Activities in Israel & The Palestinian Territories
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Via Dolorosa
The ultimate Jerusalem walking tour is, of course, the Via Dolorosa, the route that Jesus is believed to have taken as he carried his cross to Calvary. The walk (around 30 minutes) is easily done on your own, but for a somewhat more unique experience join the Franciscan Fathers on Fridays as they lead a cross-bearing procession along the route. Each stop marks the stations of the cross. To begin the route known today, head deep into the Muslim Quarter, in the direction of Lions Gate.
Before embarking on the walking tour, you might want to visit St Anne's Church and the Ecce Homo Convent of the Sisters of Zion, both located close to the first station. The First Station is…
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Negevland Tours
Best all-round adventure company in the area. It offers jeep crater tours, abseiling, paintball, and licensed hiking guides who speak English, French and Spanish. Negevland also has the only professional bike-repair shop between Be'er Sheva and Eilat and rents 21-gear mountain bikes.
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Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport Private Departure Transfer
40 minutes (Departs Tel Aviv, Israel)
by Viator
Make your departure from Israel as smooth as possible with a Tel Aviv Ben-Gurion International Airport Private Departure Transfer. Forget about the haggling…Not LP reviewed
from USD$16.18 -
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Pure Gym
Gym.
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Sataf Nature Trail
Walkers will enjoy the Sataf nature trail, a two- to four-hour hike in the hills west of Jerusalem. The hike begins from the Sataf Junction. A bus from Jerusalem's central bus station to Kibbutz Tsova will drop you there. From the junction, follow the road with the brown sign marked 'Sataf' past the car park for 1.5km until you reach the national park. Sataf, located at 600m above sea level, was one of many Arab villages in the area to be deserted in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
Two springs and pools are in the village. You are not allowed in the pool but you can climb into the tunnel that feeds the spring (bring a torch). From the village, a marked trail descends to the…
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Free City Tours
The municipality runs three tours in the city and it's worth joining at least one of them while you are in town. All three tours are free of charge and there is no need to make an advance booking. If you do have questions, contact the Tourist Information Centre.
The most interesting tour visits various buildings in Tel Aviv to study Bauhaus architecture. It runs at 11:00 Saturday (except Yom Kippur) and the meeting point is at 46 Rothschild Blvd (at the corner of Shadal St).
A second tour walks around Old Jaffa, its archaeological sites and the flea market. It meets at 09:30 Wednesday (except Yom Kippur) at Jaffa's clock tower.
The third tour studies the art and…
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Sportek
Joggers, footballers and frisbee throwers should head for the long strip of grassy parkland along the Yarkon River, otherwise known as the Sportek. It's most crowded in the afternoons and weekends.
The Sportek also features the Olympus Climbing Wall (www.kir.co.il; 42 Rokach Ave), which offers rock climbing lessons. Avoid overcrowded Saturdays, when schoolchildren take over the place.
Near the climbing wall is a skate park, basketball courts and trampolines. Ultimate Frisbee matches are held here at 16:45 every Friday and at 16:30 Saturday. North of the Sportek, across Namir Rd, the young and the young at heart will enjoy Mini Golf(www.minigolf.co.il).
To reach the Sportek…
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Hilton Beach
This beach has good facilities and attracts tourists from the nearby hotel. It is Tel Aviv's unofficial gay beach.
When the weather is warm Tel Avivans flock to the city beaches en masse. Here you'll find bronzed bods soaking up the Mediterranean rays, kite surfing and the knocking back and forth of little rubber balls in friendly matches of matkot (Israeli beach tennis).
The beaches are safe and clean, with changing rooms and freshwater showers scattered along its length. Swimmers, however, must heed lifeguard warnings when conditions become rough; a black flag means that swimming is forbidden; red means that swimming is dangerous and you certainly shouldn't swim by…
reviewed
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Trumpeldor Beach
This beach tends to attract the teenage tearaways and is probably one of the least pleasant.
When the weather is warm Tel Avivans flock to the city beaches en masse. Here you'll find bronzed bods soaking up the Mediterranean rays, kite surfing and the knocking back and forth of little rubber balls in friendly matches of matkot (Israeli beach tennis).
The beaches are safe and clean, with changing rooms and freshwater showers scattered along its length. Swimmers, however, must heed lifeguard warnings when conditions become rough; a black flag means that swimming is forbidden; red means that swimming is dangerous and you certainly shouldn't swim by yourself; white means that…
reviewed
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Ge'la Beach
This beach tends to attract the teenage tearaways and is probably one of the least pleasant.
When the weather is warm Tel Avivans flock to the city beaches en masse. Here you'll find bronzed bods soaking up the Mediterranean rays, kite surfing and the knocking back and forth of little rubber balls in friendly matches of matkot (Israeli beach tennis).
The beaches are safe and clean, with changing rooms and freshwater showers scattered along its length. Swimmers, however, must heed lifeguard warnings when conditions become rough; a black flag means that swimming is forbidden; red means that swimming is dangerous and you certainly shouldn't swim by yourself; white means that…
reviewed
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Yerushalayim Beach
This beach tends to attract the teenage tearaways and is probably one of the least pleasant.
When the weather is warm Tel Avivans flock to the city beaches en masse. Here you'll find bronzed bods soaking up the Mediterranean rays, kite surfing and the knocking back and forth of little rubber balls in friendly matches of matkot (Israeli beach tennis).
The beaches are safe and clean, with changing rooms and freshwater showers scattered along its length. Swimmers, however, must heed lifeguard warnings when conditions become rough; a black flag means that swimming is forbidden; red means that swimming is dangerous and you certainly shouldn't swim by yourself; white means that…
reviewed
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Sheraton Beach
This beach has good facilities and attracts tourists from the nearby hotel.
