Visit Israel

Israel packs four millennia of history, three major faiths and an astonishing range of landscapes into a country roughly the size of New Jersey. In a single week you can stand at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, swim off the Mediterranean beaches of Tel Aviv, float in the Dead Sea — the lowest point on Earth at 430 m below sea level — and dive Red Sea coral reefs in Eilat. Most visitors arrive at Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) near Tel Aviv; from there fast, affordable trains and buses reach every region covered in this guide. The best times to visit are spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November), when the weather is mild across the country. This guide covers 11 regions — Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea, the Galilee, Eilat, the Negev, Nazareth, Haifa, the Golan Heights, Caesarea and Akko — with detailed attraction guides, sample itineraries from 3 to 10 days, where to stay for every budget, and practical advice on transport, Shabbat, kosher food and safety.