A holy land of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Israel is also a country of wonderful beaches and sun, as well as fascinating history and culture. Although often known best for its political conflicts and disputes with its Arab neighbors, today's Israel is also a highly urbanized and economically developed society with diverse attractions from the Red Sea coral reefs to the holy city of Jerusalem, the Dead Sea and skiing in Mount Hermon.
A Holy city of contrasts where modern meets the past, Jerusalem is a holy city for three religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The beautiful old city of Jerusalem and its walls form a UNESCO World Heritage site including many important religious sites. The huge divided city is the largest in Israel and offers lively shopping malls, cultural activities, fine restaurants and hotels. The modern city of Tel Aviv has many museums and magnificent architecture to admire. On the marvelous beaches by the turquoise Mediterranean Sea you can enjoy sunbathing and water sports. The modern Tel Aviv offers also good opportunities for entertainment, shopping and dining.
More Israeli destinations. Located on the slopes of the scenic Mount Carmel and overlooking the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the historical city of Haifa is home to beautiful old town with UNESCO World Heritage Site with its green gardens. This largest city of Northern Israel has also vibrant cultural and entertainment scene with theatres, fine restaurants and outdoor cafes. Located on the northern edge of the blue Haifa Bay, the historical city of Acre hosts a well-preserved UNESCO World Heritage old town with its walls, narrow alleys, green-domed mosque and the magnificent Crusader Castle. Israel even has a ski resort in Mount Hermon in the disputed Golan Heights area. While on a holiday in Israel, see also the famous Dead Sea and the many historic crusader castles and archaeological sites in Israel.
How to get there. The main international airport in Israel is the Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, which serves flights to Israel from many destinations around the world. Also Eilat has an international airport. Note that the security controls in Israeli airports may take time and many Arab and Islamic countries deny entry if your passport has been stamped in Israel.
Historic holy cities and sunny beach resorts - Destinations in Israel
Israel is situated in the Middle East by the Mediterranean Sea and has a small stretch of coast by the Red Sea. The southernmost city in Israel and a port on the northernmost tip of the Red Sea, Eilat is a beautiful desert resort by the calm and transparent waters of the Red Sea, offering wonderful opportunities for diving, sunbathing and water sports activities. Eilat is surrounded by the spectacular Negev desert which has wonderful opportunities for trekking, jeep safaris and even camel treks. Birdwatching is also popular activity in Eilat as the city is located on the main migration route.A Holy city of contrasts where modern meets the past, Jerusalem is a holy city for three religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The beautiful old city of Jerusalem and its walls form a UNESCO World Heritage site including many important religious sites. The huge divided city is the largest in Israel and offers lively shopping malls, cultural activities, fine restaurants and hotels. The modern city of Tel Aviv has many museums and magnificent architecture to admire. On the marvelous beaches by the turquoise Mediterranean Sea you can enjoy sunbathing and water sports. The modern Tel Aviv offers also good opportunities for entertainment, shopping and dining.
More Israeli destinations. Located on the slopes of the scenic Mount Carmel and overlooking the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the historical city of Haifa is home to beautiful old town with UNESCO World Heritage Site with its green gardens. This largest city of Northern Israel has also vibrant cultural and entertainment scene with theatres, fine restaurants and outdoor cafes. Located on the northern edge of the blue Haifa Bay, the historical city of Acre hosts a well-preserved UNESCO World Heritage old town with its walls, narrow alleys, green-domed mosque and the magnificent Crusader Castle. Israel even has a ski resort in Mount Hermon in the disputed Golan Heights area. While on a holiday in Israel, see also the famous Dead Sea and the many historic crusader castles and archaeological sites in Israel.
Practical information for your trip to Israel
The best seasons to visit Israel are in spring from April to May or in autumn from September to October when the weather in Israel is mild and pleasant. The Israeli climate is typically Mediterranean in most parts of the country, and hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas. The landscape of Israel is very variable: it consists of Negev desert in the south, low coastal plain, central mountains and Jordan Rift Valley in the east.How to get there. The main international airport in Israel is the Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, which serves flights to Israel from many destinations around the world. Also Eilat has an international airport. Note that the security controls in Israeli airports may take time and many Arab and Islamic countries deny entry if your passport has been stamped in Israel.
Photo: phauly, used under Creative Commons License (by SA 2.0)
The country can also be accessed by boat via the Mediterranean Sea. Bus connections to Israel exist from some neighboring countries.
Getting around. Israel has a quite extensive domestic network of buses, but it is often quite difficult to get information on timetables, routes and fares if you do not understand Hebrew. There is also a fairly good network of renovated trains between the major Israeli cities. The highway network in Israel is quite good with connections to the major towns in the country.
Safety. Due to its involvement in various political conflicts leading to a threat of terrorist attacks, Israel is probably not the safest country in the world to visit. However, statistically speaking, traffic in Israel is still much more dangerous to your health, and the crime levels are much lower than in most Western countries. Due to the difficult political situation in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank, travelling to these areas is not encouraged.
Short history of Israel
The first inhabitants of Israel were nomads who settled in the mountains around 1800 BC. By 1023 BC they had formed a kingdom and Jerusalem was made the capital of Israel. Soon the country was invaded by the Babylonians and later by other empires, including the Roman Empire. Since those days the country has been ruled by Christians and Muslims in turns. After the World War I, Britain was given a mandate to rule the area.After World War II the British decided to divide the country between the Jews and the Arabs. Israel became independent in 1948, which caused a runaway of the Palestinian Arabs from the country. Since its independence, Israel has had several wars with its Arab neighbors. In 1967 Israel occupied the areas of Gaza and the West Bank, which has caused resistance in the Palestinian inhabitants of these regions. Israel also occupies the Golan Heights region that used to belong to Syria. Even today the continuous violent resistance by the Palestinians and the hard security politics of the state of Israel cause a serious threat to the difficult peace process in the Middle East.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Amman, Petra (Wadi Musa)
