Top Destinations
Haifa
Daylight
Ba Hai Gardens (2 hours)
The major attraction of Haifa, these gardens were built to compliment the Shrine of Bab, the golden dome that holds the remains of Bab, a co-founder of the Bahai Faith. This Shrine is considered the second holiest place on Earth for the Bahai Faith. As impressive as the Shrine is, the surrounding gardens that climb Mount Carmel make this whole area a must-see. Tourists can visit the Shrine as they choose, but this is not located at the peak of the mountain. We would recommend going to the top, which you can get to by bus for cheap, and joining a free tour. By being in a tour, you can enter the garden grounds and walk your way through the garden down towards the Shrine. If you are not on a tour, you will not be allowed into the grounds and will miss out on a beautiful walk. There was a morning tour at 10 am in English and then another right after at 10:30 am in Russian. We had just missed the English tour by a minute so we had to wait until the 10:30am tour in Russian to get access to the garden. The rest of the tours were starting around 2 pm so we didn’t want to wait. The Russian tour guide gave us a nice general summary in English at the beginning and then we spent the rest of the time enjoying the garden. Prepare to get your steps in and enjoy the best sights in the city.
Hecht Park (1 hour minimum)
Lining the western coast of Haifa is this sprawling park. There is a nice walking path, plenty of grass for a picnic, playgrounds with large tire swings (we may have enjoyed this too much), hard ground soccer area, and even a skate park. There is plenty to do if you want to take a break from a hectic trip. This whole area is very quiet and we enjoyed a nice nap in a random spot in the grass near the Skate Park. To get here, just take the Bus 1 towards the beaches and get off at Hecht Park.
Shawarma Strip (As we call it) (1 hour)
To enjoy a local dinner, make sure to get into a Shawarma restaurant. You have the option of eating a baguette or burrito-style Shawarma which is always delicious, but if you have a larger group you can enjoy the full-out spread. Take a few plates and load up on fries, falafel, pickled veggies, onions, olives, hummus, and cabbage to complement the Shawarma. There was a family of 8 people who had three tables filled with small plates of food spread across the whole surface.
We stumbled upon a street with 4 or 5 of these Shawarma family-style restaurants within the same block. Head to Shawarma Hazan or Shawarma HaAhim just near the old Haifa Cemetery and have your choice for a unique local meal at one of the surrounding restaurants.
Self-guided walking tour (2 hours)
After talking with our hostel, we were given a whole list of areas to explore in town. We decided to walk around to check a few of the places out and ended up walking all through town for a nice impromptu self-guided tour. We started at the Shrine of Bab (where our tour Bahai Garden tour ended), walked down Massada street in the Hadar District (which is described as Hipster Lane), went past city hall, sat on a bench in Memorial Park, weaved through the Wadi Nisnas district, and ended in the Port Campus and Downtown area at Cremerie de L’Clair for Gelato creme brûlée’s and passion fruit frozen yogurt. We also walked to Shany Bakery a block away to try a unique pastry. I almost offended a local when I tried to split the cream-filled donut in two to share since she thought I was using utensils to eat and avoid the mess. From here we took Bus 1 (Bus stop was nearby) to Hecht Park. This whole walking tour took us about 2 hours, but we stopped a few times and were not in a hurry. This was a nice way to see the city and we surprisingly covered a lot of ground.
Breakfast Food
We started our first full day in Israel by looking for a SIM card and stumbled into The Garden which was a nice restaurant that offered local dishes. We decided to eat there and were glad we did. We got to try Shakshouka (poached eggs in a tomato-based sauce) for the first time. Not only do we love new experiences, but we love food, so anytime we can try new food we are excited.
Evening
Downtown area
Once the sun goes down, a popular place for nightlife and dinner is the University of Haifa Port Campus Area. With many bars, and a variety of restaurants (Burgers, Italian, Brewpub), it’s no wonder this place is happening. We wandered a bit farther from the main strip to check out other restaurant options (Pizza and Shawarma) and chose to eat at Yaffa for our first Shawarma meal in Israel.
