Israel – Travel

Israel has always been an alluring destination. From biblical times to present day, this slice of holy land in the Eastern Mediterranean has long attracted visitors. It has attracted turmoil, too, and Israel remains a politically sensitive country. Nevertheless, its appeal for visitors is enormous and the day-to-day issues facing residents have little effect on those coming to appreciate its astounding historic relics, impressive religious sites and exquisite natural beauty.

Home to the Mount of Olives, the Sea of Galilee and the ancient port of Jaffa, it’s hard to go anywhere in Israel without stumbling upon a place of religious significance. None, though, compare to the holy city of Jerusalem. Sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians, this ancient metropolis is claimed by both Israel and Palestine and its status remains one of the core issues of the Israeli-Palestine conflict.

Jerusalem's stunning skline belies the ugly political landscape, with its beautiful bell towers, striking minarets and the golden dome of the Al Aqsa Mosque. Split into Arabic, Jewish and Christian quarters, this cultural melting pot translates into a sumptuous culinary scene, as well as a feast for the eyes.  

Tel Aviv is a different story. Israel’s commercial and political heart is a city of glistening skyscrapers, thronging streets and sandy beaches; of contemporary art galleries, excellent restaurants and hedonistic inhabitants. Quite a contrast, then, to neighbouring Jaffa, an historic port city of sprawling markets, cobbled docks and crumbling city walls. This juxtaposition of old and new is typical in Israel, where ancient cities like Nazareth and Akko exist alongside modern metropolises such as Haifa and Eilat.

Israel’s landscapes are equally diverse. Mountains, deserts and fertile valleys can all be found in this slither of the Middle East, while the Dead Sea, Red Sea, Sea of Galilee and Mediterranean coastlines offer everything from unique geological spectacles to seaside holiday resorts.

Israel Visa and Passport Requirements :-

Passports: 

To enter Israel, a passport valid for a minimum of six months from the date of entry is required by the nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visas: 

Visas are not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days.

Validity: 

Visitor's visa: up to three months from the date of issue.

Temporary residence: 

An A/1 temporary resident visa can be issued to those who are eligible for immigration under the Law of Return.

Working days: 

Processing for visas for Israel should take around seven days, although it may take up to a month. Working days in Israel are from Sunday to Thursday.

Entry with pets: 

Israel does not quarantine healthy pets who meet the following requirements: pets must have a 15-digit ISO pet microchip and must be vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days (but not more than one year) before travel. More than 30 days after vaccination, your pet must have a blood titer test. Within 10 days of travel, the Israel Veterinary Certificate must be completed by a veterinarian. Pets under the age of three months cannot be imported to Israel.

Places to See in Israel :-

1). City of David

Excavations at this site started in the 1850s and are ongoing, proof of how rich an archaeological find it was. The oldest part of Jerusalem, it was a settlement during the Canaanite period and was captured by David, who is said to have brought the Ark of the Covenant here 3000 years ago. The main attraction is Hezekiah’s Tunnel, a 500m-long passage of waist-deep water, but there is plenty more to see – allow at least three hours for your visit.

From Dung Gate, head east (downhill) and take the road to the right; the entrance is then on the left. At the visitors centre you can buy water and watch a 3D movie about the city. If you intend to walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel, you can change into a swimming costume and leave your gear in a locker (10NIS); alternatively, wear shorts. You will also need suitable footwear (flip-flops or waterproof shoes) and a torch (flashlight). Key-chain lights can be purchased from the ticket office. The entrance fee covers admission to the underground areas of the site - Warren's Shaft, Hezekiah’s Tunnel, Pool of Siloam, Temple Road Ascent.

2). Israel Museum

One of Israel's most impressive cultural assets, this splendid museum gives an excellent grounding in the region's 5000 years of history in its huge archaeological wing and has another equally impressive wing concentrating on Jewish art and life. The fine arts wing has a significant collection of international and Israeli art, the museum's grounds feature an art garden, and there's a dedicated pavilion showcasing the museum's prize exhibit, the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The distinctive lid-shaped roof of this pavilion was designed to symbolise the pots in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were kept. The first of the scrolls, totalling 800 in all, were found in 1947 and date back to the time of the Bar Kochba Revolt (132–35 CE). Dealing with both secular and religious issues, they were thought to have been written by an ascetic group of Jews called the Essenes, who inhabited the area for about 300 years. The most important is the Great Isaiah Scroll, the largest and best preserved at the museum. The exhibit tells the story of the scrolls and the Essenes and displays some of the original documents.

