- attractions - Countries Guide

Western Wall (HaKotel HaMaaravi)
The Western Wall, known to non-Jews as the Wailing Wall, is the most sacred Jewish site of prayer in the world, the place where thousands of worshippers gather year round to pray and even leave prayers folded into its crevices. The 1,916ft (584m) wall is all that remains of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, built in 30BC by King Herod. It is made up of enormous stone blocks and serves as a tribute to the scale of workmanship in past eras. Following Orthodox Jewish practise the praying sections have been separated for men and women. Men are required to wear a skullcap (kippah) and women must be modestly dressed. On Fridays, the Jewish Shabbat or Sabbath, the men's section particularly pulsates with the songs and prayers of the faithful, for in principle the whole area is an Orthodox synagogue. The wall is also sacred to Muslims who believe that it is where the prophet Mohammed tied up his winged horse, Al Burak, before ascending into heaven.
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Transport: Bus to Dung Gate
Opening times: Daily 24 hours

Via Dolorosa
The Via Dolorosa (Road of Sorrow), also known as the Way of the Cross, is the route Jesus is said to have followed as he carried the Cross to his crucifixion. There are 14 stations along the way commemorating different events, starting at Lion's Gate in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, where Jesus was convicted by Pontius Pilate, and ending at his tomb, inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre within the Christian Quarter. Every Friday at 3pm priests lead a procession and prayers are said at each station. A steady stream of pilgrims remember and honour Jesus' sacrifice by walking the Way of the Cross each year.
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Transport: Bus to Lion's Gate
Opening times: Daily 24 hours

Yad VaShem
This vital memorial to the Holocaust provides a multifaceted tribute to the millions of Jews who died during World War II. The focus of the museum is to commemorate and document the events of the Holocaust and provide ongoing research and education. The Museum's archive collection is the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of material containing documents, photographs, films and videotaped testimonies of survivors. These can be read and viewed in the allocated rooms and is a sobering experience. An inspiring tribute to the victims is The Hall of Names, which details names of the holocaust victims. Symbolic gravestones are created from the 'Pages of Testimony' that record the biographical details of millions of deceased. Yad Vashem's library contains an impressive collection of material in many languages. The Historical Museum chronicles the history of the holocaust from the implementation of the Nazi's anti-Jewish policies to the mass murder of millions of people. The display includes photographs, artefacts, documents and audio-visual material. An important collection of Holocaust art is displayed in Yad Vashem's Art Museum. The International School for Holocaust Studies and Holocaust Research provide education and ongoing research on the Holocaust at both national and international levels. Other facets of the Yad Vashem experience include the Righteous Among the Nations, honouring the non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews; and the Encyclopaedia of Communities which records the historical-geographical communities of Jews destroyed or damaged during the Nazi regime.
Telephone: (02) 644 3749 or (02) 644 3686
Website: www.yad-vashem.org
Transport: By bus to Mt. Herzl on Herzl Boulevard
Opening times: Sunday to Wednesday 9am to 5pm, Thursdays 9am to 8pm, Fridays and eve of holidays 9am to 2pm. Entrance is allowed until an hour before closing

The Israel Museum
The Israel Museum has achieved world-class status with its remarkable collections spanning prehistoric archaeology to contemporary art. These include displays of archaeology from the Holy Land, a comprehensive compilation of Judaica and ethnology of Jewish people, and a fine art collection encompassing the Old Masters to renowned contemporary works. Perhaps the most famous exhibit are the Dead Sea Scrolls, they date from the 3rd century BC to the 1st century AD, and were unearthed in 1947. Numerous temporary exhibitions, publications and educational activities form part of the museum's cultural programme and over 950,000 visitors are drawn to this vast complex each year. Another great attraction of the Museum is its Art Garden that was designed by the Japanese-American sculptor, Isamu Noguchi. It is a fusion of Zen landscaping incorporating the natural vegetation of the area such as rosemary bushes, olive and fig trees. Displayed within this picturesque setting are the famous sculptures of Rodin, Bourdelle, Maillol, David Smith, Henry Moore, Richard Serra, Sol LeWitt and James Turrell.
Telephone: (02) 670 8811
Website: www.imj.org.il
Transport: Buses 9, 17, 24/24a, and 99
Opening times: Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and holidays 10am to 5pm; Tuesday 4pm to 9pm (August 10am to 9pm); Friday, and Passover 10am to 2pm; Closed Sundays

Citadel or Tower of David
The Citadel was constructed in the 1st century BC as a fortress for King Herod and has since served as a strategic defence position to the Old City. The tallest tower of the Citadel, the Phasael, is the place to appreciate the magnificent view as well as the orientation of the Old City. The Citadel contains the excellent Museum of the History of Jerusalem, featuring fascinating displays of 4,000 years of the city's past.
Telephone: (02) 626 5333, or (02) 626 5310 (24-hr information line)
Website: www.towerofdavid.org.il/eng
Transport: Bus 20
Opening times: April to October open Sunday to Thursday and Saturday 9am to 5pm, Friday and holidays 9am to 2pm. November to March: Sunday to Thursday and Saturday 10am to 4pm, Friday and holidays 10am to 2pm. Guided tours in English Sunday to Friday at 11am

