ISRAEL

(does not include Red Sea; includes West Bank)

GENERAL
Services
●David’s Tours of Israel – 011-972-052-458-9444; touchisrael.com; archaeologist; fluent in English and Russian; provides sensitive, tailored tours throughout Israel, with special depth of knowledge re Israel’s ancient history.
●Itsik Harani – 23 Brodetzki Street (Tel-Aviv); 011-972-052-327-8713; haraniy@bezeqint.net; excellent tours.



ABU GHOSH (includes Nataf)
Restaurants
●Abu Ghosh Restaurant – 65 Hashalom Street; 011-972-02-533-2019; abugosh-restaurant.co.il/len/apage/8370.php; briefly enshrined in Guiness Book of World Records for preparing world’s largest hummus plate.
●Lebanese Restaurant – 88 Hashalom Street; 011-972-02-533-5561; abo-gosh.co.il; sit at table in shady courtyard.
●Rama’s Kitchen – Nataf; 011-972-02-570-0954; ramak.co.il/en; everything anchored around taboon (stone oven); baked breads and whole fish; veranda overlooks Mediterranean & Judean Hills.
Sights & Sites
●Church of Notre Dame de l’Arche de l’Alliance (Our Lady of Ark of Covenant) – at hill top (turn right across from old police station, adjacent Kiryat Yearim community); 011-972-02-534-2812; marks last place Ark rested before King David brought it to Jerusalem.
●Crusader Church of Resurrection – Tel Aviv-Jerusalem Highway (13 km from West Jerusalem); 011-972-02-534-2798; built in 12^th Century and more perfectly preserved than any other ancient church in Palestine; lush, walled date palm garden; built over ancient cistern used in Canaanite times.



ARAD
Sights & Sites
●Ein Gedi – west of Dead Sea, near Masada & Qumran caves; parks.org.il/parks/ParksAndReserves/Pages/En-Gedi.aspx; national park-oasis.
●Masada – 12 miles east of Arad; 011-972-3-539-6700; whc.unesco.org/en/list/1040; ancient fortification in south, on eastern Judaean Desert’s edge, overlooking Dead Sea; Herod built palaces for himself on mountain and fortified Masada between 37-31 BCE.



ASHDOD
Restaurants
●Integral – 6 Hagdud Haivri; 011-972-8-866-8824; Russian-fusion food with plenty vodka.



BETHLEHEM
Hotels
●Walled Off Hotel – Area C; banksy.co.uk/rooms.html; decorated & designed by Banksy.



EILAT
Hotels
●Hilton Eilat Queen of Sheba Resort – 8 Antib Road, North Shore; 011-972-8-630-6666; hilton.com; lagoon, mountains, and Red Sea views; parasailing and water-skiing; average food.
●Rimonim Hotel Eilat – North Beach; 011-972-3-675-4591; english.rimonim.com.

Services
●Health Spa Estate Neve Midbar – Moshbey Sade (next to Park Golda); 011-972-08-657-9666; neve-midbar.co.il; spacious health spa (for daytime visits); centers on natural thermo-mineral water pool, pumped up from deep underground, at around 102° F; also has 2 freshwater pools; sauna, various massages, and aromatherapy treatments; gift shop, kosher restaurant, and coffee shop.

Shopping
●Maya Negri – King Solomon Boardwalk (Designers Gallery); 011-972-8-658-3235; mayanegri.com; Tel Aviv’s Donna Karan.

Sights & Sites
●Chai Negev Zoological Park – Kibbutz Revivim; 011-972-08-656-2688; zimmer.co.il/galil_lang.asp?Site_ID=1620&lang=3; activity center with animals as focus; on 4 acres; wild animals, carnivores, predators, reptiles, rodents, mammals, hoofed animals, water fowl, domestic animals.
●Mitzpe Revivim – Kibbutz Revivim; 011-972-08-656-2570 or 011-972-08-656-2638; revivim.org.il; Kibbutz Revivim is community established prior to Israel’s independence; besieged during Independence War by Egyptian soldiers; tours; also worth seeing, tree garden.



EIN KEREM
Restaurants
●Agua – 1 Hamaayan Street; 011-972-02-644-9494; sidewalk café.
●Sweet N’ Karem – town center; chocolates and ice cream; coffeehouse.

