Jerusalem, Israel - 24 March 2009 - In advance of the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Israel in May, the Israel Ministry of Tourism is placing signage along the picturesque,40 mile Jesus Trail, which winds its way from Nazareth through Sepphoris, Cana, the Arbel Cliffs, Tabgha, Capernaum and the Mount of Beatitudes, Tiberias and the Jordan River.

The Jesus Trail offers Christian tourists and pilgrims the opportunity to walk on the paths where Jesus and his disciples walked, to understand how the land reflects the New Testament and to connect spiritually to the natural beauty and serenity of the Galilee.

Designed to be walked over three or four days, the Jesus Trail can be enjoyed in smaller segments according to one's personal fitness and time restraints. Overnight options extend from hotels, bed-and-breakfasts to overnight camping, and there are many places to buy water and food along the way. Public buses are available at most starting and end-points. 
 
Some of the seasonal highlights of the trail include fields of bright red anemones or yellow daisies--Jesus' "lilies of the field" (Luke 12:27); wild oats and thistles and a beautifully cultivated field - Jesus' famed Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:3-9); and climbing to Sepphoris, the image of the "city on a hill" (Matt. 5:14).

Other highlights further along the route include the fourth century Arbel Synagogue, overlooking the Sea of Galilee; the Arbel Cliffs; Tabgha, the traditional site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes; the Mount of Beatitudes, the traditional site of the Sermon on the Mount; and Capernaum, the former fishing village that was once the center of Jesus' life and ministry.
 
To learn more about the Trail, please call now Toll free: (888) 373-8687