Must-see attractions in Israel

  • Shrine of the Bab and lower terraces at the Bahai World Center in Haifa, Israel.

    Baha’i Gardens

    Haifa

    These formal gardens flowing down 19 steep terraces to a resplendent domed shrine – the final resting place of the prophet-herald of the Baha’i faith –…

  • Beautiful sunrise over Masada fortress. Ruins of King Herod's palace in Judaean Desert.; Shutterstock ID 360569009; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Israel Update 2017

    Masada National Park

    Dead Sea

    The plateau atop Masada, which measures about 550m by 270m, is some 60m above sea level – that is, about 490m above the surface of the Dead Sea. The…

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Exterior of the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.

    Basilica of the Annunciation

    Nazareth

    Dominating the Old City’s skyline is the lantern-topped cupola of this Franciscan-run Roman Catholic basilica, an audacious modernist structure that’s…

  • Ruins of amphitheater in the ancient Roman city. Bet She'an National Park, Israel
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    Beit She’an National Park

    Lower Galilee

    Beit She’an’s extraordinary Roman ruins are the best place in Israel to get a sense of what it was like to live, work and shop in the Roman Empire…

  • Magnificent monastery surrounded by columns and slender tall palms and cypresses. The Church of the Beatitudes is a Catholic church of the Italian Franciscan convent on the Mount of Beatitudes. ; Shutterstock ID 2170188309; purchase_order: 65050; job: ; client: ; other:
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    Mount of the Beatitudes

    Sea of Galilee

    Since at least the 4th century, this landscaped hillside is believed to be where Jesus delivered his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), whose opening…

  • Ein Gedi spring in the Dead Sea area, Israel.; Shutterstock ID 110742899; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Dead Sea Online Update

    Ein Gedi Nature Reserve

    Ein Gedi

    This reserve consists of two roughly parallel canyons, Wadi David and Wadi Arugot, each of which has its own entrance complex and ticket office. It is…

  • Masada, Israel - November 4th 2016: Exterio of  Ruins of the grand residence or the commandant's residence of Masada of Israel. The picture was taken at free spot.

    Masada Museum

    Dead Sea

    An outstanding and remarkably vivid introduction to Masada’s archaeology and history, this museum combines 500 evocative artefacts unearthed by…

  • Antelope under a tree in Yotvata Hai-Bar.
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    Hai-Bar Yotvata Nature Reserve

    The Negev

    Established in 1968 to reintroduce animals that had died out in Israel, this 32-sq-km reserve on the Yotvata salt flats is home to a wide variety of…

  • GINOSAR, ISRAEL, SEPTEMBER 15, 2018: An ancient wooden boat found in Ginosar, Israel; Shutterstock ID 1323755573; purchase_order: 65050; job: ; client: ; other:
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    Ancient Galilee Boat

    Sea of Galilee

    In 1986, when the level of the Sea of Galilee was particularly low, a local fisherman made an extraordinary discovery: the remains of a wooden boat later…

  • A Nubian ibex on the edge of Makhtesh Ramon Crater in Negev desert, Israel

    Makhtesh Ramon Nature Reserve

    Mitzpe Ramon

    Sometimes described as Israel’s very own grand canyon, Makhtesh Ramon is the largest protected area in Israel and is home to a huge number of hiking,…

  • View from Underwater Observatory Park to Eilat Coral Beach Nature Reserve in Israel.; Shutterstock ID 1296502384; purchase_order: 65050; job: ; client: ; other:
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    Coral Beach Nature Reserve

    Eilat

    The crystal-clear waters of this 1km-long reserve are the best place on the Israeli Red Sea coast for snorkelling. Access to the reef wall is by two…

  • Upper Galilee Museum of Prehistory

    Upper Galilee & Golan

    Israel is home to some of the world's most important prehistoric sites, several of them in the Hula Valley. This gem of a museum, which draws…

  • Cranes in Agamon Hula bird refuge, Hula Valley, Israel.

    Agamon HaHula

    Upper Galilee & Golan

    These restored wetlands are one of the best places in Israel to see cranes, pelicans, storks and an incredible 400 other bird species. To cover the 8.5km…

  • The Cave of the Coffins facade, Bet She'arim National Park, Israel.

    Beit She’arim National Park

    North Coast

    Nestled between Mt Carmel and Lower Galilee, spellbinding Beit She’arim is pitted with ancient catacombs, many of which you can enter. In the 2nd century…

  • Ruins of ancient buildings in the Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park.

    Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park

    Israel

    Covering 5 sq km of the Judean Hills, Beit Guvrin-Maresha’s rocky valleys and low hills are home to mountain gazelles, hyenas and songbirds – but most…

  • En Avdat National Park, Desert Negev, Israel.

    En Avdat National Park

    The Negev

    En (Ein) Avdat comes as a huge surprise in this otherwise bone-dry desert: a year-round, freshwater spring that miraculously flows over a waterfall and…

  • A sea cave at Rosh Hanikra, Israel.

    Rosh HaNikra Grottoes

    North Coast

    Bone-white limestone cliffs seem to burst from the deep blue sea at this geological beauty spot straddling the Israel–Lebanon border. A cable car descends…

  • The Zavitan hexagonal pillars pool in Yehudiya Forest Nature Reserve.

    Yehudiya Nature Reserve

    Golan Heights

    Both casual strollers and experienced hikers – especially those who aren’t averse to getting wet – will find plenty to engage and challenge them in…

  • Waterfall in Banias Nature Reserve

    Banias Nature Reserve

    Golan Heights

    The gushing springs, waterfalls and lushly shaded streams of Banias Nature Reserve form one of the most beautiful – and popular – nature spots in the…

  • An ancient Roman era main street in Tzipori National Park.

