🇮🇱 Israel

10 best places in Jerusalem

Jerusalem packs three religions into a few square kilometres of Old City walls, while just outside them a lively market, bohemian streets and some of the Middle East's best food keep the modern city buzzing.

Sight

Old City and its Walls

An Ottoman-walled maze of Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Armenian quarters, the spiritual heart of three faiths.

Sight

Western Wall

The last standing remnant of the Second Temple, where prayer notes have been tucked into its cracks for centuries.

Sight

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The church built over the traditional site of the Crucifixion and Resurrection, shared by six Christian denominations.

Sight

Temple Mount / Dome of the Rock

The golden dome over the rock from which the Prophet Muhammad is said to have ascended to heaven, one of the world's most recognisable skylines.

Museum

Yad Vashem

Israel's Holocaust memorial and museum, one of the most affecting museums anywhere.

Museum

Israel Museum

The country's largest museum, home to the Dead Sea Scrolls and a scale model of ancient Jerusalem.

Market

Mahane Yehuda Market

A bustling market of spice mountains and halva stalls that transforms into one of the city's best bar districts by night.

Park

Garden of Gethsemane

An olive grove at the foot of the Mount of Olives, where the Gospels say Jesus prayed before his arrest.

Museum

Tower of David Museum

A citadel by Jaffa Gate housing the city's history museum and an evening light show on its ancient walls.

Restaurant

Machneyuda

An iconic, boisterous restaurant near Mahane Yehuda market where chefs cook to a live jazz band.

FAQ

Best time to visit Jerusalem?

Spring from March to May and autumn from September to November are the most comfortable: warm and dry. Summer is hot but dry, and because the city sits in the hills the nights are cooler than on the coast. Winter can be wet and genuinely cold, with occasional snow.

Is Jerusalem safe right now?

The regional situation changes quickly and there is no universal answer: in calm periods the city receives visitors as normal, in tense ones access to certain sites is restricted. Read current government advisories, the news and your insurance terms right before you book. Everyday crime in the city is low - the question is the wider situation.

What should you know about Shabbat in Jerusalem?

From Friday evening to Saturday evening public transport stops, most shops and many restaurants close, and what stays open is taxis plus businesses in the Arab and Christian quarters. Factor that into arrival times and travel between cities. Holy sites also have dress codes - covered shoulders and knees - and some have limited visiting hours.

How do you move to Israel?

The main route is repatriation under the Law of Return, for people with Jewish ancestry or qualifying family grounds; documentation is examined closely and takes time to assemble. For everyone else it comes down to work visas, which are hard to obtain, or study. Rules and how they are applied do change, and processing can be slow.