When the weather is warm Tel Avivans flock to the city beaches en masse. Here you'll find bronzed bods soaking up the Mediterranean rays, kite surfing and the knocking back and forth of little rubber balls in friendly matches of matkot (Israeli beach tennis).
The beaches are safe and clean, with changing rooms and freshwater showers scattered along its length. Swimmers, however, must heed lifeguard warnings when conditions become rough; a black flag means that swimming is forbidden; red means that swimming is dangerous and you certainly shouldn't swim by yourself; white means that the area is safe.
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Frishman Beach
A relaxed Tel Aviv beach.
When the weather is warm Tel Avivans flock to the city beaches en masse. Here you'll find bronzed bods soaking up the Mediterranean rays, kite surfing and the knocking back and forth of little rubber balls in friendly matches of matkot (Israeli beach tennis).
The beaches are safe and clean, with changing rooms and freshwater showers scattered along its length. Swimmers, however, must heed lifeguard warnings when conditions become rough; a black flag means that swimming is forbidden; red means that swimming is dangerous and you certainly shouldn't swim by yourself; white means that the area is safe.
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Gordon Beach
A relaxed Tel Aviv beach.
When the weather is warm Tel Avivans flock to the city beaches en masse. Here you'll find bronzed bods soaking up the Mediterranean rays, kite surfing and the knocking back and forth of little rubber balls in friendly matches of matkot (Israeli beach tennis).
The beaches are safe and clean, with changing rooms and freshwater showers scattered along its length. Swimmers, however, must heed lifeguard warnings when conditions become rough; a black flag means that swimming is forbidden; red means that swimming is dangerous and you certainly shouldn't swim by yourself; white means that the area is safe.
reviewed
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Sandemans New Jerusalem Tours
Sandemans New Jerusalem Tours has a daily free tour of the Old City (though tips are appreciated). Meet at Jaffa Gate at 11am. The free tour is pretty basic but serves as a great introduction to the city. Try to do this on your first day in town to get better acquainted with the place. More in-depth paying tours (75NIS) go around the Old City and other parts of Jerusalem. Guides are friendly, knowledgable and are able to present history in a very objective manner. In addition to their walking tours, they have a segway tour outside the Old City walls for 180NIS.
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Egged's Rte 99 Circular Line
A good introduction to the city is Egged's Rte 99 Circular Line. This open-air coach service cruises past 35 of Jerusalem's major sites, providing commentary in eight languages and video clips along the way. The bus makes a loop every two hours, so there is time to stop at two or three sites (for two hours each), including Yad Vashem and the Israel Museum. At some prominent landmarks, the bus stops briefly for everyone to get out and snap a photo.
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Bicycles
As long as you can deal with the heat, getting around Tiberias and the lake by bicycle is ideal. The road by the lake shore is relatively hill-free and many of the sites are close together. Most cyclists do the lake circuit, which can be done in four or five steady hours. Start early (around 07:00) to beat the heat and take plenty of water because there is little shade along the road.
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Petra Day Trip from Tel Aviv - UNESCO World Heritage Site
16 hours (Departs Tel Aviv, Israel)
by Viator
Visit the UNESCO world heritage site of Petra, in a convenient day trip from Tel Aviv. With your round-trip flights to Eilat, and transfers to Petra included,…Not LP reviewed
from USD$445.00 -
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Israel Yam Boat Cruise
A popular excursion from the main hotel area is the Israel Yam Boat Cruise, on a glass-bottomed boat that cruises between the Egyptian and Jordanian borders, before heading to the Coral Beach Nature Reserve. It lasts two hours and operates at least three times daily. The underwater scenery is fairly spectacular and there's an accompanying English-language commentary.
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Diamond Dealer Free Tour
This is a free city tour to Old Jaffa, the Habima Theatre, the Mann Auditorium, the Israeli Opera House the Tel Aviv Museum, and the Diamond Museum. The catch is that it's run by a private diamond dealer, so when the tour is over you're also brought to the diamond showroom for a 'look-see'. Call ahead for a pick up from your hotel.
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Shira Hadasha
The liberal-minded religious group Shira Hadasha welcomes both male and female visitors to its Shabbat services, held Friday at 6.45pm. It’s best to contact them ahead of time to let them know you are coming as space is limited (check the website for contact details). Services are held in both English and Hebrew.
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Rollerblading
If you want to get to know Tel Aviv like a local, and enjoy, find a pair of skates and go to the Habima Theatre at 22:00 Tuesday. From here around 150 rollerbladers and skaters set off on a three-hour skate around the city. This is highly recommended. The organisers have a website: http://rollers-israel.net.
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Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery Cable Car
The cable car runs up to the monastery from Bat Galim Promenade below, not far from Elijah's Cave and the nearby museums. While the views from the cabins aren't as good as those from the observation point on Stella Maris Rd up at the top, on a hot day you'd certainly want to skip climbing to the monastery.
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Snuba
Snuba is a guided underwater adventure for beginners who have no proficiency with tanks but would love to see some of the aquatic sights. Guides take snuba divers to the Caves reef, considered one of the best coral reefs in Eilat. The cost includes two hours of snorkel rental after the activity.
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YMCA
The YMCA has a good, if slightly antiquated, pool and fitness centre, including an indoor basketball court. It is located opposite the King David Hotel. YMCA members can use the facilities for free. Note that the pool is not always open, check www.greatshape.co.il for times.
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