Shopping
●Ruth’s Tile Shop – town center; 2^nd floor Ottoman house; ceramics.

Sights & Sites
●Church of Visitation – built over John the Baptist’s parents’ home.
●Convent of Sisters of Our Lady of Zion.
●Muscovia Monastery.



ELAH VALLEY
Sights & Sites
●Vertigo Eco-Art Village – Kibbutz Netiv HaLamed-Heh; 011-972-02-624-4176 (Jerusalem number); vertigo.org.il or danceinisrael.com/tag/eco-art-village; open year round.



GALILEE (Capernaum, Degania, Ein Gev, Hazor Haglilit, Kinneret Colony, Rosh Pina, Tiberias & Yardenit)
Hotels
●Bayit Bagalil – Hazor Haglilit; 011-972-4-680-8200; bayit-bagalil.co.il; 26-room boutique hotel in stone chateau; pretty pool; adults only.
●Hotel Mizpe Hayamim – Safed Road 89; 011-972-4-699-4555; mizpe-hayamim.com; on 15 acres of undeveloped land with Galilee Sea views on clear days; ample greenery inside & out; organic farm & perfumerie.

Services
●Galil Forest Spa – Hazor Haglilit (at Bayit Bagalil Hotel); 011-972-4-680-8200; bayit-bagalil.co.il; tiny spa.
●Spa Mizpe Hayamim – Safed Road 89; 011-972-4-699-4555; mizpe-hayamim.com; try Wildflower Honey Rejuvenation body scrub, masque, and massage.

Sights & Sites
●Capernaum Ruins – 2 hours from Tel Aviv; main sights are ruined synagogue & church, which stand quite close to each other near shore, with ruins of 1^st-6^th Century houses in between.
●Degania Alef Kibbutz Courtyard & Museum – off Route 90 (Degania); 011-972-4-660-8410; degania.org.il; Israel’s 1^st kibbutz; make sure to check off adjunct, Beit Gordon Natural History Museum.
●Ein Gev Kibbutz – Ein Gev; 011-972-4-665-9800; eingev.com.
●Kinneret Colony Museum – Kinneret Colony; 011-972-4-675-0142; must book by appointment.
●Yardenit – off Route 90 (down from Degania Alef Kibbutz); River Jordan location where Jesus baptized.



HAIFA (includes Akko & Mount Carmel)
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
●Endomela – near Lighthouse (Akko); 011-972-04-955-2212; uriburi.co.il; run by Uri Jeremias, who also runs Uri Buri; try apricot and/or cardamom.

Hotels
●Carmel Forest Spa Resort – Carmel Forest; 011-972-4-830-7888; isrotel.co.il/English; luxury spa offering green, tranquil alternative to massive spa hotels in Dead Sea desert; considered most beautiful spa hotel in Israel; overlooks distant Mediterranean and wooded acres; ask for room overlooking forest or gardens.
●Efendi Hotel – Louis IX Street (Akko); 011-972-74-729-9799; efendi-hotel.com; 12 rooms occupying 2 Ottoman palaces; meticulously restored.

Restaurants
●Kukushka – Turkish Bazaar (Old City); 011-972-04-901-9758; facebook.com/kukushka.premium.snack.bar; limited snack menu that, in fact, is excellent; homemade soups, craft beers, sausages (!) wrapped in thin, fried bread, calamari.
●Uri Buri – 93 Haganah Street (Akko); 011-972-04-955-2212; uriburi.co.il; legendary for seafood; on city ramparts; seedy in appearance and extremely poor (really, arrogant) service.

Sights & Sites
●Baha’i Shrine & Gardens – Akko & Mount Carmel; 011-972-4-831-3131; ganbahai.org.il or terraces.bahai.org; 2 Baha’i Gardens, 1 in Haifa (also known as Hanging Gardens of Haifa) and other in Akko; garden terraces around Shrine of Bab on Mount Carmel are among Israel’s most visited tourist attractions.



HOLON
Restaurants
●Fergana – 54 Ha-Peled Street; 011-972-3-556-0210; inexpensive, tasty Uzbek cuisine in modest setting; plov, Central Asian pilaf, and manti (meat dumplings) are excellent.



