Israel has warm weather almost all year round, which is why open-air events and many cultural events are often held here. The Promised Land with its popular resorts Tel Aviv, Netanya, Jerusalem and Tiberias was visited by 266 thousand Russians in 2016 alone. And what can you see in Israel, where gastronomic and wine tourism is developed, and desert trips and youth tours are becoming more and more popular?
Holiday season in Israel
The high season in this Asian country lasts from the last weeks of February to May and from mid-September to the end of October. The demand for tours to Israel falls in summer due to high temperatures (+ 40˚C and above).
It is better to swim in the Red Sea in April-May and September-October, in the Dead Sea - in autumn and spring, and in the Mediterranean - in May-October. Although winter can darken the holiday with rains, the north of Israel can please with the opportunity to ski on Mount Hermon.
Top 15 places of interest in Israel
Wall of Tears
Wall of Tears
Pilgrims head to the Wailing Wall to pray and leave their message to the Lord in the form of a prayer, request or desire in a note, which they place in the crevices between the stones of the wall. Important: before heading to the Wailing Wall, you should cover your head and shoulders, and also eat, since no one will be allowed to enter the shrine with food. The Western Wall is free, but donations of NIS 5 are welcome.
Bahai Gardens
Bahai Gardens
Bahai Gardens in Haifa in the form of 19 terraced gardens are famous for the fact that they lead up to the tomb (it is crowned with a golden dome), and their length is almost a kilometer. The sanctuary, together with the terraces, are illuminated at night.
The free 50-minute guided tour (excursions do not run on Wednesdays; they start at 45 Yefe Nof Street and end at Hatzionut Avenue; to get back to the starting point, take the bus number 23), tourists will be told about the importance of the gardens in the Bahá'í faith, tell about their design and offer to enjoy the breathtaking views of the city and the Mediterranean Sea.
Mount zion
Mount Zion - Jerusalem Hill: those who want to see the Church of St. Peter head here (to the church, which is open on Monday-Saturday from 8 am to noon and from 2 pm to 5 pm, bus number 38 will take tourists), the Assumption Monastery, the tomb of King David, the chamber of the Last Supper (open for visits on Sunday-Thursday from 8 am to 3 pm, on Fridays - until 1 pm, and on Saturdays - until 5 pm), Schindler's grave, the Assumption Monastery.
Buses No. 1 and 2 (stop - Garbage Gate) or No. 20 and 38 (stop - Jaffa Gate) go to the upper room, the Assumption Monastery and the tomb of King David.
City of David
The City of David is an archaeological park with the preserved ruins of ancient Jebus in the form of towers, residential buildings, specific buildings, fortifications, walls of the 13th century BC, a palace (presumably, it served as the royal residence of David).
The duration of the tourist excursion is 2-3 hours, during which tourists will be offered to climb the watchtower, inspect the Warrenn well, explore one of the 2 tunnels, visit an open secret passage (it leads their Castle to the Western Wall). The entrance will cost $ 8, 15, and the entrance + excursion - $ 17.
Azrieli Towers
Azrieli Towers
Azrieli Towers are 3 skyscrapers in Tel Aviv with a shopping center located next to them. The Round Tower is 187 m high (there is a restaurant and a viewing platform at the top), the Square Tower is 154 m (the first 13 of the 42 floors are occupied by the Crowne Plaza City Center hotel), and the Triangular Tower is 169 m (the telephone company is based on 13 of 46 floors. “Bezek”).
The Azrieli Observatory allows visitors to enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of Tel Aviv from 09:30 am to 8 pm (ticket price - $ 6.50). They are delivered to it by a high-speed elevator located on the 3rd floor of the shopping center.
Monastery of the Holy Cross
The current monastery of the Holy Cross is open to tourists as a museum. On one of the frescoes, they will see the image of the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli (he lived here in the 12th century), and on the other - pine, cypress and cedar growing from a common root (symbolizing the unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit). In addition, tourists will walk through the dining room, enter the basilica through a wrought-iron door (the medallion depicts the Mother of God and the baby), admire the iconostasis of the 19th century and the mosaic floor of the 6-7th centuries, examine the museum's collection in the form of books, photographs, icons, a small telescope, and a clock.
You can come to the monastery on weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm, paying about $ 3 for the entrance.
Al-Aqsa Mosque
The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem accommodates up to 5,000 worshipers. It was built in 636, and since then it has been constantly rebuilt, thanks to which it acquired a beautiful facade, minarets and a dome. It was here, having met with three prophets and saying a prayer, the Prophet Muhammad ascended to the throne of Allah. There are galleries (7), stained glass windows (more than 120), white marble columns and mosaic walls to be inspected.
