☰German Colony

The German Colony stretches along Emek Refaim Street south of the Old City, a tree-lined boulevard of cafes, restaurants, and boutiques housed in handsome stone buildings originally constructed by German Templar settlers in the 1870s. The Templers came to the Holy Land to prepare for the Second Coming and instead built solid, practical houses with red-tiled roofs that still define the area's architectural character. Today it's one of Jerusalem's most pleasant neighbourhoods for a leisurely stroll, particularly on Saturday evenings when locals emerge for the end of Shabbat. The cafe culture is strong — grab a table outside and watch the neighbourhood go by. The First Station, a converted Ottoman-era railway terminus at the street's southern end, now hosts an open-air cultural venue with food stalls, events, and weekend markets. It's Jerusalem at its most relaxed.