Top 11 Reasons To Visit Israel (+1 Not To)
11 Reasons To Visit Israel
When people think of their next vacation destination, Israel isn’t usually the first place to pop into their head. The geopolitical conflict between Israel and Palestine (and much of the Arab world) tends to steer people away from traveling here. But everyone who I’ve talked to who has been to Israel has absolutely loved their travel experience there and highly recommends it to others. Here are 11 reasons to visit Israel for your next trip.
Reason 1: History in Israel (whether you’re religious or not!)
Perhaps the biggest of reasons to visit Israel: The little country is absolutely jam packed with historical sites that are worth seeing whether you practice Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or no religion at all.
Jerusalem alone is full of architecture dating back to the time of (and before) Jesus, all in one small historic quarter of the city. You can:
- Shop in the historic marketplace;
- Visit the tomb of Jesus in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher;
- View the Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount;
- and Visit the Western Wall, a holy site where Jewish people write wishes and prayers on pieces of paper and put them into the cracks in the wall.
Just outside of the city center of Jerusalem you can also visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. The museum is designed in a triangular, tunnel-like form. It has “fault lines” throughout that lead you through every exhibit as you make your way towards the light at the end of the tunnel. The final exhibit is an audio exhibit, reading out the names of the children who lost their lives in the holocaust, after which you exit to an overlook of the mountains. It’s harrowing, to say the least.
Further north is the city of Nazareth, home to the Church of the Annunciation and St. Joseph’s Carpentry, and within close driving distance to the Church of Multiplication of Fish and Loaves and the city of Capernaum, the City of Christ. You can also visit the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus is said to have walked on water.
In the south of the country you can visit (and hike, if you’re brave!) Masada, an ancient fortification in the Southern District of Israel situated on top of an isolated rock plateau in the Negev Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea. Herod the Great built palaces for himself on the mountain and fortified Masada. According to historical records, the Siege of Masada by the Roman Empire towards the end of the First Jewish–Roman War ended in the mass suicide of the 960 Sicarri rebels and their families hiding there.
Reason 2: Many Things to do in a Small Country
The country of Israel fits inside the State of New Jersey. It takes approximately 3-4 hours to drive from the top to the bottom of the country. It is incredibly easy to see the whole country in your time traveling there.
What won’t be easy is fitting everything in! In addition to all of the historical landmarks listed above, there are simply SO many things to do. The Dead Sea on its own is a bucket list reason to visit Israel. Whether you want to swim in the Mediterranean, hike in the desert, float in the Dead Sea (and have a spa experience along with it), experience nightlife in a big city, get baptized in the Jordan river, climb mountains, shop luxury brands and local markets alike, you can literally do it all in Israel.
Reason 3: Visit Israel’s Landscapes
Most people (including myself before visiting) think of desert when they think of the Middle East. I was therefore stunned when I visited Israel and realized just how varied the landscape is.
In the South you will find what you stereotypically imagined: gorgeous orange desert where you can hike plateaus and take four-wheelers out to explore desert craters. The famous Dead Sea will help nourish your skin after a day in the sun.
To the north you will find the Sea of Galilee, Jordan River, and lush green forests and mountains around Nazareth and in the Golan Heights (and yes, even some with snow on top). There you can swim, hike to waterfalls and mountain peaks, and enjoy the greener side of life.
In between is a Mediterranean paradise with the most beautiful coastline of beaches and bright and vibrant cities filled with cultural experiences. Lucious forests surround Jerusalem, and some of the best beaches in the world can be found in Jaffa and Herzliya just outside of Tel Aviv.
Reason 4: Israeli Hospitality
One of the best reasons to visit Israel? Regardless of where you stand politically, it’s hard to argue the fact that the Israeli people are incredibly friendly and welcoming to tourists. In my time traveling there, I spent mornings down at our hotel breakfast with a waiter who was happy to take some time to teach you some basic Hebrew and offered up his home as a place to stay if you ever wanted to come back.
