
Street art in Jerusalem isn’t always political (PHOTOS)
While plenty of graffiti in Jerusalem can be negative, not all of it is. Some street art in Jerusalem spreads a messages of hope, peace & love.
Travel blogs, travel photos and features from Israel
Israel is just a tiny stretch of land on the western edge of the Mediterranean Sea, stretching down to the Red Sea and across the Jordan Valley, but this small slice of Earth is one of the most remarkable places. And also quite contentious and confusing. It’s a place of history and mystery. We’ve read about these places and Israeli cities in our Bibles, Torahs and Qur’ans, but seeing them first-hand, experiencing the diversity of local cultures and meeting the people here—there’s really nowhere like it. Start here with my basic Israel travel tips, or jump down below to read my latest Israel travel blogs.
Like most places along the Mediterranean, Israel is especially popular in the summertime. The beaches of Tel Aviv are some of the best in the world with warm, blue water and plenty of beach amenities. Tel Aviv’s city life also makes it one of the most dynamic places in the region with incredible nightlife, an amazing culinary scene and a savvy tech & start-up scene. Just a half hour drive from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem remains one of the most intense and historically important cities—often contentious politically but also surprisingly hip, fun and an amazing city to visit as a tourist. Throughout Israel, the northern regions and cities provide countless opportunities for hiking, history and exploration, and the south of Israel with the Negev Desert, the Dead Sea and Eilat on the Red Sea Coast offer great summer and winter destinations. Israel’s fascinating history lends itself to be a year-round destination with plenty of cool things to do and ways to explore. The country is often more interesting and more surprising for first-time visitors than expected.
Because Israel is relatively far away from most major European destinations, it’s a good idea to plan a trip for a long weekend. Of course, city trips to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are easy on a weekend from Europe, but plan a one or two week visit to take in even more of the amazing cities and destinations within Israel. With that much time, you can usually include a weekend in Tel Aviv, three or four days in Jerusalem and then trips up to Haifa in the north and/or the Dead Sea south of Jerusalem. I also recommend taking tours or a solo backpacking trip through Palestine in the West Bank. Many multi-day tours leave from Jerusalem or else you can catch public buses to Palestinian cities such as Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus or Hebron.
The open-minded, relaxed and welcoming nature of Tel Aviv makes it one of the world’s best gay hotspots. The annual Tel Aviv Pride draws crowds of over 100,000 international visitors with a film festival, street parties, a parade through the city and beach events each summer. Meanwhile, Jerusalem and other parts of Israel remain conservative and less welcoming, however there are still many pockets of LGBT life throughout the country. Jerusalem even has a number of gay or mostly gay bars where you can catch drag shows or other regular events.
Traveling in gay Israel can be a lot of fun. A few tips: use the gay app Atraf — it’s how you’ll meet local gay guys and you can also buy party tickets through it for many of Tel Aviv’s best queer clubs. Israel’s best gay city is 100% Tel Aviv, though you’ll find queer-friendly parties and even the odd gay club night in Jerusalem. Atraf works throughout the country, though, and it’s easy and safe to meet other gay travelers and gay locals throughout Israel.
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While plenty of graffiti in Jerusalem can be negative, not all of it is. Some street art in Jerusalem spreads a messages of hope, peace & love.
My review of the Abraham Hostel in Jerusalem – one of the most fun hostels I’ve stayed in and probably the best in Israel
Jerusalem captured me from the very first night. These were my first impressions and after visiting several times since, the city still gets me every time.
A review of the XCom Global portable wifi service during my backpacking trip through Israel and Palestine. Details on how and where I was able to stay connected
Details from a free walking tour of the Nazareth Old City. The Nazareth tour showcased peace projects around the ancient city
Berlin and Tel Aviv share many similarities — they’re both über cool cities for the cultural and creative. Here’s what makes both Berlin & Tel Aviv so cool.
Check out my travel video from Jerusalem: featuring shots from the Musrara neighborhood, Abraham Hostel, the Kotel and many Israeli museums.
Israel hiking can be quite comfortable in the winter. These are photos from my hiking trip in the Negev Desert at Mitzpe Ramon, down into the Makhtesh.
The Green Backpackers hostel in Mitzpe Ramon (in the Negev Desert) is a place for experiencing the backpacking lifestyle. A great place to meet other travelers!
Instagram photos from two weeks traveling around Israel as a tourist. Beer, hummus, city skylines from the north to the south: Jerusalem and Tel Aviv too!