Israel & the Palestinian Territories

Few places on earth stir up passion the way that Israel does: the breathtaking beauty of its hills and valleys, the eerie stillness of the Dead Sea, the multi-coloured canyon of Makhtesh Ramon, and the ancient walls and pathways of Nazareth and Jerusalem. The call of the muezzin and the quiet prayers of Orthodox Jews at the Western Wall reflect how the religious devotion of the Muslims, Christians and Jews who live here runs through every facet of life. As, of course, does the political – and visitors will rarely leave without encountering the country’s complex politics. But there are also plenty of ways to relax: the bars and beaches of Tel Aviv and Haifa, the wineries of the Galilee and tables loaded with mezze. For the curious visitor, Israel never fails to challenge and confound, excite and surprise, leaving an imprint that lingers long after the return flight home.

Israel

Destroyed and rebuilt over thousands of years, Jerusalem's spiritual magnetism endures. With interlacing histories, clashing cultures and constant reinvention, the city is an intense, multisensory experience. The Old City Jerusalem's Old City is a spiritual lightning rod, sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians. Wide-eyed with awe, pilgrims flood into the walled city to worship at locations linked to the very foundation of their faith. Church bells, Islamic calls to prayer and the shofar (Jewish ram's horn) electrify the air with a beguiling, if not harmonious, melody, and fragrances of incense, coffee and candle smoke drift through the thrumming souqs (markets). Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Armenian quarters each add their own spice, but this diversity grew from millennia of bloody sieges and transfers of power, leaving still visible deep wounds. Diversity & Divisions Thousands of years of political, territorial, ethnic and religious conflict have scarred Jerusalem. One result of this historic, and ongoing, turbulence is Jerusalem's demographic smorgasbord of immigrants from around the world. Dozens of nationalities are represented, each adding their own spirituality, culture and cuisine to Jerusalem's rich mix, while secular and religious battle lines continue to be drawn and redrawn. The uncertain status of East Jerusalem creates the most painful divisions. Though clashes (sometimes violent) continue, many Palestinians still hope for a future in which East Jerusalem is the capital of a Palestinian state. Contemporary City Even as Jerusalem hurtles towards the future, the past informs its present. Downtown's modern buildings are encased in rosy Jerusalem stone, the same colour palette as the Old City. Experimental performing arts centres are housed in 19th-century buildings. Ever-growing ultra-Orthodox neighbourhoods can be found moments away from million-dollar condominiums, while old-school fruit and vegetable sellers sit next to craft beer and coffee stalls in Mahane Yehuda Market. Meanwhile in East Jerusalem, the future is debated in bookshops, cafes and confronting art galleries. Subterranean Sights Layers of history continue to be unearthed in Jerusalem, a city where ancient worlds are tantalisingly close. Guides lead groups beneath the Western Wall, and candlelit church crypts hold treasured shrines. At the City of David, visitors are ushered through watery passageways and past active dig sites. Hardly a month goes by without a significant discovery being made in and around the Old City. Unsurprisingly, the city's archaeological sites are highly contentious, in particular the bitterly controversial expansion of the City of David site into Palestinian communities. In Jerusalem, history isn't a closed chapter.