I was saved from getting terribly lost on the bus to Tel Aviv by a fellow public transportation rider overhearing my friends and I struggling over a map of the bus system.
I spent several evenings atop the roof of an Israeli apartment building in Herzliya drinking and playing card games with newfound friends while the sun set.
We were invited to celebrate Lag B’Omer at a festival hosted by the local university. And if you don’t get invited to someone’s Shabbat dinner while you’re there, I’d be very surprised!
Every Israeli person I talked to was so happy and excited to share their home country and give recommendations. Everyone would ask how I was enjoying my time there and if there was anything they could personally do to make it better, which was a bit mind-blowing coming from the U.S.
Reason 5: Great Weather All Year Round
A huge reason to visit Israel: There isn’t a bad time of year to come here! This country celebrates a moderate Mediterranean climate with lots of sunshine and warm weather. Summer can be hot, especially in the desert areas of the country, but it’s the perfect time to visit Israeli beaches and towns on the coast. Bring your sunscreen and enjoy the ocean breeze, or adventure inland to tour the historic sights or float in the Dead Sea; you literally can’t go wrong.
Reason 6: Delicious Israeli Food
If you like Mediterranean food, you will love everything you eat in Israel. From fresh fish at seaside restaurants, to the best seasoned shawarma and falafel at street food stalls, and from roasted lamb kabobs to pepper and olive veggie platters, it’s a foodie’s paradise.
But the best part, of course, is the hummus and pita. This hummus is the best hummus my taste buds have ever experienced, and the fresh pita that comes with it is to die for. If you don’t have a hummus platter every single day in Israel, you have done it wrong.
Reason 7: Float in the Dead Sea
This MUST be on your bucket list. Visiting the Dead Sea was by far my favorite part of my trip to Israel and one of the main reasons most people visit here. You simply can’t understand the sensation of floating so surely in the saline water until you’ve tried it. You are literally buoyant – you couldn’t go under if you tried (not that you should as the salt will severely burn your eyes). It’s a feeling so joyous it’s hard to beat.
You must then, of course, cover yourself in Dead Sea mud before rinsing yourself off of all the salt. The Dead Sea mud is packed full of minerals and fantastic for your skin. I swear it immediately healed some of my sunburn that I acquired earlier in the day while touring Masada.
Reason 8: Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is a prime example of the modern city, and it’s a little bit of a sleeper compared to its more famous neighbor in Jerusalem. But don’t miss out on this shiny city as one of the big reasons to visit Israel.
Well known for its nightlife (if you want to party, this is your place) and stunning beaches, you’ll find you can do just about anything here that you could in any major city across the world. It is absolutely jam packed with music, food, museums, shopping, and art. The cultural scene is available to explore 24/7.
Reason 9: Israeli Holidays & Festivals
Have I mentioned yet how much Israelis like to party? Between Tel Aviv’s nightlife and all of the different holiday celebrations and festivals, you’re bound to find a fantastic opportunity to dress up and celebrate.
Israel has a growing music festival scene with multi-day musical celebrations available year-round. There are also any number of cultural festivals and celebrations of art, dance, local markets, religious holidays, and food to partake in. Israel’s Pride festival in Tel Aviv is a week-long event with a wild and fun parade to conclude the celebrations that is well worth partying with.
As I mentioned above, we got to celebrate Lag B’Omer, a holiday that celebrates a break in the historical plague and now symbolizes Jewish resilience, while we were there. Massive parties with even more massive bonfires mark this holiday, and it’s one of many you can enjoy.
Reason 10: Dinner in the Dark
One incredibly unique experience I had during my visit to Israel was having dinner in the Nalag’at Center for the Blind and Deaf in Tel Aviv. The special thing about this dinner is that we ate in complete darkness.
We were taken into the Black Out Restaurant by blind and visually impaired servers and seated at our tables. We went into the restaurant in a conga line style since we couldn’t see where we were going. Being afraid of the dark and being in pitch-blackness, I was pretty freaked out at first, but once we sat down we all got used to it.
