest and zebra, but is is filled with unique wildlife, ecosystems and vegetation. Animals to be on the lookout while here include lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, crocodiles and honey badgers, to name a few! Some of the birds at the park include ostrich, secretary bird, kori bustard and many species of vulture. Plains, rivers, savannahs and grasslands are just some of the ecosystems that can be found here.

This week’s #g1photofriday was uploaded by user @pgbradley using the hashtag #gate1travel. This icy scene was taken in Perito Moreno Glacier at Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina. Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Tanzania trips here!

#G1PhotoFridayLatin America

An Icy Scene at Perito Moreno Glacier

on November 30, 2018

Welcome to Perito Moreno Glacier at Los Glaciares National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site! It is located just outside of Antarctica in Santa Cruz Provence, Argentina. This park, created in 1937, is the largest ice cap outside of Antarctica and Greenland with an ice field that controls the world’s third largest reserve of fresh water. While here, observe the glacier’s massive ice wall, almost three miles wide and over 240 feet high above the lake’s surface, from a cliff-side promenade that overlooks the constantly shifting ice.  The easy access to this site has crowned Perito Moreno as one of the most visited glaciers in the entire world.

This week’s #g1photofriday was uploaded by user @debrajmccoy using the hashtag #gate1travel. This icy scene was taken in Perito Moreno Glacier at Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina. Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Croatia/Montenegro trips here!

#G1PhotoFridayEurope

Colorful Mosaics in Kotor, Montenegro

on November 23, 2018

Beautiful Kotor is a fortified town located on the coast of the Adriatic in Montenegro. It is just down the coast from Dubrovnik, Croatia and is located on the Bay of Kotor. This town is characterized by its old town feel and medieval look. Winding streets, scenic views, Romanesque architecture and historic monuments are all must sees while visiting. The city walls have protected Kotor for hundreds of years and they extend for over 2.5 miles!

This week’s #g1photofriday was uploaded by user @where2this_time 
using the hashtag #gate1travel. This colorful scene was taken in Kotor, Montenegro. Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Croatia/Montenegro trips here!

MediterraneanSmall Group Discoveries

The Changing Face of the Kibbutz

on November 18, 2018

About 100 years ago, small pockets of Israel lay dormant and unused. The Galilee was a swampy marshland.The Judean Hills were rock-strewn. And the Negev’s desert landscape was largely inhospitable. To waves of Jewish immigrants from Russia,Eastern Europe, and beyond, these seemed the perfect places to start Utopian communities. 

The Jews who came to Israel during the First and Second Aliyahs wanted to be farmers. But they detested the class structures they had seen elsewhere. Instead, they wanted to create a community of equals. Their vision for communal settlements would not come easily: Most of the colonists came without any farming experience, and they learned quickly enough that this was an unwelcoming region that was often the target of hostile nomadic Bedouins.

They had to stick together. Living collectively in a commune-type environment provided the perfect security. Everyone contributed equally—with sweat equity, skills, and financial resources—to ensure the success of the group. Remarkably, these pioneers also received financial support from around the world as the Jewish National Fund, which was founded in 1901, placed “Blue Boxes” in Jewish communities everywhere; proceeds from the boxes helped to purchase land that came to belong to the entire Jewish population.

Settlers reclaimed the marshes and hills and desert, converting much of it for human development. They planted trees, drained swamps, and converted the soil into productive farmland. To encourage continued donations into those Blue Boxes, word got around about a miraculous transformation in Israel: “The desert,” so the gossip went, “was blooming.”

And that’s not all that was blooming. In a society where all were equal and free from exploitation, immense gratification and pride also blossomed. Throughout the 20th century and into this century, the kibbutz movement has grown into a kind of farm co-operative where crops are harvested, chickens are raised, and cows are milked…much of it for shipment throughout Israel and beyond.

Into the 21st Century

Our Israel, Ancient & Modern Culture trip features a two-night stay at the Pastoral Kfar Blum Kibbutz, founded in 1943. Like those before it, this kibbutz sits on land that was once barren, waterlogged, and inaccessible. Its original settlers were from the Baltic, England, the U.S., and Canada.

To stay in tune with the 21st century, the 600-member community has recently privatized. Its farm spreads out over 1,225 acres, where 1,200 tons of fruit are harvested every year, including the famous red grapefruit beloved throughout Israel. Prize-winning cotton is also grown here, as are peaches and nectarines. Each year, the kibbutz ships 3.5 million liters of milk throughout the country.

