Hello Guys!

Im planning to visit Israel next October, how manny days its enough to visit Jerusalen, Dead Sea and bethlem ?

Bethlem -> 1 day
Jerusalen -> ?? days
Dead Sea -> ?? is it possible one day trip from Jerusalen?


Should I visit Tel avi also?

THX for Help

Marcal

Jerusalem at least four days. Dead Sea - there and back in one day. Bethlehem arrive at 10 am leave at 2pm. If you enjoy cosmopolitian life the Tel Aviv is the place for you.

Cheers

NYTim

Thanks for the comment on my home page. :)

I spend 6 nights, a little over 7 days in Israel. I'm sure I could have spent more but went to Egypt.

All nights were in Jerusalem but I good a ½ (a little over ½ day) to Bethlehem by local transport. I took a day tour to the Dead Sea Area including Masada. And a day tour to Nazareth/Galilee area.

I think a lot depends on what you are interested in. Jerusalem makes a good base for the Holy Lands and is an important city for 3 religions. I am not very religious but found it very interesting.

Please take into account that most of October is the Israeli holiday season, with many days having places shut down - either totally or partially and roads and accommodation are jammed (prices accordingly). When exactly in October are you planning to visit?

It is impossible to answer your question unless you tell us why you are visiting Isreal. If its for night life, stick to tel aviv or eilat. If its for religious sights, then consider going on a tour, becuase there's lots to see and its spread out. If its to relax and you like spas, then spend most of your time at the dead sea.
I went to relax last year, spent 3 nights in tel aviv, with a day trip to jerusalem, 1 night in eilat and 4 nights at the dead sea.
I hope this helps...

Ramot is correct. If you don't already have reservations, you might not even find a place to stay!

Hello Guys!
Thanks for all messages, its very helpful.
Im planning to arrive Jerusalen 12 OCT (Sunday), can be a problem?
Can i buy an one day tour to visit Dead Sea and Galilee/ Lake Tiberias? what is price?
I would like to visit historic sites, actually im Christian, but if possible i´d enjoy to go Arab and judaic sighseeing too.

Again, Thanks for help.

Marcal

The Hashimi Hotel recommended Mike's Conner tours with is down the street from them. They are not very expensive but do not include admissions. I took the dead sea/Masada tour with them. It was a small mini van and a good tour. The driver is not a tour guide but he gives information. I only had to pay admissions to Masada.

Mike's Conner did not have the number of people to run the Nazareth/Galilee tour so I took the egg tour. The egg tour is a lot more expensive but you ride in a big bus and have a real tour guide. They also paid for admissions but I'm not sure what required admissions and what was free. The main thing I did not like about the egg tour is that they combined people from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv because of the lack of tourist at the time of year I went (April 2008).

I was staying in Jerusalem so we had to drive about 1.5 hours during rush hour to Tel Aviv early in the morning, then waste time waiting for Tel Aviv people. The end of the tour was also in Tel Aviv so they again drove us during rush hour back to Jerusalem. A lot of wasted time in my opinion.

"I would like to visit historic sites, actually im Christian, but if possible i´d enjoy to go Arab and judaic sighseeing too."

In one day, I spent the morning at the Dome of the Rock area (you cannot go inside but it was still very interesting) Eat something at the hotel, then the afternoon in Bethlehem and got the last bus to back to Jerusalem.

Staying in the Old City was interesting because it was very crowded during the day but mostly empty in the evening.

The Succot holiday begin on the evening of Mon, 13 Oct. From Sundown and all the next day is a full holiday, e.g. no public transportation available until after sundown on the day following. It is the perfect time to visit the old city and to take a 1/2 day trip to Bethlehem for instance. The rest of the week will not effect you much as a tourist except that many stores will be open 1/2 days only.
Its a great time for a walking tour of the older sections of western Jerusaleme to see the way the holiday is celebrated. People live in small huts built of rushes or plyboard to remember the trek through the Sinai...

After the first day you will be able to get regular Egged buses, or organized tours to the Dead Sea or anywhere else you want to visit. Again the evening of 20 October till sundown on 21 October are a full religious holiday and there is no public transportation.

During the days that Jerusalem is closed down, Tel Aviv is a good place to visit :) So is Haifa.

For a final note: my personal opinion is that Jerusalem cannot be seen and appreciated in less than 3 full days. The city is full of history, religion, archeology and culture of a wide variety of peoples.

Hi and Shalom:
Yes the BIG question is what are YOU looking for in your visit. I have been living here for 37 years and still not seen everything in this tiny country.
But I would consider 2-3 days in Jerusalem if you plan to visit all the main sites in the old city itself and the surroundings. Dead Sea, do an overnighter if you can and get up for the sunrise in the morning. Visit Masada, Qumran and of course the Dead Sea itself. It CAN be done in one day, but it is rushing it.
If you have time, there are many archeological, historical and religious sites in the north of Israel, not to mention nature parks. Also the south has many Nabattean sites like Mamshit, Avdat and Shivta. Or nature hikes in the desert around Solomon's Pillars, Ein Avdat or the Ramon Crater...
If you like big modern cities, then do visit Tel-Aviv, if not it can be skipped, same for Eilat unless you want to do some diving.
Martin