Israel travel tips
Israel- 11 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went
So you want to visit Israel? Wonderful. Prepare to be delighted by so much beauty, history and religious splendor. If you follow me on Instagram, then you might remember how my trip was filled with wonder, fascination anddddd… a couple of avoidable headaches.
From missed flights to under budgeting, this is everything I wish I would have known before leaving and my best Israel travel tips!
Israel Travel Tips
11. Arrive to your flight EARLY or risk being denied entrance into Israel
Different airlines have different policies regarding border control. Be sure to check ahead of time and allow more time than usual for a flight into Israel. Some airlines require you to go through questioning if you’ve checked in online.
After two missed flights, I cannot stress this enough. Even if you arrive early enough for an international flight, some airlines will want to question passengers before allowing them to board.
Apparently my travel plans looked suspicious since I was traveling without a group or a tour guide. I had checked in online and did not know I would have to go through any questioning. So there I was being interrogated as my plane took off to Israel without me. It was stressful, expensive to buy a new last minute ticket and really no fun at all.
And no, the airline didn’t just place me on the next flight out unfortunately. I had to buy my own same-day ticket. Ouch.
Read: SHOCKING STORY OF BEING DENIED ENTRANCE INTO ISRAEL
10. Pack modest clothing for religious sites in Jerusalem
Whatever you want to wear in Tel Aviv is typically just fine! The city is full of nightlife, modern fashions and contemporary vibes.
But when you are spending time visiting religious sites in Jerusalem, Galilee, Bethlehem or any number of conservative, deeply religious places- you’ll want to be dressed appropriately.
Some mosques or churches will require for midriff, shoulders and knees to be covered. Save your super short shorts or strapless tank tops for your next trip to the Greek islands!
As a sign of respect to other cultures and religions, it’s always courteous to dress in a way that abides by any cultural practices.
Read: WHAT TO WEAR IN THE HOLY LAND: A WOMEN’S GUIDE TO FEELING FASHIONABLE AND COMFORTABLE
9. Join A Free Walking Tour Your First Day
So you’ve just touched down in Israel after a (hopefully) smooth and effortless flight in, now what?! Why not join a free walking tour and get the lay of the land and a solid understanding of what’s around you on day one! Many Israeli cities offer incredible, free walking tours- just be sure to tip your guide as a thank you.
We waited until the third day of our trip in Jerusalem to join a walking tour and by that time, we had already seen some of the sites – and gotten lost/turned around/didn’t know what we were missing! So the tour is a really great way to start off and as soon as we arrived in Tel Aviv, we joined a walking tour first thing. And I suggest you do the same!
8. Israel Is Expensive
Budget accordingly and save money where you can! The idea that Israel is a cheap country to travel to, simply isn’t true. Compared to it’s surrounding countries, like Egypt or Jordan, the Israeli prices are considerably higher!
I ordered a beer on the beach at sunset in Tel Aviv without looking at the menu and was completely shocked at the price. $14 for a single beer.
It was more than I’d pay in San Francisco or New York! Whereas the next day in Cyprus, we only paid a $1 USD for a beer. Hotel rooms, even hostels, will cost a lot more throughout Israel.
As I always recommend, pack half as many clothes and twice as much money as you think you’ll need! But especially in Israel.
7. Everything closes down for Shabbat on weekends
Plan your weekends accordingly because as a primarily Jewish country, Israel almost entirely closes down from Friday at sundown to sundown on Saturday.
Restaurants, shops, attractions, public transit…everything! The streets are almost empty (so it’s a fun time to go exploring without the crowds!) because no religious Jews will be driving cars, going to work etc. Just don’t plan to travel between cities since the buses won’t be running! And don’t plan to do any shopping or visiting of attractions. Most places will be closed – some non-kosher restaurants may still be open though.
What is Shabbat?
Shabbat is the Jewish day of rest. Religious Jews do not work during Shabbat- this includes cooking and using any electronic equipment. The day of rest ends with a traditional, celebratory family meal known as the Havdalah.
6. Hostels Make For An Excellent Option For Cheap(er) Accommodation
I’ll say it again, Israel is expensive. Most likely, your cheapest accommodation option will be hostels. But what is really great about the hostels in Israel was the calendar of events! Many offered free or affordable tours, Shabbat dinners, pub crawls, Israeli cooking classes… the list goes on! It’s a great way to meet other travelers as well. And always ask the hostel staff for their best bits of advice or local suggestions.
Read: STAYING AT CINEMA HOSTEL JERUSALEM
5. If you want to visit Jerusalem’s famous Temple Mount, check the hours and days it is open ahead of time
A stunning piece of religious history, the Temple Mount proves difficult to visit. In fact, I tried throughout my stay in Israel to visit but frequently found it closed.
