Sights in Israel & The Palestinian Territories
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Bauhaus Centre
Bauhaus fans will want to stop by the Bauhaus Centre which is loaded with souvenirs and artwork. The centre runs a Bauhaus city tour on Fridays.
Bauhaus style offers simplicity and egalitarianism, designed by architects who carried socialist ideals with them from Europe to Israel. One result of their collective beliefs is the flat roof, intended to be a communal area for all the residents of each building. Of the 4000 Bauhaus-style buildings in the city, just 360 have been renovated, the rest crumbing in the salty, humid sea air, which is not kind to the plaster used for the building façades. Despite its Unesco status, there are no public funds for the restoration of…
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Baha'i Gardens
With every tree trimmed to perfection and every blade of grass seemingly cut to the exact same height, the 18 terraces of the Baha'i Gardens are truly a sight to behold.
The gardens are one of the two great holy places for members of the Baha'i faith, an independent movement that originated in Persia in the middle of the 19th century. The Baha'i are based in the area because the faith's founder, Baha'ullah spent 25 years imprisoned in nearby Akko.
The Baha'i faith is one of the world's youngest religions, established only in the middle of the 19th century. Its central belief is in equality and unity, and it clings to the notion that many prophets have appeared throughout…
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Dome of the Rock
The jewel in the Temple Mount crown is the gold-plated Dome of the Rock, the enduring symbol of the city and undoubtedly one of the most photographed buildings on earth. As its name suggests, the dome covers the slab of stone sacred to both the Muslim and Jewish faiths. It was here that Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son and from which, according to Islamic tradition, the Prophet Mohammed launched himself heavenward to take his place alongside Allah.
The building was constructed between AD 688 and 691 under the patronage of the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik. His motives were shrewd as well as pious - the caliph was concerned that the imposing Christian Church of the Holy…
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Damascus Gate
The scene in front of the Damascus Gate is a microcosm of the Palestinian world - vendors heave goods in and out of the Old City, families picnic on the steps and Israeli soldiers tap their truncheons. You'll also spot elderly women from the villages trying to sell herbs and produce; most of them wear intricately embroidered dresses that are a part of their dowry and identity.
The gate itself dates in its present form from the time of Süleyman the Magnificent (who oversaw the gate's construction between 1537 and 1542), although there had been a gate here long before the arrival of the Turks. This was the main entrance to the city as early as the time of Agrippas, who…
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Bat Galim Beach
Ports tend to make a mess of the coast so it's not too surprising that Haifa's beaches are infamously toxic and strewn with garbage. Case in point is Bat Galim Beach , considered one of the best surf breaks in the country and host to international competitions - surfers constantly lament its piles of rusting metal, bricks, concrete, disused furniture and other refuse.
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German Colony
At least once during your stay in Haifa, walk up Ben-Gurion Ave from Jaffa Rd and enjoy the splendour that is the German Colony backed by the cascading lights of the Baha'i Gardens. The colony (really just this street), was renovated in the 1990s into the city's premier address for shopping and dining, with many of its buildings restored and given plaques that describe the history of the area. Haifa's tourist information centre is also located here.
Part of the renovation required that the entire street be moved 168cm, so that its centre divide would line up with the staircase of Baha'i Gardens.
The colony was established in 1869 by the Templers (not to be confused with…
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Hof HaCarmel Beach
Ports tend to make a mess of the coast so it's not too surprising that Haifa's beaches are infamously toxic and strewn with garbage. If you really fancy some sun-worshipping in Haifa, you should head for the much more attractive Hof HaCarmel Beach, in the south of the city. The beach has an inviting promenade with a number of restaurants and cafés, some of them upscale places serving steak and seafood. Folk dancing is held here on Saturdays (11:00 February to June and 19:00 July to January).
Trains from Haifa Merkaz come here every 20 minutes for around ₪5.
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Kidron Valley
Historically the oldest section of Jerusalem, the Kidron Valley has archaeological remnants that date back more than 4000 years. This is the site of the legendary 'City of David', which was actually a city long before David slung any stones. There are also a number of graves and tombs in the area, particularly in the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
Steep topography has isolated the valley from the rest of the city (the best access is via the Dung Gate or the Lion's Gate in the Old City), but it's definitely worth trekking down here for a morning of exploration.
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Souq al-Qattanin
The recently renovated Souq al-Qattanin was originally a Crusader market improved by the Mamluks in the mid-14th century. Almost 100m long, it has 50 shops on the ground floor with residential quarters above. About halfway down is a gate that leads to the 'Al-Quds University Jerusalem Studies Centre'. If it's open, climb up to the roof for a spectacular view of the Temple Mount.
