Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DISCOVERING THE HOLY LAND
The “Holy Land” encom-
and an array of churches,
monasteries and mosques.
This is also an area of great
natural beauty, from the
desert landscapes of Jordan
and Sinai to the lush
greenery of northern Israel
and the white sands of the
Mediterranean and Red Sea
coasts. These two pages are
designed to help visitors pinpoint the
highlights of this exciting region.
passes Israel and large
regions of Jordan and
Egypt. Rich in associations
with three of the world's
major faiths - Christianity,
Judaism and Islam - it is a
f ascinating and diverse
destination for pilgrims and
holidaymakers alike. Religious
highlights include the biblical sites of
Jerusalem, Galilee and Mount Sinai,
Mosaic in the
Jewish Quarter
Roman and Byzantine
remains, medieval walls and
gates, and colourful markets
and bazaars.
Visits to the
Mea Shearim
(see p125)
quarter of the
new city, the Holocaust
museum of
Yad Vashem
(see
p138)
, and an evening in the
19th-century neighbourhood
of
Nakhalat Shiva
(see p123)
bring the Jewish Jerusalem
experience up-to-date.
of the Jewish Diaspora
(see p168)
and the similarly
impressive
Te l Aviv Museum
of Art
(see p170)
, and for its
unrivalled heritage of white-
washed
Bauhaus architecture
(see p171)
. Also visit for the
shopping, dining and night-
life, in which the city excels.
Don't miss the neighbouring
ancient port of
Jaffa
(see
pp174-5)
with its attractive
harbour-side buildings,
several of which house good
seafood restaurants.
North along the coast,
Akko
(see pp178-9)
is another old
Arab port, although heavily
shaped by the Crusaders, for
whom this was one of their
principal strongholds. It
remains perhaps the most
attractive old town i
n
the
entire Holy Land. Away from
A
the coast, the
Sea of Galilee
(see pp182-3)
is Israel's
largest freshwater body. It has
significant biblical links (it is
where Jesus is said to have
walked on the water), as well
as a beautiful setting ringed
by green hills.
THE COAST AND
GALILEE
Jerusalem's Old City walls, built by
Suleyman the Magnificent
• Beach life in Tel Aviv
• The Crusader port of Akko
• The Sea of Galilee
JERUSALEM
• Biblical sites
• The Western Wall and
Dome of the Rock
• Museum of the Holocaust
Te l Aviv
(see pp168-73)
is
worlds apart from Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is a millennia-old
hill-top city, weighted with
religious significance. Tel
Aviv is a secular beachfront
A
city that basks beneath a
Mediterranean sun and is
b
a
rely a century old. Visit Tel
Aviv for the superb
A
It's hard to overstate the
historical significance of
Jerusalem. Any trip begins
with an exploration of the
tightly walled Old City,
home to the cornerstones
of three faiths. It has the
Western Wall
(see p85)
of
Judaism; the Christian sites
of the
Via Dolorosa
(see
pp30-31)
and
Church of the
Holy Sepulchre
(see pp92-5)
;
and the third holiest site of
Islam, the
Dome of the Rock
(see pp72-3)
. Beyond these
are many more attractions
of similar significance,
including the Mount of
Olives, with its marvellous
views over the city, not to
mention more churches,
synagogues and mosques,
Museum
The Mediterranean Sea laps at the beaches of central Te lAviv
