Lonely Planet Israel & the Palestinian Territories

Daniel Robinson

Description

Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet's Israel & the Palestinian Territories is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Discover the ruins of ancient Jericho, take an early morning walk to the Temple Mount for a breathtaking view of the Dome of the Rock, and float in the briny waters of the Dead Sea - all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Israel and the Palestinian Territories and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet's Israel & the Palestinian Territories: Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries to help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights provide a richer, more rewarding travel experience - covering history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics Covers Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Haifa & the North Coast, Lower Galilee & Sea of Galilee, Upper Galilee & Golan, West Bank, The Gaza Strip, The Dead Sea, The Negev, Petra The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet's Israel & the Palestinian Territories is our most comprehensive guide to the area, and is perfect for discovering both popular and offbeat experiences. Looking for wider coverage? Check out Lonely Planet's Middle East for a comprehensive look at all the region has to offer. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. 'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves, it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia)eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

Sujets

• Israel

Informations

• Publié par: Lonely Planet
• Date de parution: 01 juillet 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 3
• EAN13: 9781787019249
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 42 Mo

Extrait

Israel & the Palestinian Territories

Contents

Plan Your Trip

Welcome to Israel & the Palestinian Territories
Israel & the Palestinian Territories’ Top 20
Need to Know
What’s New
If You Like…
Month by Month
Itineraries
Activities
Shabbat
Crossing Borders
Travel with Children
Regions at a Glance

On The Road

JERUSALEM
Around Jerusalem
Abu Ghosh
Latrun
Neot Kedumim
Soreq Cave
Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park
TEL AVIV-JAFFA (YAFO)
Around Tel Aviv
Gush Dan
Herzliya
Holon
Netanya
Ramla
HAIFA & THE NORTH COAST
Haifa
Daliyat Al Karmel
Carmelite Monastery of St Elijah
Ein Hod & Ayn Hawd
Atlit
Zichron Ya’akov
Mey Kedem
Caesarea
Akko (Acre)
Kibbutz Lohamei HaGeta’ot
Nahariya
LOWER GALILEE & SEA OF GALILEE
Nazareth
Kafr Kana
Tzipori
Mt Tabor Area
Jezreel & Beit She’an Valleys
Tiberias
Sea of Galilee
Northwestern Shore
Eastern Shore
Southwestern Shore
Religious Sites
UPPER GALILEE & GOLAN
Upper Galilee
Tsfat
Mt Meron Area
Rosh Pina
Hula Valley
Galilee Panhandle
Golan Heights
Katzrin
Southern Golan
Central Golan
Northern Golan
WEST BANK
Bethlehem
Ramallah
Taybeh
Jericho
Hebron
Nablus
Jenin
THE GAZA STRIP
THE DEAD SEA
Ein Gedi
Northwestern Coast
Masada
Ein Bokek
Sodom
Neot HaKikar
THE NEGEV
Be’er Sheva
Negev Highlands
Mitzpe Ramon
The Arava
Eilat
PETRA
The Ancient City
Wadi Musa
Siq Al Barid (Little Petra)

Understand

Understand Israel & the Palestinian Territories
Israel & the Palestinian Territories Today
History
People of Israel & the Palestinian Territories
Regional Food
Daily Life
Government & Politics
Religion
Arts
Environment

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Safe Travel
Directory A–Z
Accommodation
Customs Regulations
Dangers & Annoyances
Discount Cards
Electricity
Embassies & Consulates
Etiquette
Food
Gay & Lesbian Travellers
Insurance
Internet Access
Legal Matters
Maps
Money
Post
Public Holidays
Taxes & Refunds
Telephone
Time
Tourist Information
Travellers with Disabilities
Visas
Volunteering
Women Travellers
Work
Transport
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
Health
Language
Glossary
Behind the Scenes
Our Writers
Welcome to Israel & the Palestinian Territories

At the intersection of Asia, Europe and Africa – both geographically and culturally – Israel and the Palestinian Territories have been a meeting place of cultures, empires and religions since history began.

Holy Sites
Cradle of Judaism and Christianity and sacred to Muslims and Baha’is, the Holy Land invites visitors to immerse themselves in the variety of the region’s religious traditions. Ancient Jewish sites include Jerusalem’s Western Wall and Byzantine-era synagogues. The Roman-era synagogues around the Sea of Galilee may have been used by Jews and Christians before they diverged into separate faiths. Both Christian pilgrims and tourists can explore sites associated with Jesus’s birth (in Bethlehem), ministry (in Nazareth and around the Sea of Galilee) and crucifixion (in Jerusalem). For Muslims, only Mecca and Medina are holier than Jerusalem’s Al Haram Ash Sharif, known to Jews as the Temple Mount – perhaps the most contested site on earth.

Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv is a multicultural swirl of skyscrapers, bike paths, atmospheric cafes, stylish bistros and buff bods tanning on the sand. It may be a relatively new city by Israeli standards (it was first founded in 1909) but earned Unesco World Heritage status by virtue of its 1930s-style Bauhaus architecture. Israel’s self-described ‘start-up city’, it is world-renowned as a tech hub and is home to some of the country’s most happening firms – as well as myriad bars, pubs and clubs.