The market also included two hammams (public baths), which have been closed for years but are one of many city projects planned for renovation.
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Nazareth Village
If you're having trouble imagining Jesus doing anything miraculous amid the bustle of modern Nazareth, then step back 2000 years at Nazareth Village. Everyday life and commerce in a traditional Galilean village has been duly reconstructed with actors in period clothing leading tours of the working farm. Leave any nightmares of tacky olde worlde historical theme parks at the door - it's well done and worth a stop. It's a 15-minute walk due west from the basilica, just beyond Al-Wadi al-Jawani St.
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Mosque of the Ascension
Sometimes confusingly referred to as the Church of the Ascension, the Mosque of the Ascension is a Muslim-administered building in an odd little octagonal Crusader reconstruction of an earlier Byzantine structure. Saladin authorised two of his followers to acquire the site in 1198 and it has remained in Muslim possession since. Hours are irregular but someone is usually around most mornings to open it up.
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HaShaqet Beach
Ports tend to make a mess of the coast so it's not too surprising that Haifa's beaches are infamously toxic and strewn with garbage. You might want to try the religious HaShaqet Beach , located on the east side of Rambam Medical Centre, which is open to men Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and open to women Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Saturday is mixed.
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City of David
The oldest part of Jerusalem, the City of David was the Canaanite settlement captured by King David some 3000 years ago. The excavations are the result of work, still ongoing, started in 1850. There is much to see here, and quite a bit of walking is involved, so set aside a good part of your morning.
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Haram ash-Sharif/Temple Mount
A walk up to the Haram ash-Sharif/Temple Mount is a time-honoured privilege sanctified by the thousands of pilgrims who have trod before you. An open plaza of cypress trees and ancient paving stones, the architecture that exists today dates back to the first Muslim conquest, around 1400 years ago, including the unmistakable Dome of the Rock. But the history of the Mount goes back much further, with the first Jewish Temple having been placed here a thousand years before Christ.
There are few patches of ground as holy, or as disputed, as this one, and as such it's one of the required stops on a visit to the Old City.
The Temple Mount, known to Muslims as the Haram…
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Mamluk Buildings
Overshadowed by the splendours of the Haram ash-Sharif/Temple Mount, and clustered outside its northern and western walls, stand excellent examples from the golden age of Islamic architecture: Palace of the Lady Tunshuq (1388), Tomb of the Lady Tunshuq (1398), Ribat Bayram Jawish (1540), Tariq Bab al-Hadad St (1358 to 1440), Souq al-Qattanin, Sabil Suleyman and the Tomb of Turkan Khatun (1352).
This area was developed during the era of the Mamluks (1250-1517), a military dynasty of former slaves ruling out of Egypt. They drove the Crusaders out of Palestine and Syria and followed this up with an equally impressive campaign of construction, consolidating Islam's presence…
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Western Wall
The builders of the Western Wall could never have fathomed that one day their modest creation would become the most important religious shrine for the Jewish people. Indeed, when it was built some 2000 years ago it was merely a retaining wall supporting the outer portion of the Temple Mount, upon which stood the Second Temple. (The Second Temple was constructed around 520 BC.)
But following the destruction of the temple in AD 70, Jews were sent into exile and the precise location of the temple was lost. Upon their return they purposely avoided the Temple Mount, fearing that they might step on the Holy of Holies, the ancient inner sanctum of the temple barred to all except…
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Church of the Nativity
Even without conjuring anything resembling the manger scene, the Church of the Nativity is an imposing marker for the birthplace of Jesus. Also called the Basilica of the Nativity, it's the oldest continuously operating church. It was commissioned in 326 by Constantine, with his mother Helena Augusta as head contractor and the bishop of Jerusalem in charge, forever ending the use of the site for the pagan worship of Adonis.
Renovations throughout the centuries included a new floor, beneath which lies the 4th-century mosaic floor discovered in 1934. After bowing through the Ottoman-era Door of Humility (most likely built so short to prevent soldiers on horses from…
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Mea She'arim
A throwback to older times, Mea She'arim was developed by ultraorthodox Eastern European immigrants who modelled their Jerusalem home like the ones they remembered back in Poland, Germany and Hungary. Despite their transition to the Holy Land, residents have maintained the customs, habits and dress of 18th-century Eastern Europe.
