- Accommodation
- Entertainment
- Nutrition
- Souvenirs
- Transport
The Israelis themselves joke that their country can be traveled in half a day. This is partly true - the state of Israel is notable for its modest size, but it can take tourists several weeks to explore most of the local attractions, and, perhaps, they still will not see everything. Some travelers return to Israel for several years in a row, trying to understand its secret, unravel its secret, the ability to forever tie the hearts of completely different people - different in character, age, religion.
There are places in Jerusalem that are holy to Christians, Muslims and Jews. Tel Aviv offers its guests wide beaches, nightclubs and trendy pubs that are open all night. By the way, face control has been canceled in all nightlife venues in Tel Aviv. For those who cannot imagine their life without historical monuments, there is a direct road to Jaffa - a city that is three thousand years old and which is now part of Tel Aviv. Tourists tired of the noise of eastern cities should go to the north of Israel - to the parks Rosh-A-Nikra and Goren. But there is also the Kinneret Lake and the Dead Sea. There is something to do in the Holy Land, so it is worthwhile to decide in advance on the question of how much money to take to Israel. It is difficult to give an approximate amount, but we will try.
The national currency of Israel is the shekel. 1 dollar is changed to 3.5 shekels. Both dollars and euros can be easily exchanged for shekels in Israel. It is best to carry a small amount of cash with you to pay for public transport and shop in the market. In other places you can pay by card.
Accommodation
If you are guided by the principle of "How much is Israel" and know the cost of hotel rooms in different cities of the country, then you can save a lot on accommodation. Prices for one place in a hostel's dorm room are approximately the same in all Israeli cities. You can settle in such a budget place for an average of 70 shekels ($ 20) per day. But the choice of the hotel should be approached more meticulously. Quite expensive housing is offered in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Also, a high level of prices for renting rooms in hotels awaits tourists at the resorts of the Dead Sea. The cheapest accommodation will cost in Haifa, Netanya, Beer Sheva.
So, you can settle in Israel:
- in hotels of 3 stars. There are good three-star hotels in Netanya, where rooms are rented for $ 70-80. In Tel Aviv, a three-ruble note will cost about $ 130-140. On the shores of the Dead Sea, accommodation in a 3-star hotel will cost 160-170 dollars per day;
- in 4 star hotels. The rise in prices for rooms in four-star hotels in Israel is great - from $ 100 to $ 200 per day. There are 4-star hotels in Jerusalem that ask for $ 280 for a room;
- in 5 star hotels. Expect that a room in such a hotel will cost more than $ 200 per night. In Eilat, you can find hotels where rooms are rented for $ 200, in the resort area near the Dead Sea the same room will cost $ 280-300;
- in an apartment, flat or zimmer. A separate house is called a zimmer. For living in it, they ask about $ 90-100 per day. It is beneficial to rent it if you are traveling in a large company. The apartment is 25 sq. in a good area of Tel Aviv will cost at least $ 1000 per month.
Entertainment
The beach season in Israel starts in May and lasts until October. For recreation at this time, tourists choose resorts in the Mediterranean (Tel Aviv, Haifa, etc.), the Red (Eilat) and the Dead Seas. Those who decide to spend their entire vacation on the beach should be aware that some beaches in Israel are subject to payment. Such is, for example, Coral Beach in Eilat. To visit it, you need to pay 35 shekels per day. There are paid beaches and the Dead Sea. The entrance fee is 55-85 shekels. Renting a sun lounger on the free beach will cost 12 shekels, a chair - 6 shekels.
The best time for traveling around the country and sightseeing is the first two months of autumn. It’s not so hot at this time. Locals recommend traveling around Israel not by a rented car, but by buses, as part of excursion groups. Thus, you not only cover kilometers between cities, but also get a meaningful story about everything that surrounds you. The funds that you will spend on renting a car and buying gasoline will be enough to pay for the excursion. A bus tour of Jerusalem for 8 hours will cost 147 shekels per person. A tour from Tel Aviv to the Dead Sea costs 126 shekels. It will take a whole day. Individual excursions are more expensive. Prices for them can reach 1050-1600 shekels.
Travelers exploring Israel on their own should leave a small amount to pay for tickets that give access to historical and natural sites. So, to see the grottoes of the Rosh-A-Nikra reserve, you have to pay 45 shekels. The ticket price to the archaeological park of Caesarea is 40 shekels, to the historical museum of Jerusalem "Tower of David" - 40 shekels, to the Massada fortress near the Dead Sea - 29 shekels, etc.
