A country the size of New Jersey compressed with more historical and religious significance per square kilometre than almost anywhere on earth. Jerusalem holds the holiest sites of three Abrahamic religions within walking distance; the Negev Desert in the south extends to Eilat on the Red Sea; the Galilee in the north rises to 1,200 metres with vineyards and ancient ruins. Israel's food culture — the original Mediterranean diet, elevated — is one of the world's great contemporary cuisines.
Must-See Attractions
✦ Jerusalem Old City — Jewish Quarter, Muslim Quarter, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Temple Mount
✦ Masada — Herod's mountaintop fortress above the Dead Sea, sunrise hike recommended
✦ Dead Sea — the lowest point on earth, 430m below sea level, salt concentration so high you float
✦ Makhtesh Ramon, Negev — a geological crater unique to Israel, 40km long, 500m deep
✦ Acre (Akko) Old City — UNESCO Crusader port city with Ottoman bazaars and extraordinary seafood
✦ Tel Aviv Bauhaus architecture and beach culture — a UNESCO World Heritage city neighbourhood
✦ Sea of Galilee and Golan Heights — biblical landscape with wine country and hiking
Insider Tips
→ Security at Ben Gurion Airport is thorough — allow 3 hours for departure, more if you have Jordan/Egypt stamps in your passport.
→ Shabbat (Friday sunset to Saturday night) means most public transport stops and many businesses close; plan accordingly or use private taxis.
→ Israel is among the world's leading destinations for sustainable agriculture and food innovation — the farmers' market and restaurant scene in Tel Aviv is genuinely world-class.
→ The Negev desert is best explored with a car; public transport doesn't reach most of the interior.
→ Water from taps is safe to drink throughout Israel.
Israel’s geographical variety is disproportionate to its size. In a country of 22,000 square kilometres — roughly the area of Wales — you can stand on the snowy slopes of Mount Hermon in the morning, swim in the Sea of Galilee by afternoon, and watch the Negev Desert sunset from a plateau above the Jordan Valley in the evening. The elevation range spans from -430 metres (the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth’s surface) to 2,814 metres (Mount Hermon in the north), and the climatic range that results spans from alpine to hyper-arid within the length of a single day’s drive.
The Negev Desert — which covers 60% of the country’s land area — is the aspect of Israel that consistently surprises travellers whose expectations are shaped by the biblical and political landscape. The Makhtesh Ramon is its centrepiece: a geological structure that has no precise equivalent elsewhere on earth, formed not by meteor impact or volcanic collapse but by the erosion of a mountain dome over 200 million years to expose a multicoloured geological cross-section 40 kilometres long, 8 kilometres wide, and 500 metres deep. The hiking within it — and on the network of trails across the Negev Highlands — is among the finest desert walking in the Middle East.
Getting There
Flights: Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) near Tel Aviv is Israel’s main gateway, with direct flights from all European capitals, North America, and major Asian hubs. Eilat’s Ramon Airport (ETM) handles regional connections and charters. Search and compare flights on Kiwi.com and Aviasales.
Airport Transfer: Ben Gurion is 20 km from Tel Aviv and 50 km from Jerusalem. Trains run to Tel Aviv city centre every 30 minutes. For private transfers — particularly practical for late arrivals or Jerusalem travel — book through Welcome Pickups or KiwiTaxi.
Getting Around
Car Rental: Essential for the Negev and Galilee. Israeli roads are excellent and well-signposted in Hebrew and English. Compare rental rates on Localrent, QEEQ, or AutoEurope. Note: avoid the cheapest local companies; quality varies significantly.
Rail and Bus: The train network connects Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Be’er Sheva, and Nahariya. Egged and Dan bus companies cover routes not served by rail. Jerusalem’s light rail is useful within the city. Note: no public transport during Shabbat.
Tours & Experiences
Book Jerusalem Old City tours, Dead Sea day trips, Makhtesh Ramon guided hikes, and Masada sunrise experiences through Klook and Viator. Negev desert jeep tours and Bedouin camp experiences are well-covered by regional operators. Wine region tours in the Golan and Galilee are bookable through WeGoTrip.
Travel Essentials
eSIM: Israel has excellent 4G/5G coverage including in the Negev highway corridors, though signal drops in remote desert. Get an Israel eSIM from Airalo — Cellcom and Partner have the best rural coverage.
Travel Insurance: Standard travel insurance covers Israel; some policies exclude conflict-adjacent areas. Check your policy specifically. SafetyWing covers adventure activities including desert hiking and diving.
VPN: NordVPN or ExpressVPN are useful for accessing content from home and maintaining privacy on hotel networks.
