The port city of Safaga is located on the western flank of the Red Sea, across from the shores of Saudi Arabia. The dusty streets are for the most part quiet, save for the occasional truck or bus. Diving enthusiasts come to the few resort hotels located north of Safaga to enjoy one of the world’s best and relatively unspoiled locations for underwater exploration. Their number is steadily increasing. As a result, Safaga’s facilities are gradually improving. For cruise vessels calling here, Safaga serves as the gateway to Luxor, which ranks among the most important destinations in Egypt, topping the list of must-see attractions. Guests who are not planning to take the excursion to Luxor will find very limited activities in Safaga itself, except for souvenir shopping at some tourist villages and diving and snorkeling tours at resort hotels. A half day trip to the resort of Hurghada is also an option.

The port city of Safaga is located on the western flank of the Red Sea, across from the shores of Saudi Arabia. The dusty streets are for the most part quiet, save for the occasional truck or bus. Diving enthusiasts come to the few resort hotels located north of Safaga to enjoy one of the world’s best and relatively unspoiled locations for underwater exploration. Their number is steadily increasing. As a result, Safaga’s facilities are gradually improving. For cruise vessels calling here, Safaga serves as the gateway to Luxor, which ranks among the most important destinations in Egypt, topping the list of must-see attractions. Guests who are not planning to take the excursion to Luxor will find very limited activities in Safaga itself, except for souvenir shopping at some tourist villages and diving and snorkeling tours at resort hotels. A half day trip to the resort of Hurghada is also an option.

Improbably carved into the rusty-red rock of the Jordanian desert, the ancient city of Petra has been mesmerising visitors since being rediscovered by Westerners in 1812. Siq Canyon provides a suitably grandiose welcome, cutting a deep track through layers of fiery sandstone, and building up the suspense, before you first set eyes on the Lost City’s majesty. An early start is best to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site, giving you chance to beat the crowds and avoid the brunt of the heat. The Treasury is perhaps Petra’s best-known structure, having featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as the mystical hiding place of the Holy Grail. Imprinted deep into the sheer sandstone, it’s a dramatic, spectacular achievement of human endeavour. Look closely, and you’ll see the indentations of bullet holes scarring the urn that sits atop it – fired by Bedouins fuelled by rumours of ancient treasure within. Petra developed as the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, and the sophistication of the Rose Kingdom’s rock-hewn buildings is matched only by the elaborate and advanced water collection and transportation system that quenched its thirst and provided the means to thrive, despite its remote location and the intense burn of the sun. Look out for the delicate water channels that lace the city as you explore. High above the city – up a daunting 800-step climb – stands the Monastery. It’s lesser known, but larger and – whisper it quietly – perhaps even more impressive than the Treasury. The High Place of Sacrifice is an even tougher hike – with only occasional electric-blue lizards scattering from your footsteps as you rise – but the views of the remarkable city, embossed into the mighty sandstone cliffs below, will last a lifetime.

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From Ashdod’s port, it’s a just a short ride to Jerusalem’s land of incredible religious significance and cultural wonder. A city like no other, Jerusalem is a melting pot of traditions, and a place of staggering complexity and immeasurably deep, impactful history. It’s almost impossible to fully digest Jerusalem’s importance in the scriptures of the world’s largest religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and this collision of faiths helps to make it one of the world’s most fascinating locations. The Old City is the focal point for much of the religious reverence, with aged buildings from the world’s major faiths jostling for space, and melodic calls to prayer echoing down tight stone streets. Stroll the walkways to travel between deeply contrasting quarters, where you can sample roughly ripped pita bread, dipped into fresh, flavourful hummus. A place of unbridled passion and importance – but also extraordinary beauty – it’s easy to get swept away in the raw emotion that Jerusalem generates. Visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which archaeologists believe stands on the site where Jesus was crucified. Inside, emotional worshipers kneel before the stone where his body was wrapped in cloth in preparation for burial. The Wailing Wall is another place where passions run high, as worshipers place their folded messages into the wall’s cracks. Temple Mount’s golden dome glints in the sun nearby, signifying another point of pilgrimage for Jews – and for Muslims, who believe it is the place where Muhammad ascended to heaven.

At less than 45 kilometres from Nazareth, Haifa is often neglected when it comes to travel experiences. And understandably so, as Nazareth is definitely the superstar of the region. The pilgrimage site is certainly a must for all believers of all denominations, and the chance of seeing where Jesus spent his childhood is too good an opportunity to pass up for some. If, however you go expecting to find a bucolic utopia then think again. View less Nazareth today is bustling modern hub of a mega metropolis, which has grown up around the crumbling walls of the Old City. Nazareth Old City is stunning, and the historic sites where Jesus is believed to have lived and preached prior to his death are certainly bucket list. These include the Basilica of the Annunciation, where the Angel Gabriel visited Mary to inform her of her virgin birth, the Church of Joseph, the ancient site of Joseph’s carpentry shop and Cana (located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee), where Jesus performed his first miracle of turning water into wine. But that is not to say that Haifa itself is not worth a visit. The city – the third largest in Israel after Tel Aviv and Jerusalem – is a mosaic of cultures and faiths, with Jews, Christians, Muslims and Baháʼís all living peacefully side by side. The Baháʼí Gardens, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, are without a doubt the city’s main attraction. Set on the flanks of Mont Carmel and sloping into the Mediterranean Sea, both the gardens and the city offer stunning views.