 Israel (מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל) Travel Guide
Beach at Tel Aviv, Israel
Author: EdoM (public domain)
Israel (מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל) is a small country in the Middle East. It is bordered by Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan and the West Bank to the east, and Egypt and the Gaza Strip to the southwest. It has a population of 7.5 million people, of which 5.7 million are Jews. The second largest ethnic group are Arab citizens of Israel, which are Muslims, Christians, Druze and Samaritans.
Guide to Israel Hotels
It's never easy finding the hotel that's just right for your stay. Still, by taking a little time to do your
research, you increase your chance of getting a good hotel at the best price. Go through the list of hotels in Israel which we've put together, arranged city by city, with full
description, star rating, address, location map and evaluation. Pick the hotel of your choice and view the
rates offered by different booking sites. Yes, we show you prices from different websites, so you don't have
to visit them one by one.
More about Israel
The capital of Israel is Jerusalem while its main financial center is Tel Aviv. The country practices parliamentary representative democracy.
Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
Author: Kriplozoik's brother (public domain)
Fast Facts about Israel
- Official Name: State of Israel
- Capital: Jerusalem (712,000)
- Population of Israel: 6,277,000
- Languages: Hebrew (official), Arabic, English
- Currency: New Israeli Shekel
- Religions: Jewish (75%), Islam (15%), others
- Size: 9,596,960 sq km (3,705,405 sq miles)
- Region: Asia
Ramat Gan Towers, Tel Aviv, Israel
Author: Itayba (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0)
Budget Travel to Israel
Nationals of most European and North American countries as well as Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore and Russia do not need a visa to enter Israel. Nationals of Germany born before 1 January, 1928 do need to apply for a visa prior to arriving.
Entering Israel may result in your being barred entry to a number of Arab and Islamic countries. If you wish to also visit an Arab state, ask the Israeli immigration office to stamp on a separate piece of paper rather than your passport. Countries that will give you trouble include Afghanistan, Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yeman.
By Plane
The main gateway to Israel is the Ben-Gurion International Airport (TLV) in Tel Aviv. It is the base for Israel's three main airlines, namely El Al, Arkia Israel Airlines and Israir. Budget travelers can fly Easyjet from London's Luton Airport or by Air Berlin from Berlin to Tel Aviv.
From the airport, you can take public bus 947 to downtown Jerusalem. The fare is 20 NIS. You can reach Tel Aviv from the airport by taking the train, for 14 NIS.
Useful Links
Tel Aviv Vacation Rentals: Browse thousands of rentals, complete with user-submitted reviews and photos, on TripAdvisor.
Sabbath
The Sabbath is observed fervently in Israel. Between Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, everything takes a rest. That means, no train or bus services, and very limited taxis.
Haifa Shrine of the Bab in Haifa, Israel
Author: Michael Paul Gollmer (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0)
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Principal Cities of Israel
- Jerusalem
Sacred city to Jews, Christians and Muslims, Jerusalem is also the largest city in Israel.
- Tel Aviv
The second largest city in Israel
- Haifa
Third largest city in Israel, and a major seaport on Israel's Mediterranean shore, also, the centre for the Baha'i faith.
- Beersheba
Also spelled Be'er Sheva, the sixth largest city in Israel and gateway to the Negev region.
- Akko
Ancient city with a long history and mix of cultures, a holy city of the Baha'i Faith and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Nazareth
Hometown of Jesus Christ. The modern city has the largest Arab population in Israel proper.
- Bethlehem
Birthplace of Jesus Christ.
- Eilat
Vibrant Israeli resort city on the Red Sea.
Tourist Destinations in Israel
- Caesarea National Park
Ruins of a Roman city
- Dead Sea
One of the saltiest seas in the world, located at one of the lowest spots on earth.
- Sea of Galilee
Largest freshwater lake in Israel, and home of Jesus Christ.
- Beth Guvrin
Series of caves in use since ancient times.
- Zippori
Archaeological site with the best preserved mosaics of a Roman settlement.
- Ein Avdat
Beautiful canyon and popular hiking destination.
- Megiddo
Modern city with ruins of ancient Canaanite and Israelite settlements.
- Mitzpe Ramon
Largest crater located in the middle of the Negev desert.
Regions of Israel
- Galilee
- Israeli North Coast
- Israeli Coastal Plain
- Negev
- Shephelah
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Israel
- Masada
- Old City of Acre
- White City of Tel-Aviv - the Modern Movement
- Biblical Tels - Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba
- Incense Route - Desert Cities in the Negev
- Bahá'i Holy Places in Haifa and the Western Galilee
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