Pastoral Kfar Blum also supports itself through Israel’s thriving travel industry. Its intimately styled hotel boasts everything from a restaurant and spa, convention hall and Olympic-sized swimming pool to a synagogue, schools, and a center for music and dance. One visit is all it takes to see the community spirit of the kibbutz is still very much alive here.

#G1PhotoFridayAsia & Pacific

The Ornate Temple of Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai, Thailand

on November 16, 2018

Wat Rong Khun, or the White Temple, is located in Chiang Rai, Thailand and is one of the most unique destinations in Southeast Asia. The temple is a place of worship and is covered in ornate designs. The pure white color of the building is meant to symbolize the purity of the Buddha and nearly everything about the temple depicts a religious or symbolic meeting. The building was completely restored around 1997 and was designed by the same man who funded it.

chiangrai

This week’s #g1photofriday was uploaded by user @jingle_dancer_ using the hashtag #gate1travel. This dreamy scene was taken at Way Rong Khun in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Thailand trips here!

EuropeMediterranean

The Cradle of Civilization: As Magnificent as Ever

on November 15, 2018

It is no secret that Greece has long danced to its own rhythm. One would expect nothing less from the place where western civilization itself was born. From poetry to philosophy, from democracy to drama, all the major disciplines that formed the building blocks of how we live today were created here during an ancient renaissance of arts, science and critical thinking. 

Greece remains one of the most beautiful and sought-after places on earth. How could it not? Its intense mountain and coastal beauty, dotted with colonnaded temples and awash in Aegean sun, are the stuff of every traveler’s dreams. Its lively culture, punctuated with dance and fabulous Mediterranean cuisine, engages the most stoic visitor. And its ancient monuments, proudly perched amidst cities, mountains and island vistas, have endured millennia of change. Dare we say, they will continue to do so. 

Civilization’s Cradle

Just as Athens is the Cradle of Civilization, it is also the central focus of many trips to Greece. Its Acropolis stands gloriously atop its hill like a beacon in the Greek sun, as if shining down upon the modern-day city that it shaped. So many elements of civilization were born here—democracy, philosophy, arts—that it’s impossible to not be moved when you are surrounded by its temples and admiring its masterfully preserved Parthenon. Much of the site and its relics (as well as artifacts from Greek antiquity worldwide) are beautifully illuminated by a visit to the National Archaeological Museum. Indeed, it is considered one of the great museums of the world. 

The legacy of the ancients lives far and wide, of course. But it’s especially poignant to witness modern-day houses of democracy in the city of its birth, from the President’s residence to Constitution Square. And when it’s time for a relaxing stroll, the intimate streets of the shop-lined Plaka district at the base of Acropolis Hill invite you to explore.

The Pleasures of the Peloponnese 

A 19th-century engineering marvel separates the mainland from the Peloponnese Peninsula. The Corinth Canal, which opened in 1893, was literally carved out of solid rock. It had long been a dream of the ancients to connect the Gulf of Corinth and the Saronic Gulf; construction efforts date as far back as the 1st century AD. Today, the sculpted gorge is sheer-faced and dramatic. 

The rustic Peloponnese Peninsula—to the west of metropolitan Athens—boasts a rich past of its own. Perhaps most famously, the first Olympic Games were held here, in Olympia. They were first staged in honor of the god Zeus, whose temple is still impressive despite that it lies in ruins. Nearby, the hillside city of Nauplion, with its stunning setting on the azure waters of the Argolic Gulf, was the capital of the First Hellenic Republic and a coveted city of many royal houses. Its cobbled streets and stone buildings with multi-hued shutters date back centuries. Two castles add to its scenic splendor: The Venetian Bourtzi sits in the middle of the harbor and the hilltop Palamidi offers dramatic views of the town. In the second millennium BC, however, it was Mycenae that held sway over southern Greece. This major center of ancient civilization was defended by a solid stone fortress whose ruins whisper of sieges past. 

