▷ Top 11 Things to Do and Visit in Israel

Israel is a wonderland to visit and stay in the Middle East region of the world. It offers wonderful experiences for those who want to have lifetime memories. This country has a rich historical background and is very active politically and socially till now. Isreal being the perfect mix of the ancient antiquities, with the modern-day cosmopolitan outlook, you can enjoy both the rich past and the bustling today when you are in Israel.

Israel offers so many things to the modern-day visitor. You can keep your whole family engaged and entertained with all the things that are available in Isreal as it offers something for everyone of all ages. More than its modern facilities what attracts thousands of visitors to Israel is its past culture and rich heritage of the people that has made Israel one of the wonderful countries of the modern-day world.

Diving in Atlit Yam

If you want to indulge in the nostalgia of the past era, then you have to visit the Atlit Yam which has a history of 9000 years dating back to the Neolithic civilization.

It lies in the Levantine Sea on the coast of Atlit, Haifa. Discovered in 1984, it is still giving new finds like human remains, megaliths, houses, wells, tools, animal bones, graves, etc. This site remains as evidence that the people of that era have already shifted to Agricultural society.

You can easily go diving to this historic site and see for yourself how the people lived 9000 years ago. But you must have dive insurance to go diving to the underwater excavation.

Visit Avdat National Park

If you are a nature freak and is mesmerized by the greenery and natural splendors, then you can enjoy the natural retreat at Avdat national park. This is a UNESCO heritage site lying on the 62nd Road and you have to go along the Incense Road that runs from Yemen to Gaza. This ancient ruin has Avdat National Park where the main activity is hiking.

Here you can take one of the three hiking routes and if you go through the longest hiking route, you will be hiking for three hours visiting Roman army camp, Nabatean settlement, and farmhouse. On the shortest route, you will be hiking for about 1.5 hours and you can visit Roman tower, citadel, lookout and winepress, churches, Roman bathhouse, and storage caves.

The Park has many amenities for the visitors and you can be satisfied with spending your time with nature and the structures of the olden age.

Visit Beit Guvrin Caves

It is one of the most popular places to visit in Israel, this lies in the Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park. This is a place of caves and underground structures and is popularly called as the Land of Thousand Caves.

You can reach this place through Road 35. You can experience a vast network of caves that were created over a period of 100 years for many purposes. Some of the caves were made for mining of chalk, as underground bunkers for defense forces, and some of them were burial chambers. Among more than 3000 chambers the Sidonian painted burial rooms are one of the most popular among them.

When you are here you can also visit Crusade-era church, fortress ruins, Roman amphitheater, etc as all these places are also on Road 35.

Visit Caesarea Maritima

Caesarea Maritima is a historic place for you to visit and this place is the remains of an olden city built by King Herod the Great, to honor the Caesar Augustus. Here you will be able to find the grandeur of an ancient harbor city that is overlooking the sea.

Exploring the Roman Theater, Pontius Pilate Stone, the Hippodrome that was famous for the chariot races are some of the important places you have to go and explore to get the taste of the ancient life in the Roman Empire. This place has a particular interest in Jewish history as this was the place where the Jewish Captives who took part in the Jewish revolt were killed in Gladiator fights.

You can visit the castle, the, and the city walls. Yet another attraction of this place is the Crusade-era cathedral and gate. Here you can see the double aqueduct that is still considered as an engineering wonder of the ancient era. While here you can go for a sun-drenched stroll in the seashore promenade.

Visit the Church of the Nativity

Church of the Nativity is one of the most important and most sacred sites for Christians as this is considered to be the birthplace of Jesus.

This is located on Palestine’s west bank area. This is an old basilica that dates back to 339 AD. Today you can experience the sacredness of the church of Nativity as a part of a monastic complex.

You will be prepared for a divine experience right from the beginning of your tour where you will be entering into the Basilica through the Door of Humility, and walk on the mosaic floor that was laid in the 4th century. You will be mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the original limestone columns.

When you are proceeding you will be greeted by frescoes of the saints. You also see the Grotto of the Nativity, the silver star that marks the birthplace of Jesus, the Chapel of the Manger depicting the nativity scene, and the Altar of the Adoration of Magi.

Visit the Dome of the Rock

Dome of the Rock is an important Islamic landmark that is located on the Temple Mount most popularly called as the Noble Sanctuary in the historic city of Jerusalem. It is revered by Muslims as their most sacred shrine where Prophet Mohammad ascended to heaven when he did his Night Journey.

It is an architectural masterpiece of the ancient Arab world and it is built on a stone and you will be surprised by the complex patterns, the internal mosaics, large and beautiful columns, the intricately carved ceiling. The sacred rock itself is an object of grandeur. Other impressive items on the Dome of the rock include the marble finish, the Turkish tiles, the elaborate and intricate inscriptions, and great gold leaf dome.

Visit the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo

Jerusalem Biblical Zoo was started as a children’s zoo in the early 1940s. It has grown much and now it is functioning on a 62-acre plot surrounded by the verdant Judean hills. The actual name of the zoo is the Tisch Family Zoological Gardens.

It is one of the most popular attractions in the Jerusalem city and is visited by more than 7, 50,000 visitors each year. It attracts people of all religions, age groups and tourists from far and near. Here you can indulge in a variety of attractions and exhibits that will be enjoyable for people of all age groups.

Visit the Rosh HaNikra Grottoes

This is yet another place to see while visiting Israel. The grottoes are situated on the sea coast near Lebanon border and these Rosh HaNikra Grottoes is one of the natural wonders that were worked out by the beating waves on the fragile chalk cliffs over thousands of years.

These large sea caves are a wonderful geological anomaly that can be viewed from the sea. But now the Israel government has installed a cable car that takes you to the caves so that every visitor can have a view of these excellent underwater caves.

The travel on the cable car itself is a thrilling experience as it is one of the steepest cable cars in the whole world. While traveling in the cable car the gondola you are in moves so steep that you reach a depth of 200 feet in just 2 minutes. You will be enchanted with the unique mix of the white cliffs at the top with the bright blue waters that fill the grottoes.

Visit the Masada National Park

Masada National Park is a UNESCO world heritage site, and you can find this on alone clifftop in the Judean Desert. This lies on the plateau that overlooks the Dead Sea.

This is a historical site where the Palace that housed the last rebels of the Jewish revolt against the Rome Empire stayed during their last days. This has become more popular due to the emotional bond it has with the freedom struggle and the archeological discoveries that it houses.

You should not miss the light and sound show at the Amphitheater. You should also spend your time there viewing the ancient northern cisterns, the remains of the Herod’s private palace and the synagogue.

Tel Aviv Museum of Art

Tel Aviv Museum of Art is the art repository of Israel and this part of the world. The museum was established in the year 1932 and it reached its present permanent location in the year 2011.

The main building of the museum and the Paul Amir building contain numerous architectural artworks showcasing the works of both the Israeli and other artists from around the world. Here you can enjoy the permanent exhibitions of some of the world-renowned artists like Chagall, Dali, Kandinsky, Monet Picasso, Henri Moore, Cezanne, and Augusta Rodin, etc. You can also visit the Helena Rubenstein Pavilion that has various exhibits and other types of displays with social and political messages.

If you want to rent a car in Israel, from here you can book at Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) Ben Gurion and Eilat Ramon Airport (ETM)