Israel

Overview

Israel ( Hebrew : מדינת ישראל Medinat Yisra'el ; Arabic: دولة إسرائيل dawlat ʔisrāʔīl ) is a small yet diverse Middle Eastern country. The modern State of Israel was established in 1948 as a homeland for the Jewish people, but the region contains thousands of years of history for many peoples and religions in addition to the Jews. Israel is considered part of the Holy Land (together with areas of Jordan , Egypt and the Palestinian territories ), and of the Levant and in ancient history of the Fertile Crescent . The three major Abrahamic religions of Judaism , Christianity and Islam , as well as the Baha'i Faith , have strong ties to this land, and their holy and historic sites are major destinations for pilgrims and tourists from around the world. The Israeli population is about 74% Jews, 21% Arabs, and 5% non-Arab Christians and others. Most of the Jews are descended from Olim (returnees from the Jewish Diaspora), and their diverse origins (Russian, German, Moroccan, Yemeni, and Ethiopian, to name a few of the prominent ones) can be seen in various aspects of modern Israeli culture.

In contrast to its long ancient history, Israel is a highly urbanized, economically developed, first-world society. It remains in conflict with the Palestinians and some of its other Arab neighbors.

While the current state of Israel is a relatively new country founded in 1948, the " land of Israel" has a long, complex history stretching back thousands of years to the beginnings of human civilization. It's been invaded by virtually every Old World empire including the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, Mongols, Ottomans, French (with Napoleon as general), and British. It is the birthplace of Judaism and Christianity, and also contains sacred sites of Islam and the Baha'i Faith.

Places to explore

Israel possesses a number of diverse regions, with landscapes varying between coast, mountain, forest, and desert, with just about everything in between. On a single winter day, for example, you could go skiing at the Hermon mountain on the Golan Heights, and then sunbathe next to the Dead Sea. The metropolitan areas of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv form very much their own regions; from north to south, however, Israel's regions are as follows:

Sights and landscapes

In addition, Israel contain numerous fascinating historic sites from across its thousands of years of recorded history. The City of David in Jerusalem contains remains from when King David conquered the city and made it his capital (around 1000 BCE), and even earlier. In Jerusalem, Megiddo , and Hatzor , you can explore underground water supply systems, tunneled through rock, from the Israelite period. Some of the most impressive ruins in Israel are from the Roman period. Masada , a stunning mountaintop fortress surrounded by cliffs near the Dead Sea, was used by Jewish rebels against Rome, and in modern times has become a symbol of Jewish heroism. Caesarea and Beit Shean are among the Roman cities in Israel, where you can see well-preserved commercial streets and amphitheaters. Later on, the Crusaders left castles in places like Akko (a beautiful seaside walled city) and Belvoir . Meanwhile, the equally impressive Nimrod fortress in the Golan Heights was built by their Muslim rivals. Other ruins from the Muslim period included the iconic walls of Jerusalem, and the underground cistern of Ramla , which you can explore by boat.

Experiences

Israel is not a big backpacking/hosteling country. In addition, hitchhiking is not that common anymore (though still possible), which makes it hard and time-consuming for a traveler on a shoestring to save money.

Whereas in the West Bank or Jordan it is common to get a discount when turning up at an accommodation directly, in Israel only a few hostels appreciate such or direct bookings without using the monopolistic middle man . And you might even end up paying more when turning up out of the blue.

Many beautiful nature sites in Israel have been converted into national parks, which demand an entrance fee of ₪20-40. There is a combined park ticket available, which might save you some money if you plan to visit 10 or more over a couple of weeks. This makes it even harder for backpackers who are out in the open very often and just want to let themselves drift through the country.

Culture and food

Perhaps surprisingly, most culinary items that are typically associated with Jewish cuisine in much of the English-speaking world, such as bagels and pastrami, are not widespread in Israel, though they can still be found in eateries operated by American or Canadian immigrants.

Another popular option is shawarma – sliced turkey or lamb meat, also served inside a pita/lafa with hummus-chips-salat toppings. Many other things can fit your pita: for example, Me'orav Yerushalemi (Jerusalemite mix), which contain several types of offal meat, or perhaps even schnitzel, a batter fried chicken breast which is somewhat inspired by the Viennese original.

Another street food gaining popularity is the Iraqi-origin sabikh : a pita bread stuffed with a hard boiled egg, batter-dipped deep fried eggplant, hummus, tehini, potatoes, and salad.

Planning your route

Israel generally has a modern, sophisticated travel network, although public transit service is not as good as in Europe or East Asia. It is safe and easy to get around the country, although it can be slow (due to traffic, or slow or infrequent buses). Israelis are always willing to help a lost tourist, so never be afraid to ask people for directions or advice.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.