A photograph of Israel

Country guide

Places to visit in Israel — page 3

Israel occupies the Southern Levant, bordered by Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt, with the Mediterranean along its western coast, the Red Sea at its southern t...

Photograph · Dani Lavi 0007 · CC BY-SA 4.0

3,923 Places
2Cities

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Israel occupies the Southern Levant, bordered by Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt, with the Mediterranean along its western coast, the Red Sea at its southern tip and Earth's lowest point, near the Dead Sea, to the east. Two cities carry most of what a visitor comes for and they are nothing alike. Jerusalem is the government seat and proclaimed capital, holding the sites the three Abrahamic religions hold in common; Tel Aviv is the largest urban area and the economic centre, a twentieth-century city on a beach. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict persists, and it governs where a visitor can go and when as firmly as any opening time does.

Checked 2026-08-25

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Hebrew; Arabic has special status
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+972
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Israeli new shekel (ILS)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
100 police · 101 ambulance · 102 fire
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C and H · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor statement was recorded for this content pack

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Jabotinsky Museum Jabotinsky Museum
    32 1 hr 30 min

    Jabotinsky Museum

    מוזיאון ז'בוטינסקי

    The Jabotinsky Museum is a museum in Tel Aviv-Yafo dedicated to the life and legacy of Ze'ev Jabotinsky, a prominent Zionist leader, writer, and founder of the Revisionist Zionist movement.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Tel Aviv
  2. Herzl Museum Herzl Museum
    33 1 hr 30 min

    Herzl Museum

    The Herzl Museum is a Jerusalem museum devoted to Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism. It stands on Mount Herzl, a national memorial area that also contains Herzl’s grave, military cemeteries, and other commemorative sites.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Jerusalem
  3. Western Wall Western Wall
    34 30 min

    Western Wall

    הכותל המערבי

    The Western Wall is an ancient limestone retaining wall on the western side of Jerusalem's Temple Mount. It is one of the city's most important Jewish prayer and pilgrimage sites and holds deep significance within Jerusalem's wider religious landscape.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Jerusalem
  4. Knesset Knesset
    35 2 hours

    Knesset

    The Knesset is the unicameral national legislature of Israel, located in Jerusalem's Givat Ram neighborhood. Established in 1949 following Israel's independence, it serves as the seat of parliamentary democracy for the state.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Jerusalem
  5. Maine Friendship House Maine Friendship House
    36 2 hours

    Maine Friendship House

    בית ידידות מיין

    Maine Friendship House, known locally as בית ידידות מיין, is a cultural house in Tel Aviv-Yafo dedicated to the friendship between the U.S. state of Maine and Israel.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Tel Aviv
  6. Supreme Court of Israel Supreme Court of Israel
    37 2 hours

    Supreme Court of Israel

    The Supreme Court of Israel is the highest judicial authority in the State of Israel, located in Jerusalem. It serves as both the final court of appeals and the High Court of Justice for administrative matters.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Jerusalem
  7. Israel Museum Israel Museum
    38 1 hr 30 min

    Israel Museum

    מוזיאון ישראל

    The Israel Museum is Jerusalem’s encyclopaedic museum, opened in 1965 on a large campus in Givat Ram. Its collections connect archaeology, Jewish cultural history, European and international art, Israeli art, design and photography.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Jerusalem
  8. Al-Aqsa Mosque Al-Aqsa Mosque
    39 30 min

    Al-Aqsa Mosque

    מסגד אל אקצא

    Al-Aqsa Mosque stands as one of Islam's holiest sites, occupying the southern portion of the Haram al-Sharif, or Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City. The silver-domed mosque serves as a place of worship and pilgrimage for Muslims worldwide.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
    • Jerusalem
  9. National Library of Israel National Library of Israel
    40 2 hours

    National Library of Israel

    The National Library of Israel serves as the country's central research library and pre-eminent cultural institution dedicated to preserving the intellectual heritage of Israel and the Jewish people.

    • Must see
    • Activity
    • Jerusalem
  10. Tower of David Tower of David
    41 45 min

    Tower of David

    מגדל דוד

    The Tower of David is a historic citadel beside Jaffa Gate, at the western edge of Jerusalem’s Old City. Its name reflects a later identification rather than a direct connection with King David.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Jerusalem
  11. Mount of Olives Mount of Olives
    42 20 min

    Mount of Olives

    جبل الزيتون

    The Mount of Olives is a ridge east of Jerusalem's Old City, rising above the Kidron Valley. It is sacred within Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions and combines broad views, churches, pilgrimage landmarks and a vast Jewish cemetery.

    • Must see
    • Viewpoint
    • Jerusalem
  12. Rockefeller Museum Rockefeller Museum
    43 1 hr 30 min

    Rockefeller Museum

    מוזיאון רוקפלר

    The Rockefeller Archaeological Museum is an archaeological museum in Jerusalem. It houses a significant collection of artifacts recovered from excavations conducted in the region during the British Mandate period and earlier.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Jerusalem
  13. Dormition Abbey Dormition Abbey
    44 45 min

    Dormition Abbey

    كنيسة رقاد السيدة العذراء

    Dormition Abbey is a Benedictine monastery on Mount Zion, southwest of Jerusalem’s Old City walls. The early twentieth-century church commemorates the dormition, or falling asleep, of the Virgin Mary according to Christian tradition.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Jerusalem
  14. Gethsemane Gethsemane
    45 1 hour

    Gethsemane

    حديقة الجثسيماني

    The Garden of Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem. It holds profound significance in Christian tradition as the site where Jesus is said to have prayed before his crucifixion.

