When is the best time to go to Israel? The answer is: always! In the middle East country year-round warmth. Here is just a few days to relax in two completely different cities (the benefit of the territory of the Jewish state is small, only 22 thousand square kilometers). Rave beach tel Aviv relaxing, as a couple of glasses of wine, and spiritual capital, Jerusalem, is impressive in its history. By the way, there is still a visa-free entry and to fly from Moscow only four hours. Easy access to endless summer!
Tel Aviv
Start your acquaintance with Israel tel Aviv is the secular capital of the country. Not many historical attractions, but there is an almost endless beach (10 km of coastline) and a huge number of bars, clubs and restaurants. When choosing a hotel, follow one rule: the closer to the beach the better. The level of service is everywhere equally good. A room in a hotel (five stars) costs about 600 shekels (10 000 rubles) per night, but you can always find a cheaper option.
Morning
Breakfast shakshuka – this Israeli version of scrambled eggs with lots of tomatoes. In cafes on the coast you can see how tanned athletes running and walking their dogs, the residents of tel Aviv. It seems that the proverbial “build a house, plant a tree and raise a son” is replaced to “to get a dog, play sports and live in the buzz”. Swimming is the most pleasant in the morning, not rotting in the sun and not so many people on the beach.
Neve Tzedek; Florentin
Day
In the city – dress code casual. A light dress, flip flops, hat and a water bottle is the most convenient option for walking. Water is a necessity for such a hot climate.
In the afternoon go to the Bohemian district of Neve Tzedek, Florentin youth, take a walk down Rothschild Boulevard and look on the market. In Neve Tzedek is calm, measured and solid European gingerbread houses.
Florentin is a fun and loud area artists and entertainers. There are many galleries and showrooms. And on the main Rothschild Boulevard make sure to drink a Cup of coffee, sitting across from independence Hall, where was signed the Declaration of independence of Israel in 1948.
Rothschild Boulevard
Go to the local version of Moscow’s Danilovsky market – Sarona Maket. Stylish farmers market where you can eat, and to buy edible Souvenirs. Kilo tehina (paste of sesame) is about 3000 rubles, a kilo of hummus asked almost 4000 p, but you can always bargain (here it is accepted). And no crowding or noisy sellers.
The Sarona Market Maket
The evening
Start the evening with the old city of Jaffa. It is an ancient port from which early pilgrims went to Jerusalem, and now tourists walk on the cool white stone narrow streets. If you walk along the beach to the South, then the end point will be Jaffa. At sunset, you get the perfect shots for Instagram.
Be sure to find a “floating orange tree”. The art of the sculptor Wound Morin with a beautiful legend: the tree, suspended by ropes in clay pot symbolizes the Jewish people, dispersed through the world, but continues to live and fight.
And, of course, the most important is the night life of tel Aviv. Just go aimlessly (preferably a couple of streets inland, parallel to the waterfront) and choose the noisy café. There will be fun and delicious.
Jerusalem
The distance from tel Aviv to the capital of Israel, Jerusalem, 65 km to the South-East. Can be reached in three ways: by bus, train or taxi. The bus is the most economical option, only 16 shekels (270 p.), lasts 1 hour. The train takes 1 hour 40 minutes and costs 20 shekels (330 p.). The most comfortable, of course, taxi is about 300 shekels (5000 p.) and only 40 minutes on the way. And if you bargain with the taxi driver, it is possible to bring down the price by almost half!
Once one of the most ancient cities in the world, choose a hotel in the centre close to the old town. To make it easier to walk, and to walk a lot.
The garden of Gethsemane; mount of olives
Morning
In the morning, not very hot, go to the garden of Gethsemane on the mount of olives. Picturesque, but very small (50 / 47 m) garden planted with olive trees, is known as a place of prayer of Jesus Christ on the night of the arrest. And from there a short walk to the mount of olives. At its foot is a cemetery, which in the day of judgment the dead will be raised from the grave.
Day
Old city is best to walk a day, just hide from the scorching sun. This maze of four quarters (Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian), almost all hidden under the eaves. Borders of the regions there, and representatives of all religions peacefully coexist with each other. Arabs playing backgammon, and hurriedly run by Orthodox Jews in their wide-brimmed hats. Tourists here should be afraid of a obsessive sellers that are lured into their souvenir stalls.
For shopping don’t forget the main point of historical program – the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where he was crucified, buried and risen Jesus Christ. To find it easily, just follow the groups of pilgrims or the signs on the walls (which show the famous way of the cross).
You can then think about bodily. Go snack on the market Mahad Yehuda. It is a noisy colourful place, where the best falafel (falafel fried balls of chickpeas instead of meat) in Israel for only 6 shekels (100 p.).
The evening
Well, the most famous place in Israel – the Western Wall. To the wall approach almost impossible. A lot of believers from around the world come here to pray.
The Wailing wall on a weekday and in the night from Friday to Saturday
But there is one life hack that I checked myself. Come to the wall on Friday around midnight (time of beginning of Shabbat, the weekly Sabbath celebration, in which Jews do not work). And then I can safely put between the stones of memo will (they say will come true for sure).