HULA VALLEY
Sights & Sites
●Agamon Hula Lake Ornithological & Nature Park – Yesud Hamaala Junction; 011-972-04-681-7137; agamon-hula.co.il; 60K cranes migrate here annually.



NAHARIYA (includes Kibbutz Kabri)
Hotels
●Pivko Village – Kibbutz Kabri; 011-972-4-995-2711; airy, contemporary, tasteful wooden cabins in countryside, each with own outdoor Jacuzzi; every 2 cabins share spacious living room; lovely spot with gorgeous vistas and good hiking.

Restaurants
●Adaline – Kibbutz Kabri; 011-972-4-995-2707; set in simple stone and wood building, beside dining terrace with countryside vistas and distant sea view; Mediterranean food prepared with fresh ingredients; homemade desserts and wine list although you can bring own; lovely, gourmet, country food.

Sights & Sites
●Akko – former crusader capital; features Hospitalier castle, Templar tunnel, and museum.
●Rosh Hanikra – known for white chalk cliffs and grottoes.
●Tel Kabri – Kibbutz Kabri; arrange tour in advance; occupied over 16K year period; only Canaanite palace in region to be fully excavable; Minoan frescoes.



NAZARETH
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
●Deewan Al-Saraya – White Mosque Yard (Old City Market); 011-972-4-657-8697; coffee and qatayef, fried, syrup-soaked pancakes typically eaten during Ramadan.

Bars & Nightclubs
●Alreda – Al-Bishara Street; 011-972-4-608-4404; charming old world decor and delightful garden terrace; try “Old Nazareth,” arak, lemonade, and mint.
●Misk – Al-Bishara Street; 011-972-77-203-1811; bar-concert space; stylish.

Restaurants
●Alreda – Al-Bishara Street; 011-972-4-608-4404; nouvelle Arabic cuisine; charming old world decor and delightful garden terrace; try Moroccan-style chicken, almond, and honey pastilla.
●Mejana – Al-Bishara Street; 011-972-4-602-1067; el-mejana.rest-e.co.il; Arabic-Italian-Palestinian fusion in elegant space near Greek Orthodox Annunciation Church; daily changing menu.
●Misk – Al-Bishara Street; 011-972-77-203-1811; concert space-restaurant in Ottoman-era, white stone building; falafel and shawarma; classic Palestinian dishes given worldly makeover.
●Sudfeh – 35 Pilgrim’s Route 6083; 011-972-4-656-6611; sudfeh.com; fusion bistro in 19^th Century Russian seminary with white stone arches and 40' high ceilings; contemporary Arabic cuisine; Galilee Mill supplies spices.

Shopping
●El Babour – HaBankim Street; 011-972-04-645-5596; israeltraveler.org/en/site/galilee-grinder; family-owned mill that’s been grinding Ks grains & herbs for more than century.
●Mahroum – Paulus VI Street; 011-972-4-656-0214; mahroum-baklawa.com; sweets; try knafeh, Palestinian specialty (shredded phyllo covered in white cheese and syrup).

Sights & Sites
●Galilee Mill – El Babour (Old City Market); 011-972-4-645-5596; on Old City’s edge, close to Mary’s Well; active store containing over K herbs and spices; originally, mill built by Wagner family (Templar movement at 19^th Century’s end); visit highly recommended, both to see impressive grinding machines and old tools and enjoy wonderful scents emanating from wide variety aromatherapy oils, herbs, and spices.
●Greek Orthodox Church of Annunciation – Ha-Knesiya Squaure; 011-972-04-6576437; nazarethinfo.org/OldSite.aspx?levelId=63477; upper church has fine, wooden iconostasis, with delicate carvings & painted icons; from 18^th Century church’s north aisle, 7 steps descend to lower chapel of spring; here, narrow single aisle, sometimes crowded with pilgrims, roofed by barrel vault & lined with blind arcades decorated with colored marble & glazed ceramic from about 1750; at north end of chapel, Mary’s Spring runs beneath altar & can be peered down into; round stone well has lamp over-hanging & many Mary icons set up around rim; according to 17^th Century account (Quaresmi), now-blocked stair on right originally led to convent & there was altar in east wall (now covered with arcades); Byzantine bath house remains recently uncovered in area & can be seen in nearby cafe.