    Tzipori National Park

    Lower Galilee

    In ancient times, Tzipori was a prosperous and well-endowed city with stone-paved roadways (you can still see the ruts left by Roman wagons), a…

  • Ruins of the Nimrod Fortress, a medieval fortress situated in the northern Golan Heights, Israel.

    Nimrod Fortress

    Golan Heights

    Built by Muslims in the 13th century to protect the road from Tyre to Damascus, Nimrod Fortress rises fairy-tale-like on a long, narrow ridge (altitude…

  • View of wetland and the Galilee mountains in the Hula Nature Reserve, northern Israel.

    Hula Nature Reserve

    Upper Galilee & Golan

    Migrating birds flock to the wetlands of Israel’s first nature reserve, founded in 1964. More than 200 species of waterfowl mingle happily with cormorants…

  • The Hecht Museum, located on the grounds of the University of Haifa.

    Hecht Museum

    Haifa

    This university campus museum showcases engrossing archaeological finds such as well-restored mosaics and troves of ancient coins, but the pièce de…

  • The Yosef Caro Synagogue, with visitors, in the Jewish quarter, Safed (Tzfat), Israel.

    Caro Synagogue

    Upper Galilee & Golan

    Decorated with Middle Eastern arches, hanging lamps and bookshelves heavy with holy texts, this synagogue – like the street it’s on – is named in…

  • The Ashkenazi Ari Synagogue, in the Jewish quarter, in Safed (Tzfat), Israel.

    Ashkenazi Ari Synagogue

    Upper Galilee & Golan

    Founded in the 16th century by Sephardic Jews from Greece, this venerable synagogue looks much as it did 150 years ago. It stands on the site where,…

  • Tel Aviv Museum of Art in Israel

    Tel Aviv Museum of Art

    Tel Aviv

    The modern ‘envelope’ building by American architect Preston Scott Cohen is one of many reasons to visit this impressive gallery located on the eastern…

  • TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - May 6 2016: Lake, bench, girls with dog, and relax in Yarkon Park; Shutterstock ID 698891233; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Tel Aviv Online Update

    Park HaYarkon

    Tel Aviv

    Park HaYarkon is Tel Aviv's answer to Central Park. Joggers, cyclists, skaters, footballers and frisbee-throwers should head for this 3.5-sq-km stretch of…

  • International centre Mary of Nazareth located in the old city in Nazareth, Israel.

    Centre International Marie de Nazareth

    Nazareth

    Almost across the street from the Basilica of the Annunciation, this stunning complex is run by Chemin Neuf, a Roman Catholic community based in France,…

  • Сomplex of underground halls, which was built and used by the Knights Hospitaller, Acre, Israel.

    Knights' Halls

    Akko

    Akko's crowning attractions are the stone-vaulted Knights' Halls. Wandering these echoing chambers gives captivating insights into the medieval knights…

  • Rose garden and palms, Park Ramat Hanadiv, Israel.

    Ramat HaNadiv Gardens

    North Coast

    Walking trails weave among palm groves, rose beds and succulents at these expansive botanic gardens, 4km southwest of central Zichron Ya’akov. The gardens…

  • Dead sea salt shore. Ein Bokek, Israel; Shutterstock ID 269867162; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Dead Sea Online Update

    Ein Bokek Beach

    Ein Bokek

    Running the length of Ein Bokek's hotel zone, this broad, clean beach – refurbished as a free, fully public amenity – is gloriously sandy. Arguably, the…

  • Beit Alpha Synagogue

    Lower Galilee

    No one was more surprised than the members of Kibbutz Heftzibah when they went out to dig an irrigation channel in 1928 and uncovered a stunning,…

  • Tishbi Winery

    North Coast

    Gastronomes won’t want to miss swirling a wine glass or three at this atmospheric vineyard, 4km south of central Zichron Ya’akov. Tishbi was established…

  • Ancient Bathhouse

    Nazareth

    When Elias Shama and his Belgian-born wife Martina set about renovating their shop in 1993, they uncovered a network of 2000-year-old clay pipes almost…

  • Memorial Museum of Hungarian Speaking Jewry

    Upper Galilee & Golan

    Evocative artefacts (including a synagogue ark from Tokaj), photographs and documents do a masterful job of recalling the lost world of pre-WWII Hungarian…

  • Golan Archaeological Museum

    Golan Heights

    A real gem of a museum. Highlights include extraordinary basalt lintels and Aramaic inscriptions from 32 Byzantine-era Golan synagogues; coins minted…

  • Visit to Megiddo National Park, Israel; Shutterstock ID 567815371; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Israel Update 2017

    Megiddo National Park

    North Coast

    St John predicted the last great battle on earth would take place at this sun-scorched hill, better known as Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). Aside from…

  • HAIFA, ISRAEL - JULY 17, 2008:  View on Stella Maris church of Carmelite monastery interior with dome painted by icons on July 17, 2008 in Haifa..; Shutterstock ID 741333706

    Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery

    Haifa

    The Carmelite Order was established in the late 12th century when Crusader-era pilgrims, inspired by the prophet Elijah, opted for a hermitic life on the…

  • HAIFA, ISRAEL - DECEMBER 4,2013: INS Mivtach, retired ship on permanent display at Clandestine Immigration and Naval Museum at the bottom of Mount Carmel.; Shutterstock ID 612169475

    Clandestine Immigration & Naval Museum

    Haifa

    Using a series of powerful video testimonials, this fascinating museum showcases the Zionist Movement’s determined efforts to infiltrate Jewish refugees…

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