Sunrise over Jerusalem's Old City and the Dome of the Rock from the Mount of Olives

Israel & Palestine

Jerusalem, Bethlehem & Tel Aviv

holy sites, coast & the Dead Sea · 7 must-see spots

The trip

Spectacular — and genuinely uplifting.

This was one of the most moving trips we've taken. We travelled through Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Tel Aviv in April, which we'd say is a perfect time to go — warm but not too hot. Standing in front of the religious sites we'd read about our whole lives was something we'll never forget, and floating in the Dead Sea was just pure fun. One big tip: take the guided tours. For the layered history here, and for crossing between areas smoothly, a good guide made all the difference. Here's where every shot was taken, and the two tours we booked. We visited in April 2025.

The heart of it

Jerusalem

Jerusalem · Most significant01

The Western Wall

📍 The Western Wall (the Kotel) · Old City

The holiest place where Jewish people are permitted to pray, and one of the most powerful atmospheres we've ever stood in — people from all over the world leaving folded prayers in the cracks of the ancient stone. The plaza is open to everyone; the prayer sections are split for men and women, heads are covered at the wall, and it's a moment to be quiet and respectful. Deeply memorable.

Dress modestlyA moment to be still

The rotunda of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

Andrew resting a hand on the worn stone of the Old City

Jerusalem · Most historic02

The Old City & the Holy Sepulchre

📍 Old City · Christian, Jewish, Muslim & Armenian Quarters

The walled Old City is a maze of four quarters, bazaars and layers of history stacked on top of each other — you can walk the Via Dolorosa and end at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, held sacred as the site of the crucifixion and resurrection. It's overwhelming in the best way, and honestly hard to navigate on your own: doing it with a guide who could explain what we were looking at completely changed the day.

Go with a guideWear comfy shoes

GetYourGuide We booked this

Jerusalem: Old City Guided Tour

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Jerusalem's Old City at dawn with the Dome of the Rock, from the Mount of Olives

Andrew looking out over Jerusalem at sunset

Jerusalem · Best view03

The Mount of Olives viewpoint

📍 Mount of Olives · east of the Old City

The classic panorama of Jerusalem — the whole walled city laid out below you, the golden Dome of the Rock catching the light in the middle. We came for both a sunrise and a sunset here and it was breathtaking each time, the stone glowing gold as the sun moved. It's the shot that sums up the whole city; get there early or stay late for the softest light.

Sunrise or sunsetBest panorama

Palestine · West Bank

Bethlehem

Andrew kneeling at the silver star marking the birthplace in the Grotto of the Nativity

Bethlehem · Most meaningful01

The Church of the Nativity

📍 Manger Square · Bethlehem

One of the oldest churches in the world, built over the grotto revered as the birthplace of Jesus. Downstairs, a fourteen-point silver star set into the marble marks the spot, lit by hanging lamps — you queue, kneel and touch it, and even the shortest visit feels profound. Bethlehem sits in the West Bank, so we reached it on a half-day tour from Jerusalem that sorted the crossing and told the story along the way. There's a beautiful nativity mural from the visit in the gallery below.

Reach it via a tourExpect a queue

GetYourGuide We booked this

From Jerusalem: Half-Day Bethlehem Guided Tour

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The coast

Tel Aviv & Jaffa

Tel Aviv's beachfront and skyline on a bright day

Tel Aviv · Most relaxed01

The Tel Aviv beaches

📍 Tel Aviv's Mediterranean seafront

After the intensity and history of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv is the total flip-side — a warm, modern, easygoing beach city on the Mediterranean. We spent a day doing very little but walking the promenade, swimming and eating well. Soft sand, blue water and a relaxed, come-as-you-are vibe. The perfect counterweight to the rest of the trip.

City-beach daysGreat food scene

Us among the palms and stone lanes of Old Jaffa

Jaffa · Most charming02

Old Jaffa

📍 Old Jaffa (Yafo) · southern Tel Aviv

At the south end of the seafront, Old Jaffa is an ancient port turned warren of honey-coloured stone lanes, galleries and viewpoints — and one of the best places anywhere to watch the sun drop into the Mediterranean, with the whole Tel Aviv skyline curving away behind you. We wandered here at golden hour and it was magic (that sunset shot is in the gallery).

Go for golden hourSkyline views

The wonder

The Dead Sea

Best experience01

Floating on the Dead Sea

📍 The Dead Sea · lowest point on Earth

Incredible — genuinely one of a kind. The water is so salty you simply cannot sink; you lie back and bob like a cork. We slathered on the famous mineral mud, rinsed off and floated in that impossibly blue, buoyant water with the desert mountains all around. A drive out through the Jordan Valley (past Jericho) gets you there. Two tips: don't shave beforehand and keep the water out of your eyes — it stings — and wear water shoes, the salt crystals are sharp.

You can't sinkDon't shave first

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