Jerusalem

Tel Aviv (meaning 'Hill of Spring' in Hebrew) has an air of perpetual renewal: flowers bloom, new restaurants open and there's always a party somewhere. Glimmering Beaches When it comes to the world's best beach destinations, Tel Aviv remains largely unsung – but its strip of shimmering seashore, stretching 14km along the Mediterranean coast, is this city's crowning glory. From the celeb-laden sands of Metzitzim Beach in the north, down to the no-frills chill of Alma Beach bordering Jaffa in the south, a diverse set of Tel Avivian sun-chasers congregate daily for luminous sunsets that teeter close to holy. And for this primarily secular subset of the country's residents, witnessing such a sight may just be the closest thing known to worship. Nonstop Nightlife Hedonism is the main religion in this hip, bustling Mediterranean 'Manhattan' – there's no shortage of options for finding a party fit to your tastes. Usher in the night at a beachfront watering hole, sip wine with sophisticated city slickers at swanky lounges, or chill with a hand-crafted creation at a themed cocktail bar – and that's all before dinner. This city runs on little sleep, with an after-dark culture centred on jovial rooftop rounds, live music at neighbourhood dives and international DJs spinning bumping beats at underground clubs. A few days here is fun, but a week can be a revelation. Creative Culture Modern, vibrant and cosmopolitan, Tel Aviv is characterised by an enterprising creative landscape. From the world-class Tel Aviv Museum of Art, which houses works by international greats, to the secluded street art alleys and avant-garde galleries scattered around bohemian Florentin, inspiration comes in myriad mediums. And it doesn't end with the visual arts – there's plenty of performance, too. Enjoy the rich theatre scene, live music ranging from beachside buskers to big name international acts, and plenty of classical music, opera and ballet for high culture cats. Architectural Heritage Tel Aviv's 'White City' – the central area of town that saw rapid development by German-Jewish architects who fled Nazi persecution in the 1930s – is home to more buildings in the Bauhaus architecture style than any city in the world. Preservation of more than 1000 of the original 4000 structures earned the area an Unesco World Heritage Site designation in 2003. Despite many of the beloved buildings falling into a state of disrepair throughout the years, their style has become emblematic of Tel Aviv and efforts to restore them to their former glory carry on today.

Tel Aviv

The rolling, green hills of the Upper Galilee (the area north of Rte 85) and the wild plateaus and peaks of the Golan Heights offer an incredible variety of activities to challenge the body and the soul and to nourish the stomach and the mind. Domestic tourists flock to the area – some are looking for luxurious tzimmerim (B&Bs), boutique wineries and gourmet country restaurants, while others come in search of superb hiking, cycling, white-water rafting, horse riding and even skiing. The region has even more attractions: dazzling carpets of spring wildflowers, some of the world’s best birdwatching and the spiritual charms of Tsfat, the most important centre of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism) for more than five centuries. The entire region, its summits mercifully temperate in summer, is just a short drive from the Christian sites and refreshing beaches of the Sea of Galilee.

Upper Galilee & Golan

On Israel’s north coast, ancient history peeps out between the palm trees. Sandy beaches run parallel to the cobalt-blue Mediterranean, luring surfers and sunbathers to their breezy shores. But beach life is a blink of the eye in this historic area: in Caesarea, the well-conserved ruins of Herod’s ambitious port stand proud against the sea, while life continues in the labyrinthine, centuries-old alleys in walled Akko. The largest city is Haifa, a spirited port with a mixed Jewish and Arab population – and home to the region’s star sight, the Baha’i Gardens. Sprawling across Mt Carmel, Haifa simmers with art, culture and fast-paced nightlife. Venture inland to the catacombs of Beit She’arim or biblical end-times location Megiddo. For art and wine, Ein Hod and Zichron Ya’akov deserve exploration. Spare time to ponder all you’ve seen within the luminous sea grottoes of Rosh HaNikra or by a golden beach in Akhziv.

North Coast

Blessed with rugged hills cloaked in wildflowers in spring, archaeological sites from the early centuries of Christianity and ancient stone synagogues, the Lower Galilee – the part of northern Israel south of Rte 85 (linking Akko with the Sea of Galilee) – is hugely popular with hikers, cyclists, Israeli families (both Jewish and Arab) on holiday, Tel Aviv epicureans and, of course, Christian pilgrims. Green, lush and chilly in winter (the perfect time for a hot-spring dip) and parched in summer (when you can beat the heat in the Sea of Galilee), this is where it's believed Jesus of Nazareth lived, preached and performed some of his most famous miracles. But these days even Nazareth is much more than a place of Christian pilgrimage – it now boasts one of Israel’s most sophisticated dining scenes. The shimmering Sea of Galilee (in Hebrew, the Kinneret), too, juxtaposes holiday pleasures with archaeological sites linked to Jesus’s ministry.

Lower Galilee

Split between the West Bank, with its sun-baked hills, chaotic cities and ancient biblical sites, and Gaza, a war-ravaged strip of coastal land sealed on three sides by Israel and Egypt, the Palestinian Territories has long been an unorthodox stop on a Middle East itinerary. But while the West Bank often hits the headlines for the wrong reasons, it is a truly welcoming place. Bethlehem, as the birthplace of Christ, has always been a draw for religious pilgrims, but is nowadays home to a lively arts scene and excellent restaurants. Visitors can get lost in the addictive bustle of Nablus and Ramallah, or among the myriad historical sites of Jericho, before dropping in at one of the West Bank’s two hillside breweries. Gaza, for the time being, remains totally off limits to tourists.

