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🇮🇱Things to Do in Israel
From Jerusalem's Old City to floating in the Dead Sea - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Israel is small enough to cross by car in a few hours, which means a trip can genuinely combine Jerusalem's religious history, Tel Aviv's beach-city energy, and the Dead Sea and Masada in the desert without much driving between them. Check current travel advisories for your specific itinerary before booking, as regional conditions can change.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Jerusalem's Old City
A walled city holding sites sacred to Judaism, Christianity and Islam within a single square kilometer - the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Dome of the Rock among them.
📍 Jerusalem
🚉 Nearest stop: City Hall or Damascus Gate on the Jerusalem Light Rail, both a few minutes from the Jaffa and Damascus gates; the Old City itself is entirely pedestrian.
The Dead Sea
The lowest point on Earth's land surface, so dense with salt that floating requires no effort at all. The mineral-rich mud along the shore is also collected and sold worldwide as a skincare product.
📍 Dead Sea
🚉 Egged buses 486 and 444 run from Jerusalem's central station to Ein Bokek and the Ein Gedi beaches in about 90 minutes - there is no rail line down to the shore.
Masada
An ancient hilltop fortress above the Dead Sea, the site of a mass suicide by Jewish rebels rather than surrender to Roman forces in 73 AD. A cable car reaches the top, or a hike up the Snake Path before sunrise.
📍 Masada, near the Dead Sea
🚉 Nearest stop: Masada junction on the Dead Sea bus route from Jerusalem, at the visitor centre where the cable car starts; the Snake Path up the east face takes about an hour and closes in summer heat.
Tel Aviv
A modern beach city known for Bauhaus architecture (a UNESCO-listed 'White City'), a lively nightlife scene, and some of the best hummus and street food in the country.
📍 Tel Aviv
🚉 Nearest station: Tel Aviv Savidor Center or HaShalom on the national rail line, with the new Red Line light rail running through the city and out to Petah Tikva.
Nazareth & the Sea of Galilee
Nazareth's Basilica of the Annunciation and the towns around the Sea of Galilee (Capernaum, Tabgha) cover much of the New Testament's geography for Christian pilgrims and history-minded visitors alike.
📍 Nazareth & Sea of Galilee, Northern Israel
🚉 Trains run to Afula, then buses to Nazareth in 20 minutes; around the lake, buses connect Tiberias with Capernaum and the Mount of Beatitudes, though the sites are spread out enough to justify a car.
Old City of Akko (Acre)
A UNESCO-listed Crusader-era port city with an underground tunnel network and a well-preserved old town, less visited than Jerusalem or Tel Aviv but comparably rich in history.
📍 Akko (Acre)
🚉 Nearest station: Akko, on the coastal line from Haifa and Tel Aviv, about 15 minutes' walk from the Crusader halls and the harbour.
Negev Desert
Israel's southern desert, with the Ramon Crater (the world's largest erosion crater) as its centerpiece, and Bedouin desert camps offering overnight stays under the stars.
📍 Negev Desert
🚉 The railway runs south to Beersheba and Dimona, and buses continue to Mitzpe Ramon for the crater - the desert itself is best covered by hire car, as services are infrequent.
Eilat & the Red Sea
Israel's southernmost city, on the Red Sea, known for coral reef diving and snorkeling considerably warmer and calmer than the Mediterranean coast further north.
📍 Eilat
🚉 There is no railway to Eilat: Egged buses take five hours from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, or fly to Ramon airport, 18km north, with a shuttle into town.
Mark Israel, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Israel?
A week covers Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea and Masada well, given how close together they are. Ten days lets you add the Galilee or the Negev without rushing.
What's the best time to visit Israel?
March-May and September-November have comfortable temperatures across most of the country. Summer is very hot in Jerusalem and the desert; the Dead Sea and Eilat stay warm enough to visit nearly year-round.
Is Israel good for a first-time visit?
It can be, though it's worth checking current regional conditions and your government's travel advisories before booking, given how quickly the security situation in parts of the region can change.
Do I need a visa to visit Israel?
Many nationalities, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and most of the EU, can visit visa-free for short tourist stays (typically up to 90 days); other nationalities need a visa arranged in advance. Check the official visa information for your nationality: gov.il.
What are some things to do in Israel on a tight budget?
Floating in the Dead Sea from a public beach (rather than a paid resort) costs very little, walking Jerusalem's Old City and Tel Aviv's beach promenade is free, and street food like falafel and shawarma is cheap and widely available.
Can I rent a car in Israel, and what licence do I need?
Yes, and it is the practical way to cover the Galilee and the Negev, where buses thin out and stop entirely for Shabbat from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening. A foreign licence in English or with an International Driving Permit is valid for visitors for up to a year. Minimum age is generally 21 to 24 with a credit card. Note that most rental agreements exclude driving into the Palestinian territories and that all crossings into Jordan or Egypt need prior arrangement. Official information is published by the Ministry of Transport at gov.il; cars come from Hertz, Avis and local firms such as Eldan.