Israel

Places in Israel

• Abu Ghosh

  Abu Ghosh is an Arab-Israeli town of 7,500 people in Israel, just outside Jerusalem on the road to Tel Aviv. It has been described as a 'model of coexistence' and is known for its archaeological significance dating to the 7th millennium BCE.

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• Afula

  Afula is the largest city in the Jezreel Valley and serves as the regional capital, making it a practical stop for travelers moving between northern Israel's major destinations. The town dates back at least to the 11th century, with possible archaeological evidence stretching back several thousand years more.

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• Akko

  Akko, also known as Acre, is a historic city on the northern edge of the Bay of Acre in northern Israel. It has a long history of various cultures including Israelites, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, and Arabs, and is the holiest city in the Baha'i Faith.

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• Arad

  Arad is a modest desert city of about 28,000 people founded in 1962 by idealistic young Israelis seeking an escape from urban overcrowding and pollution. Its main appeal for travelers is as a practical base for visiting Tel Arad National Park (the ancient city site 10 km west), Masada, and the Dead Sea — the only road access to Masada's west side runs through Arad.

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• Ashdod

  Ashdod is a planned, modern city with surprising natural diversity where yellow sand dunes meet green lowland and blue Mediterranean. The city is known for its diverse Jewish population representing waves of immigration from the former Soviet Union, Morocco, Georgia, Ethiopia, France, and Argentina.

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• Ashkelon

  Ashkelon is one of the oldest cities in Israel, with continuous habitation spanning over 5,000 years. The city is famous for its Philistine heritage and biblical connections to Samson.

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• Bat Yam

  Bat Yam is a working-class coastal suburb of Tel Aviv, offering budget travelers a cheaper alternative to stay near the metropolitan area. Its name means "daughter of the sea" (mermaid in Hebrew), reflecting its seaside location.

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• Beer Sheva

  Beer Sheva is a desert city of about 200,000 inhabitants, the gateway to the Negev. It offers an off-the-beaten-track experience with a unique Ottoman old town, vibrant student nightlife, and excellent ethnic restaurants.

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• Beit Shemesh

  Beit Shemesh offers a practical base for exploring biblical archaeology and the Jerusalem Hills without Jerusalem prices. The city draws visitors for its proximity to Tel Beit Shemesh and Tel Yarmut, both mentioned in the Bible, plus forested hiking areas surrounding the city on all sides.

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• Bnei Brak

  Bnei Brak is one of the most densely populated cities in Israel and a major center of Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jewish life. For general travelers, the city is not especially interesting, but for those interested in experiencing chareidi culture firsthand, it offers a unique window into a world where traditional dress, yeshiva study, and Shabbat observance dominate daily life.

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• Caesarea

  Caesarea combines 2,000-year-old Roman ruins with some of Israel's most beautiful Mediterranean beaches. Herod the Great built this grand harbor city in honor of Augustus Caesar, and the Crusaders later added impressive walls that still stand today.

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• Dead Sea, Israel and the West Bank

  The hypersaline lake pairs simple floating and black-mud treatments with desert scenery and sites tied to the Dead Sea Scrolls. Base near the resort strip, then link beaches, Qumran, Ein Gedi, and Masada by road.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$171

  Best months

  Feb–May, Oct–Dec

• Eilat

  A compact Red Sea resort pairs coral reefs and diving with desert adventures, nightlife, and easy onward border access. Walk the promenade, snorkel or dive at Coral Beach, then plan crossings carefully.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$102

  Best months

  Oct–May

• Ein Gedi

  Ein Gedi National Park is the second largest oasis in Israel. It is one of few places in the Israeli deserts where streams run all year long.

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• Haifa

  Mediterranean slopes, Baha’i terraces, restored Templar houses, beaches, and a lively food scene make this a varied northern base. Public transport climbs the hills while the German Colony and Wadi Nisnas reward slower wandering.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$101

  Best months

  Year-round

• Herzliya

  A relaxed Mediterranean coast mixes beaches and water sports with a marina, nightlife, high-tech offices, and ancient Apollonia ruins. Stay by the promenade for resort energy or explore eastern neighborhoods for everyday city life.

  Best months

  Year-round

• Holon

  Holon is a working-class suburb of Tel Aviv that developed a surprising variety of unique museums and attractions in the early 2010s, quite disproportionate to its size. The city is ideal for families and travelers interested in interactive cultural experiences, offering attractions found nowhere else in Israel like the Dialogue In The Dark exhibition at the Israeli Children's Museum.

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• Jerusalem

  One compact Old City concentrates major Jewish, Christian, and Muslim holy sites, while markets and neighborhoods widen the experience. Walk the ramparts, browse Mahaneh Yehuda, and use light rail or buses between hillier areas.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$117

  Best months

  Mar–Nov

• Katzrin

  Katzrin (Qatzrin) is the largest Jewish town in the Golan Heights with a population of approximately 7,300 (2019). The town serves as the primary population center and practical hub for exploring the Golan Heights region, combining modern amenities with access to ancient archaeological sites.

