Travel and Tourism in Israel

Israel's UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Israel holds an impressive collection of UNESCO World Heritage Sites that reflect its extraordinary richness of human history and natural heritage. Each site represents an outstanding universal value recognized by the international community, and together they span five thousand years of human civilization.

Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls (1981)

The Old City of Jerusalem was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981, though in recognition of the city's contested status it was inscribed on behalf of Jordan rather than Israel. The site encompasses the walled Old City of Jerusalem and the remarkable concentration of religious and historical monuments it contains, including the Western Wall, the Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the ancient urban fabric of the four quarters. Jerusalem's unique universal significance as the center of pilgrimage and the focus of historical and contemporary conflict for three of the world's great religions gives it a claim to World Heritage status that transcends any single national perspective.

Masada (2001)

Masada was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 in recognition of its outstanding universal significance as the site of one of the most dramatic episodes in the history of the Jewish people and the Roman Empire. The site's exceptional state of preservation, its dramatic natural setting on an isolated mesa above the Dead Sea, and its profound cultural significance to Jewish identity and world history all contributed to its inscription.

Old City of Acre (2001)

The Old City of Acre was inscribed in 2001 as an outstanding example of a walled Ottoman city, preserving beneath its streets the remarkable remains of a Crusader city from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The site reflects the successive layers of Arab, Crusader, and Ottoman history that characterize much of the Levant, and its urban fabric, including the Crusader underground halls, Ottoman mosques, khans, hammam, and souks, is extraordinarily well preserved.

White City of Tel-Aviv: The Modern Movement (2003)

Tel Aviv's White City was inscribed in 2003 as an outstanding example of the urban planning and architecture of the Modern Movement. The area contains more than four thousand buildings designed in the International and Bauhaus styles during the 1930s to 1950s, the largest concentration of such buildings in the world, representing a remarkable chapter in the social and architectural history of the twentieth century.

Biblical Tels: Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba (2005)

The three biblical tels of Megiddo, Hazor, and Beer Sheba were inscribed together in 2005 as outstanding examples of the type of settlement known as a tel, an artificial mound created by the successive occupation and rebuilding of towns over thousands of years. All three sites are mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and contain well-preserved remains of Israelite urban planning including city gates, palaces, and elaborate water systems that reflect the engineering capabilities of the ancient Israelite kingdoms.

Incense Route: Desert Cities in the Negev (2005)

The four Nabataean cities of Haluza, Mamshit, Avdat, and Shivta, together with the associated Nabataean road system in the Negev Highlands, were inscribed in 2005 as an outstanding example of the trading civilization that flourished in the Negev Desert during the first centuries BCE and CE. The Nabataean cities reflect a sophisticated adaptation to desert conditions, including advanced water harvesting techniques, agricultural terracing, and architectural styles that blended Hellenistic, Roman, and indigenous traditions.

Bahai Holy Places in Haifa and the Western Galilee (2008)

The Bahai Holy Places, including the terraced gardens and golden-domed Shrine of the Bab on Mount Carmel in Haifa and the Mansion and Gardens of Bahji near Acre, were inscribed in 2008 as the holiest places of the Bahai Faith, serving as centers of pilgrimage for followers of this religion from around the world. The exceptional quality of the garden design and the universal significance of the sites to a world religion of several million adherents justified their inscription.

Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel: The Nahal Me'arot / Wadi el-Mughara Caves (2012)

Four prehistoric caves in the Carmel Range near Haifa were inscribed in 2012 for their extraordinary evidence of human evolution and cultural development spanning a period of approximately five hundred thousand years. The caves of Tabun, Jamal, el-Wad, and Skhul contain evidence of the transition from Neanderthal to anatomically modern human populations in the Levant, making them among the most important prehistoric sites in the world.

Caves of Maresha and Bet-Guvrin in the Judean Lowlands as a Microcosm of the Land of the Caves (2014)

The cave network beneath the ancient cities of Maresha and Bet-Guvrin in the Judean Lowlands was inscribed in 2014 as a unique example of the extraordinary scale of underground cave excavation in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The soft chalk rock of the Judean Shephelah was quarried extensively for building stone, creating a labyrinthine underground world of thousands of interconnected chambers, columbaria (pigeon houses), oil presses, water cisterns, and burial caves.

Necropolis of Bet She'arim: A Landmark of Jewish Renewal (2015)

The ancient Jewish necropolis at Bet She'arim in the Jezreel Valley was inscribed in 2015 as a remarkable testimony to the revival of Jewish culture and religious authority in the period following the Roman destruction of Jerusalem. The site contains an extensive complex of rock-cut burial halls from the second to fourth centuries CE, decorated with Jewish, pagan, and early Christian symbols and inscriptions in Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and other languages, reflecting the cosmopolitan cultural world of late antique Judaism.

Outdoor Activities and Nature

Israel's extraordinary geographical diversity, compressed into a small area, makes it a surprisingly rich destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Within a single day's drive, a visitor can snorkel among tropical coral reefs in the Red Sea, float in the hyper-saline Dead Sea, hike through the lush waterfalls of the Galilee, and camp under the stars in the Negev Desert. The country takes its natural heritage seriously, with an extensive system of national parks and nature reserves covering approximately twenty percent of the country's land area.

The Israel National Trail, known in Hebrew as the Shvil Yisrael, is a continuous marked hiking route running approximately 1,100 kilometers from the kibbutz of Dan in the far north to Eilat on the Red Sea in the south. The trail crosses every major geographical region of the country, from the green hills of the Galilee through the urban core of central Israel, across the Judean Desert and the highlands of the Negev, ending at the Red Sea. Walking the full trail typically takes sixty to eighty days and is considered one of the great long-distance hiking experiences in the world.