We then stopped into EscoBar for a few drinks because we appreciated the name of the Bar (Decorated with Pablo Escobar paraphernalia)
Tel Aviv
Daylight
Old Jaffa (3-4 hours min)
The old town within Tel Aviv is the most popular location in the city. The best way to see this area and understand the history is to join a free walking tour. We joined the 11 am tour starting at the clock tower. We started at the gate to Jerusalem while standing at an original water reservoir that was meant for travelers and their animals upon arrival from Jerusalem. From there we hiked to the top of the hill in Abrasha park and had a nice view of the city skyline. This hilltop included the Ramses Gate representing the gate to Jerusalem (a more artistic depiction with religious meaning). Surrounding the hill is a park with a Wishing Bridge that was a popular attraction. We were told if you face the sea and make a wish while holding your Zodiac sign then your wish will come true. We then weaved through what felt like the back alleys of the city, but turned out to be an art gallery with various shops displaying their art along the way. This walk led us to the Suspended Orange Tree, a piece of art of a tree growing out of an egg or a seed (Art can be interpreted however you like…). We ended the tour at the port and walked to lunch.
After your tour, you can spend hours in this area enjoying the coast, shopping at the unique stores, browsing through the art galleries, sampling a variety of unique food at the bakeries, or shopping in the endless Flea Market.
Florentine area (1-2 hours)
From Abraham hostel, we enjoyed a nice morning walk through town on our way to Old Jaffa. We started down Rothchild Boulevard where we noticed the huge community of electric scooters. We had seen many cities with rentable electric scooters, but with beautiful bike lanes and walking paths, it almost felt like this town was built for them. Many locals seemed to have purchased their own and it looked like a very fun and cheap alternative to commuting to work or throughout the city. We went out of our way to walk through the Florentine area which was said to be a trendy, hipster area with coffee shops, bakeries, and a very nice, family-friendly relaxed atmosphere. We stopped at a hole in the wall coffee shop and enjoyed a coffee break outside with the locals. This part of town showed us there can be a quiet and relaxed area and proved there is a range of areas to like in Tel Avi.
Anitas Gelato (Mama of Gelato) (30 minutes)
We started a long walk from the Old Town area towards the Carmel Market and as we were walking through the Northern Boutique area we went to pass a slow-moving walking tour. Right as we passed the group, the tour guide stopped at an intersection and turned to say something to his tour group while we are standing right behind him. He yells…. “This is the best Gelato place in Israel”. It felt like he was yelling it right at us since we were the closest people to him at this point. Without hesitation, we walked right inside before the tour group (you have to beat the rush) and enjoyed some sensational gelato that we had no plans of eating before that hilarious circumstance.
Caramel Market (1 hour)
A popular market for just about anything. There is a huge variety of desserts with ice cream and candy. They also have plenty of fresh juice stands and a variety of fruits. Do not show up with a full stomach (definitely not after stopping at Anitas unplanned). With any popular market, you can expect a big crowd but that adds to the excitement.
Beaches (1 hour minimum)
We finished our day at Jerusalem Beach, and we are glad we did. We caught a beautifully, unobstructed sunset with the sun reflecting off the skyline in a magnificent site. After such a well rounded day and a variety of activities, we were blown away by another surprising feature of this city. We would have loved to spend more time at this beach. It was well maintained, spacious, and lined the whole coast with a nice walking path along the way. There were also restaurants down the beach to enhance the experience and keep you there even longer.
Evening
Nightlife
We had heard Tel Aviv was a great city for nightlife so were excited to test that theory. Once we arrived and realized we had a packed itinerary the following day to get to Jerusalem, we decided to skip the heavy night of drinking with the hostel bar crawl and have a more casual self-made bar crawl at quieter bars. We started at Bicicletta, which was a popular restaurant, but only had drinks. We then walked back towards the hostel and stopped at Shpagat, and two other bars (could not remember the names). As the night went on, we realized it was pretty dead on the Monday before Wednesday Christmas. Had we had another day or not been there during the Holiday we would have taken the opportunity to embrace the full nightlife scene.
Where to Stay
For those of us who like to travel cheap, Hostels are usually a no brainer. We have now stayed at a variety of hostels, and always seem to enjoy them since they always seem to be unique. Abraham Hostel in Tel Aviv was something even more impressive than we anticipated. Abraham is massive so there are tons of people staying here which means you can meet more people and participate in the daily planned activities. Every night they have a happy hour and a bar crawl and offer the basic classic Israeli breakfast. I even participated in Yoga one night which was offered in the basement for free (tip if you would like).
Jerusalem
Daylight
Old Town (Xmas Day) (4-6 hours)
Western Wall
The Western Wall, or Wailing Wall, is an ancient portion of limestone in the Old City. This wall is considered one of the holiest places on Earth for Judaism given it’s connected to the holy Temple Mount. When visiting, you will witness large groups of Jews praying at this wall from a plaza filled with Tourists.
