Holidays in Israel

Among the countries in the Middle East, Israel is considered one of the most popular among tourists. Here you can combine a comfortable beach holiday with first-class medical procedures. Fans of excursions will also not be left out - there are a lot of historical monuments and religious shrines in Israel.

Sights of Israel

For the most part attractions of this country are objects of religious worship and are of great importance for believers. The capital of the country, Jerusalem, has a huge number of temples, some of them are considered the most ancient in the world.

• The most famous religious landmark in Israel is rightfully considered the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. It was built on the site of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now it houses several important relics for the Christian world. It is in this temple that the Holy Fire appears annually. Pilgrims from all over the world come to see this unique phenomenon.

• For Jews around the world, another religious shrine is of great importance - the Western Wall. This object is a piece of the wall of an ancient temple. People come here to pray and leave a note with a request between the ancient stones.

• The ancient city of Jaffa, which has now become part of modern Tel Aviv, can be called a unique open-air monument. In the cultural capital of Israel you can visit museums, galleries and other tourist attractions.

• In the old part of Jerusalem there is one of the oldest streets called Via Dolorosa. It is generally accepted that this is where Jesus Christ’s final journey to crucifixion took place. Most of the stations of the Way of the Cross are located on this street.

• The Jordan River, which separates Israel and Jordan, can be called a natural and religious attraction. Jesus was baptized in this river. Now it is a place of active pilgrimage for Christians.

• The oldest mosque is also located in Israel. It was built on the Temple Mount and is called al-Aqsa. The mosque building was built back in 636, but then was rebuilt several times.

Resorts of Israel

Israel welcomes tourists almost all year round. In spring and autumn you can relax here on the Red or Dead Sea, as well as in Eilat. In summer, the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Kinneret await you. Many tourists love to relax in Tel Aviv. Here any tourist will find a lot of entertainment with the opportunity to visit interesting places and exciting adventures. Tel Aviv will be interesting for everyone, without exception. Here you will find beautiful beaches, cozy hotels, interesting historical excursions, museums and art galleries.

Another popular Mediterranean resort– Netanya. It is located in the very center of Israel. From Tel Aviv to Netanya is just half an hour by bus. Here you will find a gentle sea with huge beaches, new, well-equipped hotels, picturesque corners of nature and inexpensive holidays. And Netanya is only a couple of tens of kilometers away from popular excursion places.

You can relax all year round in Eilat. This city is called the decoration of the Red Sea. Despite its enormous popularity among tourists, the city has managed to maintain the amazing cleanliness of the coastal area. Here you will get the opportunity not only to enjoy the beach rest, but also make profitable purchases. Eilat is a duty-free shopping center, which attracts bargain hunters from all over the world. In addition to historical sights, you can also see the wildlife here. There is an ornithological center and the only dolphinarium where you can swim with dolphins in the sea.

The body of water with the most salty water in the world is the Dead Sea, also located in Israel. This unique sea has long been a center of recreation and treatment. People come here from all over the world to get their portion of healthy salts and minerals. The Dead Sea has several hotel complexes and hospitals with their own beaches. But there are also public beaches where anyone can relax.

Israel Hotels

The peculiarity of hotels in this country is that international classification is not accepted here. So if you see a description of a hotel indicating the number of stars, keep in mind that this rating is a purely subjective opinion of the tour operator. It is based on the list of services provided by the hotel. In addition, there are few hotels in the country, most of them are small.

All hotels in Israel offer kosher meals to their guests. Therefore, breakfast here is always dairy, and meat dishes are offered for dinner. You will not be offered pork, seafood, black caviar and some types of fish.

It is customary to celebrate Shabbat in hotels. Therefore, on Saturdays, some hotel elevators stop automatically on each floor. On Saturdays there is late check-in and late check-out.

There are no closed private beaches in Israel, so everyone can use the beaches, regardless of whether a person lives in a given hotel or not. Moreover, everyone is required to pay for umbrellas and sunbeds, even if the hotel is on the first line and has direct access to the beach.

Features of Israel

Israel lives according to its own calendar, the months of which depend on the lunar cycle. According to this calendar, all enterprises in the country operate, holidays are celebrated and dates are entered in documents. To harmonize the lunar calendar with the regular year, a leap year is introduced, containing one additional month. It happens irregularly, but every two or three years.

Shabbat is observed in Israel. No businesses are open on Saturdays. Even public transport does not operate on this day. During Shabbat, entertainment and physical work are prohibited; Jews do not watch TV or even answer the phone.

People in Israel dress very modestly, regardless of income level. It is also customary to dress modestly when visiting religious places. Always cover your knees and shoulders if you are going to enter a temple or mosque.

How much will a holiday in Israel cost?

Russians do not need to obtain a visa to travel to Israel. The cheapest way to fly to Israel is from Moscow. For example, tickets to Tel Aviv will cost about 8,600 rubles round trip, and for a flight to Eilat you will pay 15,000 rubles.

A significant part of expenses in Israel is food. Here, to save money, we recommend that you eat local cuisine or look for places called Cofix. These are many establishments where all dishes cost 5 shekels. There are such coffee shops and bars in Tel Aviv and several other cities.

Renting housing in Israel starts from $50 in Tel Aviv and from $65 in Eilat. You can save a lot if you get together as a group and rent a house or apartment for the duration of your vacation. It will cost from $60 per day. According to the most conservative estimates, the weekly trip for two people to Israel will cost you from $1110. This amount includes flights, accommodation in an inexpensive hotel, three meals a day and travel by public transport around the city.