Stunning Places of Worship and Wonder

North of the Peloponnese, Delphi attracted countless devout worshipers in ancient times. Legend recalls that a high priestess delivered prophecies here in a highly agitated state. It was believed that the gods were speaking through her, but today scientists suspect it was the vapors rising from a chasm below the temple that put her in an altered state. Today, Delphi still inspires awe, albeit more from its natural setting than from its incantations. This vast complex includes the Temple of Apollo, the Delphi and Tholos temples and a huge amphitheater—all of it surrounded by soaring mountain slopes. 

More sources of inspiration are perched high on sandstone pillars in the town of Kalambaka in Greece’s central plains. Here, the six Eastern Orthodox monasteries of Meteora (translated as “in the heavens above”) are perched atop naturally formed rock towers averaging 1,000 feet above sea level. When they were originally built starting in the 14th century, they could only be reached by a harrowing climb up a rope ladder. These incredible structures must be seen to be believed.

The Aegean of Your Dreams

The Greek Islands find their way into every traveler’s dreams. Blue church domes and rustic windmills rise from a cluster of whitewashed villages that cling to hillsides. Sleepy cobbled streets lead to inviting squares and cafés where you can while away an afternoon over stuffed grape leaves and ouzo. Time slows down in the Aegean, and Gate 1’s island itineraries help you do the same in a magnificent setting, from the glittering Cyclades to the historic Dodecanese archipelagos.

The small island of Mykonos could be the most famed of the Greek Islands. Along the coast and amidst its hilly interior, white villages with blue doorways and rounded, thatched-roof windmills dot the landscape. Its labyrinthine tiny streets are a delight to explore and its sandy white beaches were surely made for basking. 

 

Santorini is one of the most romantic islands. Its volcanic origins have given it beaches of white, red, and black sand. It is truly an otherworldly landscape of dramatic rock formations and lunar-like terrain. Its fascinating Bronze Age archaeological site of Akrotiri opened recently, giving fascinating insight into primitive life here. Surprisingly, Santorini is one of Greece’s most prolific wine producers, as you’ll learn if you visit a local winery. 

Crete stands as the largest and most diverse of the Greek Islands. In addition to endless beauty and stunning beaches, tiny villages and agrarian settlements hold fast to tradition here. Medieval fortresses lord over the coast. Snow-covered peaks spill toward dramatic gorges that pour mountain-fed water into the sea. Crete is also home to large cities brimming with rich culture. But its historic touch-point is Knossos, an ancient palace complex dating to 1900 BC. This remarkable site is considered the oldest city in all of Europe. According to legend, King Minos kept his mythical son Minotaur in a labyrinth here. 

These three islands offer just a taste of the Aegean’s magnificence. Select Gate 1 itineraries also call on the Cyclades Island of Milos and the Dodecanese Islands of Patmos and Rhodes, where a beautifully preserved medieval city and the sprawling Grand Masters Palace overlook the glimmering sea. 

So Many Ways to Experience Greece with Gate 1 Travel

A country as diverse as Greece opens itself up to limitless exploration. Gate 1 offers an array of travel styles so you can take in the rich and colorful Aegean culture your way. Our classic Escorted Tours showcase the best of the country for you, with a generous array of inclusions and the services of a local Greek Tour Manager. For the free-spirited, choose one of our Independent Vacations, which provide your basic necessities like flights and hotels and leave you to follow your own whims. 

If the magical Greek Islands call to you, choose an itinerary that combines land touring with overnight accommodations on a small ship. And if you’d rather rub elbows with locals, some of our hotel-based trips let you island-hop on local ferries, for a truly authentic experience.

The Perfect Time to See Greece Is Now

The timeless antiquities, spectacular beauty and warm welcomes of Greece are to be savored. And you can do just that in a relaxed and hospitable atmosphere, guided every step of the way by our Greek Tour Managers who know their country inside-out. Join us in 2019 and experience it all for yourself, at the value you’d expect, with Gate 1 Travel. 

 Join Gate 1 Travel in Greece! Follow these links to our exciting Greece Tours and Greek Island Cruises. Or call to reserve, 1-800-682-3333!

MediterraneanSmall Group Discoveries

Sifting through Israel’s Rich History

on November 11, 2018

Within Israels’ Emek Tzurim National Park, on the lower slopes of the Mount of Olives, untold treasures are being unearthed. But it’s not only archaeologists who are digging up relics here. It’s a small army of volunteers and travelers eager for an unforgettable educational opportunity.

