Israel

Aloysius Flyte

Any ideas where to go and what to do for a 2 week holiday in Israel in October?

3 girls, 30 something

So some culture, some sun, some nightlife & some R&R

Siuin

For sure head to the Dead Sea- there are some really great beauty treatments like mud facials and massages for pretty reasonable prices in local spas. I'd recommend heading to Ein Gedi in particular, and also for a hike if you're the active type.

For beach and night life, head to Tel Aviv- it's very cosmopolitan and they have some really brilliant cafes and dance bars (as opposed to 'clubs' which are more for the early 20s crowd). My favourite cafes and restaurants are along Rothschild Boulevard- Moses' Burgers are pretty famous and really delicious. There's also a great chocolate place, I think it's called קאקא but not sure on that one- if you find it, get the chocolate waffles!! They're amazing!! There's an Irish Pub in Tel Aviv and also Jerusalem- worth checking out too! Eilat is probably the best beach resort (also for water sports) but with the current situation there, I can't really recommend it... check the political climate before you come, and it's also worth remembering that it IS quite far away.

A trip to Jerusalem is a must to wander around the Old City and experience the diverse mix of religions and cultures- just be sure to cover up (a skirt or pants past the knee and a top that covers your shoulders, preferably to the elbow with a fairly high neckline).

Since you're around for so long, I'd also recommend a trip up north to Haifa to see the Bahai Gardens and check out Hof HaCarmel. I wouldn't bother going to Nazareth because TBH it's boring unless you're seriously religiously inclined, and the town itself is noisy and dirty.

For shopping, the shuk in the Old City in the Jerusalem has really inexpensive ethnic jewellery, handbags and traditional clothing and trinkets. Serious haggling is required, though!! If you want to do a quick conversion to euros, divide the price by 5 for an approximate value. In Tel Aviv, head to the Azrieli Center (although it's a bit on the expensive side- it's got all the usuals like Mango, H&M, Zara etc) or, if you want a great bargain go to HaCarmel market - I got my brother 3 really lovely polo shirts for less than 20 euros! If you go on a Wednesday (? not sure, but I think it's that day it's on) there's a street beside it called Nachalat Binyamin which has a fantastic crafts market - I got my mom a really cute and unusual sugar bowl there last week!

On a general note, be prepared to have your bags checked whenever you go into a public building, especially train and bus stations and shopping centers. Also, don't feel shy in being very blunt with men if you're not interested. Subtle or kind shake offs don't work here- they're pretty persistent! Practically all shops, most restaurants and all trains and bus services close for Shabbat (Friday evening until Saturday night) but you can get a sherut (like a communal taxi which is yellow and looks like a mini van שרות) or a normal taxi (known as a 'monit' מונית) to wherever you want to go. It's nice to know a bit of Hebrew before coming, but don't worry about it since most Israelis speak very good English. Don't let them push you around- Israelis aren't very good at queuing for anything, particularly buses, so stand your ground and don't let yourself get pushed aside! If ye are typical pale Irish ladies (like myself!) be prepared for people to assume ye are Russian lol- happens me all the time!

Have an amazing time and feel free to PM me if you need any more tips!

biko

Dead Sea and bazaars.
Visit Jaffa.

Eat many falafels from street stands.

Siuin

Mmm I wouldn't say Jaffa is by any means a 'must see' - it's the 'poor' south side of Tel Aviv, but unless you want to stop by for some good humus, it's nothing spectacular.

ANXIOUS

I would find some local people, ask them how they feel about the war crimes being commited in there names.

Then i would spend a day or two checking out the in gaza strip (Not to be confused with the "strip" on a sun holiday). This time of year is meant to be lovely..

mikedragon32

ANXIOUS wrote: »

I would find some local people, ask them how they feel about the war crimes being commited in there names.

Then i would spend a day or two checking out the in gaza strip (Not to be confused with the "strip" on a sun holiday). This time of year is meant to be lovely..

I'm sure you would, but you're not going.

As ever with threads about vacations in Israel, please don't bring the political situation into it.