In The Footsteps of Jesus Day Tour – Dguide Self Guiding App

The most striking part of this four-hour Jerusalem walk is its direction: you begin high on the Mount of Olives and gradually make your way down, across the Kidron Valley, into the Old City, and out again to the Garden Tomb. The route links familiar Gospel places with the streets, churches, markets, and views of modern Jerusalem.

I like the freedom to pause, replay information, or leave the suggested route and return later. I also like the modest $7 price, especially since Uri Goldflam, a professional guide and educator with 30 years of guiding experience, created the content. The main drawback is that this is not a personal guide, so anyone wanting exact answers, group explanation, or more detail at each stop may find the app too spare.

Key points to know before you go

• Start above the Old City: The route begins at Seven Arches on the Mount of Olives, with a broad view across Jerusalem.
• Walk downhill, then through the Old City: Expect stairs, uneven ground, streets, and a gradual route toward the Garden Tomb.
• The app sets the pace: Follow the suggested path, pause for reflection, or wander and return to the tour later.
• Several stops are free: You only need small extra payments for St. Ann’s Church and the Austrian Hospice rooftop.
• The Garden Tomb matters for timing: It is closed Sunday and Monday, so plan the final stop for Tuesday through Saturday.
• The route suits independent visitors: It works best for people comfortable using a phone while walking and managing their own time.

A Bible-focused route with real Jerusalem around it

This is not just a string of religious sites. The route gives you a useful sense of Jerusalem’s shape. You start with the city spread out below you, walk down the Palm Sunday Road, pass through the Kidron Valley, enter the Old City, follow part of the Via Dolorosa, and finish near Damascus Gate.

That physical progression gives the experience its strength. You are not being driven from one isolated stop to another. You see how the places relate to one another, and the downhill route helps make the four-hour schedule practical.

The DGuide app is free, but you need the access code supplied after booking. The tour content was prepared by Uri Goldflam of Travel Trailer Israel. His background matters here because the route needs more than Bible references. It needs directions, context, and a clear sense of where you are standing.

The format is flexible. You can listen to as much or as little as you want, stop for photographs, spend longer in prayer, or step away from the route and return to it. That is useful in Jerusalem, where a quiet church or an unexpected market lane can easily delay you.

Still, keep your expectations in check. A self-guided app cannot answer a question about a disputed location or adjust its explanation to your interests. One assessment of the experience found it acceptable but wanted more detail about exact places, dates, and events. I would treat that as a fair warning: download the tour for structure and orientation, not for the depth of a private scholar-led walk.

Mount of Olives: the right place to get your bearings

The first stop is at Seven Arches on the Mount of Olives. From here, you get the classic view toward Jerusalem, with the Old City laid out below. It is an excellent opening because you can see the direction of the walk before your feet start carrying you downhill.

Plan on about 15 minutes here. The observation area can be busy with peddlers, and there is often a camel available for rides or photographs. You do not need to use those services, and it is wise to keep your attention on your belongings and personal space.

The app begins with an introduction to Jerusalem and the route ahead. I like starting here instead of in the middle of the Old City. The view gives the religious story a physical setting, and the route becomes easier to understand once you can see the Mount of Olives, the Old City, and the valley between them.

Wear shoes with a firm sole. The walk is not described as strenuous, but it does require stairs and a moderate level of fitness.

Dominus Flevit and the Palm Sunday Road

From the Mount of Olives, you follow the Palm Sunday Road to Dominus Flevit Church. This small church has a distinctive teardrop shape, linked to the tradition that Jesus wept over Jerusalem and foresaw the city’s destruction.

Allow about 20 minutes. The important feature is not only the church itself, but also the view from the adjacent deck. Inside, look for the window directed toward the Old City and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It creates a strong visual link between this hillside and the later part of your walk.

This is a good place to slow down. The route description specifically encourages quiet meditation, and the setting supports that. You can use the app’s explanation, then put the phone away for a few minutes.

The stop is free, but church access can depend on opening conditions. The supplied tour details do not give a separate daily schedule for Dominus Flevit, so do not build your whole day around a guaranteed interior visit.