The Temple Mount Sifting Project was created in 2004. Its founders might tell you that it was borne from an urgent historical necessity. Just a few years earlier, construction crews had dug an entrance to Solomon’s Stables, an ancient subterranean structure that was being converted into a mosque. The site of the stables, however, was adjacent to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount—sacred to Christianity, Judaism, and Islam—and the digging proceeded without regard for laws that protect Jerusalem’s archaeological sites. Large chunks of earth were recklessly trucked out, by some counts more than 400 loads.

Dr. Gabriel Barkey and Zachi Dvira, archaeologists working under the banner of Bar-Ilan University, were certain that priceless relics were moved with all that earth. And so, with the cooperation of the Israel National Parks Authority, they founded the Temple Mount Sifting Project.

What’s unique about the project is the reason for its founding. It’s not often that excavation projects are undertaken out of anger over the treatment of historic sites. Indeed, you don’t need a history degree to realize that construction zones in such a historic place must employ onsite experts so that uncovered relics can be labeled by location and context, documented, then removed with great care. Such was not the case here.

Still, optimism surrounds the Temple Mount Sifting Project. Even though valuable knowledge about the historical location and context of centuries-old items has been lost, scholars can still learn information from the artifacts themselves by, for instance, making assumptions about the era from which they came by matching them to similarly styled pieces that were uncovered in “known” spots.

Gabriel and Zachi knew it would be no small task to sift through 400 truckloads of earth. They would need help, and lots of it, to embark on an operation that would take many years. So they created a volunteer organization that embraces the efforts of all—from students to travelers. To that end, a simple makeshift sifting camp has been erected outside Jerusalem’s old city walls.

Since the project’s founding, tens of thousands of people have participated, sifting through buckets of earth to discover pottery, glass vessels, bones, mosaic stones, jewelry, and coins—many from the First Temple Period of the 10th century. Even fragments of mosaic floors, frescoes, and glazed wall tiles have been found.

Discovery Tours travelers have the unique opportunity to help uncover history here. During our Israel, Ancient & Modern Culture trip, we sift through the rubble using a wet-sifting technique. Who knows? You just might come across a priceless artifact.

#G1PhotoFridayLatin America

Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica’s Majestic Landmark

on November 9, 2018

Arenal Volcano is located in the district of La Fortuna in Costa Rica. The volcano is located about an hour outside of San Jose and is one of the most famous landmarks in the entire country. This beautiful landmark is so picturesque, it almost makes you forget that this stratovolcano is considered “active” even though it does not currently experience eruptive activity. With a view like this, it is a must to see Arenal in person when visiting Costa Rica.

arenal

This week’s #g1photofriday was uploaded by user @cnm4real using the hashtag #gate1travel. This majestic scene was taken in the Arenal Volcano National Park in Costa Rica. Be sure to tag your photos on social media with #gate1travel or #g1photofriday to be featured. Check out Gate 1 Travel’s Costa Rica trips here!

Dead Sea Jordan
MediterraneanSmall Group Discoveries

Israel’s Astonishing Natural Beauty

on November 6, 2018

When you think of Israel, a vast treasure trove of historic and religious sights undoubtedly comes to mind. But this small country is home to some of the world’s most stunning natural beauty, the likes of which you won’t see anywhere else.

Here, quiet villages are tucked away in fertile valleys. Mountains rise from plains and rocky cliffs soar to the heavens. Starkly beautiful deserts are dotted with Bedouin tents. And serene lakes stretch out like small seas. Throughout Discovery Tours’ Israel, Ancient & Modern Culture trip, you can witness this magnificence firsthand.

The Road to Galilee

The rocky terrain of Galilee seems to stretch into eternity. Dappled in wide swathes of green and soaring to summits of up to 3,800 feet, it’s a breathtaking canvas adorned with streams and flower-laden fields. The climate of this fertile region supports a large variety of flora and wildlife. The Hula Valley Nature Reserve especially thrives with life, including many birds that stop here to rest from their migration between Africa and cooler climates to the north. In one of nature’s most spectacular displays, tens of thousands of cranes pass through here as they make their way from Finland to Ethiopia every winter.

