Reasons to visit Israel
First and foremost, I really love travelling. Going to other places, seeing beautiful creatures especially to places that are rich in culture and heritage. I haven’t been to Israel before but when I finish my studies ang get a nice job, I’ll save money because I really want to visit Israel, especially to the places where Jesus was crucified. There are many Biblical sites or places in Israel and I would love to visit those places soon, in the right time. Israel is a complex, intriguing, and significant state to visit no matter your background. The region draws travelers worldwide who come out of interest, religious pilgrimage, or to simply have a luxurious vacation. From desert to sea, Israel is anything but boring. Those who visit gain a deeper understanding of life in one of the world’s most complicated places, and are sure to have an experience of a lifetime. Adventure travelers will feel a thrill exploring Israel’s vast range of natural features, history buffs will get their fix among ancient ruins, foodies must try hummus flavored ice cream, and religious travelers will find deeper meaning.
But before that, I will be listing the places that you should or you must visit in Israel:
1. “Acre – North Israel”
- A variety of different cultures have inhabited Acre throughout its history, including the Crusaders and the Ottomans, each leaving their mark on this region. With interesting, culturally molded buildings, ruins and sights around every corner, Acre is a must-visit location in the north of Israel. Enjoy a romantic evening walk along the port, have a meal at one of the local restaurants or take a relaxed stroll through Acre’s markets. A rarely visited site in Israel, this amazing old city offers the best of the old and new world: great restaurants perched on its seaside cliffs and even a world-class hotel alongside all the fun of a classic Arabic market.
2. “Sea of Galilee”
- The Sea of Galilee, or as Israelis call it, the Kinneret, is a major water source, as well as the largest freshwater lake, in Israel. The history of the lake goes way back. According to the New Testament, many of Jesus’ miracles occurred here, including his walk on the water. Today, tourists visit The Sea of Galilee to enjoy the relaxing lake, have fun building rafts, or practice various water activities. Called the Sea of Galilee by Israelis, Lake Kinneret is the site where Jesus is said to have walked on water. It’s also Israel’s main reservoir and a favorite tourist attraction for locals, who can regularly be found basking along its beaches.
3. “Golan Heights”
- In the north of the country you can find Golan Heights, a mountainous region with breathtaking landscapes, wonderful nature reserves and intriguing historical attractions for the whole family. If you’re interested in hiking, the Golan region offers a variety of different paths with varying levels of difficulty, dependent on the time of year. It is especially impressive during spring, when flowers are blooming and the fields are green. In wintertime, the Hermon Mountain, located in the Golan Heights, is an ideal destination for skiers.
4. “Masada”
- This mountaintop fortress in the Israeli desert was once the last holdout for the members of the Jewish revolt against the Roman empire. Their fate was a bitter one after a lengthy siege they decided to take their own lives rather than surrender but visiting the site is anything but bitter. Wake up extra early and hike or just take the tram and enjoy this amazing historical site. Masada is an ancient fortress in southern Israel’s Judean Desert. It's on a massive plateau overlooking the Dead Sea. Among the ruins are King Herod's Palace, which sprawls over 3 rock terraces, and a Roman-style bathhouse with mosaic floors. The Masada Museum has archaeological exhibits and recreations of historical scenes.
5. “Dome of the Rock”
- The Dome of the Rock is an Islamic shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock is in its core one of the oldest extant works of Islamic architecture. Its architecture and mosaics were patterned after nearby Byzantine churches and palaces, although its outside appearance has been significantly changed in the Ottoman period and again in the modern period, notably with the addition of the gold-plated roof, in 1959 to 1961 and again in 1993. The octagonal plan of the structure may have been influenced by the Byzantine Church of the Seat of Mary built between 451 and 458 on the road between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. The Foundation Stone the temple was built over bears great significance in the Abrahamic religions as the place where God created the world and the first human, Adam.
6. “The Israel Museum”
- The Israel Museum was established in 1965 as Israel's foremost cultural institution and one of the world’s leading encyclopedic museums. It is situated on a hill in the Givat Ram neighborhood of Jerusalem, adjacent to the Bible Lands Museum, the Knesset, the Israeli Supreme Court, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Its holdings include the world’s most comprehensive collections of the archaeology of the Holy Land, and Jewish Art and Life, as well as significant and extensive holdings in the Fine Arts, the latter encompassing eleven separate departments: Israeli Art; European Art; Modern Art; Contemporary Art; Prints and Drawings; Photography; Design and Architecture; Asian Art; African Art; Oceanic Art; and Arts of the Americas. Among the unique objects on display are the Venus of Berekhat Ram; the interior of a 1736 Zedek ve Shalom synagogue from Suriname; necklaces are worn by Jewish brides in Yemen; a mosaic Islamic prayer niche from 17th-century Persia; and a nail attesting to the practice of crucifixion in Jesus’ time.
7. “Dead Sea”
- It is also called Salt Sea, landlocked salt lake between Israel and Jordan in southwestern Asia. Its eastern shore belongs to Jordan, and the southern half of its western shore belongs to Israel. The northern half of the western shore lies within the Palestinian West Bank and has been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The Jordan River, from which the Dead Sea receives nearly all its water, flows from the north into the lake. The Dead Sea has the lowest elevation and is the lowest body of water on the surface of Earth. For several decades in the mid-20th century, the standard value given for the surface level of the lake was some 1,300 feet or 400 meters below sea level.
8. “Mount Zion”
- Mount Zion is a hill in Jerusalem, located just outside the walls of the Old City. The term Mount Zion has been used in the Hebrew Bible first for the City of David and later for the Temple Mount, but its meaning has shifted and it is now used as the name of ancient Jerusalem's Western Hill. Mount Zion has been holy to Jews, Christians, and Muslims for hundreds of years. The people who live and work here represent the cultural diversity of the area and of Jerusalem as a whole. The Window to Mount Zion site created an interactive, online communal guide that features local people telling the story of Mount Zion from their perspective. In addition, you can find useful and historical information about Mount Zion.
9. “City of David”
- The City of David, a neighborhood of Silwan, is a Palestinian Arab village intertwined with an Israeli settlement, and the archaeological site which is speculated to constitute the original settlement core of Bronze and Iron Age Jerusalem. The international community regards Israeli settlements illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this. Archaeologically it is best known for its Canaanite infrastructure dated to the Middle Bronze Age, and its newer structures from the Iron Age, built by Judean kings. Organised as an Israeli national park, its management was taken over in 1997 by the Ir David Foundation.
10. “Al-Aqsa Mosque”
- Al-Aqsa Mosque, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, is the third holiest site in Islam. The mosque was built on top of the Temple Mount, known as the Al Aqsa Compound or Haram esh-Sharif in Islam. Muslims believe that Muhammad was transported from the Great Mosque of Mecca to al-Aqsa during the Night Journey. Islamic tradition holds that Muhammad led prayers towards this site until the 17th month after his migration from Mecca to Medina, when Allah directed him to turn towards the Kaaba in Mecca. Another earthquake destroyed most of al-Aqsa in 1033, but two years later the Fatimid caliph Ali az-Zahir built another mosque whose outline is preserved in the current structure. The mosaics on the arch at the qibla end of the nave also go back to his time.
These places are very worth it to visit, because you will see the Biblical sites in real life and you can see that God is really good and very imaginative and creative. If you love travelling, I encourage you to visit first these places in Israel before visiting other nice places because we don’t know when we will die and you will miss the opportunity to visit those holy places and to know and to witness what happened in those places before.
