4 Days in Israel: How to make the best on your own?

Will you have days for touring during your six days in Tel-Aviv ? Four days severely limits you opportunities. I suggest spending all four days in Jerusalem, including a day trip to the Dead Sea ( http://abrahamtours.com/ ) and a half-day in Bethlehem.

If you have full days available for touring when in Tel-Aviv, you can take a train to Akko on your own or an organised day tour to the Galilee ( http://www.eggedtours.com/ ).

Thanks for the information, mbgg! Unfortunately, I will only have evenings free during my stay in Tel Aviv (which I am hoping will be sufficient to explore the bare essentials of the city)

Could I ask why all four days in Jerusalem and/or excluding Nazareth? Just wondering since the general perception is that two days are enough to explore Jerusalem. Any specific tips to spend four complete days in Jerusalem?

Three days is the absolute minimum for Jerusalem - which includes ½ a day for Bethlehem. There really isn't much to see in Nazareth - certainly no more than ½ a day. If Christian holy sites are important to you, I would put the area around the Sea of Galilee ahead of Nazareth. However, only you can decide on your set of priorities. And you must prioritize with so little time at your disposal.

Could you expand on it, what will take much time in Jerusalem? Apologies, I am not asking to build an itinerary for me, but just so I have some idea of where to spend time.

I am not at all interested in religious aspect of tourism, but I am keen on culture/history - and it seems they are all intimately entwined in nearly all the main attractions, so that's why I am looking for how to make the best of my 4 days?

The Dead Sea tour takes a full day (Massada, Ein Gedi Nature Reserve and a dip in the Sea). Bethlehem takes a half-day (it is a suburb of Jerusalem). That leaves you 2.5 days to see all the sites in both the Old City and New City, which will barely allow you to scratch the surface. There are numerous historical, religious and archaeological sites in the Old City, in all four quarters - the Temple Mount, numerous churches, synagogues, museums, David's Citadel, the Rampart Walks, the Western Wall Tunnel tour, the City of David tour, the Davidson archaeological park, etc, etc, etc. In the New City: the Israel Museum, Yad Vashem Museum, etc, etc. etc.

Look at any Jerusalem tourism web site.

If you are not interested in the Dead Sea, you can take instead a day tour to the Galilee.

I assume that you will be in Tel-Aviv over a weekend. Won't you have free days ?

Day 1: Old City (there is enough there to keep you busy for at least a week - you have to prioritize).
Day 2: New City - Holocaust Museum, Israel Museum, Christian sites in Ein Karem, Machane Yehuda market. Here too you have to prioritize as these sites will keep you busy for at least 2 days.
Day 3: Bethlehem - ½ day. The remaining time - to try and see what you realize you missed in Jerusalem. :)

Which date in early June? If your Wednesday is June 4, that day is the Jewish religious holiday of Shavuot, and as far as closures and no public transport is concerned, this is like Shabbat. There will be no public transport from about 5 p.m. on June 3 until about 8 p.m. on June 4. Taxis will be available. Of the places mentioned above, these will be closed on the afternoon of June 3 and all day on June 4 (and also on every Friday afternoon and Saturday): Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, Mahaneh Yehuda market*, City of David tour, Western Wall Tunnels tour, Davidson archeological park.
*the market is open till about 5 p.m. on June 3 and on Fridays.
Everything will be open and functioning normally in Christian sites, and in Bethlehem. The sherut (shared taxi) runs from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem 24/7.

Thanks guys, your information is invaluable!

I am hoping to depart from Tel Aviv on Wednesday 11 or Thursday 12 and return on 15th. While in Tel Aviv, I will only have free evenings, so they will be for city exploration. With your information, it is getting quite clear that staying in/around Jerusalem will consume all my free time.

Could I ask, regarding all the above information, is it doable on public transport, booking in advance, or get a travel agency as recommended by mbgg?