Type "international travel" into any Internet search engine, and you'll likely be overwhelmed by more than a million sites telling you where to go and what to see on your next vacation. Even for the most discerning Christian travelers, the possibilities may seem endless, in spite of keeping in mind the desire to use wisdom in planning a travel budget and choice of quality locations. With so many places to choose from, where do you start?

Europe certainly has a great deal to offer Christians. With countless historical sites and tours available, you can enjoy yourself and also receive a tremendous amount of educational and informative benefits.

Also popular for Christians are mission trips abroad to any number of nations. With the focus more on making a difference and helping others, and less on personal leisure time, mission trips offer a chance at a trip that will be both benevolent and, hopefully, personally enlightening.

But, of the many rewarding travel options available to Christians today, one option that is particularly spiritually significant is a trip to Israel – the Holy Land.

In Israel, you can see the Bible come alive before your very eyes. You can walk where Jesus walked and sense God's presence in your life like never before. From the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River to Caesarea and Jerusalem, you can literally stand on historical sites straight out of the Scriptures.

"Overlooking the Sea of Galilee, standing on the Mount of Olives, and walking the streets of Jerusalem are all experiences that opened my eyes to an even richer understanding of the Scriptures," says Janet Parshall, host of Janet Parshall's America. "God reveals himself through His Word, but I believe He whispers to us in a powerful way when we meet with him in Israel."

Yes, Israel has its share of fine dining, accommodations, shopping, and entertainment, just like other tourist destinations. But only Israel can lay claim to being the Holy Land of the Christian faith – a place where your heart and spirit will be transformed, and you will return home saying, "I'll never be the same."

"As someone who has visited Israel many times and brought friends along for the trip, I can tell you that it is a life-changing experience," says Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice. "I encourage you to visit the land and take others with you."
                                                                 
To experience the most fulfilling journey to Israel, travelers typically take a 10-day trip. As an example of what you might see on a 10-day Holy Land adventure, here is a sample itinerary:

Day 1
Take a non-stop transatlantic flight from any one of number of U.S. and Canadian gateway cities.

Day 2
Arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel. Take a late afternoon tour of Jaffe (biblical Joppa), an ancient port where Peter saw a vision atop the house of Simon the Tanner and from which the prophet Jonah embarked. Then, get some rest after your transatlantic flight.

Day 3
Visit Caesarea, ancient Roman capital of Judea, rebuilt by Herod; the Roman aqueduct and theater; and the Crusader castle. Travel to Megiddo (Armageddon). Drive to Muhraka on Mt. Carmel where Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal. Visit Cana and Nazareth (Jesus' boyhood home) and Mt. Tabor, one of the possible sites of the Transfiguration. End the day in Tiberias at the Sea of Galilee.
 
Day 4
Explore sites of Jesus' ministry at Tabgha, Mt. of Beatitudes, and Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Like Jesus and the disciples, you can sail on the Sea of Galilee. Ascend the Golan Heights to view the Galilee region and visit the baptismal site (Yardenit) on the Jordan River.

Day 5
Travel down the Jordan River Valley. Discover the ruins of Roman-Byzantine Bet Shean, one of the oldest cities and largest archaeological excavations in Israel. Drive down the Jordan River valley to Jericho and the Mt. of Temptation and ascend through the Judean desert to Jerusalem.

Day 6
Visit Mount Zion, the Upper Room and the Tomb of King David. Tour the Old City's Jewish Quarter, Western Wall and Tunnel, Zion Gate, and the Cardo. Visit Israel's modern Parliament and the Supreme Court buildings. Explore the Israel Museum, the Shrine of the Book (housing the Dead Sea Scrolls), and Yad Vashem, Israel's poignant Holocaust Memorial. After dinner, enjoy a multicultural folklore show.

Day 7
Travel to Masada (Herod's magnificent palace and fortress and the site of the Jewish revolt against Rome in A.D. 66-73) and float in the Dead Sea. Then drive to Qumran (the center of the Essenes sect, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947) and the lush desert oasis of En Gedi. Return to Jerusalem.
                                                   
Day 8
Starting atop the Mount of Olives, retrace Jesus' steps during his final days in Jerusalem. Walk the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane. Visit Caiaphas' house, the Via Dolorosa (the Way of the Cross), and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (the traditional site of Jesus' crucifixion). Then, highlight this spiritually moving day with communion at the Garden Tomb.

Day 9
Enjoy a day of leisure, spending more time in the Old City or visiting additional sites.

Day 10
Say "Shalom" to Israel and return home to the U.S.

Whether you've been a Christian for most of your life or you're new to the faith – whether you're a pastor, leader, or layman – a visit to Israel will touch your heart and spirit in a way that will leave you longing to go back and experience it all over again.

"I cannot tell you the difference visiting Israel has made in my life," says author and Bible teacher Kay Arthur. "Now when I open God's Book, it takes on a whole new dimension and depth. I can honestly say that if you visit Israel, you will never be the same."

Joe Diaz is the Southeast Regional Director for the Israel Ministry of Tourism, www.GoIsrael.com.