Palestinian Territories

You hear the word 'welcome' a lot in the West Bank. Whether it is shouted by a vendor in a bustling souq, said with a smile over a plate of falafel or roared over Arabic music blasting from a taxi, Palestinians always want to make tourists feel appreciated. Given its association with political strife and violence, this can come as a surprise to first-time visitors. But while the West Bank is a political tinderbox, it is something else too: an addictive tapestry of bustling souqs and chaotic streets, of rolling hills and chalky desertscapes, of thick, black coffee served in porcelain cups and of cities so steeped in history that it is humbling. It is that magic, at times elusive and at others effervescent, that allows the West Bank to cast its spell on travellers – to inspire, challenge, entice and defy – now, as it has done for millennia.

West Bank

The Negev is the only part of Israel that feels vast and boundless. Stretching from the Red Sea north for 250km, the region's rocky, treeless hills and dry gullies have been attracting travellers, traders and nomads since the time of Abraham (Genesis 12:9 and 20:1). These days, sun-seekers, scuba divers, birdwatchers and hikers flock to the resort city of Eilat, where the sun shines 360 days a year. North of there, the kibbutzim of the Arava – part of the Great Rift Valley – attract environmentalists and visitors interested in sustainable desert development. Other tourists follow in the footsteps of the Nabataeans, who established impressive cities not only at Petra (which can easily be visited from Eilat) but also at Avdat, Shivta and Mamshit, now Unesco World Heritage sites. Perched on the rim of Israel's multi-hued 'grand canyon', hip Mitzpe Ramon is a magnet for creative minds, quirky entrepreneurs and serenity seekers.

The Negev

Foreign tourists, embassy workers and some Jewish Israelis mill among East Jerusalem's largely Palestinian Muslim neighbourhoods. Several well-trodden religious and archaeological sites are here, though some visit purely to experience the rhythms of daily life: busy bakeries, market stalls and the hypnotic sound of the muezzin's call to prayer, louder here than elsewhere in the city. The porous border is a far cry from the divided decades that followed the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Nonetheless, the tensions that ebb and flow are palpable, and a sense of disconnection from the rest of Jerusalem hangs in the shadows.

East Jerusalem

The lowest place on earth, the Dead Sea (431m below sea level) brings together breathtaking natural beauty, compelling ancient history and modern mineral spas that soothe and pamper every fibre of your body. The jagged bluffs of the Judean Desert, cleft by dry canyons that turn into raging tan-coloured torrents after a cloudburst, rise from the cobalt blue waters of the Dead Sea, heavy with salt and oily with minerals. In oases such as Ein Gedi, year-round springs nourish vegetation so lush it’s often been compared to the Garden of Eden. Atop the bluffs lies the arid moonscape of the Judean Desert; in the valley, human beings have been hard at work for millennia, building Masada and Qumran (where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found) in ancient times and, more recently creating kibbutzim (Jewish communal settlements often opened as guesthouses), luxury hotels, hiking trails and bike paths.

Dead Sea

Offering commanding views of the Sea of Galilee and the Hula Valley, the volcanic Golan plateau is dry and tan in summer, and lush, green and carpeted with wildflowers in spring. Its fields of basalt boulders – and, on its western edge, deep canyons – are mixed with cattle ranches, orchards, vineyards and small, middle-class communities, both Israeli and Druze. Israel's control of the Golan Heights has been a source of tension between Israel and Syria since 1967, when the area was captured from Syria. In the bitterly fought 1973 Yom Kippur War, Syrian forces briefly overtook much of the Golan before being pushed back. All around the Golan, you’ll see evidence of these conflicts: abandoned Syrian bunkers along pre-1967 frontlines; old tanks left as memorials near the 1973 battlefields; and Israeli bunkers facing the disengagement 'buffer' zone between the two regions, staffed by the blue-helmeted soldiers of the UN Disengagement Observer Force. In 1981, Israel unilaterally annexed the area – a move which has not been recognised internationally or by the UN – and has developed settlements across it. Despite the ongoing political dispute, the Druze and Israeli communities exist in harmony here, and travellers shouldn't expect to experience any tension on the ground.