Haifa (for The Dead Sea and Jerusalem) Cruises, Israel

Nazareth and Galilee. In the holy stakes, you don’t get much bigger. They’re home to the superleague of religious sights – the temples, churches and mosques you’ve only ever read about in guide books. And they’re all within easy reach of Haifa, a city with one impressive setting. Curving around a big yawn of bay, it’s tucked between the Carmel mountains and the sparkling Mediterranean Sea.

• Pay a visit to Acre, one of the oldest cities in Israel. The centre of it was built back in the 18th century from the ruins of a crusader citadel. The Baha’i Gardens are well worth a look, too – they’re the largest hanging gardens in the world.
• Nazareth’s must-sees include the Basilica of the Annunciation, where Mary’s said to have received that all-important visit from Gabriel. And don’t leave without checking out the Sea of Galilee, the beach-fringed lake where Jesus spent most of his ministry.
• Don’t miss the city of Caesarea, which Herod the Great dedicated to Emperor Augustus over 2,000 years ago. Here, you can explore Herod’s palace, a theatre, a Byzantine Market place and a moat built by crusaders.