In the west of Galilee on the Mediterranean Coast, white chalk cliffs spill into the sea. Over millennia, the crashing surf has carved a network of spectacular grottoes dimly lit by the sparkle of azure waters. These Rosh HaNikra caves, Hebrew for “head of the grottoes,” are a mysterious and magical place, a maze of subterranean passageways untouched by humankind for ages until divers began exploring them. Today, a cable car lowers you to the grotto entrance, and it is well worth a visit.

From sea level to mountaintop, Mount Bental rises in the eastern region of the Golan Heights. In Arabic, it is sometimes known as the “Mountain of Lust,” so it might not surprise you that it was once an active volcano. Now dormant—as are the other peaks of this mountain chain—it provides incredible views of the Golan Heights and the surrounding region. The volcanic soils have made this a fertile pocket of Israel. Farming communities, kibbutzim, and wineries dot the landscape, and Discovery Tours visits one of them—the delightfully welcoming Golan Heights Winery—to sample some of the local vintages.

The tranquil Sea of Galilee is the focal point of this beautiful region. Contrary to its name, it is a freshwater lake fed by underground springs and by the Jordan River from the north. Aside from its beauty, it has a lot to boast about. It is Israel’s largest and the world’s lowest freshwater lake. What’s more, it is the site of several miracles of Jesus. He is said to have walked on these fabled waters, and to have transformed five loaves and fishes into a feast for thousands here on these shores.

A Sea Full of Salt and a Massive Mesa

Unlike the Sea of Galilee, the Dead Sea is very much full of salt. So much salt, in fact, that it is impossible to sink in its waters. This is the lowest point of land on earth—1,315 feet below sea. This fascinating body of water is more than nine times as salty as the ocean, creating an environment that cannot support animals, hence its name.

But it is a geographic curiosity for a host of other reasons. With the Jordan River its only significant source of water and with no outlet, tiny springs have formed underneath its shore, resulting in pools and quicksand pits. Further, with so much salt and relatively little water, intriguingly shaped salt deposits form on the shores as water evaporates, from thick multi-layered blankets to tiny pearl-like pebbles, all of them sculpted over millennia. If you’re not completely smitten with the geology of the Dead Sea, then its buoyancy is sure to put a smile on your face. Merely step in, lie back, and relax to enjoy nature’s only flotation device.

Nearby, a giant rocky plateau rises from the Judean Desert. This is Masada, and its magnificent setting helped to shape history. So commanding are the views from atop this mesa—some of its cliffs are 1,300 feet high—Herod the Great built his fortress here just a few decades before Christ. Who can blame him? The vistas of the Dead Sea and the Negev Desert are spectacular. But not everything was serene and beautiful in Herod’s day. When the Roman Empire attacked at the end of the first Jewish-Roman War, 960 Jewish rebels are said to have thrown themselves off the cliffs rather than surrender to Rome.

We invite you to surrender to the natural beauty and irresistible allure of Israel.

Click here for trip details!

MediterraneanSmall Group Discoveries

Jerusalem: City of Pilgrimage for Three Religions

on November 3, 2018

The history of Jerusalem stretches back to 4000 BC and the Copper Age. We so readily associate the city with religious history today, it’s hard to believe that millennia passed before events unfolded here that would alter how humankind thinks of spirituality, morality, and its own place in the world. Today, a mix of historic fascination and pious devotion bring people to this city. No matter what brings you here, you’re sure to be mesmerized and captivated.

Jerusalem is the center of three of the world’s major religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. No other city in the world boasts such a dense concentration of religious sites, each more moving and powerful than the last. Little wonder: the history of Judaism here dates back 3,000 years, Christianity stretches back 2,000 years, and Islam echoes back 1,400 years. The city is home to about 1,204 synagogues, 158 churches, and 73 mosques.

The most rewarding visit to this ancient and celebrated city looks on all of its sacred sites with equal fascination and respect, regardless of their meaning to any one faith. After all, no other place in world means so much to so many.

City of David

The City of David, one of the world’s most magnificent archaeological sites, lies just outside the Old City of Jerusalem. It is a spectacularly preserved place, and marks the spot where King David established Jerusalem as his capital in the 10th century BC. Since then, it has been the ancestral and spiritual home of the Jewish people.

The sacred Talmud goes into great detail about Jerusalem’s significance to Jewish heritage. King David’s struggle to capture the city and his desire to build the Jewish Temple there hold deep personal meaning for the Jewish people. The temple was completed by David’s son, King Solomon, in 957 BC, only to be destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. But the Babylonians didn’t rule for long and The Second Temple was built by Persian leader Cyrus the Great. It not only served as an economic center, but it’s also believed that the word of God came from its hallowed halls and resonated from here to all nations.