Archaeology Wing - There are so many significant pieces in this wing that is hard to single out any in particular. Forming the most extensive collection of biblical and Holy Land archaeology in the world, exhibits are organised chronologically from prehistory to the Ottoman Empire. A group of 13th-century BCE human-shaped pottery coffins greets visitors in the first room, and other impressive displays include a 3rd-century mosaic floor from Nablus depicting events in the life of Achilles. Also is the ‘House of David’ Victory Stele, a fragmentary inscription from the First Temple period discovered at Tel Dan. This is the only contemporary, extra-biblical reference to the Davidic dynasty to have come to light .

Jewish Art & Life Wing - The prize exhibits here are four complete synagogues brought from various locations and reconstructed. One, the 18th-century Vittorio Veneto Synagogue, is adorned with gilt and plaster and was transported from Vittorio Veneto in Italy in 1965. The others are from Cochin in India, Paramaribo in Suriname and Horb am Main in Germany. Also worth seeking out is the painted Deller family sukkah, which dates from the 19th century and was smuggled out of Germany to Jerusalem in 1935. The rooms at the rear of the wing focus on Jewish costume and jewellery.

Fine Arts Wing - The highlight here is the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Gallery, which showcases work by Renoir, Pissarro, Degas, Sisley, Monet and Cézanne among many others. The Modern Art Gallery has works by Schiele, Rothko, Motherwell, Pollock, Modigliani and Bacon, and Israeli art is well represented in the Israeli Art pavilion, with striking paintings by Reuven Rubin and Yosef Zaritsky.

Art Garden - A paved promenade leads from the Shrine of the Book to this sprawling sculpture garden, which was designed by Japanese artist and landscape architect Isamu Noguchi and includes works by 19th-, 20th- and 21st–century artists including Moore, Kapoor, LeWitt, Oldenburg, Serra, Rodin and Picasso.

3). Dome of The Rock :-

The jewel in the Temple Mount crown is the gold-plated Dome of the Rock, the enduring symbol of the city and undoubtedly one of the most photographed buildings on earth. As its name suggests, the dome covers a slab of stone sacred to both the Muslim and Jewish faiths. According to Jewish tradition, it was here that Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son. Islamic tradition has the Prophet Mohammed ascending to heaven from this spot.

The building was constructed between 688 and 691 CE under the patronage of the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik. His motives were shrewd as well as pious. The caliph wanted to instil a sense of pride into the local Muslim population and keep them loyal to Islam. He also wanted to make a statement to Jews and Christians: Islam was both righteous and all-powerful, so it could build a structure more splendid than any Christian church on a location that was the location of the Jewish Holy of Holies, thus superceding both religions.

Abd al-Malik had his Byzantine architects take as their model the rotunda of the Holy Sepulchre. But not for the Muslims the dark, gloomy interiors or austere stone facades of the Christian structures; instead, their mosque was covered inside and out with a bright confection of mosaics and scrolled verses from the Quran, while the crowning dome was covered in solid gold that shone as a beacon for Islam.

A plaque was laid inside honouring Abd al-Malik and giving the date of construction. Two hundred years later the Abbasid caliph Al-Mamun altered it to claim credit for himself, neglecting to amend the original date. In 1545, Süleyman the Magnificent ordered that the much-weathered exterior mosaics be removed and replaced with tiles. These were again replaced during a major restoration in the 20th century. The original gold dome also disappeared long ago, melted down to pay off some caliph’s debts, and is now covered with 1.3mm of gold donated by the late King Hussein of Jordan. The 80kg of gold cost the king US$8.2 million – he sold one of his homes in London to pay for it.