Tel Aviv Museum of Art
The Tel Aviv Museum of Art has boasted the country's leading exhibition of modern art since its inception in 1932. A permanent collection of European and American art features prominent Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings by Chagall, Dali, Cezanne and Monet. The museum also has an active program of changing exhibitions as well as exciting cultural programs of music, dance, cinema and lectures.
Telephone: (03) 607 7020
Website: www.tamuseum.com
Transport: Bus 9,18, 28, 70, 90 or 111
Opening times: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 10am to 4pm; Tuesday and Thursday 10am to 10pm; Friday 10am to 2pm

Eretz Israel Museum (The Land of Israel Museum)
The Eretz Israel Museum has a unique layout and character, more in the nature of a museum park clustered around the ancient mound of the Tel Kasile, where ongoing archaeological excavations are in progress. The museum consists of various pavilions, each displaying different cultural facets and collections. Visitors can purchase a map to help them navigate through this fascinating campus, which covers 3,000 years of history, culture and art relating to the land of Israel.
Telephone: (03) 641 5244
Website: www.eretzmuseum.org.il
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Opening times: Sunday to Thursday 9am to 3pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 2pm

Museum of the Jewish Diaspora (Beit Hatefutsot)
The focus of this museum is to convey the story of the Jewish people from the time of the expulsion of the Jews from Israel by the Romans 2,500 years ago to their subsequent return to Israel. The multi-storey displays and exhibitions reflect the diverse Jewish communities that have been sustained over time by common cultural and religious links. The Jewish Music Centre has thousands of recordings of Jewish music, from traditional to the music of communities that were wiped out in the Holocaust, as well as works by Jewish composers. There is also a genealogy centre where visitors can explore their ancestry from thousands of records of Jewish families from around the world, and register their own family trees for future generations.
Telephone: (03) 640 8000
Website: www.bh.org.il
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Opening times: Sunday to Tuesday and Thursday 10am to 4pm, Wednesday 10am to 6pm. During July and August open Fridays 9am to 1pm

Hamat Tiberias National Park
The 17 springs of Hamat Tiberias flow from a source that stretches 33ft (10m) below the ground. Its therapeutic powers have been used since ancient times to cure various ailments. The Hamat Tiberias synagogue, built between 337 and 286 BC, contains the oldest surviving mosaic floor in Israel. The central mosaic is a beautifully preserved design representing a large zodiac with Helios at its centre guiding his celestial chariot in the direction of the sun.
Telephone: (06) 672 5287
Website: www.parks.org.il
Transport: Hamat Tiberias National Park is at the southern entrance to Tiberias, near the hot springs
Opening times: 8am to 5pm (April to September), 8am to 4pm (October to March)

Beit She'an National Park
Beit She'an was established in the 5th century BC. Its strategic location brought with it many skirmishes in an effort to control this hilltop settlement. It was the seat of Egyptian rule before falling to the King of Assyria and was later resettled as a Hellenistic city during the time of Alexander the Great. A period of conquests then followed until the Romans returned the city to its former residents. It prospered during the time of Hadrian and experienced its golden age after the Bar Kochva revolt. Numerous buildings were constructed during this time and the residents enjoyed a time of peaceful coexistence. After Christianity was declared the official religion of the Roman Empire in the 4th century AD the face of the city changed markedly. This was followed by further conquests until an earthquake left the city in ruins. Settlements later sprung up around the site of the ruins and the city received an influx of people post-1948 and the establishment of the State of Israel. It is now a thriving city built around the remains of an ancient centre. Most notable amongst the ruins is the Roman theatre, Byzantine bathhouse, Roman street and colonnade and the amphitheatre used for gladiatorial battles.
Telephone: (06) 658 7189
Website: www.parks.org.il
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Opening times: Sunday to Thursday 8am to 8pm, Friday and Saturday 8am to 5pm (April to September), 8am to 4pm (October to March)

Gan Hashlosha National Park (Sahne)
The warm waters of the Amal River flow through the length of the park and can be enjoyed year round with average temperatures of 82ºF (28ºC). Visitors to Gan Hashlosha can relax in the natural pools and rejuvenate in the natural jacuzzi that occurs underneath the flowing stream of an invigorating waterfall. Of cultural interest are the hydro-powered flour mill, the tower-and-stockade museum and the Museum of Regional and Mediterranean Archaeology. The latter museum contains a collection of Greek tools and a display of archaeological findings from Beit She'an Valley, Iran and Egypt.
Telephone: (06) 658 6219; (06) 658 6352 (museum)
Website: www.parks.org.il
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Opening times: Daily 8am to 5pm (April to September), 8am to 4pm (October to March)

Cities & Regions: Jerusalem | Tel Aviv | Galilee