Nutrition
Israel is a country that can surprise. In recent years, not even Jewish, but Israeli cuisine has formed in this state, in which the culinary traditions of immigrants from different countries were combined. You can try the delights of haute cuisine in any city in Israel, but the best place to do it is in Tel Aviv. Here you can find more than 4 thousand large and small, pretentious and family restaurants and bars. Tourists are especially fond of the Cofix and Coffee Express eateries. All meals in these establishments cost 5 shekels.
In Jerusalem, it is worth stopping by the Eucalyptus restaurant in the Artists' Colony. They serve dishes made exclusively from those ingredients that are mentioned in the holy books. Prices in it start at 40 shekels per dish (fried eggplant - 47 shekels, St. Peter's fish - 98 shekels, soup of the day - 48 shekels, etc.).
In middle-class restaurants, the second course will cost 40-70 shekels (schnitzel costs about 40 shekels, steak - 65-70 shekels, hummus - 40 shekels, etc.). There are also more expensive establishments.
Street food is not losing popularity either. Falafel costs between 10 and 20 shekels. A serving usually consists of 6 scoops and sometimes a salad or flatbread. Shawarma is priced at 20-40 shekels.
Prices in grocery supermarkets are also low. Bread costs about 15 shekels, yoghurts - 4-5 shekels, 0.5 liters of beer - 10-15 shekels, 1 kg of apples will cost 10 shekels.
Souvenirs
It is impossible to return from Israel without small pleasant gifts for friends and family! Ordinary magnets and plates depicting the most famous sights of the country, kippah hats, souvenir T-shirts and similar little things cost from 10 shekels.
An excellent gift for believers will be bundles of candles that were scorched by the Holy Fire (about 15 shekels), wood crosses (28 shekels) and icons consecrated in the iconic sacred places of Jerusalem, for example, in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (a small icon costs 20-25 shekels, chic, decorated with precious stones - 1400 shekels). Charms in the form of an open palm or Star of David are sold for 7-14 shekels.
Cosmetics based on Dead Sea salts are in great demand among tourists. The cost of creams, shampoos starts from 50 shekels. Soap with healing properties will cost almost 3 times cheaper - 17 shekels. A pack of Dead Sea salt will cost 14 shekels, a pack of mud - 8-9 shekels.
A wonderful gift for a colleague, elder relative or friend will be a bottle of Israeli wine. Local shops sell wines from large wineries and small wineries. Exclusive drinks produced in limited quantities are more expensive. Wine prices start at 17 shekels.
For girls of any age, you can bring jewelry made of silver and Eilat stone, made by Israeli craftsmen. These items are sold for 90-105 shekels.
Transport
There are no barriers to exploring Israel on your own! The country has excellent transport links between cities. You can get around Israel by the following types of transport:
- bus. A comfortable bus will take you to any point in the country. The largest bus carrier in Israel is Egged. Travel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will cost 20 shekels, from Jerusalem to the shores of the Dead Sea to the resort of Ein Bokek - 38 shekels, from Jerusalem to Eilat - 70 shekels;
- train. The railway network covers only a few cities in the northwestern and central parts of the country. The central station is Tel Aviv. From it you can reach Nahariya in the north, Jerusalem in the center and Beer Sheva in the south. A train ticket from Tel Aviv to Haifa will cost 28 shekels;
- minibus. Small nimble shuttles travel from Tel Aviv airport to Jerusalem (travel - 65 shekels), from Ovda airport to Eilat (28 shekels), through the Palestinian Authority;
- airplane. There are several air carriers in the country that provide connections between Tel Aviv, Eilat and Haifa by air. Plane tickets will cost 120-350 shekels.
On Shabbat, when buses are not running, a taxi will help out. One taxi ride within the city will cost about 25-35 shekels. Be sure to check if the taxi driver has turned on the meter, otherwise you will have to pay much more than you expected.
Also in Israel, you can rent a bicycle (17-23 shekels per knock) or a car (105-140 shekels per day).
So, to feel confident while on holiday in Israel, bring about $ 500-700 per person. This amount does not include hotel fees. Tourists will spend about $ 200 on food, another $ 200-300 should be set aside for excursions, and $ 100-200 should be left for travel and the purchase of souvenirs. If a traveler plans to travel a lot in Israel, then the amount for transport fees should be higher.
