"Israel" a Israel Travel Page by leffe3

Israel is a country of contrasts: landscapes, people, religions, politics, cities. It genuinely is the place where East meets West.

Jerusalem is a must. The old city with its four quarters (Christian, Armenian, Jewish, Arab) the centre of the three main monotheistic religions. Outside the old city, the bustle of Arabic East Jerusalem complements the more 'westernised' West. Many think of only seeing the old city, but there is enough to keep you occupied for several days in the 'modern' city.

The north (Galillee and Golan) is characterised by mountains and rocky hills, with the Golan surprisingly verdant for a country which is assumed to be a desert. Waterfalls, dry river beds, spectacular gorges and mountian landscapes are the norm for the north, intespersed with Arab villages and newer Jewish towns, villages and kibbutzim. Nazareth is in the Western Galillee as is Sfat, the ancient 'capital' of the Kabbala. To the east is Tiberias and the Kinneret (Sea of Galillee).

To the south is the Negev Desert and desolate but beautiful landscapes (it is not a Sahara, sand-dune style desert, but rocky gorges, dry riverbeds etc..).

Central plain is the agricultural centre of Israel and the most populated, with the Tel Aviv-Jaffa metropolis on the coast and Jerusalem 60 kms to the east. In this short distance the land rises from sea level to 1200 metres.

Everywhere you go, Christian biblical references abound: from Jerusalem to Nazareth, Sea of Galillee to Acre (now Akko). There are also historic sites
of the ancient Jews, Romans and more. Massada, Memshit, Sodom (on the Dead Sea), Avdat all in the south and the Negev are worth seeing. Ceaseria, Ben Shemesh, Ramla in the centre: Sfat, Tiberias, Nazareth, Beit Shean, Akko and Katzrin to the north.

Then there's the natural wonders: the Dead Sea (400 metres below sea level), Ein Avdat, Mitzpe Ramon crater, Miktash Ha'Gadol (the big crater) of the south; the Jerusalem hills and Nitzanim beaches south of Ashdod in the centre: Golan Heights - Gamla, Kinneret, endless hiking possibilities in the Meron and Golan Heights, even skiing on Mount Hermon, Rosh Ha'Nikra - the list is endless.

And I haven't even mentioned the city of Tel Aviv and the '24 hour city' label it has earned for itself.