Birdwatching in Israel is a world-class experience for ornithologists and casual birders alike. Israel lies on the most important bird migration route between Africa and Eurasia, the Syrian-African Rift Valley flyway, and more than five hundred million individual birds of over 550 species pass through Israel each spring and autumn. The Hula Valley in the Upper Galilee is the most famous birdwatching site, where in autumn tens of thousands of common cranes gather in spectacular roosts that have become a major tourist attraction in their own right. The Eilat Bird Festival in spring draws birders from around the world to witness the extraordinary concentrations of raptors, waders, and passerines that move through the Eilat Mountains and Arava Valley.

Red Sea diving in Eilat offers year-round warm water, exceptional visibility, and one of the most diverse coral reef ecosystems outside the Indo-Pacific region. The reefs of the Gulf of Aqaba support more than a thousand species of fish and several hundred species of coral, and the diving conditions are accessible to beginners and challenging enough for experienced divers. Night diving reveals a different and equally spectacular reef community, with octopuses, moray eels, and bioluminescent plankton creating unforgettable experiences.

Mount Hermon, in the extreme northeast of Israel, is the only ski resort in the country, offering lifts and prepared runs on the southern slopes of the mountain during winter months when sufficient snow has fallen. The skiing is not comparable to major Alpine or North American resorts, but the novelty of skiing in the Middle East with views over the Sea of Galilee is a memorable experience, and the resort is enormously popular with Israeli families during the winter holiday season.

Makhtesh Ramon offers some of Israel's finest mountain biking, with a network of trails descending into the crater and traversing its dramatic floor. The combination of the otherworldly landscape, the complete silence of the desert, and the physical challenge of the terrain makes biking in Ramon one of the most memorable outdoor experiences in Israel. Rock climbing on the crater walls and rappelling in the narrow desert canyons of the Negev provide additional adrenaline options.

The Judean Desert canyons, including Wadi Qelt, Nahal Arugot, and Nahal David, offer excellent canyon hiking with swimming pools, waterfalls, and dramatic rock formations. Rappelling in these canyons is a popular activity for organized tour groups and experienced individuals, and the combination of desert heat, cold spring water, and dramatic cliff scenery is uniquely exhilarating.

Camel trekking in the Negev Desert is one of Israel's most atmospheric outdoor experiences, offering a connection to the ancient trade routes of the Nabataeans and a perspective on the desert landscape that can only be gained from the back of a camel. Several Bedouin operators in the Negev offer treks ranging from one-hour introductions to multi-day journeys with overnight stays in Bedouin camps.

Sea of Galilee kayaking and boat trips on the lake provide a gentler water-based experience than the Red Sea diving, with views of the surrounding hills and the opportunity to swim in fresh water.

Festivals and Events

Israel's festival calendar is rich, reflecting both the Jewish religious year and a growing secular cultural scene that has made the country one of the most interesting destinations in the world for music, arts, and outdoor events.

The Jewish High Holidays in autumn are the most significant events on the Israeli calendar. Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, is a two-day celebration that falls in September or early October and is marked by synagogue services, family gatherings, and the eating of symbolic foods including apples dipped in honey for a sweet new year. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, ten days after Rosh Hashana, is the holiest day of the Jewish year, marked by fasting, prayer, and an extraordinary stillness that descends over even secular cities. Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, follows five days after Yom Kippur and is a joyful week-long harvest festival during which families build temporary huts (sukkot) and eat meals outdoors in them.

Passover (Pesach), celebrated in March or April, commemorates the Exodus from Egypt and is marked by the Seder meal, at which the story of the Exodus is retold and symbolic foods are eaten. The eight days of Passover are a major school holiday in Israel and see large numbers of Israeli families visiting tourist sites throughout the country, making it a particularly crowded time to travel.

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, falls in December and is marked by the lighting of menorahs (chanukiahs) in homes and public spaces, the distribution of small gifts to children, and the eating of oil-fried foods such as doughnuts (sufganiyot) and potato pancakes (latkes). Large public menorahs are illuminated in central squares throughout Israel, and the lighting ceremonies are often accompanied by concerts and public celebrations.

Purim, falling in February or March, is the most carnivalesque of the Jewish festivals, marked by costume parties, public celebrations, and the reading of the Book of Esther. Tel Aviv's Purim celebrations, centering on Dizengoff Square, are among the most exuberant and spectacular in the world.

Tel Aviv Pride, held in June, has grown into one of the largest and most vibrant Pride celebrations in the world, drawing hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators from Israel and around the globe. The event reflects Tel Aviv's status as one of the most LGBTQ-friendly cities in the Middle East and creates a week of parties, cultural events, and the famous parade along the beachfront.

The Jerusalem Film Festival, held in July at the Sultan's Pool amphitheater below the Old City walls, is one of the premier film festivals in the region and screens Israeli and international films against the backdrop of the illuminated Old City.

The Tel Aviv White Night festival, held in the summer, is a citywide celebration of arts, music, and culture that takes over the city's public spaces with free concerts, performances, outdoor cinema, and street events throughout the night.

The International Oud Festival in Jerusalem, held in autumn, celebrates the music of the oud, the traditional Arab lute that is also central to Israeli-Arabic musical culture, with concerts by leading musicians from Israel, the Arab world, and beyond.

The Jacob's Ladder Festival, held in spring at the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), is Israel's largest folk and roots music festival, attracting musicians and audiences from across the country for a weekend of American and British folk music in a beautiful lakeside setting.

The Jerusalem Light Festival, held in summer in and around the Old City, transforms the ancient stones and alleys with spectacular light installations, projection mapping, and illuminated art, creating a magical experience of the ancient city at night.

The Eilat Jazz Festival, held in winter, brings international and Israeli jazz musicians to the Red Sea resort for a weekend of music in an extraordinary setting.