Via Dolorosa (Trace Jesus’ last steps)
The 14 stations representing the final milestones of Jesus’ life as he carried the cross, is outlined through the narrow alleys of the Old Town. Along the way, there are some monuments, like where he first fell to the ground, and markers at every stop mounted to the walls to guide the path. Historians seem to agree that this is not the exact path he walked given the structures that are up today were not around 2000 years ago. Regardless, you are walking on the paths of centuries of pilgrims, Christians, and historians. This is a thought-provoking experience for tourists of any religion. However, most of the old town is filled with tourist shops and small cafes, almost making these milestone markers on the wall an afterthought. We actually walked by without noticing quite a few times until we saw tour groups taking photos. As you follow the path, you will end at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
This Church is the holiest location for Christians as this is where Jesus was said to have been crucified and buried. Right as you enter the main entrance you will see many people kneeling and praying by a stone surrounded with ropes.
This is the Stone of Anointing where Jesus’ body was anointed before burial. To the left of this stone, you will find another line of people waiting to get inside the Aedicule. Within the Aedicule are two rooms. The first room holds the Angel’s stone which is believed to be a portion of the original tombstone that enclosed Jesus’ tomb. Beyond the first room, you are required to crawl inside what is believed to be the actual burial tomb. You are only allowed in there for about 15 seconds before you are told to leave and the next group of 4 people are allowed inside.
Austrian Hospice
Within the Old Town, this appeared to be a lesser-known location to get a nice aerial view of the Old town and surrounding city for free. We caught the end of the sunset which was a nice site. This whole old town area is a complicated labyrinth and you will get lost. Make sure to follow GPS while walking to help you arrive where you intended.
Jaffa Gate
The main gate on the west of the old city walls, Jaffa gate, was the main entrance for travelers coming from Jaffa (Now Tel-Aviv). There is a breach in the main wall directly next to the gate which was created in the late 1800’s. This breach is now the main passage into the old city from the west for cars, tourists, and locals. We found ourselves walking through this entrance most of our time going to and from the old town.
Evening
YMCA Christmas Even Concert (2 hours)
An Orchestra and Choir performance was being held at the YMCA on Christmas Eve and we were able to get tickets for the 10:30 pm show. There was an Adult Choir and a Teen Choir as well as a live orchestra of local teens. This same group was about to head to California for a few concerts, so it was a well established and organized performance. Singing some Christmas Classics as well as some alternative music, this whole concert was a great experience. Mostly filled with locals, it provided a nice sense of normalcy while traveling.
Food
Azura
Near Mahane Yehuda Market, we were looking for a more established sit-down restaurant and stumbled into Azura given the good online reviews. We wanted another local meal with dishes we have not tried before, and we were not disappointed. Azura has got to be one of the better middle eastern restaurants in Jerusalem as this was our favorite meal of the trip. We ordered two dishes to share; beef and potatoes, and a meatball with rice and beans. The sauce with each dish was incredible, and we practically licked up the plates. By the time we were done scarfing down the food, we had to take a deep breath and almost needed a nap. The food also came out in less than 5 minutes so if you are in a hurry, and still want a local experience, look no further.
Almas Soup
We were craving something nice and warm on a cold evening, so we stopped at Almas Soup. It looked like a Mom and Pop soup shop with a variety of soups. We each tried the Hmusta Kubbe soup and were so impressed. The Kubbe, we later found out, is more or less a beef dumpling. As you spoon through the soup you get to try these local Israeli Kubbes with every other bite. Not only was Kubbe unique for the area, we had never heard of it, and were pleasantly surprised. We later found out Almas Soup was a chain since we saw them all over town, but it did not change our opinion of the place one bit, just easier to find.
Tmol Shilshom
We enjoyed a long and casual dinner here while we were waiting to go to the Xmas Eve concert at the YMCA. Tmol Shilshom is a small, unique café/restaurant set inside an old bookstore. We sat at a nice remote and quiet corner table with a recliner and enjoyed the quality of the food and atmosphere. While reading some signs within the restaurant it appeared you could still purchase the books that were on the shelves. For place settings, there were printed poems that were the winners of an online competition they recently held. The whole vibe of the place made it seem like I had stepped inside someones living room for a nice meal. We ordered Pappardelle and a Greek Salad.
Urban Cinnamon Rolls
As we were walking towards Yehuda Market, we were craving Sufganiyah, the Round Jelly donuts that are popular during Hannukah. Just as we were getting close, we walked past Urban with specialty Cinnamon Rolls being displayed in the window. We could not resist. We sat at the high top bar and met the owner (I assume) who was also American. He was chatting with two locals who appeared to be regulars and served us a delicious and filling Blueberry Glazed Roll (When on vacation…).
