Some highlights of Israël:
Jerusalem
Wake up early when you visit Jerusalem because the light in the streets is magnificent.
Just roam around the winding alleyways, drink some tea, and see how the city comes to life.
Best time to visit the Western Wall is on Shabbat (Friday at sunset) or on Monday and Thursday for bar mitzvahs (celebration when girls turn 12 and a boys turn 13).
When you have seen the most important sights in Jerusalem, it is nice to do the Ramparts Walk, a 1 km walk along the top of the city wall. From here you have great views and you can observe the city life below. Be aware, there is zero shade, so bring a hat if you easily get sunburnt.
Hungry? Just go to the old city centre and you will definately find some mouth-watering falafel, hummus and the freshest fruits. But if you love to eat on a market go for Mahane Yehuda Market. It is crammed with so much good food that you probably don't know where to start. I ate a fantastic meal at Azura. Some say they serve the best hummus in town! By the way, the market will close earlier on Friday because of Shabbat, so be there on time.
My lunch at Azura:
Streets in the old town:
I was lucky that I was in Jerusalem during Shabbat. I booked the Shabbat dinner in my hostel (Abraham Hostel) and I loved to eat together, sitting on long tables and meet people from all over the world.
Bethlehem
From Jerusalem it's a short drive to Bethlehem. When I visited Bethlehem I was very, very impressed by the streetart. Graffiti artists have started using the barrier wall (the wall that separates Israel from Palestine) as a canvas for political protest and socially critical art. It is their connection with the world outside.
If you like to see Banksy's work (see below), you can book a tour which shows you all the pieces by this famous British artist. Banksy even has got a shop in Bethlehem.
Mount of Olives
This historic mountain is a sacred place as there are over 150.000 Jewish graves (some of them are 3.000 years old).
I can definately recommend a citytrip to Jerusalem. I stayed there for 3 nights and was very impressed by it. The people where so friendly that I immediately felt very welcome. The city has a great admosphere, the sights are imposing and the food is fresh and of a very good quality.
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