Not sure what kind of itinerary you want? Here are a few ideas.
BORDER LINES
The Blue Line: Lebanon
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In the year 2000, the Israel Defense Forces withdrew from southern Lebanon behind a line that United Nations cartographers demarcated as the international border. This boundary, known as the Blue Line, is quiet today, but locals remain on guard. In southern Lebanon, Hezbollah remains firmly in control; UN peacekeeping forces in blue helmets patrol the border. There is much to see and do in the region. Explore natural wonders such as Rosh Hanikra, see the remains of ancient synagogues, learn about early Zionist settlement in the region and look deep into Lebanon from viewpoints along the border.
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The Purple Line: Syria
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After Israel conquered the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six-Day War in 1967, the ceasefire line between the two countries was drawn on UN maps in the color purple. On the Israeli side of the purple line, the Golan Heights is a popular destination for tourists for its wineries, historic sites, hiking trails, and vantage points into Syria. Tour battlefields from the Six-Day War and Yom Kippur War, hike some of Israel's most scenic terrain, and gain an in-depth understanding of the geopolitical issues playing out on the other side of the border.
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The Green Line: Gaza Strip
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After Israel's War of Independence ended in 1949, ceasefire lines were drawn that separated Israel from the Arab armies that had invaded. A section of these armistice lines, drawn in green on the original maps, is today the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Gain an in-depth understanding of the history of Israel's complex relationship with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and learn how Israelis living in the border region have tried to maintain a normal life while living under very stressful conditions.
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The Seam Line: Jerusalem
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When the guns fell silent after Israel's War of Independence in 1949, Jerusalem was divided between Israel, in the west, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in the east. Barbed wire and concrete barriers ran down a no-man's-land in the center of the city. The border, known as the Seam Line, was erased when Israel captured the entire city in 1967, but traces of its presence remain. Learn about daily life in divided Jerusalem, see what has changed (and what hasn't) since the city was unified half a century ago, and discuss all of the relevant political issues related to the future of Israel's capital.
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MUST-SEES FOR EVERY TOURIST
Old City of Jerusalem
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If you have only one day in Israel, you must spend it here, in Jerusalem, the place Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai called “a port city on the shore of eternity.” Nearly every great empire from time immemorial has conquered the city. For thousands of years, Jerusalem has been the spiritual focal point of the Jewish people; the city is also holy for Christians and Muslims. Encounter holy sites of these three faiths and learn how competing religious claims intersect with great power politics and continue to shape life in the holy city today.
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Masada
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Masada is the most-visited national park in Israel, and it's easy to see why. The ancient Roman fortress built by King Herod overlooking the Dead Sea was the scene for one of the most dramatic events in Jewish history — the Zealots' last stand against the mighty Roman Empire. Climb Masada as we retell the legendary story as told by the historian Josephus, see what archaeologists have uncovered from fateful moments 2,000 years ago, and discuss what the place symbolizes for Israel and the Jewish people today.
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Caesaria
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Two millennia ago, Caesaria Maritima was one of the most spectacular cities in the world. Named after Augustus Caesar, Caesaria was a major port city and the seat of the Roman government in Judea. Jews remember Caesaria as the place where the Great Revolt against Rome was sparked. Christians know Caesaria as the place where Peter converted the first gentile, and where Paul missionized and later was a prisoner before being sent to Rome for trial. Visit this remarkable national park, experience daily life in the Roman Empire, and relax by the Mediterranean Sea.
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Jaffa
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For thousands of years, the natural port of Jaffa has been a stop for Mediterranean seafarers. Mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, Jaffa has seen foreign armies come and go, including ancient Egyptians and Alexander the Great, Arabs and Crusaders, the Ottomans and the British, and even the French led by General Napoleon Bonaparte. Tour the famous landmarks, explore the alleyways, and see how Jaffa today serves as the historic core of the modern city of Tel Aviv.
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Haifa
Nazareth
The Golan Heights
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The Negev Desert
The Sea of Galilee
Tzfat
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