Jerusalem Biblical Zoo

When you think of Jerusalem, one does not think about animals and zoo’s yet Jerusalem’s Biblical Zoo is a great experience and visit during your stay in Israel. The Zoo offers an imaginative landscape stretching over 62 acres, surrounded by magnificent views. Visitors and tourist can see a range of animals including many species mentioned in the Bible as well as endangered species.
The Zoo is great for everyone but special with children offering a Zoo train (exception on Saturday and Holidays), a petting zoo, ecological maze and diverse play grounds. Other special attractions in the zoo include the “Wet Side Story” exhibit with fish, river otters and sea horses. The 3D theater features the nature movie “bugs” with special effects. Don’t forget to visit the beautiful Sumatran tiger exhibit for a great thrill, and stop by the “underground world” exhibit with prairie dogs, scorpions, meerkats, mole rats and many more surprises.

Mini Israel theme park

Mini Israel tourist attraction is a theme park showing Israel and most famous sites. It’s representation in small scale includes 385 exact replicas at 1:25 scale models including of architectural, historic, archeological, religious and including modern day replicas of Israel. This and 25,000 Israeli residents at 7cm tall for your amusement.
This theme park is most popular with families, children but as well as seniors and all tourist whom want to enjoy a fun day. The theme part is located at Latrun, half way from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, only a 30 minute drive for either city, and 15 minute drive to the Ben Gurion International airport. The park is open Sun-Thu and Sat. Nov – Mar from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Apr – May 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.. Jun 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jul – Aug 10 a.m to 10 p.m. Sep – Oct 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. *Friday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. check schedules before visiting at www.minisrael.co.il or via tel 972-8-9130010.

Jerusalem Old City Wall Tour

This walk is devided into two parts, first ascend at the Jaffa Gate and descends to the New Gate, known as the Damascus Gate, or also Herod’s Gate or the Lion’s Gate. The second part of this walk is from Zion Gate or also known as the Dung Gate, from here you ascend along the wall. Opening ours are Saturday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. during winter and summer until 5 p.m. Fridays you can only do the second part of the tour from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The tour on the Ramparts Walk provides the chance to explore Jerusalem from the heights of the old city walls. From atop the wall you will see the contrast between new and old Jerusalem, incredible landscapes, and typical Jerusalem houses and neighborhoods. Many people do not know that it is possible to walk on most of the ancient city wall, with the exception of the Temple Mount, so come to Jerusalem for a great old Jerusalem tour.

Jerusalem Archaeological Park and Davidson Center

An east Jerusalem Tourism site, The Jerusalem Archaeological Park offers the most wonderful sites and discoveries of Old Jerusalem during the 2nd Temple era. At the base of the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount, visitors and tourist can clib the original steps of the Hulda Gates that lead to the Temple Mount, and where the Jewish people believe God will come through these gates. The archaeological park consists of Robinson’s Arch, the Herodian Street, where huge stones are fallen remains of the Western Wall. Here you will also find numerous explorations and finds from a variation of periods in history of Jerusalem. Other highlights include the Rigual baths, Byzantine residences, and remains of the Umayyad Palaces from the early Ismalic period. Within the Park you will also find the Davidson center. This 21st century center combines new computerized media, illustration and visual exhibitions as well as historic artifacts and exhibitions. Enjoy and learn about 2,000 plus years of discoveries at this site, including one of the highlights of this modern facility is a real-time virtual reality reconstruction of the temple mount during Herodian rule. Please remember that guided tours of the park and virtual israel tours must be reserved in advance.