Our server was great, taking the time to show each of us where our silverware, glass, and plates were by guiding our hands to them. The food was good, a choice between pesto pasta and ravioli, and we all managed to eat successfully without getting our food all over us. Coming out of the restaurant after we ate was extremely disorienting, having to readjust to the light. Needless to say, it was a pretty cool experience.
Reason 11: Connecting with a Global Conflict
I would be remissed if in a post about traveling to Israel I did not go into the local experience around the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. This is often cited as a reason not to go to Israel, but I actually think it can be a pro of the experience and a reason to visit Israel.
First and foremost, Israel is safe to travel to. You will see the Israeli military around, and there is always a chance of missile strikes from Gaza, but they are far fewer than the western media would have us believe. Israel also has the best missile defense system in the world.
If travel is supposed to be an opportunity to open our minds and experience new places, peoples, cultures, and yes, conflicts, then this is a perfect reason to visit Israel. People in Israel will talk about it. If you engage with them, you can learn the different points of view of the local Israelis and Palestinians (yes, both in Israel and the West Bank, if you plan ahead of time for a West Bank visit – which you should!).
It’s an incredibly complicated issue, and you likely already have some thoughts on it. What I can say is in my experience talking with average residents of Israel (both Israeli and Palestinian, Jewish and Muslim), people want a two-state solution. They felt their governments and politicians made the issue worse, catering to the far right and far left political groups. They want peace, and believe that both peoples deserve a home. And that was eye-opening for me to hear from so many different people, compared to the media and political rhetoric versions we hear at home.
One important note about visiting Israel is that due to the conflict, there are some Middle Eastern countries that will be harder to get into if you have already visited Israel, especially in close proximity to your trip. So if, say, Iran and its beautiful mosaics are on your bucket list, you may want to hold off on coming to Israel first.
Reason NOT to Visit Israel
If there is a reason to avoid traveling to Israel, it’s definitely the cost. Israel is an expensive country both to live in and to travel to. One US dollar is around 3.5 Israeli shekels, which will feel like a great exchange rate. However, prices are incredibly inflated there, and Israel is not an easy budget traveler destination.
What’s So Special About Israel?
Israel is such a unique country that often misses the “best places to travel” lists, but everyone I know who has been has loved it. Don’t let the modern media image of this little Middle Eastern country scare you away. It is so full of natural, cultural, and historic beauty, all within an insanely short drive of where you’re staying in the country, literally where ever that is. You will be stunned by how much fun you have and how many friends you make while there.
Interesting Facts About Israel
- As previously noted, Israel is TINY! The entire country fits inside of the U.S. state of New Jersey (not that it should be compared to New Jersey). When the locals hear you’re driving 2 hours to see a historic site, they’ll think that’s forever away.
- Israel has two official languages: Hebrew and Arabic! Though you’ll find most everyone also speaks English. Israel is the only country to revive a dead language (Hebrew) and successfully make it their national language.
- Israel is home to the lowest point on earth: The Dead Sea. The Dead Sea sits at 1,315 feet below sea level at its lowest point.
- Israel has more museums per capita than any other country in the world! This makes sense with all of its historic sites, of course.
- It also has the highest concentration of tech companies and startups outside of Silicon Valley in the U.S. Israel tops the list of countries for the annual production of scientific papers per capita.
- Life expectancy in Israel is among the highest in the world at 82 years, and they consistently rank among the happiest people in western nations (how these studies measure happiness I do not know).
- Israel is home to the world’s only theater company comprised entirely of deaf and blind actors.
- Israel is the only country in the world that has more trees today than it had 50 years ago (yes, someone is counting)!
Conclusion: Reasons to Visit Israel
Israel might not be at the top of your bucket list, but there are plenty of reasons not to sleep on this little country. From sunny beaches and historic architecture, to fantastic food and loads of outdoor adventure activities, there’s fun for everyone in this country.
Planning a trip to such a full and fantastic, though complicated, destination can be intimidating. I’m here to help! Check out my travel planning services and book a free consultation call to get started.