    • Must see
    • Nature site
    • Jerusalem
  15. Yad Vashem Yad Vashem
    46 1 hr 30 min

    Yad Vashem

    יד ושם

    Yad Vashem is Israel’s national Holocaust memorial and a major place of remembrance on the western slope of Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. Established by the Knesset in 1953, the institution combines commemoration, historical interpretation, documentation, research and education.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Jerusalem
  16. Montefiore Windmill Montefiore Windmill
    47 45 min

    Montefiore Windmill

    טחנת הרוח

    Montefiore Windmill is a historic landmark in Jerusalem’s Yemin Moshe neighborhood. Funded by the British Jewish philanthropist Moses Montefiore in the nineteenth century, it represents an effort to support Jewish settlement, agriculture and economic activity beyond the Old City walls.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Jerusalem
  17. Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot
    48 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot

    אנו - מוזיאון העם היהודי

    ANU – Museum of the Jewish People is a museum in Tel Aviv-Yafo dedicated to the narrative and culture of Jewish communities worldwide. Formerly known as Beit HaTfutsot, it underwent significant rebranding and renovation.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Tel Aviv
  18. Eretz Israel Museum Eretz Israel Museum
    49 1 hr 30 min

    Eretz Israel Museum

    מוזיאון ארץ ישראל

    Eretz Israel Museum is a multidisciplinary museum complex in Tel Aviv-Yafo devoted to the history and culture of the Land of Israel.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Tel Aviv
  19. Ticho House Ticho House
    50 1 hr 30 min

    Ticho House

    בית טיכו

    Ticho House is a historic residence and cultural venue in central Jerusalem, close to Zion Square. The house was the home of artist Anna Ticho and ophthalmologist Dr.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Jerusalem
  20. Tel Aviv Museum of Art Tel Aviv Museum of Art
    51 1 hr 30 min

    Tel Aviv Museum of Art

    מוזיאון תל אביב לאומנות

    The Tel Aviv Museum of Art is a major visual-arts institution in Tel Aviv-Yafo, known for collections and exhibitions covering modern and contemporary art alongside works from other periods.

    • Must see
    • Museum
    • Tel Aviv
  21. Temple Mount Temple Mount
    52 30 min

    Temple Mount

    الحرم القدسي الشريف

    Temple Mount is the religious compound in Jerusalem's Old City known in Islamic tradition as al-Haram al-Sharif.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Jerusalem
  22. Hurva Synagogue Hurva Synagogue
    53 30 min

    Hurva Synagogue

    בית הכנסת החורבה

    The Hurva Synagogue is a prominent Jewish house of worship in the Old City of Jerusalem, situated in the Jewish Quarter.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Jerusalem
  23. Ben-Gurion House in Tel Aviv Ben-Gurion House in Tel Aviv
    54 1 hr 30 min

    Ben-Gurion House in Tel Aviv

    בית בן גוריון

    Ben-Gurion House in Tel Aviv is the preserved home of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister. The residence presents a quieter, personal side of a major political figure, contrasting with the public scale of state history.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Tel Aviv
  24. The Herodian Quarter The Herodian Quarter
    55 1 hr 30 min

    The Herodian Quarter

    הרובע ההרודיאני

    The Herodian Quarter is an archaeological site in Jerusalem's Old City revealing remains of wealthy residential structures from the late Second Temple period. Excavations uncovered substantial dwellings with mosaic floors, ritual baths, and domestic furnishings suggesting affluent inhabitants.

    • High
    • Museum
    • Jerusalem
  25. Dominus Flevit Church Dominus Flevit Church
    56 30 min

    Dominus Flevit Church

    Dominus Flevit Church is a Roman Catholic church on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Its name means "The Lord Wept" in Latin, referencing the Gospel account of Jesus weeping over the city.

    • High
    • Place of worship
    • Jerusalem

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Israel be?

Seven to ten days can divide time between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv with one carefully chosen extension to Haifa, the Galilee, Dead Sea or Negev. Religious calendars and changing security conditions can alter access, so keep the route flexible rather than booking every transfer tightly.

What entry documents are needed for Israel?

Use Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority for the current entry rule, including whether electronic travel authorisation is required. Eligibility depends on nationality and travel circumstances; recheck immediately before departure because border procedures may change faster than ordinary guide content.

What is the best way to travel around Israel?

Ben Gurion Airport links into the intercity rail and bus networks, and major cities have their own local transit products. Many public services reduce substantially from Friday evening to Saturday evening, so build a separate plan for that period and confirm current operations.

When is a practical time to visit Israel?

Spring and autumn can balance coastal heat with walking in Jerusalem, but holidays may sharply affect hours, transport and demand. Desert excursions need separate heat planning, and any official security restriction takes priority over the seasonal itinerary.

What money and payment basics apply in Israel?

The Israeli new shekel is the working currency. Cards are widely accepted in cities, while markets and small operators may make cash useful; inspect the ILS amount and any service convention before payment instead of applying habits from another destination.

What practical safety details should I save for Israel?

Emergency services use 100 for police, 101 for ambulance and 102 for fire; electricity is Type C and H at 230 V. Tap-water guidance is Not recorded in this dataset, and current civil-defence instructions should be checked through official channels.