Essentially, however, what is seen today is the building as conceived by Abd al-Malik. Inside, lying centrally under the 20m-high dome and ringed by a wooden fence, is the rock from which it is said Mohammed began his miraj (ascension to heaven). According to the Quran, the stone also wanted to join him in heaven and began to rise from the earth; Mohammed pushed the stone down with his foot, leaving a footprint on the rock (supposedly still visible in one corner). Jewish tradition also has it that this marks the centre of the world. Steps below the rock lead to a cave known as the Well of Souls, where the voices of the dead are said to be heard falling into the river of paradise and on to eternity. The mihrab in the sanctuary is said to be the the oldest in the Islamic world.

There are nine gates connecting Temple Mount to the surrounding narrow streets, but non-Muslims are allowed to enter only at the Bab al-Maghariba/Sha’ar HaMugrabim (Gate of the Moors), reached via an ugly wooden walkway on the southern side of the Western Wall plaza. Line up early (if you don't, you're unlikely to get inside), and bear in mind that the site closes on Muslim holidays and is only open in the morning during Ramadan. You'll need to have your passport to make it through the security check. It's possible to exit the enclosure by all open gates, not just Bab al-Maghariba.

4). Baha’s Garden :-

The best way to see these world famous gardens is to take a free, 45-minute Upper Terrace Tour from the top of the gardens. Except on Wednesday, an English-language tour starts at noon, with additional tours in Hebrew or Russian on most days at 11am and 2pm. It’s first come, first served, so get there a half-hour ahead. Both men and women must wear clothing that covers their shoulders and knees.

Laid out on the slopes of Mt Carmel between 1987 and 2001, the Baha’i Gardens have 19 terraces with a distinctly classical feel – wrought-iron gates lead to flower beds, soothing pools, fountains, stone balustrades, sculptures and impossibly steep lawns, all with panoramas of Haifa Bay that defy superlatives. One hundred full-time gardeners are on hand to maintain the site. Along with Akko’s Shrine of Baha’ullah, the gardens were given Unesco World Heritage status in 2008.

The golden-domed Shrine of the Bab, completed in 1953, is the final resting place of the Bab, Baha’ullah’s spiritual predecessor, who was executed in Persia in 1850; his remains were brought to Haifa in 1909. Combining the style and proportions of European architecture with motifs inspired by Eastern traditions, it was designed by a Canadian architect, built with Italian stone and decorated with Dutch tiles.

Buildings around the gardens include the Universal House of Justice, a domed neoclassical structure with Corinthian columns from which the Baha’is’ spiritual and administrative affairs are governed; and the Archives, in a green-roofed structure that looks like the Parthenon. About 100m up the hill from the tour entrance, extraordinary views can be had from the Viewing Balcony.

Admission is limited to 60 people. Eating, smoking and chewing gum are forbidden in the gardens.

5). Agamon HaHula :-

This is one of the best places in Israel to see flocks of cranes, pelicans and storks. By road, the site is 7.5km north of the Hula Nature Reserve, and 1.2km off Rte 90.

In the 1990s, the Hula’s cotton fields were converted to growing peanuts – the soil here is ideal and Israel needs a massive supply of peanuts to produce Bamba, Israeli children’s favourite junk food. Unfortunately, cranes love peanuts as much as Israeli kids love Bamba, so conflict between the birds, protected by law, and local farmers was inevitable.

Happily, an elegant solution was found. It turns out that the best way to encourage the birds to continue on their way to Ethiopia and Sudan is to feed them – if they can’t find nibblies, research shows, they stick around longer and end up munching even more peanuts. Or they may stop migrating altogether – 35,000 cranes have already decided to become wintertime couch potatoes. An entire field is now given over to supplying the migrating birds with six to seven tonnes of corn daily, delivered by tractor.

Seeing wild cranes up close is notoriously difficult because under normal circumstances the entire flock will take to the sky en masse if anyone comes near, landing in the safety of a neighbouring (peanut) field. A local farmer noticed that the one moving object that the cranes showed no fear of was their great benefactor, the corn tractor.

Other birds that can be seen here seasonally including pelicans (September, October and March to mid-April), 65,000 of which fly between the Danube Delta in Romania and the Blue Nile and Lake Victoria in Africa; and storks (August, September, April and May), a stunning 500,000 of which pass by twice a year.

