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

The most moving part of this experience is its downhill journey through Jerusalem, from the Mount of Olives and its sweeping view to the quiet Garden Tomb. You follow places tied to Jesus’ final days, including Gethsemane, Bethesda, the Via Dolorosa, and the traditional site of his burial and resurrection.

I like two things right away: the freedom to set your own pace and the low $7 price. I also like that the route was designed by Uri Goldflam, a guide and educator with 30 years of experience. The main drawback is that the app cannot answer questions or add the human context of a live guide, and one review found the information too thin in places.

Key points at a glance

• Start with Jerusalem’s finest overlook: The tour begins at the Seven Arches on the Mount of Olives, with a broad view of the Old City.
• Follow a clear downhill route: You move from the Palm Sunday Road to Gethsemane, the Kidron Valley, Bethesda, the Via Dolorosa, Damascus Gate, and the Garden Tomb.
• Use the app your way: Follow the suggested route, skip sections, pause for prayer, or leave the path and return later.
• Expect stairs and uneven walking: The Tomb of the Virgin Mary, market lanes, steep roads, and the descent from the Mount of Olives require moderate fitness.
• Budget for small extra fees: The Pools of Bethesda costs 5 shekels, and the Austrian Hospice rooftop also costs 5 shekels.
• Plan around the Garden Tomb: It is closed on Sunday and Monday, so schedule the final stop for Tuesday through Saturday.

Why this self-guided Jerusalem walk works

This is not a bus tour or a formal group walk. It is a phone-based route with audio and written guidance delivered through the DGuide app. After booking, you receive a coupon code in the Before You Go section of your confirmation email. The app itself is free, while this particular route costs $7 per person.

That price is hard to argue with if you want an organized route but do not need a guide beside you. The experience gives you a logical way to connect several important Christian sites without paying for a private guide. You can linger at Gethsemane, move quickly through a crowded market lane, or pause the tour for coffee at the Austrian Hospice.

The tradeoff is depth. A self-guided app can tell you what you are seeing, but it cannot respond when you ask why one site is considered more likely than another, or explain a detail that catches your eye. The supplied feedback includes a fair criticism: the route could give more information about exact locations, dates, and context. I would book this expecting a useful framework, not a full religious history seminar.

The route is listed at about four hours, but your pace matters. The scheduled stops add up to more than three hours, and the walk between them takes time. If you stop for prayer, photographs, coffee, or quiet thought, allow extra time.

Starting above Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives

The route begins at the Seven Arches on the Mount of Olives. This is the right place to get your bearings. From here, Jerusalem spreads below you, and the Old City provides a clear visual introduction before you begin walking.

The first stop takes about 15 minutes and has no admission charge. You will find peddlers at the observation area, and a camel may be available for rides or photographs. Treat this as a public viewpoint rather than a controlled attraction. Keep an eye on your belongings, and do not feel pressured into buying anything.

From the overlook, the route heads down the Palm Sunday Road. The direction matters. You are not simply visiting separate churches by taxi. You are tracing a downhill line that links the Mount of Olives with the Kidron Valley and the Old City.

Wear shoes with good grip. The tour requires walking and stairs, and the first section is downhill. That sounds easy until you realize that a long descent can be harder on knees than a flat walk.

Dominus Flevit and the view toward the Old City

Dominus Flevit is a small church shaped like a teardrop. It is traditionally linked with Jesus weeping over Jerusalem and foreseeing the city’s destruction.

Plan about 20 minutes here. The church has a distinctive window looking toward the Old City and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The adjacent viewing area is a good place to stop talking and simply look. This is one of the route’s best moments for quiet reflection because the religious story and the view work together.

The site is free, but opening access can affect your visit. The tour information does not promise that every interior space will be open at every moment, so the exterior view remains an important part of the stop.

The app’s role is useful here. It can explain the tradition connected with the church while you decide how long to stay. You do not have to keep pace with a group or hurry because another stop is waiting.

