Things to do in Israel

Israel is narrow, and distances are short. Jerusalem, the Dead Sea and the Galilee are each a day out from Tel Aviv. The real choice is how to split the days, and tours in Israel are built around that.

How the country is laid out

• The coast. Tel Aviv and old Jaffa, then Caesarea's Roman ruins and the Bahai Gardens of Haifa going north.
• Jerusalem and the hills. The Old City stands at about 750 metres, cooler and drier than the coast, and its Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Armenian quarters share a single wall.
• The Dead Sea. A shore some 430 metres below sea level, with the fortress rock of Masada on its western side.
• The Galilee. Green hills around the Sea of Galilee, with Nazareth and Capernaum close by.
• The far north. Acre's Crusader walls, and at the end of the coast road the sea caves of Rosh HaNikra.
• The Negev. Desert covering more than half the country, running south to Eilat on the Red Sea.

How the days are built

Most day trips run as a private car with a driver-guide, usually for up to four people, picked up at your hotel. Entrance fees are paid at each site.

Trips leave Tel Aviv for Jerusalem, the north and the Dead Sea. The Negev and Eilat are reached on your own. Phone puzzle quests run in Jerusalem's Old City and in Tel Aviv.

Practical

• Weather. Tel Aviv runs from about 18C on January days to 31C in August, with rain from November to March. Jerusalem tops out near 12C in January, and the Dead Sea shore passes 38C in July and August.
• Shabbat. From Friday afternoon to Saturday evening buses and trains largely stop, and much of Jerusalem closes. Tel Aviv keeps going.
• Dress. Shoulders and knees covered at churches, mosques and the Western Wall. Carry a light scarf.
• Airport. Ben Gurion is the main gate, 20 km from Tel Aviv and 54 km from Jerusalem. Arrive three hours before international flights, because security takes time.
• Money. The shekel is the currency. Cards work nearly everywhere, but keep cash for markets and Dead Sea beach entry. Restaurants rarely add service, so 10 to 15 percent is normal.