Archaeology
Thanks to the painstaking work of generations of archaeologists, modern-day visitors can explore the 10,000-year-old mud-brick relics of Jericho, enter into the world of David and Solomon in Jerusalem’s City of David, and twin a visit to Masada, with its dramatic tale of resistance to the mighty legions of Rome, with a tour of the thoroughfares and theatres of Beit She’an, still pulsing with Roman opulence. Many of the country’s most extraordinary finds are on display in Jerusalem’s Israel Museum.

Adventures in Nature
Few countries have so much geographic variety packed into such a small space. Distances are short, so you can relax on a Mediterranean beach one day, spend the next floating in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea, and the day after that scuba diving in the Red Sea. Hikers can trek the length of the country on the Israel National Trail, splash through seasonal streams as they tumble towards the Jordan, explore spring-fed oases tucked into the arid bluffs above the Dead Sea, and explore the multicoloured sandstone formations of Makhtesh Ramon. Many trails are ideal for mountain biking.

Bethlehem | EFESENKO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Why I Love Israel & the Palestinian Territories
By Orlando Crowcroft, Writer
Israel and the Palestinian Territories can be a difficult place, but when the call to prayer rings out in the streets of Jerusalem, the smell of spices hovers above the old city of Nablus or the sun sets over the hills of the Galilee, it can be a magical one too. It is as fascinating as it is frustrating, as tantalising as it is torn. But look close enough – with the right kind of eyes – and you get a glimpse of what unites all who live between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean: an unshakeable bond to the land.
For more, see Our Writers
Israel & the Palestinian Territories’ Top 20

Dome of the Rock
The first sight of Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock – its gold top shimmering above a turquoise-hued octagonal base – never fails to take your breath away. Perhaps that’s what the unknown architects had in mind more than 1300 years ago when they set to work on this impossibly gorgeous building. The best view, some say, is from the Mount of Olives, but don’t miss the chance to see it up close by taking an early-morning walk up to the Temple Mount/Al Haram Ash Sharif.

MARK MILLAN / 500PX ©

Top Experiences
The Dead Sea
You pass a sign reading ‘Sea Level’ and then keep driving downhill, eventually catching glimpses of the cobalt-blue waters of the Dead Sea , outlined by snow-white salt deposits, reddish-tan cliffs and tufts of dark-green vegetation. At the oasis of Ein Gedi you can hike through steep canyons to crystal-clear pools and tumbling waterfalls before climbing to the Judean Desert plateau above – or heading down to the seashore for a briny, invigorating dip. To the south around Mt Sodom, outdoor options include adventure cycling along dry riverbeds.

RUSLANDASHINSKY / GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences
Tel Aviv Beaches
Head to Gordon Beach in Tel Aviv and grab your spot either on the sand or on a sun lounger and watch sunbathers bronze their bods while the more athletic swim, surf, sail and play intense games of matkot (beach racquetball). Pick one of the bars or restaurants that brings food and beers to the sand and enjoy some lunch, then as evening falls do as the locals do and sink a few ice-cold Goldstars as the sun sets over the warm, deep-blue waters of the Mediterranean.

SJ TRAVEL PHOTO AND VIDEO / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences
Ramallah
Home to most of the West Bank’s best budget accommodation, as well as the bulk of its bars and clubs, Ramallah is an excellent base for visitors and an exciting, cosmopolitan and vibrant city in its own right. Since 2017, the city has also hosted the excellent Yasser Arafat Museum, located in the compound where the late Palestinian leader spent his final years under Israeli siege. Also in the de facto Palestinian capital is a museum to ‘Palestine’s poet laurette’ Mahmoud Darwish.

CRAIG STENNETT / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ©

Top Experiences
Western Wall
For centuries Jews have come to the 2000-year-old western retaining wall of the Temple Mount to pray and to mourn the destruction of the First and Second Temples. The Western Wall’s enormous stones, worn smooth by countless caresses, have an almost magnetic power, drawing close the hands and foreheads of the faithful, who come in search of a deep, direct connection with God. Look closely between the cracks to see prayers that have been written down and slotted between the ancient stones.

IRINA BORSUCHENKO / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Built on what St Helena – Constantine the Great’s mother – believed to be the site of Jesus’s crucifixion and burial, Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the holiest place in the world for many Christians. In darkened chambers infused with incredible spirituality, a variety of Christian denominations keep alive here some of the oldest traditions of their faith. Visitors are welcome to join the parade of resplendently garbed clergy and simply dressed pilgrims as they shuffle through candlelit corridors redolent with incense.

ROSTISLAV GLINSKY / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences
Baha’i Gardens
Fusing religious symbolism, breathtaking views and meticulous gardening, the 19 terraces of Haifa’s Baha’i Gardens present visitors with a sublime expression of humankind’s striving for beauty. The gold-domed Shrine of the Bab sits in the middle of the gardens, and tier after tier of geometric flower beds, immaculate lawns, sculptures and fountains cascade down the slopes of Mt Carmel, offering pilgrims and tourists alike a sense of incredible serenity. If you’re fit enough, the view from the top over Haifa may take your mind off your burning calves.

LEONID ANDRONOV / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences
Masada
The Romans had just destroyed Jerusalem when about a thousand Jewish Zealots took refuge on a remote hilltop overlooking the Dead Sea. As you peer down from their towering redoubt, you can still see the eight encircling Roman camps , con