Gethsemane and the ancient olive trees

The Palm Sunday Road continues toward the Kidron Valley and the Garden of Gethsemane. The route then turns from the traffic and noise into a quieter garden filled with old olive trees.

Allow about 30 minutes. Gethsemane is traditionally associated with Jesus praying before his arrest. The Church of All Nations, also called the Church of the Agony, occupies the traditional site of the garden.

This is a place where the self-guided format can work especially well. You can put the phone away for a few minutes and use the garden for prayer or reflection. The old olive trees are the visual focus, though you should be cautious about treating any individual tree as a confirmed witness to the Gospel events. The site connects you to a tradition, not to a provable single tree.

The drawback is the setting outside the garden. The nearby roads can be busy, and the contrast between traffic and the quiet interior may make the transition feel abrupt. Still, the short time inside the garden offers a welcome pause before the next stops.

The Tomb of the Virgin Mary in the Kidron Valley

The Tomb of the Virgin Mary sits below street level in the Kidron Valley. You descend a broad staircase into a crypt that remains from an earlier basilica. The structure is a good example of Crusader-period construction.

This stop takes about 10 minutes, so it is brief but visually different from the open views and garden above. On the right side of the staircase, you can see the tomb of Queen Melisende of Jerusalem, daughter of King Baldwin II.

The stairs are the main practical issue. If you have trouble with steps, this part may feel demanding. The tour specifically calls for moderate physical fitness, and this is one reason why. Take your time and keep the app available for orientation, since below-street-level sites can be harder to understand without an explanation.

Bethesda and the Church of St. Ann

From the Kidron Valley, the route continues to the Pools of Bethesda. The pools are associated with the Gospel of John and the account of Jesus healing a man who had been unable to walk for 38 years.

You are allotted about 40 minutes here. The adjacent Church of St. Ann is a highlight for many people who appreciate church architecture and music. Its design gives the building a strong echo, making it especially suited to singing.

The site is managed by the French White Fathers, and admission costs 5 shekels per person. That fee is small, but it is not included in the $7 tour price. Carry some local currency or confirm your payment options before you arrive.

This stop rewards a slower visit. The pools are archaeological remains, so the app’s explanation helps you picture the setting described in the Gospel. At the same time, the site can feel less immediately clear than a standing church. Give yourself time to read the information and connect the ruins with the biblical account.

The Via Dolorosa and a coffee stop at the Austrian Hospice

From Bethesda, you begin walking along the Via Dolorosa, also known as the Way of the Suffering or the Passion of Christ. The stations are marked by round bronze plates, but the route also moves through active market streets.

The Austrian Hospice offers a useful break after the religious sites and street walking. Large wooden doors open onto a small pocket of European-style hospitality. A rooftop viewpoint provides another angle on Jerusalem, and the rooftop turnstile costs 5 shekels.

You can also stop for coffee and the hospice’s apple strudel. These food details may sound minor, but they matter on a four-hour walk with stairs and downhill sections. A short sit-down can help you enjoy the rest of the route rather than simply push through it.

Allow about 45 minutes at this stop if you want the rooftop and refreshments. If you are watching every shekel, you can skip both paid extras and continue along the route. The app lets you make that choice without disrupting anyone else.

The market section can be crowded and confusing. Keep your phone secure, watch your footing, and do not assume the route will feel peaceful. This is a living part of Jerusalem, not a preserved religious stage set. That contrast is part of the experience, but it also calls for patience.

Damascus Gate and the final walk to the Garden Tomb

After the Austrian Hospice, you follow a market alley slightly uphill and leave the Old City through Damascus Gate. The present gate belongs to the Ottoman construction of Jerusalem’s walls from around 1536. Below it are remains of Roman-period gates.

Plan about 20 minutes here. Damascus Gate is both a historic entrance and a useful orientation point. From the gate, the road toward Damascus leads you onward to the Garden Tomb.