Haiffa Carmel Gardens

Israel’s most northern capital offers cultural diversity, oriental ambiance and incredible breathtaking panoramic views. This rich metropolitan city is the perfect destination for your stay or visit during your tour.
While in Haifa you can enjoy a unique collection of museums, cinemas, theaters, art centers, galleries, markets and live concerts such as previously held jazz festivals and special music festivals, as well as a Children’s theater festival at spring, summer live festivals, and international film festivals, and the largest event of the year in winter’s grand finale, “The Holidays Festival”.
Haifa is unique by incredible scenery and marvelous landscapes such as at the Bahai Temple with it’s golden dome, including 19 terraces of stunning gardens and landscapes from the foothill of mount Carmel to it’s very peak. Besides incredible landscapes at the Carmel park, there are miles of natural golden beaches you can also enjoy on the Mediterranean sea.
Haifa also offers important Israel Christian sites such as Stella Maris Church, a inspiring Carmelite order church and a Christian and Catholic pilgrimage site, located next to the shrine of Elijah, a famous prophet who ascended into heaven in a whirlwind.
In Haifa you can also experience a German Colony with authentic stone houses, cafes, restaurants, pubs and shopping centers.

This comes as no surprise as the list of places of interest is simply amazing. But a lot of people who travel to Israel forego the Dead Sea and its surrounding areas. This by all means is an absolute mistake.
Every fact about this site is fascinating. It’s a place of interest for nature lovers, for history buffs and for pleasure seekers among many. So if you want to visit the Dead Sea, you must descend 400 meters beneath sea level. This body of water not only sits at the lowest point on earth but possesses the highest concentration of salt and minerals. Because of its qualities, it provides bathers with incredible healing benefits.
The beaches along the western part of the Dead Sea showcase sumptuous hotels and spas with world class restaurants and some of the most unique scenery anywhere. Adrenaline junkies can take pleasure in a bounty of activities such as camel treks and desert jeep tours to name a few. And if time allows, the galleries and art studios nearby beckon a visit.
With the Dead Sea bordering the Judean Desert and a number of natural springs flowing along the coast, it’s not unusual to find a great selection of flora and fauna. So if your tour includes a stop at the Ein Gedi or the Einot Tsukim nature reserves, then by all means take advantage of your itinerary.
Along with these magnificent places there are landmarks that ought not to be excluded. They’re important in the region’s history and the country’s past. Among these are the Massada Fortress and the Qumran caves where historians tell us the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered.
But no trip to this area is complete without taking time to visit the numerous monasteries that adorn the cliffs. Most of these edifications date back to the fourth century when monks sought the desert as a place to live and devote their lives to Jesus.
Christians who travel to Israel during the holidays usually journey to the northwestern side of the Dead Sea; from here they go on a pilgrimage to the Jordan River, where Jesus was said to have been baptized.
So include the Dead Sea in your visit. You’ll agree it’s a place like none other in the world.

Tel Aviv

Stretching along the magnificent Mediterranean Sea, Tel Aviv is Israel largest city in the country. It is a exciting city with entertainment, shopping, markets, culture and arts with a unique atmosphere of excitement in the day and famous for night life. It is a popular destination when touring Israel.

Tel Aviv was recently founded not too long ago in 1909 and was built on the sand dunes north to the ancient port city of Jaffa.
In 2003 UNESCO, the United National Educational, Scientific and cultural Organization, pronounced “The White City” and area located between Allenby Street in the south and Ibn Givrol in the east, the Yarkon River in the north and the Mediterranean Sea in the West, as a World Cultural Heritage Site. By this endorsement, the world recognized the excellent architectural qualities of the building & streets of Tel Aviv witch were designed by Jewish architects, who were schooled and had studied in Europe before immigrating to Palestine, which after became the State of Israel.

Things to See & Do when traveling to Israel:

Tourist Sites
Architecture enthusiast should walk around the streets of Tel Aviv to discover just why the White City is a world heritage site featuring over 1,000 Bauhaus buildings.
See the Nachalat Binyamin Art and Craft Market which is next to the colorful Camel Fruit Market, with street theatre, artists, and interesting palm readers.
The Nece Tzedek neighborhood was the first Jewish neighborhood to be built outside of Jaffa at the beginning of 1887-22 years before the establishment Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, at the Tel Aviv Municipality Building. Some of the graffiti, written on the night of assassination, are displayed at this location. The Yehoshua Gardens at located on the bank of the Yarkon River offering plenty of recreational facilities for the whole family including tropical gardens, Bird Park and Water Park that open summer time opposite the Park is one of Israel’s largest fun fairs. For a great view of Tel Aviv, go to the Azrieli observatory rising 49 floors over the city.

