Israel attractions

Located just outside the gates of the Old City at the base of the Mount of Olives, this Eastern Orthodox-style church is believed by many Christians to contain the empty tomb of Mary, Jesus’s mother. Legend has it that Mary's body had disappeared when the tomb was opened because she had ascended to heaven—an event known in Christianity as the Assumption.

Known to Hebrew speakers as Akko and Arabic speakers as Akka, the historic coastal city of Acre has been recognized with UNESCO World Heritage status for its atmospheric charms. Inhabited for well over 3,000 years, the Old City delivers medieval Crusader buildings, Ottoman-era walls, Baha’i Gardens, and a tangle of ancient streets with bags of personality.

Walk the ancient stone waterway beneath Israel's ancient City of David, known as Hezekiah's Tunnel (Siloam Tunnel). It's been channeling water into Jerusalem for 2,000-plus years, and today provides a route through the city’s underground history. Expect a wet, caving-like experience thanks to a constant flow of water.

Israel’s city of Haifa boasts a history dating back more than 1,700 years and is home to the Baha’i Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, among other attractions. Most cruise travelers treat the Haifa Port Cruise Terminal—one of the largest and busiest in Israel—as a gateway to the religious sights of Galilee, from Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum and the River Jordan.

One of Jordan’s most important archaeological landmarks, the ruins of Pella date back over 6,000 years and span multiple eras of history—from Stone and Iron Age-era settlements to Byzantine Churches and an excavated Islamic Quarter. Despite all this (and Pella’s proximity to Jerash and Irbid and driving distance from Amman), this off-the-tourist-track gem remains surprisingly overlooked.

Home to some of the world’s most northerly tropical coral reefs, Coral Beach Nature Reserve offers Eilat’s—and likely Israel’s—best snorkeling. Seagrass patches draw hawksbill turtles, seahorses, and more; hundreds of different coral species lure aquarium favorites including lionfish, angelfish, and clownfish.

The main entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem for more than 1,000 years, the Damascus Gate is also known as Bab al-Amud, Nablus Gate, St. Stephen’s Gate, and Sha’ar Shechem. A grand, Ottoman-era confection, shaped rather like a crown, today it marks the boundary between Palestinian East Jerusalem and Israeli West Jerusalem.

The Red Sea channel draws tendrils of Indian Ocean water up through Africa and Arabia to Egypt, Jordan, and Israel. Divers and snorkelers appreciate the Red Sea’s clear waters and colorful coral and marine life, while sandy beaches lure sun worshippers from around the world.

The ANU - Museum of the Jewish People (Beit Hatfutsot) tells the ongoing, 4,000-year story of the Jewish people from the past into the future. The permanent collection includes exhibits on trailblazers and heroes of Jewish history, Israel’s War of Independence, and the past and present of synagogues. At the heart of it all is the Core Exhibition: a story through the eras of Jewish life and history through a collection of dioramas, murals, models, film and multi-media displays on topics like family life, community, martyrdom, faith, culture, and the interaction between the Jewish people and their host environments throughout the world.

Home to a large Jewish Haredi (ultra-Orthodox, community), the lively yet cloistered neighborhood of Mea Shearim (Me’a She’arim) is a world of its own. With its winding streets, kosher shops and eateries, and traditionally-dressed inhabitants—skirts and stockings for the women and girls, black coats and fur hats for the men—the neighborhood feels like an Eastern European Shtetl where time has stood still.

Yad Vashem (World Holocaust Remembrance Center) in Jerusalem is the world’s most important Holocaust museum—a memorial to the 6 million Jewish lives lost. The complex comprises two museums, the Holocaust History Museum and an Art Museum, as well as an exhibition pavilion, learning center, and a synagogue. The centerpiece is the history museum, housed within a triangular prism-shaped structure running through the center of campus. Nine underground galleries recount the story of the Holocaust from a Jewish perspective through artifacts, survivor testimonies, personal possessions and audio-visual presentations. A visit to the museum ends in the Hall of Names, a place where the names and stories of millions of victims are recorded.

Once one of Tel Aviv’s coolest streets, Shenkin Street (also spelled Sheinkin Street) is now a vibrant thoroughfare, home to an ever-changing array of stores, boutiques, and eateries. Although it’s moved on from its hippie, counter-cultural heyday, it’s still worth a wander while en route from nearby Carmel Market or Nachlat Binyamin.

The Palmach, an underground arm of the Haganah (a Jewish paramilitary force that predates the Israel Defense Forces), was founded in 1941 to secure a Zionist settlement in what was then Palestine. Today the innovative Palmach Museum transports visitors back in time with multimedia experiences, a photo gallery, archival library, and memorial.

Underneath Jerusalem, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city’s crowded alleys and ancient attractions, there is more than a mile (2 kilometers of pathways where some of the most exciting archaeological finds of the ancient world have been uncovered. Take a trip underground and discover 2,000 years of history.

Ashdod (Jerusalem Cruise Port) is Israel’s largest seaport and a popular stop for cruise ships from lines like Azamara, Celebrity, Silversea, and Oceania. Strategically located along the Mediterranean Sea coast, the Ashdod Cruise Terminal is the gateway to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and the Holy Land.

Surrounded by coral reef marine life off the Israeli coast, the Underwater Observatory Marine Park offers a window into the Red Sea's natural aquarium. On a visit to the tower observatory, you descend 40 feet (12 meters) below the surface of the Gulf of Aqaba—without getting wet—to see the underwater world from glass-lined halls.

Nalaga’at (Nalagaat Center) is a groundbreaking institution in Tel Aviv that’s transformed the lives of deaf and blind people. It’s home to a theater where deaf-blind actors perform award-winning shows, a café where hearing-impaired staff encourage guests to communicate in sign language, a restaurant where guests dine in the dark, and a wealth of workshops.

One of the most significant sites in Jerusalem’s Armenian Quarter, the walled Church of St. James serves as the cathedral of the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Georgians first built a church on the site — believed to be the location where St. James was beheaded — during the eleventh century. The structure was resorted by Armenians during the twelfth century. Besides its ties to the martyred disciple, the Church of St. James also houses the tomb of another James, the oldest brother of Jesus and the author of the Epistle of James, who was himself martyred in 62 AD. The church ranks among the most ornate houses of worship anywhere in the holy land, adorned with hanging lamps, gilded icons and colorful woven carpets. The courtyard of the church features a series of interesting carved stone crosses, called khatchkars.