Israel Travelers Recommend

The second saltiest major body of water on earth, the Dead Sea possesses such high salinity that it makes swimmers become super-buoyant. Here’s what you need to know about visiting one of Israel’s top attractions from Tel Aviv.

Full-Day Tours

Located 61 miles (98 kilometers) from Tel Aviv at 1,312 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea makes a relatively easy day trip. Tours often include stops in the Judean Desert such as the Inn of the Good Samaritan, the mountaintop Masada fort, the Ein Gedi Oasis, the ancient settlement of Qumran, and the city of Jericho—one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. No matter what tour you choose, you’ll have free time to float in the salty water or take a therapeutic mud bath.

Multi-Day Tours

With so much to see in the region surrounding the Dead Sea, a multi-day tour becomes an enticing option for those with more time to spare. Lasting anywhere from two to five days, a Dead Sea tour from Tel Aviv might include Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Masada, the caves of Qumran (where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found), Nazareth, and the Sea of Galilee.

Things to Know

• Day trips to the Dead Sea can last upwards of 12 hours, depending on the option chosen.

• Combine your visit to the Dead Sea with stops at sites like Masada and Old Jerusalem.

• A guided tour allows you to see other points of interest on the way to and from the Dead Sea.

• Multi-day tours take you to Israel’s highlights, including Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Masada.

• Some tours include pickup and drop-off at Tel Aviv hotels.

As one of the world’s oldest cities and an important spiritual center of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Jerusalem is an undisputed highlight for visitors to Israel. Here’s what you need to know about visiting Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, about an hour’s drive.

Full-Day Tours

Jerusalem is jam-packed with sights to see, but it’s possible to catch all the highlights on a half- or full-day trip from Tel Aviv. On a typical city tour, you’ll visit the Western Wall (Wailing Wall), Jewish Quarter, King David’s Tomb, Via Dolorosa, the Garden of Gethsemane, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and Mount of Olives, and extend your visit to nearby Bethlehem to explore the Church of the Nativity in Manger Square. Depending on the tour, you might also stop at the Dead Sea.

Multi-Day Tours

Almost all multi-day small-group or private tours through Israel’s Holy Land take you to the top attractions in Jerusalem’s old city, as well as Bethlehem, Masada, and the Dead Sea. Those who have couple extra days to spare will also be able to see the biblical landmarks of Nazareth as well as the Sea of Galilee and towns like Caesarea, Haifa, Rosh Hanikra, and Acre.

Things to Know

• Jerusalem is located 42 miles (67 kilometers) southeast of Tel Aviv.

• Day tours to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv can last anywhere from six to 12 hours depending on the option chosen.

• Choose a day trip or a guided multi-day tour of Israel’s highlights.

• Many tours include hotel pickup and drop-off in Tel Aviv.

With three days in Tel Aviv, you can get a taste of the city old and new—from Jaffa old town and the Bauhaus district to clubs and street art. If you plan carefully, you can also check off signature sights of the biblical Holy Land, including Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, and Masada, a cliff-top fortress built by King Herod. Here’s how.

Day 1: Tel Aviv Taster

The modern city of Tel Aviv originated with the ancient port of Jaffa, so start your explorations here, with breakfast by the port and a morning spent shopping the Jaffa Flea Market. Besides junk, vintage, and antiques, the market is home to lively cafés, bars, and restaurants. After lunch, check off Tel Aviv’s Bauhaus downtown, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on a walking tour, then soak up impressionist and postimpressionist masterpieces at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Come evening, make your way to the hipster district of Florentin. Absorb vibrant street art and explore indie galleries, then eat and drink your way through the neighborhood’s lively bar and café scene.

Day 2: Bible Adventures

If your time in Israel is limited, spend your second day in Tel Aviv exploring two of the Bible’s most important sites: Bethlehem, where Jesus is believed to have been born, and Jerusalem, a holy city to Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike. Start the day in Jerusalem, exploring the medieval streets of its magical Old Town and checking off sights such as the Wailing Wall and the Dome of the Rock. Cross into the West Bank to visit Bethlehem and see religious highlights such as the Church of the Nativity. Back in Tel Aviv, head to Carmel Market, the city’s largest market, for a street-food feast for dinner.

