The Judean Desert wind whips up the reddish orange dust of the giant, flat

topped plateaus that stand just outside Masada, creating swirling shapes of

sand and dust on the sunny horizon. This ancient fortress symbolises the

exile of the Jewish nation from the Holy Land and the weight of history

sinks into the desert sands under it - just the start to a trip of biblical

and historic sightseeing in Israel. The ever-shrinking Dead Sea is not far

from Masada, with teal waters and sandy beaches good for a midday stroll and

maybe a quick dip. Spend the rest of the day exploring the caves of Qumran in

Qumran National Park, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, but to see

the scrolls themselves you’ll have to venture into Jerusalem’s Israel

Museum where they are on display.

The following days could be spent seeing the historic and

religious sites of Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv, and Safed, but could be alternated

to include skiing, surfing, horseback riding, and wine tasting. Although

predominately Jewish, the culture of Israel is as varied at the people

returning to Israel considering it their homeland. The ‘Return of the

Diaspora’ has created a jumble of cultures to both contradict and complement

each other, inviting travellers to experience a bit of all of them. Israel

is where history and an ancient culture comes crashing into the future, and

visitors can slip back and forth, between the past of Israel and Palestine

to the present and future of the Jewish Holy Land with ease.

See all »

Selected places to go in Israel

Add comment

Comments, reviews and questions