7 Best Travel Places to Visit in Israel

Israel, one of the most surprising and diverse tourist destinations of the Middle East has a great cultural and historical richness, in which you will see the Jewish face of this country, beyond the established religious vestiges. Discover both the capital Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv diplomatic centre, visit Bethlehem, Haifa, Nazareth and relax in Tiberias and at the Dead Sea.

Tiberias

Founded in the year of 20 BC, Tiberias is an Israeli city located on the west bank of the Sea of ​​Galilee whose name was a tribute to Emperor Tiberius. Since the 16th century, Tiberius has been considered one of the four Holy Cities of Judaism, along with Jerusalem, Hebron and Safed and also a destination for Christian pilgrims due to the miracles performed by Jesus here, according to Christian tradition.

Between the 2nd and 20th centuries, Tiberias was the largest Jewish city in Galilee, and the political and religious centre of the Jews of Palestine. Last but not least, Tiberias has been known for thousands of years for its hot springs that are believed to cure skin diseases and other diseases.

Jerusalem

The mountain-top capital of King David is a holy place for the world's 3 monotheistic religions, which is why it is also known as the Holy City. Fascinating by the contrast between the ultra-modern and the enchanting traditions inherited from ancient times, Jerusalem is a city with a unique personality.

This city brings visitors face to face with the personalities and places mentioned in the Bible, being the only place in the world where the only necessary guide is the Bible itself.

Bethlehem

The city is an important religious centre for both Jews and Christians. The Old Testament identifies Bethlehem as the city where King David was born. In the New Testament, Bethlehem is the birthplace of Jesus. The city is inhabited by one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, although the size of the community has shrunk due to emigration.

Tel Aviv

Founded in 1909 during the Ottoman Empire, Tel Aviv is considered the first Jewish city in the territory of the new Israel. Bauhaus architecture flourished in Tel Aviv in the 1920s and 1930s in Old Tel Aviv.

Named the White City, it houses the largest agglomeration of Bauhaus buildings in the world, over 4.000 buildings in bright colours, shades of white and light yellow. In recent years, the city has undergone a massive effort of reconstruction and conservation, which has brought it the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Haifa

Haifa is the 3rd largest city in Israel and the country's largest port. Haifa has a mixed population of Jews and Arabs. In the beginning, the Arab population was predominantly Christian, while part of the Jewish population came from Russia.

Haifa, built on the slopes of Mount Carmel, has a history dating back to the 3rd century BC. Over the centuries, the city was conquered and ruled by the Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Ottomans, Egyptians and British.

Since the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, the city has been governed by the Municipality of Haifa. Haifa is home to Baha'i World Centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nazareth

The largest city in northern Israel, Nazareth is also known as the Arab Capital of Israel due to its predominant Arab-Palestinian population. In the New Testament, the city is described as the home of Jesus childhood and, as such, is a destination for Christian pilgrims, with many altars commemorating various biblical events.

Here you can visit the Church of the Nativity, built in the place where it is believed that the birth of Jesus took place. At the lower level of the church built on two levels, it is supposed to be the cave where Jesus was born, a place considered sacred to all of Christendom.

Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is a continental sea with no connection to the ocean. The only running water that feeds it is the Jordan River, which is the natural border between Israel, West Jordan and Jordan.

Also called the Sea of ​​Salt or the Asphalt Sea, the name "Dead Sea" is not exaggerated at all: due to its high salinity, life is not possible in its waters. The name "Dead Sea" was given by the Greek Pausanias, who researched it for the first time.

In the caves in the northwest of the sea, near the settlement of Qumran, between 1947-1956 were found the Dead Sea Scrolls (about 900 manuscripts, in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic). The healing properties of the Dead Sea and mud have been recognised for over 2.000 years, since the time of Herod the Great.

Relaxation in the salty waters of the Dead Sea guarantees a memorable experience, a mix of spa and the uniqueness of the view: the salt crystals formed at the seashore form a landscape as if torn from another world.