This includes conservative dress, black fedoras for men and floor-scraping dresses for women. Even in the height of the Middle Eastern summer it's still customary to wear thick padded coats and fur hats. You might even have the sense that you've stumbled upon an Eastern European shtetl (ghetto) of the 1880s.
In a few of the most traditional…
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Hezekiah's Tunnel
The highlight of a visit to the City of David complex is Hezekiah's Tunnel, a 500m-long underground passage of waist-deep water that ends at the Pool of Siloam, where it is said that a blind man was healed after Jesus told him to wash in it. The purpose of the tunnel was to channel water flowing from the Gihon Spring, a temperamental source of water that acts like a siphon, pouring out a large quantity of water for some 30 minutes before drying up for several hours.
Gihon, appropriately, means 'gushing' and the spring is the main reason why the Jebusites settled in the valley rather than taking to the adjacent high ground. There is believed to be enough water to support a…
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Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery
The Carmelites are a Catholic order that originated in the late 12th century when a band of Crusaders, inspired by the prophet Elijah, opted for a hermetic life on the western slopes of Mt Carmel (hence the name). The desired solitude was rarely granted as, over the centuries, the Carmelites suffered Muslim persecution, frequently having to abandon their monasteries.
Occasionally, the Carmelites did have a hand in their own misfortune, as in 1799 when they extended their hospitality to Napoleon during his campaign against the Turks. The French lost their battle for the region and the Carmelites lost their monastery.
The present monastery and church, built over what the…
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Valley of Jehoshaphat
The word Jehoshaphat in Hebrew means 'God shall judge', and this narrow furrow of land, located between the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives, is where it is said that the events of the Day of Judgement are to take place.
According to belief, all of humanity will be assembled together on the Mount of Olives, with the Judgement Seat on the Haram opposite. Two bridges will appear, spanning the valley, one made of iron and the other made of paper. According to God's judgement each person will be directed to cross one or the other. But there's no suspense, the Bible gives the ending away: the iron bridge will collapse and those sent across it die, while the paper bridge…
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Christian Quarter
Jerusalem's Christian Quarter is an attractive blend of clean streets, souvenir stalls, hospices and religious institutions belonging to 20 different Christian sects. At its centre stands the Holy Sepulchre, and everyone, tourists and pilgrims alike, tends to be drawn towards it.
As you enter from Jaffa Gate, the first two streets to the left - Latin Patriarchate Rd and Greek Catholic Patriarchate Rd - indicate the tone of the neighbourhood, named as they are after the offices there. The roads lead to St Francis St and in this quiet area around New Gate the local Christian hierarchy resides in comfort.
Heading straight across Omar ibn al-Khattab Sq you'll find a narrow…
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Basilica of the Annunciation
Dominating the Nazareth skyline is the Roman Catholic Basilica of the Annunciation, the largest church in the Middle East and one of the Christian world's most holy shrines. The church is believed to stand on the site of Mary's home where the Angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced that she was pregnant with the Son of God (Luke 1:26-38).
Commissioned by the Franciscan church and consecrated in 1969, architect Giovanni Muzio was told to create something 'modern, multinational and mysterious'. With its imposing dome, the church (the fifth to have stood on this spot) certainly has a modern feel. The rather weird mix of artwork, mother-and-child themed gifts donated by…
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Mount of Olives
Offering visitors a big slice of biblical history, along with some of the most spectacular views over Jerusalem, is the Mount of Olives. According to the Book of Zechariah, this is where God will start to redeem the dead when the Messiah returns on the Day of Judgement. In order to get a good place in line, Jews have always preferred to be buried here and to date some 150,000 people have been laid to rest on these slopes.
Aside from being the world's oldest continually used cemetery, there are many churches commemorating the events that are believed to have led to Jesus' arrest and his ascension to heaven.
Most of the Mount's churches and gardens are open in the morning,…
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Nahum Goldman Museum of the Jewish Diaspora
The Nahum Goldman Museum of the Jewish Diaspora doesn't actually display any artefacts from the past. Rather, this is a good collection of models, dioramas, films and presentations chronicling the diversity of Jewish life and culture in exile. The main role of the museum, Beth Hatefutsoth in Hebrew, is to relate the unique story of the continuity of the Jewish people through exhibition, education and cultural endeavours.
Special attractions in the museum include the Feher Jewish Music Centre, the Douglas E Goldman Jewish Genealogy Centre (where visitors can register their family tree to be preserved for future generations) and a Visual Documentation Centre, which is the…
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