I have been to Gethsemane many times with yours and have approached this leg of the tour the same way. Tour bus drop off at Mount of Olives, walk to Gethsemane and pick up again before being dropped at some other destination such as the David City. This time we did Northern Rampart walk to Damascus gate and around the wall to Gethsemane , being cognisant of the busy traffic. We spent time in the gardens and churches before walking the broad promenade to the dung gate for entrance to the Western Wall. This slow walk was special as it it gave us the time to reflect on what we had just witnessed and to see the Kidron valley in more detail than if we had driven it. If you have the time I would suggest the walk.

Sitting outside the city walls of Jerusalem, the Garden of Gethsemane at the foot of Mount of Olives is a sacred destination for Christian pilgrims. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John describe how Jesus often visited the garden to pray. It was here that Jesus prayed in agony the night before His crucifixion, and where He was arrested after Judas betrayed Him with a kiss. Today’s garden has been under Franciscan control since 1681. It’s peaceful (despite the crowds at the neighboring Church of All Nations) and home to some of the world’s oldest olive trees. Protected by a railing, the trees may even date to the time of Jesus! Our church group celebrated Mass in one of the outdoor chapels. It was beautiful and yet sobering to worship here, a site of agony and betrayal and yet a place of powerful prayer.

The Gardens themselves are relatively small and unimpressive, and unacessible, they are fenced to prevent tourists to stroll amongst the trees. The olive trees themselves are absolutely amazing, and the meaning of the place to Christians makes it a very special place to visit. The access is very easy from the Old City, it is free but can be packed with visiting groups and tour busses. From the Gardens, you can walk up alongside the hill to hace a wonderful view of the Jerusalem remparts.