Gethsemane and the Kidron Valley

The Palm Sunday Road continues down toward the Kidron Valley. At the bottom, the route turns from the traffic and street noise toward the Garden of Gethsemane, a much quieter area with ancient olive trees.

You have about 30 minutes here. The Church of All Nations, also called the Church of the Agony, occupies the traditional location of the garden where Jesus prayed before his arrest. The olive trees are the visual focus. Some are described as hundreds or even thousands of years old, making this a natural place for reflection even if you are approaching the site as a history visitor rather than a pilgrim.

This is one of the stops where the app format makes sense. You can hear the relevant account, then take your own time beneath the trees. A live guide might keep the group moving, while an app lets you remain quiet.

The transition from the road into the garden is also worth noticing. You move from traffic and vendors into a calmer setting within a short distance. That contrast is part of the experience, and it is easy to miss if you rush to check off the next stop.

The Tomb of the Virgin Mary

The next stop is in the Kidron Valley, below street level. The Tomb of the Virgin Mary occupies what remains of a much larger basilica and includes Crusader-period construction.

Allow about 10 minutes. A broad staircase leads down to the crypt. On the right side is the tomb of Queen Melisende of Jerusalem, daughter of King Baldwin II. That detail gives the stop a wider historical frame beyond the Gospel route.

The stairs matter. If you have trouble with stairs, this is one of several points where the walk may feel demanding. The tour requires a moderate physical fitness level, and that is a practical description, not a throwaway note. You will be walking downhill, using steps, and later crossing busy parts of the Old City.

Bethesda and the acoustics of St. Ann’s Church

At the Pools of Bethesda, you reach the setting associated with the Gospel of John, chapter 5, where Jesus heals a man who had been unable to walk for 38 years.

Give this stop around 40 minutes. The pools themselves are an important part of the setting, but the adjacent Church of St. Ann deserves time too. It is a neoclassical church managed by the French White Fathers, with acoustics that carry singing unusually well.

Admission to the site costs 5 shekels per person and is not included in the $7 tour price. That is a small added cost, but carry some local currency so you are not forced to solve payment questions on the spot.

This is also where the tour shifts from open hillside sites to a denser urban setting. You have already seen the broad view from the Mount of Olives. At Bethesda, you are dealing with excavated remains, church architecture, and a more enclosed sense of place.

The Austrian Hospice and a rooftop pause

From Bethesda, you begin along the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Suffering or Passion of Christ. The route is marked by round bronze plates, but the street itself is a working market lane, not a quiet museum corridor.

The Austrian Hospice is a particularly useful stop because it adds a pause to the walking day. Large wooden doors open onto a small piece of European-style hospitality inside the Old City. The suggested stop lasts about 45 minutes, including time for the rooftop view, coffee, and the famous apple strudel.

The rooftop costs 5 shekels through a turnstile, and food and drink are extra. I consider this a worthwhile optional expense because the break serves a practical purpose. Four hours of stairs and pavement can wear you down, and the elevated view gives you another way to read the Old City.

Do not expect the Via Dolorosa to feel solemn at every step. Market activity, narrow lanes, and ordinary daily business share the same route. For me, that is part of the point. Jerusalem’s religious places are woven into the city rather than sealed away from it.

Damascus Gate and the route beyond the walls

After the Austrian Hospice, follow the market alley slightly uphill and exit through Damascus Gate. The current gate belongs to the Ottoman construction of Jerusalem’s walls, dating to about 1536. Below it are remains of Roman-period gates.

Allow about 20 minutes. The gate is not only a dramatic exit from the Old City; it also marks a change in the character of the walk. You leave the tight market lanes and continue toward the Garden Tomb along the road associated with Damascus.

This section requires attention to directions. The app provides the route, but you are responsible for following it, watching traffic, and keeping your phone charged. The tour has a maximum of two people, so you are not likely to be shepherded along by a large group. That is pleasant for independent walkers, but it also means you need to manage the route yourself.