Day 3: Dead Sea and Masada

Set 1,412 feet (430 meters) below sea level, the hypersalinated Dead Sea is one of the wonders of the world: not just because it’s impossible to sink in it, but for the incredible softness of its mineral-rich clay. At only two hours from Tel Aviv, it makes an easy day trip. Couple it with Masada, a dramatic cliff-top fortress built by King Herod that may have been the site of a mass suicide during Jewish resistance to the Romans, and Ein Gedi, a green nature reserve nestled amid the desert. For your last night in Tel Aviv, savor dinner on the beach, then experience the city’s vibrant bar scene. Discover the beer gardens and cocktail bars on Dizengoff Street before you wrap up your stay at one of the rooftop clubs that spring to life each summer.

More than 5,000 years old, Jerusalem is an epicenter of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The city is rich with holy sites, including the biblical locations of Bethlehem, Nazareth, and the Sea of Galilee. To make the most of your visit, see below for some of Jerusalem’s most sacred destinations.

The Temple Mount

Sacred to three religions and also known as Haram Al-Sharif, the Temple Mount is an ancient elevated platform in the southeastern corner of the Old City. For Muslims, the site’s principal draws are the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, which is said to house the rock from which the prophet Mohammed took his night journey into heaven. For the Jewish community, the Temple Mount marks the location of the First Temple, while for Christians, it’s known as the spot where Jesus challenged authorities, partly leading to his crucifixion.

Western Wall

The Western Wall (also known as the Wailing Wall or the Buraq Wall) forms part of the Temple Mount’s western flank and is one of Judaism's most holy sites. The wall is a remnant of Jerusalem's Second Temple, which the Romans destroyed in AD 70. Today, Jews come from around the world to worship at the wall and place prayer notes in its crevices.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Located at the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City, this church is one of the holiest places on earth for Christians, marking the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. From the church, the sacred route of Via Dolorosa (the road Jesus is said to have walked to his crucifixion site) leads to the Mount of Olives, where Mary's Tomb, the Church of Maria Magdalene, the Tomb of Zechariah, the Church of All Nations, and the Garden of Gethsemane are located. 

Mount Zion

The Zion Gate, which connects the Old City to Mount Zion, is an important site for the Jewish and Christian faiths. Here you can find the Tomb of King David and the Room of the Last Supper, where Jesus is said to have had his final meal. Other important Mount Zion locations include Dormition Abbey, where Catholics believe the Virgin Mary fell into eternal sleep, and the Tombs of the Prophets, which Judaism identifies as the tombs of the prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

With two days in Tel Aviv, you can get a taste of the city old and new, from historic Jaffa and the Bauhaus district to high-energy rooftop clubs and a world-class art museum, and still have enough time left over to sample highlights of the biblical Holy Land. Here’s how to make the most of 48 hours in Tel Aviv.

Day 1: Tel Aviv Taster

**Morning:**Start your Tel Aviv adventure by exploring the ancient port city of Jaffa, which Tel Aviv grew up around. After breakfast by the port, shop the Jaffa Flea Market, with its cafés, bars, boutiques, and restaurants, as well as street stalls packed with everything from junk to vintage gems. Lunch on seafood on the beach.

**Afternoon:**Tel Aviv is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its sinuous white buildings designed in an adapted Bauhaus style. Check off highlights of the White City on a walking tour. Next, soak up the world-class art collection at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, with works by Van Gogh, Picasso, Gauguin, Matisse, and more.

**Night:**Dine early on hearty Israeli fare around the Carmel Market produce market, then discover a different side of Tel Aviv: the hipster district of Florentin. Admire the colorful street art, pop into independent galleries, then sip and snack your way through the area’s bustling bar and café scene.

Day 2: Into the Holy Land

**Morning:**If you only have a short time in Israel, spend your second day checking off the Holy Land’s signature sites. Start in Jerusalem, touring sacred sights such as the Mount of Olives, the Dome of the Rock, the Wailing Wall, and Via Dolorosa and strolling the streets of the Jewish Quarter.

**Afternoon:**Cross into the West Bank to visit Bethlehem, where Christians and Muslims believe Jesus was born. Tour highlights of Manger Square, including the Church of the Nativity, built on Jesus’ birthplace; see the Shepherds’ Fields; and learn about the long history of the Mosque of Omar.

**Night:**Back in Tel Aviv, spend your last night discovering the city’s vibrant nightlife. Start by exploring Dizengoff Street, with its bustling beer gardens and stylish cocktail bars, then wrap up the night at one of the rooftop party bars that appear across Tel Aviv each summer.

