Jerusalem. There is nowhere else quite like it. The Old City packs the holiest sites of three religions into less than a square kilometer — the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Via Dolorosa. Even for travelers with no religious investment, the weight of history and the density of human meaning in these streets is overwhelming. Plan at least two to three full days. See the Jerusalem page for more.
Tel Aviv. The counterpoint to Jerusalem. Israel's secular, cosmopolitan, relentlessly modern city on the Mediterranean. World-class restaurants, a thriving bar and club scene, excellent museums (the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the Eretz Israel Museum), the White City of Bauhaus architecture (a UNESCO site), and long sandy beaches. Tel Aviv runs on a different clock from the rest of the country.
Masada. The hilltop fortress built by Herod the Great, dramatically rising from the Judean Desert above the Dead Sea. In 73 CE, Jewish rebels made their last stand here against Roman legions. The site is beautiful and the story is unforgettable. Go early — very early — to hike the Snake Path before the heat becomes brutal. A cable car is available for those who prefer. Combined with a float in the Dead Sea, it makes for one of Israel's classic day trips.
The Galilee. The green, hilly north of Israel rewards slow travel. The Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret) is serene and warm enough to swim in. Nazareth is Israel's largest Arab city and has an interesting, lived-in character beyond its biblical fame. Tzfat (Safed) is a hilltop town with a long Kabbalistic tradition and a thriving artists' community. Acre (Akko) has one of the best-preserved Crusader cities in the world, with an extraordinary subterranean city of vaulted halls and tunnels beneath the modern Arab town.
The Negev Desert. Israel's south is dominated by a vast desert that makes up more than half the country's land area. The Ramon Crater (Makhtesh Ramon) is not a meteor crater but an erosion crater, 40 km long and up to 500 meters deep — a geological wonder that most visitors miss. Hiking in the Negev, especially in spring, is spectacular. Be'er Sheva is the capital of the south and a practical base.
The Dead Sea. The lowest point on Earth, and one of the most bizarre experiences available on the planet. The salt concentration is so high that you float effortlessly on the surface. Apply the black mineral mud, rinse, float, repeat. The desert landscape around the Dead Sea — dramatic cliffs dropping to a flat, glassy lake — is beautiful in its own bleak way.
The Israel National Trail. Named by National Geographic as one of the world's great long-distance hikes, the trail runs the full length of the country from Dan (near the Lebanese border) to Eilat on the Red Sea — roughly 1,000 km. The full walk takes 40–60 days. Many hikers do sections: the Galilee, the Negev, and the Judean Desert each offer multi-day segments worth doing independently.
Ein Hod. A small artist village in the Carmel mountains near Haifa, tucked into forested hills with studios open to visitors and an easy, warm atmosphere. A good half-day stop.