I’ve just been on a fascinating, and unique tour that included a little hiking, some breathtaking scenery, and incredible live classical music performances. The Tour de Sound is a relatively new company that offers tours to four interesting locations in Israel. The tours combine a guided walk with musical performances.
The Tour de Sound tour that I took was to Ayalah Valley, just outside Jerusalem. We started out with an explanation about the area and its history. Then the group took a short walk up to the top of an archaeological mound, or “tel.” From the top of the Tel there were spectacular views across the Ayalah Valley, all the way to Beit Shemesh. The valley is best known as the place where David fought Goliath. We were treated to a performance of classical music by the two brothers, Daniel and Yadidia, as we sat beneath a tree and took in the views.
Tour de Sound Continues
From here we took a short drive to our next stop at the ruins of Midras. We were given an explanation about the area’s history before setting off to explore ancient caves. We saw one of Israel’s only pyramids; the caves where Jewish rebels hid from the Romans, and the remains of a Byzantine-era synagogue. The highlight for me was a musical performance inside an ancient Roman columbarium. The Romans kept pigeons to use their excrement as fertilizer. We ended the Tour de Sound with a final musical interlude and a tasting of local Buster’s Beer.
I highly recommend Tour de Sound for music and nature lovers who want to see something other than the standard Israel attractions. The tours can be booked on their website (or via the Tour de Sound Facebook page). Tours can be tailor-made for your group, and you could even opt for a different genre of music.
How unusual, looks very spiritually uplifting.