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Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem know that the tour does not start and end with the Via Dolorosa and its Stations of the Cross. While the path tradition teaches that Jesus took in his final hours remains among the most important routes in Christian hagiography, Jerusalem is chock full of other sites related directly to the life and times of Jesus - and later sites that focus on the works of his many followers who have made their mark on the Holy City. Read on for GoJerusalem.com's recommended pilgrimage itinerary.

In and around the Old City

Even before embarking on their journey, visitors should check out the Christian Information Center - a veritable font of knowledge for tourists, which also offers valuable walk-in service at its kiosk inside of Jaffa Gate.

Visitors touring Jerusalem with a Christian bent should make sure to check out the aforementioned Via Dolorosa and of course the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where it is believed that Jesus' earthly remains were buried. On the Temple Mount, scripture states that Jesus "began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of those who sold the doves" (Mark 11:15).

Also inside the Old City, along the Via Dolorosa, is the 12th century Church of St. Anne, over a cave where legend has it the Virgin Mary was born. Outside the Old City walls, but still in the vicinity of the Old City, Mount Zion is home to a large concentration of Christian holy sites, like the Dormition Abbey and the room where tradition holds Jesus held his Last Supper.

Elsewhere around town

Across the valley is the Mount of Olives, whose storied slopes played a large part in the narrative of Jesus' life. At the foot of the mountain is the Garden of Gethsemane, where the Gospels tell us Jesus was betrayed. Nearby is the Church of Pater Noster, built to commemorate the spot where Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer.

The Chapel of the Ascension marks the spot where many believe Jesus left the earth, and inside is the holy stone supposedly branded with the footprints of Jesus. The Tomb of the Virgin Mary is also nearby, with its centuries old catacombs lit by the candles of pilgrims. Above ground it is hard to miss the shimmering gold of the onion domes on the Church of Mary Magdalene, also on the slopes of the Mount of Olives.

Further afield in Sheikh Jarrah is the Garden Tomb, where some (though not Catholics) believe Jesus was buried before his resurrection. The nearby skull-shaped hills are reminiscent of the New Testament's Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified by the Romans.

Relatively far from the Old City in southwest Jerusalem, the village of Ein Kerem is home to the Church of St. John the Baptist, marking the town where tradition holds the founder of the church was born. While in town, stop by Mary's Spring, where the Gospel of Luke says Mary drank from its waters.

Bookable day tours

Jerusalem has a number of comprehensive tours that will jam all of these important sites and more into a day. The Jerusalem Old-New tour focuses on the city's ancient sites and its newer shrines, while the Classic Old City tour covers all the basics in the center of it all.

Jerusalem Experience lets you customize your tour to your tastes, while the Three Religions tour is a live crash course on just that. For those looking for the VIP treatment as they visit the sites, grab a tour in a luxury private car.

Bookable multi-day tours

Of course, Israel has much more than can be packed into one day, and Christian sites abound around the country. A number of multi-day packages will take pilgrims to the Galilee and Nazareth, the Golan Heights, the Dead Sea and Bethlehem as well. They don't call it the Holy Land for nothing.