The Garden Tomb: a quiet finish with an important qualification

The final stop is the Garden Tomb, one of the possible locations associated with the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The site was identified in the late 19th century and is owned and managed by the Protestant Garden Tomb Association, a charitable trust based in the United Kingdom.

Plan on about an hour. You can see the hill’s Skull caves, enter the empty tomb, and use the garden’s chapels and quiet corners for prayer, communion, or reflection. Entrance is free.

The wording one of the possible sites is important. The Garden Tomb is not the only location connected with these events, and this tour presents it as a possible setting rather than an uncontested fact. That approach lets you appreciate the site without pretending that every religious location has one universally accepted identification.

The Garden Tomb is closed to visitors on Sunday and Monday. You can still begin the tour on those days, but you will need to return Tuesday through Saturday for the final stop. The published hours also show Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., so I would confirm access before setting out, especially for a Monday visit.

The tour ends at Conrad Schick Street. From there, you can walk back toward the Old City or head uphill toward hotels and restaurants in the New City.

What the $7 price really buys you

At $7 per person, this is a low-cost way to bring structure to a major Jerusalem walk. The admission fees are modest but separate: 5 shekels for St. Ann’s Church and 5 shekels for the Austrian Hospice rooftop. Parking is not included.

The real purchase is the route and the spoken context. If you already know Jerusalem well and can navigate the sites on your own, the app may feel limited. If you want a clear sequence and do not need a personal guide, the price is reasonable.

I would also factor in time. The stated duration is about four hours, but the route gives you room to linger. Gethsemane, Dominus Flevit, and the Garden Tomb can easily become longer stops if you want prayer or quiet. The app’s flexible design lets you make that choice rather than forcing a fixed group schedule.

Who will enjoy this self-guided walk?

This experience fits independent visitors who want a religiously focused route but prefer to move privately. It also suits couples or very small parties, since the maximum is two people.

You should be comfortable with moderate walking, stairs, and using a mobile phone for directions and audio or written content. A mobile ticket is provided, and the DGuide app itself is free once you use the coupon code in the confirmation email.

I would choose it if you value freedom, low cost, and a route that connects the Mount of Olives with the Garden Tomb. I would choose a live guide instead if your main goal is detailed discussion, exact historical debate, or help adapting the walk to changing conditions.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want to walk through Jerusalem’s Christian sites at your own pace and you are happy to supply some of your own curiosity. The views from the Mount of Olives, the ancient olive trees at Gethsemane, the Old City lanes, and the quiet Garden Tomb give the route plenty of substance.

Skip it if you need a highly detailed explanation at every stop or cannot manage stairs and several hours on foot. Also avoid scheduling the Garden Tomb finale on Sunday or Monday. For an independent visitor who wants a simple route, a thoughtful setting for reflection, and a very small price, this is a useful addition to a Jerusalem stay.

FAQ

How long does the tour take?

The tour takes approximately four hours, though the self-guided format lets you spend more or less time at individual stops.

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at Seven Arches on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

Where does the tour end?

It ends at the Garden Tomb on Conrad Schick Street in Jerusalem.

Is the tour guided by a person?

No. The tour uses the DGuide self-guiding app. The content was created by Uri Goldflam, a professional guide and educator with 30 years of guiding experience.

Is the DGuide app included?

The DGuide app is free. After booking, you receive a coupon code in the Before You Go section of your confirmation email to access this tour.

Is the Garden Tomb open every day?

No. The Garden Tomb is closed to visitors on Sunday and Monday. You can take the rest of the route on those days and return Tuesday through Saturday.

Is admission included at every stop?

No. Most listed stops are free, but St. Ann’s Church at the Pools of Bethesda costs 5 shekels per person. The Austrian Hospice rooftop also requires a 5 shekel turnstile payment.

Does the tour require much walking?

Yes. You should have a moderate level of physical fitness because the route involves walking and stairs.

Is parking included?

No. Parking fees are not included.

Can I leave the suggested route?

Yes. The app allows you to follow the suggested route, go elsewhere, and return to the guided tour later.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.