Why Israel rewards city-hoppers
Israel is small enough to cross in a few hours, yet each city feels like a different world. You can stand at a 3,000-year-old holy site in the morning and sip a flat white on a Mediterranean rooftop by afternoon. Here are the cities worth building your trip around.
Jerusalem
The spiritual heart of three religions, Jerusalem is layered with history at every turn. The walled Old City packs the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the golden Dome of the Rock into one square kilometre.
- Highlight: Walk the Via Dolorosa at dawn, then watch the sunset light up the limestone walls from the Mount of Olives.
Tel Aviv
Israel's beating cultural and nightlife hub, Tel Aviv mixes Bauhaus architecture, world-class food and 14 km of sandy beaches. The city barely sleeps.
- Highlight: Cycle the seafront tayelet promenade at golden hour, then dive into the markets and bars of nearby Florentin.
Haifa
Built on the slopes of Mount Carmel, Haifa is a relaxed, mixed Arab-Jewish port city with sweeping bay views.
- Highlight: The Bahai Gardens, a UNESCO site of perfectly terraced gardens cascading down to the German Colony.
Akko (Acre)
One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth, Akko hides a Crusader fortress beneath its Ottoman old town.
- Highlight: Explore the underground Knights' Halls, then eat hummus at the historic Said al-Karawan.
Nazareth
The largest Arab city in Israel and the boyhood home of Jesus, Nazareth blends pilgrimage sites with a buzzing food scene.
- Highlight: The Basilica of the Annunciation, followed by a wander through the spice-scented old market.
Eilat
Israel's Red Sea resort town offers year-round sun, coral reefs and desert adventure on the doorstep.
- Highlight: Snorkel the Coral Beach Nature Reserve, home to vivid reefs just metres from shore.
Tiberias
On the shores of the Sea of Galilee, Tiberias is a laid-back base for biblical sites, hot springs and lakeside seafood.
- Highlight: A boat trip across the Galilee, framed by the Golan Heights.
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