ISRAEL
Ten days in Israel.
A balance between history, traditions and modernity.
Israel was one of those long-awaited, dreamed trips.
We can say that Israel has been by far one of our most interesting trips, the one that when you get back home you feel different, as you have seen so much beauty, learnt new things and experienced different emotions. And incredibly good food.
Israel is on the rise as a tourist destination, with Tel Aviv attracting visitors as a modern “western” seaside city, with good food and eccentric nightlife, and Jerusalem acting as the main hub for a more cultural and religious tourism.
All these destinations are in fact worth a trip to Israel, however we strongly recommend a detour to Palestine to appreciate the complexity of a country that has been stressed by years of conflict between Israeli and Palestinians and that cannot seem to be able to find a solution for a peaceful dualism.
RECAP & ITINERARY
When? Mid-April. How long? 10 days. Temperature? Sunny and warm, around 23-25°C during the day and around 16°C at night. Sea? Warm for surfing, some decent swell. Budget? 800-1000€ per person all inclusive. Planning needed? Intense. Accommodation? Abraham Hostel and AirBnB. What to book in advance? Tours with Abraham Tours.
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Day 1 // Land at Ben Gurion airport // Shuttle to Jerusalem
Day 2 // Holy City Walking Tour
Day 3 // Explore the old city // Lunch at Market Mahane Yehuda // Visit Yad Vashem
Day 4 // Best of the West Bank tour
Day 5 // Masada Sunrise, Ein Gedi & Dead Sea tour
Day 6 // Explore the old city // Mount Olives // Evening bus to Tel Aviv
Day 7 // Surf lesson // Stroll through Tel Aviv // Evening in Jaffa’s Old City
Day 8 // Surf lesson // Lunch at Miznon // Explore Boulevards and Marina
Day 9 // Cesarea, Haifa, Acri day tour
Day 10 // Jaffa flea market // Lunch at Abu Hassan // Evening flight to London
5 DAYS IN JERUSALEM
5 DAYS IN TEL AVIV
TRAVEL TIPS
We flew EasyJet from London to Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv and then took a shuttle to Jerusalem (departing every hour from the arrivals, the ride is one hour and price under 10€ pp). We then moved to Tel Aviv by bus. We did not rent a car to explore sites in Israel, but booked guided day tours with Abraham Tours.
ATM’s in Israel generally accept common international credit cards such as Mastercard and Visa - they will apply a charge and in many cases a commission fee. In our personal experience, getting cash was challenging as ATM’s were quite hard to find, especially in Jerusalem, and sometimes they did not work. Maybe we are just used to London where ATM’s are at every corner?
Credit cards are accepted for museums and some restaurants, but for any shopping in the souk or food market you’ll need cash. Probably best to get some cash at the airport and then locate a couple of ATM’s close to your lodging.
Shabbat starts on Friday afternoon until Saturday after sunset. During this time, services are limited, shops and some restaurants closed. This is particularly true in Jerusalem, where there is also no public transportation. Make sure you plan your activities keeping this in mind!
During a summer stroll through our beloved Camden Town we bumped into a colourful shop called "To Home from London" and we fell in love with the original hand-painted souvenirs in the form of mugs, magnetic coasters, eco friendly shopping bags and more.