Bathers floating in the Dead Sea
More than two thousand years the Jews had to wait to have their own territory, recognition that came on November 29, 1947 when the then 56 countries representing the United Nations voted in favor of the creation of a Jewish state. Six months later, the first shells fell on the roofs of the city of Jerusalem, starting an unresolved conflict between Arabs and Israelis. This tragic birth has undoubtedly marked the psyche of a complex country that is proud of its culture that offers the traveler an incredible variety of options for his delight. And among all of them, here are our five favorites:
1. Feel the weight of history and religion in Jerusalem.
Just saying his name gives you chills. Few cities in the world are home to a spiritual heritage as rich and intense as that of Jerusalem. Not in vain here are the holiest places of the three main monotheistic religions:
For Jews, it is the Wailing Wall , a vestige of the ancient Temple of Solomon, where for more than two thousand years the Jews have prostrated themselves to cry for their dispersion. In the same way that the minarets of the mosques face Mecca, the noble facade of the synagogues of the whole world face in the direction of Jerusalem.
For Christians, it is the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher , at the end of the Via Dolorosa, traveled by Jesus on his way to Calvary.
For Muslims the Dome of the Rock , the most recognizable symbol of Jerusalem, which houses the stone from which Muhammad began his ascent to heaven on the back of his white mare. Jerusalem is together with Mecca and Medina one of the three holy cities of Islam.
The Mount of Olives, the Room of the Last Supper or the tomb of the Virgin Mary are other sacred enclaves that make Jerusalem an almost magical city. Without a doubt, one of the highlights of the trip will take place here.
Sabbath at the Western Wall
two. Float in the Dead Sea just before visiting the fascinating fortress of Herod (Masada).
It's a classic, we admit, but you won't know how much fun it is until you experience it yourself. Fun and healthy too , because the Dead Sea contains 20 times more bromine, 15 times more magnesium and 10 times more iodine than normal seawater. Bromine helps to relax the nerves, magnesium is good for skin allergies and iodine has a beneficial effect on certain glandular functions. . To get the full “treatment”, you can buy a bag of mud at the entrance to one of the beaches and smear yourself until you are unrecognizable. Proven results: I have never had skin so soft in my life (for when bottled water from the Dead Sea?).
Attention, although the Dead Sea is full of macro hotel-spas, they are very expensive and the maintenance of the facilities leaves much to be desired, so it is better to spend the night in another place or even make an excursion from Tel Aviv taking advantage of the fact that the distances are relatively short.
Once exfoliated and hydrated, you should not miss the opportunity to get closer to the impressive strength of masada built between 103 and 76 BC, but whose development and splendor occurred under the reign of Herod, who built a luxurious winter palace and an innovative system of cisterns. For Israelis this is their particular "Petra". And it is spectacular.
Masada: the Israeli Petra
3. Visit the center of Jewish mysticism (Safed).
They say Madonna visits this idyllic mountain town in northern Israel at least once every five years. Like her, other Hollywood celebrities have made the cabalistic tradition fashionable (seekers of the Jewish mystical truth) being Safed its most important center of study. In this small city, most of its inhabitants dress according to the Jewish tradition: they, with a skirt below the knees and with a handkerchief hiding their hair if they are married; they, with the Kipá (ritual cap that partially covers the head) and wearing a beard and two braids on both sides of the head.
Safed, as you may have guessed, it is the ideal place to take an accelerated lesson in Judaism. Of course, we do not lose the opportunity. We hired the magnificent guide Adam Bodenstein (if you want to contact him, leave us a comment), a Hasidic Jew of American origin, who one day decided to settle in Israel to become an expert in kabbalah. Adam tells us about the origin of Safed, which, together with Jerusalem, Hebron and Tiberias, is one of the four holy cities of Judaism and he tells us with fascination about the symbols of the religion that, according to us twelve, changed his life, patiently responding to our hasty questions: "Why do you wear braids? What is the role of women in Judaism? How do you celebrate Shabbat?" With him we go through the charming cobbled center, the artists' quarter, where it is possible to find all possible manifestations of cabal art and the synagogues of the city. Result: we leave more than prepared to continue our journey through Israel.
Safed: Hebrew mysticism
Four. Stick a banquet or... several.
Restaurants open at any time of the day, markets full of fresh and delicious products... for Israelis, food is a symbol of tradition and family reunion but, above all, a source of national pride. Let yourself be guided by the locals to try some of the most renowned specialties, here are some:
- Shakshouka , the favorite breakfast of the Israelis: a tomato fry (but what a tomato!), onion and pepper on which fried eggs are left to cook over low heat. Simple but delicious.
- boreka , a puff pastry filled with a variety of ingredients such as cheese, mushrooms, olives... we tried it at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem and we still haven't been able to forget it.
- And of course the hummus , obligatory food in any worthwhile meal together with the "pita" (attention, if you do not want to go through "guiri" do not eat the hummus with the fork but with the bread) .
For the most demanding palates we recommend a visit to what is considered the gastronomic center of Israel, Nazareth , a city where Jesus spent his childhood and in which little or nothing remains of the idyllic environment that we could imagine. However, when it comes to restaurants, Nazareth has some of the most exquisite tables in the country such as ** El-Reda located in a beautiful Ottoman house **. Impeccable service and even better food (l to orange and dried fruit salad, and artichoke hearts stuffed with lamb and pine nuts, fantastic ) .
5. Stroll through the Jaffa market on a Saturday morning to cool off afterwards on one of the bustling beaches of hedonic Tel Aviv.
Tel Aviv, Israel's main city and its economic capital, is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city but whose architecture is generally uninteresting, with the exception of the old port of Jaffa . In this city (now part of Tel Aviv) you will find a charming old town made up of a swarm of narrow streets in the purest Arab style where every weekend an interesting market is held in which antiques, second-hand clothes or products from the Dead Sea are sold.
And, after shopping, nothing better than taking a dip in one of the city's bustling beaches. Our recommendation? drummer's beach , with a bohemian and alternative atmosphere where every Friday afternoon the sounds of the drums resonate until late at night. And don't miss a good cocktail (or two) in your hands.
*** You may also be interested in...**
- Bethlehem, the origin of everything
- Palestine, beauty and tragedy
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Jaffa flea market