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• Kibbutz Geva

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• Lod

  Lod sits strategically between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, making it a practical base for travelers transiting through Ben Gurion International Airport. The city offers a rare glimpse into coexistence between Arab and Jewish communities in a historically rich setting.

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• Mitzpe Ramon

  A desert town above Ramon Crater pairs solitude with striking geological views and lodgings from hotels to desert tents. The compact center is easy to cover on foot or by bike, while crater outings need ample water and planning.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$124

  Best months

  Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov

• Nahariyya

  This quiet Western Galilee coast offers a boardwalk for walking and cycling, easy rail connections, and access to chalk cliffs and historic ports. Summer brings beach activity and free August concerts, while winter is quieter and rainier.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$140

  Best months

  Apr–Oct

• Nazareth

  A walkable Old City combines Ottoman lanes, major Christian pilgrimage sites, Muslim and Christian communities, and standout Arab cuisine. Base yourself near the Basilica and explore the markets and churches on foot.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$92

  Best months

  Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov

• Netanya

  Netanya is a coastal city on Israel's Mediterranean shore known for its beach promenade and cliff-top hotels. The downtown tourist area is small and walkable, making it a manageable destination for travelers seeking seaside relaxation without big-city intensity.

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• Petah Tikva

  Petah Tikva (פתח־תקוה) means "opening of hope" and was founded in 1878 as one of modern Israel's first agricultural settlements at the beginning of the Zionist movement. Early settlers drained the swamps and planted orange groves, becoming a major exporter of Jaffa oranges.

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• Ra'anana

  Ra'anana is a 70,000-resident suburb in Israel's Sharon region, notable for its large American and British immigrant population and subsequent influx of Argentinian and French communities in the 21st century. The city prides itself on spending more on education than any other Israeli municipality, giving it a polished, family-oriented feel.

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• Rahat

  Rahat is the largest Bedouin settlement in the world, home to 70,000 residents in Israel's southern Negev region. Founded in 1972, it was established as a permanent home for previously nomadic Bedouin Arabs who now form the vast majority of the population.

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• Ramat Gan

  Ramat Gan is a city in Israel, to the immediate east of Tel Aviv, which almost acts as an extension of it. The city is eclectic and famous for many unrelated things: diamonds (the diamond exchange is here), football (the biggest stadium in the country), massive malls (the first successful shopping mall in Israel), chocolates (the Elite factory), Iraqi restaurants (known as Baghdad Town), a religious university (Bar Ilan), and an open-space African safari with lions.

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• Ramla

  Ramla was the only new city founded within the current boundaries of Israel during about 1,200 years of Muslim rule. Today it has a mixed Arab and Jewish population of 66,000 people.

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• Rehovot

  Rehovot is an academic city with a population of 138,000, home to the Weizmann Institute of Science, one of the world's premier research institutions, and the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment of The Hebrew University. Founded in 1890 as one of the first modern Zionist settlements, it offers a blend of scientific attractions, historic sites from the early Zionist period, and connection to Israel's citrus heritage when Jaffa oranges were a major export.

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• Rishon LeTzion

  Rishon LeTzion stands as one of Israel's foundational Zionist cities, established in 1882 alongside Petah Tikva. The city offers a mix of historical significance and modern amenities, including extensive shopping centers and Mediterranean beaches.

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• Safed

  A highland holy city blends Kabbalah, synagogues, artists’ galleries, and cool-weather walks through a car-free Old City. Use the Olei HaGardom staircase to orient yourself among the pedestrian alleys.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$104

  Best months

  Apr–Oct

• Sde Boker

  Sde Boker draws travelers primarily for its connection to David Ben-Gurion, Israel's founding prime minister, who retired here to live his Zionist ideals of settling the harsh Negev desert. The kibbutz and nearby Ben-Gurion College serve as a gateway to dramatic desert landscapes, including the Zin Valley, ancient Nabataean ruins at Avdat (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the perennial springs of Ein Avdat.

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• Shefa-'Amr

  Shefa-'Amr (Shfaram) is a historic Arab town in Lower Galilee with a rich tapestry of religious heritage, including Sunni, Christian, and Druze communities. The town preserves Ottoman-era architecture and Crusader ruins that offer insight into Galilee's layered history.

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• Tel Aviv

  This liberal Mediterranean metropolis combines a lively beach scene, nightlife, and the UNESCO-listed White City. Markets, vegan dining, cycling paths, and easy regional rail links fill out the urban itinerary.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$166

  Best months

  Mar–Nov

• Tiberias

  A relaxed lakeside base combines Sea of Galilee views with Jewish scholarship, pilgrimage sites, and easy regional day trips. The promenade and old town are walkable, while buses reach the wider shoreline.

  Daily budget (USD)

  ~$128

  Best months

  Mar–Jun, Aug–Nov

• Zikhron Ya'akov

  Zikhron Ya'akov is a quiet hilltop town founded in 1882 by Baron Edmond James de Rothschild, known for its historic architecture and two acclaimed wineries. The pedestrian-only midrahov in the city center offers a pleasant stroll past cafes and shops, while Ramat Hanadiv park just outside town provides gardens, nature trails, and panoramic views of the coastal plain and Mediterranean.

  Atlas entry