Museums in Tel Aviv
You will see in Tel Aviv 3 of Israel’s biggest museums offering contemporary and classical art to archaeology, history & sciences.
The Tel Aviv Museum of Art shows permanent and changing collections and exhibitions year around. The Museums show some of the best of Israeli art and sculpture as well as European impressionism and post impressionism art and European and American art of the 20th century can be found in the Tel Aviv Museum. The Eretz Israel Museum (the Land of Israel Museum) is actually a very large collection of museums in one location. Visit the glass museum, the museum of ceramics, coins and copper. The Planetarium is also located in the grounds.
The Jewish Diaspora Museum (beit Hatefusoth) situated in the grounds of Tel Aviv University is the first museum devoted to the history of the Jewish culture and Israelis. The permanent exhibition shows the visitor of the story of the Jewish nation in the Diaspora by means of drawings, video clips, movies, and much more. Independence hall Museum, on May 14th, 1948 David Ben Gurin read here Israel’s Declaration of Independence. The hall where it happened looks exactly as it did in 1948. There are other small museums around the Tel Aviv including Ben Gurion House, the Rubin Museum, the Palmach Museum.

Travel Advisories lifted by the Canadian and the Hungarian government. Canada and Hungary no longer advises against traveling to Sharm El Sheikh , Hurghada, Luxor & Aswan Last Friday, April 22 a delegation of U.S. travel leaders embarked on “Restoring the Journey”, a move to support Egypt Tourism and travel, with a six-day visit of the tourism infrastructure of Egypt. On a mission to review the region’s timeless appeal and assess current travel conditions, the delegation includes leaders of the top three outbound producing travel associations— United States Tour Operators Association, NTA, and American Society of Israel Travel Agents —along with other association heads, tour operators and travel journalists. Already in Egypt, they have met with the Minister of Tourism, H.E. Mounir Fakhry AbdelNour, the Chairman of the Egyptian Tourist Authority, Mr. Amr ElEzabi, the US Ambassador to Egypt, H.E. Margaret Scobey, as well as the Minister of Antiquities, Dr. Zahi Hawass.

Tel Aviv

Stretching along the magnificent Mediterranean Sea, Tel Aviv is Israel largest city in the country. It is a exciting city with entertainment, shopping, markets, culture and arts with a unique atmosphere of excitement in the day and famous for night life.

Tel Aviv was recently founded not too long ago in 1909 and was built on the sand dunes north to the ancient port city of Jaffa.
In 2003 UNESCO, the United National Educational, Scientific and cultural Organization, pronounced “The White City” and area located between Allenby Street in the south and Ibn Givrol in the east, the Yarkon River in the north and the Mediterranean Sea in the West, as a World Cultural Heritage Site. By this endorsement, the world recognized the excellent architectural qualities of the building & streets of Tel Aviv witch were designed by Jewish architects, who were schooled and had studied in Europe before immigrating to Palestine, which after became the State of Israel.

Things to See & Do on a Tel Aviv Israel Tour:

Tourist Sites
Architecture enthusiast should walk around the streets of Tel Aviv to discover just why the White City is a world heritage site featuring over 1,000 Bauhaus buildings.
See the Nachalat Binyamin Art and Craft Market which is next to the colorful Camel Fruit Market, with street theatre, artists, and interesting palm readers.
The Nece Tzedek neighborhood was the first Jewish neighborhood to be built outside of Jaffa at the beginning of 1887-22 years before the establishment Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, at the Tel Aviv Municipality Building. Some of the graffiti, written on the night of assassination, are displayed at this location. The Yehoshua Gardens at located on the bank of the Yarkon River offering plenty of recreational facilities for the whole family including tropical gardens, Bird Park and Water Park that open summer time opposite the Park is one of Israel’s largest fun fairs. For a great view of Tel Aviv, go to the Azrieli observatory rising 49 floors over the city.

