(AP) Daniella Cheslow - A new trail across northern Israel offers travelers the chance to walk - or trot on horseback - through New Testament sites in the footsteps of Jesus. The newly opened Gospel Trail winds for 39 miles, from Nazareth down to Capernaum, the fishing town where Jesus is said to have established his home base. The Tourism Ministry believes the new trail may attract up to 200,000 Christian pilgrims to northern Israel over the coming year. Christians are a rapidly growing segment of Israeli tourism, comprising about two-thirds of the 3.45 million people who visited in 2010. Jose Leonardo from Houston walked the trail at Tel Kinrot, a hill filled with archaeological finds that looks over the Sea of Galilee. He said he was especially moved by a visit to Mount Tabor. "It's great to walk where Christ actually walked and just to know that so much history is here," Leonardo said. "I think every Christian should come out here and actually experience that walk to get closer to God and know his land and his people."
2011-12-09 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive