Israel Travel Guide
Israel is a small yet diverse Middle Eastern country with a long coastline on the eastern Mediterranean Sea and a small window on the Red Sea at the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba). Israel is bordered by Egypt and the Gaza Strip to the southwest, by Jordan and the West Bank to the east, and by Syria and Lebanon to the north. It shares borders to the Jordan River and the Dead Sea with the West Bank and Jordan.
Israel is a destination with something for everyone, where you can go from the snowy heights of Mount Hermon to the Judean Desert and the saltiest sea on earth, the Dead Sea, while visiting ancient biblical cities, covered markets and a high–rise metropolis on the way.
Today, Israel is a highly urbanized and economically developed society. However, Israel has a rich history; the age of most of its cities is counted not in decades or in centuries, but in millennia. The ingenuity and complexity of some of Israels historical gems have won them a place on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List. And without a doubt, Jerusalem is an incomparable highlight that is both historical and spiritual and a must do for all visitors to Israel.
Israel is considered part of the Holy Land (together with areas of Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Territories). The three major monotheistic religions –Judaism, Christianity, and Islam– all have historical ties to the region. Israel thus contains a vibrant modern history and culture, based in part on the diverse, immigrant origins of its inhabitants returning from the Jewish Diaspora. These aspects make Israel a fascinating destination for many travellers and pilgrims. As a result of this vast mix of culture, in addition to the official languages of Hebrew and Arabic, Russian and Yiddish are also spoken by a significant minority of Israelis. English in many ways acts as second language.
Cities and Sights
- The capital of Israel; a city sacred for millennia to three religions: Jews, Christians and Muslims
- Akko (Acre) an ancient town with a historic port the most sacred Baha'i site
- Beer Sheva the de facto capital of the Negev region
- Eilat the 'Goa of the Middle East', Israel's window on the Red Sea, a vibrant resort city
- Haifa center of the Bah' Faith, home to the Shrine of the Bb and Terraces and the German Quarter
- Nazareth the hometown of Jesus and now the largest Arab city in Israel
- Tel Aviv the most vibrant city in the country and the region, includes the White City, a site of Bauhaus architecture.
- Tiberias a modern resort town with an ancient background on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee
- Safed (Tzfat) fascinating city filled with artists and mystics, home to ARI who established Kabbalah school of thought
Places to visit
- Beth Shean Valley the core of the north Jordan River valley
- Caesarea National Park ancient Roman city and much of it remains
- Carmel Range a small yet diverse region of hills just south–east of Haifa
- Dead Sea a sea of hypersalinated water that keeps people afloat and the lowest point on Earth
- Ein Avdat beautiful steep canyon and a popular hiking spot
- Jezreel Valley an extensive inland valley, largely rural, extending inland from east of Haifa to the Jordan Valley
- Judean Desert hostile and arid landscape with an array of hills and canyons
- Masada high on a plateau above the Dead Sea, the scene of the Zealots' last stand against the might of Rome
- Ramon Crater crater/cliff in the middle of the Negev desert and the largest of three similar craters found in Israel
- Sea of Galilee the home of Christ and the largest freshwater lake of the country
When to visit
Summer in Israel is very hot, the coastal areas are humid as well as hot, and the landscapes are parched brown since it almost never rains in summer. The other three seasons, in contrast, have absolutely beautiful weather. In spring and autumn the temperature is near–perfect every day and nearly all days are sunny (the ancient Jewish pilgrimage holidays were scheduled in autumn and spring to take advantage of this weather). Winter is a mixture of cold rainy days and cool, sunny days which are great for hiking and touring.