Otherwise the limited hours/days open to the public did not coincide with my stay in Jerusalem. Unfortunately, I only ever saw this great mosque-complex from the outside. But if you find yourself in Jerusalem, I recommend you try!
It is free to visit, just open during very specific times, especially for non-muslims visitors. Due to the limited hours open, the line is often quite long to enter.
If you want to visit this holy site, make sure you not only check the hours and days it’s open but also arrive very early!
Visiting Hours for Monday through Thursday:
Winter: 7:30 am – 10:30 am and 12:30pm – 1:30 pm
Summer: 8:30am – 11:30am and 1:30pm – 2:30pm
“The Temple Mount is closed to visitors on Friday and Saturday. Sometimes the entrance to the site is closed without notice, even when it’s scheduled to be open. In order to enter, both men and women need to be dressed modestly. No weapons are allowed and visitors may not bring in any sacred Jewish objects, such as a prayer book or a talit. Visitors may be asked to show their passports.” – Tourist Israel
Truthfully, I would suggest visiting some of these key religious sites with a local guide. I definitely regret not booking more tours on my first trip to Israel.
I would have liked more of an explanation at each site plus I wouldn’t have missed Temple Mount entirely if I had booked with a guide.
You can find great guided tours on Get Your Guide.
4. Public Transit is cheap, safe, comfortable and easy to use when traveling between cities
The public transportation system in Israel is well done. The buses typically run on time, are clean and fairly priced. The train connecting Tel Aviv (where you will most likely fly into!) and Jerusalem (a must-see city and our first stop!) is efficient and more modern than anything I see in New York City! If you don’t typically use public transit when traveling, places like London and Israel make it easy!
The public bus to Bethlehem is only approximately $3 USD round trip. Not only is it air conditioned (not always the case in other countries!) but it’s very spacious- like a comfortably large coach bus you would expect to see a tour group using.
Read: VISITING BETHLEHEM- ONE DAY ITINERARY FROM JERUSALEM
3. The Palestine/Israeli conflict was never an issue when crossing the border but the locals have strong opinions about it
A lot of confusion and misunderstanding surrounds the Palestine/Israeli conflict. And while this political issue is a hot topic of never ending turmoil, we were able to cross the border into Palestine to visit Bethlehem without any issues.
However it was fascinating to talk with local taxi drivers and tour guides about the situation and hear the perspective of the local people.
Aside from some interesting conversations when we asked about it, the issue never came up.
2. Skip the tour and take the bus to the Dead Sea
Spend as long or as little as you’d like floating in the salty, mineral rich water. If you go by yourself you can decide how long you’ll stay. And again, because of how easy Israel’s public transit system is, it’s quite simple to navigate yourself to the Dead Sea.
Just tell the person at the ticket office of the main bus terminal in Jerusalem you’d like to go to the Dead Sea. He or she will tell you a few different beaches you can stop off at along the bus route.
Most beaches cost money to enter but they provide lounge areas, cafes, restrooms and towels. We opted for Kalia Beach, a paid beach.
Dead Sea Main Beaches
Kalia Beach: designed more for tourists, cafe, bar, gift shop, restrooms, many international visitors
Biankini Beach: Moroccan style, more locals
Neve Midbar Beach: least commercialized, younger crowds
Ein Gedi Public Beach: free entry, very basic facilities, the shore is rocky and difficult to walk on but great picnic area
Ein Bokek: resort beaches, very busy during peak season
1. Although many people do not speak English, most workers or shopkeepers in tourist areas are fluent
While not everyone in Israel speaks English, it was common that people working in restaurants, shops, museums or driving taxis near tourist destinations were able to speak English.
Navigating around Israel is not nearly as difficult as you might expect. Only in rural towns is English difficult to come by! When we crossed the border into Bethlehem, we found less people spoke English but they were happy to try and communicate with us via gestures anyway, ha!
Most restaurants offer an English menu, most drivers will speak fluent English and when shopping just about anywhere, the staff knew at least enough English to have a conversation.
Israel is a beautiful destination, easy to navigate and not to be missed!
As always, let me know if you have any questions about my Israel travel tips!
Shop My Israel Favorites:
Birkenstocks
Wicker Bag
3/4 Sleeve Green Maxi Dress
Peach Maxi Dress
Save these Israel travel tips for your Pinterest!
Israel travel tips
For travel outfit inspo and my photography gear, check out my Amazon storefront!
Just a quick correction:
“The day of rest ends with a traditional, celebratory family meal known as the Shabbat Dinner.”
We START Shabbat with Shabbat dinner and end with an at home ceremony called Havdalah.
Thank you so much for that correction, fixed the typo! Thanks Kayla 🙂
Thank so much for the 11 insights
Planning our trip for December