To cover the 8.5km path around the restored wetlands, you can either walk or rent a mountain bike (50NIS), four-wheeled pedal cart (185NIS for up to five people), seven-seat ‘conference bike’ (50NIS per person) or golf cart (149NIS for two people). Don’t expect to see many birds in the summer.

6). An Avdat National Park :-

En Avdat is a freak of nature in this otherwise bone-dry desert – a freshwater spring that miraculously flows via a waterfall into a narrow and winding ravine with steep sides of soft white chalk. Reached via an easy hike past caves that were inhabited by monks during the Byzantine period, it is home to Euphrates poplars and to fauna including ibex. Unfortunately, swimming in the ravine and its pools is prohibited.

There are two entrances to the park – southern and northern. The main ticket office is at the northern entrance, at Midreshet Ben-Gurion (next to the Ben-Gurion Graves and the Wilderness of Zin nature trail).

The most popular trail to the spring covers 7km and takes around four hours.Eeating in the park is not allowed, and the only toilet facilities are at the main ticket office. Start from the inner parking lot and follow the blue markers into the ravine and on to the first waterfall. Climb the stairs on the right wall of the ravine and follow the markers to the grove at the upper end. The trail follows a series of stairs until it reaches two ladders attached to the ravine wall. Once you make it to the top, follow the cliff to the left (south) until you reach a spectacular observation point. Continue south along the dry creek, looking out for rock art on the western bank. In the winter, the waterholes at this point are full and quite beautiful. From here, you can make your way to the petrol station on Hwy 40 near the ruins of Avdat, from where you'll need to hitch or take a bus back to your starting point or to Mitzpe Ramon.

Another popular trail leads to En Akev, a freshwater spring on the other side of Wadi Zin. Starting from the car park next to the petrol station and the ticket office for the ruins, follow the blue markers as they circle the park fence on the north side, cross two shallow valleys and then take a short descent to the En Akev Elyon (Upper Akev Spring) trail crossing, where there are natural pools. From here, follow the black markers and walk north down the canyon for 3km until you reach a waterfall and large pool at En Akev. Then follow the green markers on the west side of the canyon to go along the Divshon Pass (Maale Divshon), a 6km trail along the plateau and down a steep windy trail (be careful!) to the paved entrance road to the national park. Take the road north (uphill) to Midreshet Ben-Gurion, where you will be able to take a bus back to your starting point or to Mitzpe Ramon. In all, this trail covers 13km and will take around seven hours.

A combined ticket to Avdat National Park and the En Avdat National Park costs adult/student/child 46/39/24NIS. All of these trails are best explored during winter, when the waterfalls flow.

7). Mineral Beach :-

Run by Kibbutz Mitzpe Shalem, this is one of the nicest of the Dead Sea beaches. After having a float and glopping black mud onto your skin, you can soak in naturally sulphurous spring water (39°C) or indulge in a Tibetan or Swedish massage. Lockers and towels each cost 10NIS (plus a 10NIS deposit). Has a cafeteria and transport down to the receding water line. Wheelchair accessible. Camping is not permitted.

8). Makhtesh Ramon :-

Israel is a small country, but the Makhtesh Ramon is one place where it feels vast. Featuring multicoloured sandstone, volcanic rock and fossils, this geological phenomenon is 300m deep, 8km wide and 40km long and is best viewed from the lookout jutting over its edge 300m south of the Ramon Visitor Center.

9). Desert tour :-

A trip into the Negev desert is a must-do. There are tours by jeep, on foot or on horseback from the desert town of Mitzpe Ramon and from the Red Sea resort of Eilat.

10). Dead Sea :-

Lying 400m (1320ft) below sea level and spanning the border between Israel and Jordan, the Dead Sea is a natural wonder. It contains more minerals and salt than any other stretch of water in the world, and thus it is possible to float on top of the water. Its natural properties make it a prime centre for spa treatments and relaxation therapies and there are a number of resorts in the area. The Dead Sea has strong Biblical connections: here the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest Biblical documents known to be in existence, were discovered at Qumran were found and King Herod built his palace of Masada.