The Second Temple survived several centuries of occupation—by the Macedonians, Ptolemies, and the Hellenic Empire. But it too was destroyed in 70 AD as the Roman Empire moved in to claim Jerusalem. (In the Book of Matthew, Jesus prophesied its destruction 37 years earlier.) The Romans proved victorious and banned Jews from Jerusalem.

Today, the Western (or Wailing) Wall is the only structure that remains from the Second Temple. Here, devout Jews gather to insert their written prayers into the nooks and crannies of its mortar. Of course, this is not the only site that draws Jewish people from all around the world. Temple Mount is said to shelter the Talmudic source of life, the site from where God gathered dust to create man. Because of its sacred power, many Jews will not walk on the Mount for fear of disrespecting the divine presence there. Jews within the city pray facing in the direction of the Mount. The Wall and the Mount are among the holiest and most pensive places on earth, and we’ll examine them as closely as religious law allows.

City of Christ

Jerusalem holds a critical place in the Old Testament. But it played its most pivotal role in Christianity in the life of Jesus. As a child, he was brought to the Second Temple to be presented. When he was only 12, he astonished the Jewish theologians here with his extensive knowledge of the Torah. He also attended festivals in Jerusalem and preached and healed in the Temple courts. He is believed to have had his Last Supper in an upper room, or Cenacle, on Mount Zion. This is also where the Apostles stayed when they were in Jerusalem and, by some accounts, the location of the very first Christian church.

Jesus was arrested in Jerusalem and put on trial here. He is said to have walked along the city’s Via Dolorosa, or Way of Sorrows, while bearing the cross. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher (revered as Golgotha or the Hill of Calvary) is traditionally believed to be the site of Christ’s crucifixion, burial and resurrection. It’s an especially moving experience to visit here, and pilgrims have been doing so since at least the fourth century.

Jerusalem holds additional significance to Christians. When Christianity was still new and had fewer followers than it does today, the devout were outcast by Roman rule. To identify each other, they etched the fish symbol onto their homes or shops. But even that was risky: Christians who were “outed” could have been killed. All that changed once Constantine took the throne of the Roman Empire. The powerful emperor claimed Christianity as his faith, creating a fertile environment for the religion to flourish.

City of Muhammed

According to Islamic tradition and the holy book of the Qur’an, the prophet Muhammed—said to have been a messenger of God—came to Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa mosque from Mecca on his famous “Night Journey.” He was carried through his physical and spiritual journey upon the white horse Buraq, who transported the prophets at their bidding. Upon arrival, he tied Buraq to the Western Wall while he prayed at the mosque. When he finished his prayers, the angel Gabriel ascended with him to heaven, where Muhammed led several other prophets in prayer. His travels complete, he returned to Mecca that very same night. For many, the gleaming Dome of the Rock at Temple Mount marks the spot from where Muhammed ascended.

It’s an inspiring story that has earned Al-Aqsa mosque a place as the third holiest site in Islam, even though it was the second to be constructed after the Masjid al-Haram, the massive complex in Mecca. It carries huge significance to the Islamic faith because it was mentioned in the Qur’an. Al-Aqsa is also the original qibla of Islam, or the focal point toward which Muslims face when they pray. The mosque was held in such reverence because it had been the sight of Muhammed’s ascension. Even after the great Muslim migration from Jerusalem to Medina in 624 AD, the prayerful continued to kneel in the direction of Al-Aqsa during prayer. Today, the Islamic qibla is Mecca.

But it is not Muhammed alone who has elevated Jerusalem’s significance and holiness to Islam. To dig more deeply into the inclusive messages of Islam is to see Jerusalem in a new and magnificent light. In the eyes of Islam, David, Solomon, and Jesus are also prophets of their faith. Why? Because according to their faith, God sent messengers to all nations and instilled in them a belief that they would then embrace and teach. And ultimately, every prophet preaches the “oneness” of God. It’s a comforting message, and one that is befitting of the holiest city on earth.

Experience the deep spirituality of Jerusalem during our Israel, Ancient and Modern Cultures trip. Click here for trip details!

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