Damascus gate
Damascus gate
Between the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem (only one of the three arches of the structure has survived to this day) there are 2 towers, each of which has hinged loopholes. Through these gates, oriented exclusively towards pedestrians, it will be possible to access the Arab market and the Muslim quarter of the Old City. In the museum at the gate, you can see artifacts from the Byzantine era, as well as Hadrian's Column.
Underwater observatory in Eilat
In the underwater observatory, visitors will be able to observe turtles, rays, butterfly fish, crabs, eels, lionfish-zebras, seahorses, sharks and the process of feeding fish and animals (a professional goes into an aquarium), as well as attend the opening of shells with pearls (13: 00). Then you can visit the 4D cinema, and, having overcome 90 steps, you find yourself on the observation deck, from where you can see the panorama of Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan and Egypt. Jewelry, souvenirs and pearls can be bought in shops, and hunger can be satisfied in food establishments.
Working hours: 08:30 - 16:00; Ticket price: $ 29 / adults and $ 23, 40 / 3-16 year olds.
Fortress Masada
Fortress Masada
The Masada Fortress is located near the city of Arad and is surrounded by sheer cliffs and thick walls with 37 towers. You can get there along the snake path (parking is provided for autotourists at its beginning). At the Tourist Information Center, you can get admission and tickets for the funicular. There is a museum at the center where everyone can see archaeological finds discovered during excavations. The fortress itself is of interest due to the preserved thermal baths, synagogue, Herod's palace. And besides, it often becomes a venue for cultural events and concerts.
Stella Maris Monastery
Stella Maris Monastery is a landmark in Haifa and the spiritual center of the Carmelites. Tourists will be able to see the stained-glass windows, painted ceiling and dome, marble floor, the statue of Our Lady (Lebanese cedar was used in its creation), museum artifacts (once their storage was an old Byzantine church), as well as descend into the cave located under the altar. Do not ignore the observation deck next to the monastery, where everyone goes to admire the beautiful views of Haifa and the Galilee mountains.
The monastery, which is closed from 12:00 to 15:00, can be taken by a funicular or bus number 32.
Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Church of the Holy Sepulcher
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, “divided” between 6 confessions, annually becomes the place for the ceremony of the descent of the Holy Fire on the eve of Easter. The architectural complex includes a rotunda (under the domed structure there is a Kuvuklia), Golgotha, side-altars, the Church of the Finding of the Life-Giving Cross, auxiliary premises, and the Katholikon. The main place of pilgrimage for Christians is the tomb of the Son of God.
Jaffa
In Jaffa (the ancient port of Israel; today it forms a single whole with Tel Aviv), it is worth paying attention to the exhibits of the underground archaeological museum, the Farkash gallery (the exhibition includes historical posters), the house of Simon the Tanner, the Jaffa lighthouse, the Clock Tower, the "Column of Faith", the square Kdumim, the bridge of desires (having made a wish, you need to touch your Zodiac Sign and gaze into the distance), the Rameses Gate park, the ha-Pisga hill, the churches of St. Peter and St. George, the Gesher theater, the monastery of the Archangel Michael … have a bite to eat in fish restaurants and wander through the ruins of the flea market.
Desert Negev
Desert Negev
An excursion to the Negev Desert, with an area of 12,000 sq. Km, begins with a visit to Beer Sheva, 15 km from which you can see the ruins of the city of the 10th millennium BC. (subject to inspection are a pagan temple, the sanctuary of the god Yahweh and a Roman fortress, or rather their ruins). Then tourists will be offered to go on a jeep walk, look into the Makhtesh Ramon crater, spend time in the resort of Ein Boken, see various monasteries (the Monastery of Temptation, the Lavra of Sava the Sanctified, the Monastery of Saint Gerasim), relax in the Lahav forest (there are conditions for cultural recreation and there are places for picnics) … And here you can also see llamas, ostriches, mountain goats, eagles, vultures.
Caesarea National Park
The park occupies the territory of an ancient city, which is still subject to archaeological excavations, some of which have to be carried out under water.
All that remains of the theater, the hippodrome (everyone will be able to admire the frescoes depicting animals), the artificial port of the times of the Second Jewish Temple, the palace of Herod the Great, city streets and walls, aqueducts, thermal baths (at their entrance there were palestras, the decor of which in the form of marble columns and a colored mosaic floor, can be captured in the photo), synagogues (Byzantine time) … And in the park you can walk along the “Street of Statues” decorated with Roman statues, spend time on a public beach, go diving (4 stations for diving and 25 points for underwater inspection), enjoy the 10-minute show “Traveling Through Time” (tells about how Caesarea developed over the centuries), visit art galleries.
The entrance ticket costs $ 11.50.
