Archeological Tour of Jerusalem

Tour Overview:

Duration

6-7 Hours

Guidance

Certified Guide

Accessibility

Partly

Difficulty

Easy

In Jerusalem, every stone sits on top of its older sister: there is almost no place around the city without a piece of history hidden underground.

Those interested in archeology will enjoy the abundance of excavated sites that the city has to offer: from the Iron Age (also called the First Temple period), to the present day. Jerusalem was conquered dozens of times and various rulers left their mark on it: Babylonians, Persians, Hasmoneans, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Muslims, Mamluks, Ottomans and more. In this tour we will visit some of the most interesting excavation sites of Jerusalem.

Tour Highlights

City of David

We begin the tour at the top of the City of David, the place where Jerusalem first began thousands of years ago. From here we look out over the ancient landscape and explore the origins of the city. We visit the excavations beneath the visitor center and learn about the early stages of Jerusalem’s development before continuing through an underground passage that leads toward the excavations of the Givati Parking Lot.

Givati Parking Lot Excavations

The Givati Parking Lot is the largest active excavation area in Jerusalem. As the site is still under excavation, we observe it from above and learn about some of the most recent discoveries uncovered in this area. From here we continue through a mysterious underground canal (dry), which leads us directly toward the archaeological garden near the Old City walls.

The Archaeological Garden

At the Archaeological Garden we explore remains from several important historical periods. The site reveals layers from the grandeur of the Second Temple period, the Byzantine era, and the early Islamic period. Inside the museum we see coins, stamps, tools, and other artifacts discovered during the excavations, offering insight into daily life in ancient Jerusalem.

Western Wall Tunnels

We continue to the Western Wall Tunnels, where extensive excavations carried out by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation have revealed new sections of ancient Jerusalem. At the renovated site we see remains such as a Roman theater structure, a nymphaeum, and other architectural discoveries uncovered near the Western Wall. The visit brings us close to the area of the ancient Temple complex.

Old City Excavations

From there we ascend into the Old City for a walking tour of approximately an hour and a half. Along the way we visit several archaeological sites including the remains of a Crusader-era German church, a section of the wall attributed to the time of King Hezekiah, the Byzantine Cardo—the city’s main street—and examples of Mamluk architecture, revealing the many historical layers that shaped Jerusalem.

Essential Information

Hotel pick up
Dress code:
Modest
What should I bring:
Food and water for the day
Hat
Comfortable\water shoes
Change of cloths (for water trips)

Tour Gallery

A view of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, including the Western Wall and the golden Dome of the Rock.

What our clients say

Additional Information:

Tours are covered by third-party insurance and do not include personal insurance.
Sites and tastings on the tour are subject to the tour guide’s decision and may change.

Cancellation Policy:

Our cancellation policy is designed with your convenience in mind. Up to one week before the tour, you can cancel free of charge, with the reservation fee returned minus the processing fee – less than one week before the tour date – 50% of the total price of the tour. Less than 48 hours before the tour date – nonrefundable.
Cancellation without fees—In case of unforeseen circumstances (natural causes, governmental or societal actions or infrastructure failures), no fee will be paid, and the reservation fee will be returned to the customer.