A vibrant beach city that’s home to probably the world’s best-preserved Bauhaus architecture, Tel Aviv’s cosmopolitan energy is hard to resist. One day in Tel Aviv gives you time to explore the ancient port city of Jaffa and the Bauhaus district, tour the world-class art museum, and get a taster of the city’s buzzing nightlife. Here’s how.

Morning: Jaffa Explorations

Start the day with a Middle Eastern breakfast of hummus and pita bread by Jaffa Port, then soak up the atmosphere as you explore this ancient city that long predates Tel Aviv. Next, venture to the Jaffa Flea Market, an intoxicating warren of street stalls, cafés, bars, boutiques, and restaurants, where you can buy everything from ancient irons and Arabic brassware to vintage clothes and antique wood carvings (the market closes on Saturdays). For lunch, enjoy a seafood feast on the golden sands of laid-back Alma Beach.

Afternoon: White City

During the 1930s, Jewish refugees fled en masse from Germany to Tel Aviv, bringing with them the modernist Bauhaus architectural style but adapting it to the desert climate. UNESCO has recognized the White City that they built, with over 4,000 structures, as a World Heritage Site; be sure to explore some of the highlights on a walking tour. After architecture, turn your attentions to the spectacular geometry of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, home to a world-class collection of works by the likes of Max Ernst, Vincent Van Gogh, and Wassily Kandinsky.

Night: Barhopping

Tel Aviv’s nightlife scene is the region’s buzziest, with beautiful people partying until dawn in cafés, bars, and clubs and on rooftops—and you’d be remiss not to join in. Load up on hearty Israeli fare at the eateries in and around Carmel Market, then head for the bright lights of the city center. Lively Dizengoff Street offers something for almost everyone, from beer gardens to classy cocktail joints, and makes a great place to start the evening off. Later, make a beeline for the rooftop bars that spring up across the city every summer.

Those touring the Holy Land in Israel and Jordan will likely cross country borders. Of the three border crossings—King Hussein Bridge, Wadi Araba, and Sheikh Hussein—the most popular is King Hussein Bridge (Allenby Bridge in Israel) on the Jordan River. Here’s how to navigate the border crossing experience.

From Israel to Jordan

From the terminal on the Israeli side, visitors pay an exit tax in the local currency before having passports processed at the immigration desk. A shuttle bus designated for tourists takes passengers to the border terminal on the Jordanian side, where a checked-bag fee must be paid and passports handed over to Jordanian authorities. Passports are returned to their owners inside the terminal on the Jordanian side of the bridge.

From Jordan to Israel

When crossing from Jordan to Israel, travelers must pay an exit tax in the Jordanian terminal for stays greater than two nights. Passengers exiting Jordan must hand their passports to immigration staff, who will keep them and return them on the bus across the bridge. Upon arrival at the Israeli terminal, passengers are required to pay a baggage fee for any checked luggage and hand their passports to Israeli immigration authorities. After passing through a security check, travelers can pick up their passports and an ID card, which must be kept throughout any stay in Israel.

Things to Know

• Border-crossing procedures are known to change frequently, so check the latest updates before traveling, or choose to cross the border as part of a multi-day guided tour to Tel Aviv, Bethlehem, or Petra and Wadi Rum.

• Israeli immigration authorities don’t typically stamp passports, but entrance stamps to Jordan will show that you arrived from Israel—ask for it on a separate paper if you are worried about having this in your passport.

• Be sure to check whether you need an entry visa to enter either Jordan or Israel—it’s best to organize this in advance as some land borders do not issue them on arrival.

Buried temples, traditional cultures, and vibrant cuisine make Jerusalem one of Israel’s most fascinating places, but it’s also a great starting point for visiting other sites. With three days in Jerusalem, you can cover the Israeli capital’s highlights and then swim in the Dead Sea, visit ancient cities, or check out desert scenery. Here’s how to plan.

Day 1: Begin Where It All Started

Kick off your first day in the city with a tour that covers key Old City Jerusalem landmarks, from the Western Wall to the Dome of the Rock. Visiting with a guide is a good way to understand  cultural practices that may need some interpretation. After a break for lunch, go underground to explore an even older section of Jerusalem. Touring the City of David, an active archaeological site, gives you a glimpse of discoveries from thousands of years ago. Alternatively, explore Old City neighborhoods, following narrow streets into each of the four traditional quarters: Armenian, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian.