This section changes the rhythm of the tour. You have moved through churches, ruins, and narrow lanes, and now the route turns toward the final site. The walk is not simply a transfer between attractions. It helps you see how the Old City relates to the areas outside its walls.

Pay attention to the app’s directions here. The route includes market lanes and an exit from the walled city, so it may be worth checking your location before you commit to a turn.

Finishing at the Garden Tomb

The Garden Tomb is the tour’s final stop and the place where the route reaches its main spiritual focus. It is one possible location for 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.

You are given about an hour here, and that is sensible. The garden includes quiet corners and chapels for prayer and communion. You can also see the skull caves associated with the hill of Golgotha and enter the empty tomb.

The word possible matters. The Garden Tomb is not the only proposed location for these events. The experience presents it as one traditional option, so you can appreciate the site without treating its identification as certain.

Entrance is free, but group visits require a reservation. The information provided gives the reservation number as 02-539-8100. The Garden Tomb is closed on Sunday and Monday. If you take the route on one of those days, you can still complete the other stops and return later, from Tuesday through Saturday, to finish the experience.

The end point is practical. From the Garden Tomb, you can walk back toward the Old City or go uphill toward hotels and restaurants in the New City. The tour does not leave you at an isolated point with no onward plan.

Cost, timing, and the real value

At $7 per person, this is a low-cost way to organize a major half-day walk in Jerusalem. The DGuide app is free, and the booking gives you a coupon code for this route. You still need to budget for the 5-shekel admission at Bethesda, the 5-shekel Austrian Hospice rooftop, food, and any parking fees.

The value is strongest if you like independent sightseeing. You receive a prepared sequence, location-based information, and the ability to stop or change direction. A private guide would offer more personal explanation, but it would also cost far more.

The route is described as having a maximum of two travelers. That makes it suitable for a couple or a very small party, though the app-based format means you should not expect an accompanying guide. The confirmation arrives at booking, and the route is near public transportation. Parking fees are not included.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

Who should book this walk?

I would choose this tour if you want to cover several major Christian sites in one continuous route and prefer to control the pace yourself. It suits independent visitors, couples, pilgrims, and anyone who values quiet time at churches and gardens.

It is less suitable if you want detailed answers at every stop, help with stairs, or a guide who can adjust the explanation to your interests. The app gives you structure, but you need to manage your phone, directions, timing, and energy.

For the best experience, start early enough to avoid rushing the Garden Tomb, wear sturdy shoes, carry water, and check the Garden Tomb’s Tuesday to Saturday schedule before you set out. Keep 10 shekels aside for the two optional paid entries, and leave room for a coffee break.

Should you book it?

Book it if $7, a phone, and a half-day of walking sound like a fair exchange for a thoughtful route through Jerusalem’s Christian sites. The strongest features are the Mount of Olives views, the logical downhill path, the freedom to pause, and the quiet finish at the Garden Tomb.

Skip it if you need a deep, highly detailed explanation or personal assistance throughout the walk. In that case, a live guide may serve you better. For independent sightseeing on a small budget, this is a useful framework, as long as you arrive with realistic expectations about what an app can provide.

FAQ

How long does the In the Footsteps of Jesus tour take?

The tour takes approximately four hours. The amount of time can vary because the route is self-guided and you can spend more or less time at each stop.

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at Seven Arches on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

Where does the tour finish?

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

Is the DGuide app included?

The DGuide app is free. After booking, you receive a coupon code for the In the Footsteps of Jesus tour in the Before You Go section of your confirmation email.

Is the Garden Tomb open every day?

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

Are entrance fees included?

The tour includes free admission at most listed stops, but the Pools of Bethesda costs 5 shekels per person. The Austrian Hospice rooftop also requires 5 shekels. Parking fees are not included.

How much walking is required?

The tour requires a moderate level of physical fitness, with walking and stairs. The route includes a descent from the Mount of Olives, the Tomb of the Virgin Mary stairway, market lanes, and walking between the listed stops.