Tel Aviv Israel Museums
You will see in Tel Aviv 3 of Israel’s biggest museums offering contemporary and classical art to archaeology, history & sciences.
The Tel Aviv Museum of Art shows permanent and changing collections and exhibitions year around. The Museums show some of the best of Israeli art and sculpture as well as European impressionism and post impressionism art and European and American art of the 20th century can be found in the Tel Aviv Museum. The Eretz Israel Museum (the Land of Israel Museum) is actually a very large collection of museums in one location. Visit the glass museum, the museum of ceramics, coins and copper. The Planetarium is also located in the grounds.
The Jewish Diaspora Museum (beit Hatefusoth) situated in the grounds of Tel Aviv University is the first museum devoted to the history of the Jewish culture and Israelis. The permanent exhibition shows the visitor of the story of the Jewish nation in the Diaspora by means of drawings, video clips, movies, and much more. Independence hall Museum, on May 14th, 1948 David Ben Gurin read here Israel’s Declaration of Independence. The hall where it happened looks exactly as it did in 1948. There are other small museums around the Tel Aviv including Ben Gurion House, the Rubin Museum, the Palmach Museum.

Experience the Golden City of Jerusalem

New City of Jerusalem

The New City of Jerusalem has many important sites and not just the Old City. The Yad Vashem Memorial to the Holocaust provides a multifaceted tribute to the millions of Jews who died during the war. The emphasis of the Museum is to commemorate and document the events of the holocaust as well as provide education and continued research on this horrific event.

The Israel Museum achieved world class fame with its remarkable collections that include prehistoric archaeology, and contemporary art. One can argue the most famous exhibit are the Dead Sea Scrolls that date from 3rd Century BC to the 1st Century AD and discovered as early as 1947. Other places to visit are the new Supreme Court Building and Mt. Herzl to visit the grave of Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin.

Traveling to Jerusalem with Family

If you are traveling with your family and children there is much to see. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo which is situated in southwest Jerusalem. The zoo includes many animal species specially those mentioned in the bible and many other rare species. The landscape of the Zoo is very unusual as it is surrounded by Jerusalem Hills.
Another favorite for children is The Bloomfield Science Museum that Specializes in interactive exhibitions of science and technology.
Mini Israel Park is also a favorite of families, it is located at Latrun and displays hundreds of models that are exact copies of the sites of Israel during biblical times.

Shop in Jerusalem

Unique and great shopping can be found in Jerusalem, great deals can be found both in the Old City of Jerusalem or at shops near to the hotel zones where you will find Judaica, arts, crafts and souvenirs. You can also visit the popular Mahneh Yehuda Market a outdoor food and goods market.

Nightlife in Jerusalem

There is plenty of nightlife in Jerusalem, contrary to most whom think Tel Aviv is the only place in Jerusalem for night activities. One of the best places to go for a light meal or dinner is the Nachalat Shiva area with sidewalk restaurants, small boutiques and shops. Just walk through the streets and admire the beautiful old stone homes. One of the many restaurants or cafes will surely be to your taste Ben Yehuda Street is very lively area night and there are many bars and restaurants to enjoy the evening and night.

Culture in Jerusalem

The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra offers a great time of performance for classical music and those whom appreciate the music. The Israeli festival of music and performing arts is a annual event in Jerusalem featuring both Israeli and International artists, including a Jazz festival.

Over the years, the City of Jerusalem and Jerusalem tours have evolved and undergone many changes which have made it one of the most interesting cities in the world as well as an important point for tourism in Israel.