Day 2: Go Beyond the Walls

Begin your second day with a delicious introduction to local culture. Head to Mahane Yehuda market for a tasting tour, with stops for strong coffee and sweet treats. Alternatively, take a food tour in one of Jerusalem’s neighborhoods, linking up a series of family-owned shops, restaurants, and cafés as you learn about life in the city. In the afternoon, brush up on everything from contemporary artwork to archaeology at the Israel Museum, or visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center to see personal artifacts and exhibits. Book your admission and tours in advance online to save time.

Day 3: Day-Trip Destinations

Whether you’re most interested in ancient history, desert landscapes, or culture, Jerusalem is just a day trip away from some of Israel’s top attractions. Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Galilee are rich with Biblical sites, or you can head to the West Bank to learn about Palestinian communities. Trails and a cable car lead to the mountaintop archaeological site of Masada, and even the Jordanian site of Petra is within range. If you’re ready for desert scenery and relaxation, Dead Sea beaches are ideal for an afternoon of floating in the salty water; many tours feature access to private beaches. Combination tours allow you to sample a little bit of everything and be back in Jerusalem in time for dinner.

With two days in Jerusalem, linger in the Old City, plan a museum afternoon, and get a taste of the local food and nightlife scene. Plan strategically so you can take it all in without rushing, since this ancient city is deeply layered with history and culture that’s well worth slowing down for. Here’s how to plan a 2-day trip to Jerusalem.

Day 1: Old City, Fresh Nightlife

**Morning:**Rise early to beat the tour-bus crowd, and enter the Old City through one of the historic gateways. Take advantage of this quiet time to check out the landmarks, from the Western Wall to the Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

**Afternoon:**Some of the Old City’s treasures have been buried by time, so go underground to see the City of David, an archaeological site that’s uncovering the very oldest areas. It’s an active site with few signs; opt for a guided tour to understand the history on display.

**Night:**Now that you’ve got the past down, sample the city’s up-to-the-minute nightlife, which goes from laid-back pubs to energetic discos. Since pub crawls come with a ready-made crew of fellow travelers, they’re a fun way to ease into the scene (often with perks like skip-the-line entry and included drinks).

Day 2: Markets and Museums

**Morning:**Pick one of Jerusalem’s museums for a morning of history, art, archaeology, or Jewish heritage, taking advantage of pre-booking options so you don’t get held up in line. The Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum has an intimate take on wartime stories, while the Israel Museum appeals to history and art buffs alike.

**Afternoon:**Browse sweets, crafts, and farm-fresh produce at the Mahane Yehuda Market, and taste your way through some of Jerusalem’s most delicious treats. Because self-guided and guided options let you sample the best of the market, there’s no reason for a sit-down lunch at all.

**Night:**Head back into the Old City for a night of sound and lights with ancient stones for a backdrop; the audiovisual show is an immersive way to experience the landmarks that’s worthwhile even if you’ve already done a daytime tour.

From ancient temples to markets and landmark museums, Jerusalem invites travelers to explore the past, sample local cuisine, and discover traditional culture. Since key sites are found in the compact center, you can cover the essentials with just one day in the city. Here’s how to plan a day in Jerusalem.

Morning: Old City Exploring

The historic center of Jerusalem is like a city within a city, and the area within the walls is packed with destinations. Start the day by entering Old City Jerusalem through one of its landmark gates, then make your way to the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Tower of David Museum. Since every stop is deeply layered with history, join a guided tour that delves into the stories behind each place; choose between general-interest excursions and trips that focus on the Old City’s religious heritage, underground passageways, or traditional neighborhoods.

Afternoon: Beyond the City Walls

After a light lunch in one of the many Old City cafés—save your big meal of the day for Mahane Yehuda Market—go outside the historic center to check out one of the city’s world-class museums. The Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum is a deeply personal take on the lives of victims of the Holocaust, while the Israel Museum goes from ancient archaeology to modern-art installations. Book tickets online to save time when you get there, or opt for a tour that helps unlock the stories behind the museum exhibits.

Night: Market Foods and Flavors

Hundreds of vendors gather in the landmark Mahane Yehuda Market, which combines a neighborhood shopping spot, tourist destination, and foodie heaven under its peaked roof. With so much to try, avoid filling up in one place. Instead, taste your way through the market on a guided food tour, or snag the Mahane Yehuda “Bite Card,” which is good for samples at a long list of stops. Cafés stay open late, but if you’re hoping to visit the many fresh-food vendors, plan to arrive early in the evening for a wider selection.