Welcome to Jerusalem
The spiritual capital of roughly two-thirds of the world’s population, as well the capital city of the State of Israel, Jerusalem draws 3.5 million visitors every year to sites sacred to Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike, such as the golden Dome of the Rock on Temple Mount, the Western Wall and Tomb of King David, the Mount of Olives, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Hall of the Last Supper. Get lost searching for these attractions in the walled portion of Jerusalem known as the Old City—or get a guide to help navigate the labyrinth of medieval alleyways connecting the Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Armenian quarters, each with its own set of sacred sites, residential districts, and bazaars. Although most of Jerusalem’s visitors seek the sacred and spiritual within the bounds of the Old City, most of Jerusalem’s residents live in the New City, which has the amenities to serve them. Visit the Machane Yehuda Market (“The Shuk”) to see the spices, teas, sweets, and foods that maintain Israel’s status as the land of milk and honey, or complete the museum circuit of the Rockefeller Museum, Yad Vasham Holocaust Remembrance Museum, and the Bible Lands Museum. Thanks to the small size of Israel and the Palestinian territories and Jerusalem’s central location, day-trip options abound to Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea, Masada, Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, the West Bank, Petra in Jordan, and more.
