Israel

Israel is small, but planning a trip here is not easy. In a single week you want to fit in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea and Eilat, and the country's calendar has its own say. Shabbat and holidays change transport timetables and the opening hours of markets and museums. These are the questions readers usually bring to this section. We have gathered articles that help you put your days in order.

The core of the section is guides to cities and places. There is a long article on the sights of Jerusalem in and around the Old City, an overview of Tel Aviv from Jaffa to Azrieli and a selection of tours in Jerusalem. Separate pieces cover Eilat with its coral reef and dolphins, the Dead Sea with the hotels of Ein Bokek, Masada and Ein Gedi. For the big picture there are roundups of places across the country, from Eilat to the Jordan River. The Dead Sea, Masada and Jerusalem are also brought together in one text: how many days you need and what to book in advance. A separate article is devoted to the Western Wall: the rules for visiting and how to leave a note.

The second large part of the section deals with practical matters. We write about the ETA-IL authorization and where to check current entry requirements with official sources. There are articles on trains and routes from the airport, on a driving route and the rules for drivers. We cover seasons and weather by region, resorts and beaches on the different seas, and all-inclusive vacations in Eilat. Money is covered too: where tourists overpay, where they save, and how the VAT refund works.

A separate group of texts is devoted to the calendar. We explain what happens in the country during the holiday week of Passover and why life stops for a full day on Yom Kippur. Alongside them are articles on street food and markets, including what is open on Shabbat. For those thinking about shopping, there are texts on gifts and souvenirs. There is also a light piece with unusual facts about the country.

We open every article with a short answer to the main question, and the details follow below. Then come the practical blocks: how to get there, how much time to allow, what to buy in advance. Every price and every timetable comes with its source and the date it was checked. We name the downsides directly: what is closed on Shabbat, where tourists overpay, which season is inconvenient for a particular region.

The section is meant for those who have already chosen Israel and are planning specific days. It works for a first trip and for a return visit, when you want to add the south or the Dead Sea. A reader who only wants a beach vacation will get by with the texts on resorts, beaches and Eilat. It will not help those looking for a ready-made tour or a trip matched to their dates. We provide information, and the decisions are yours.

We suggest starting with the general article on the entry authorization, the season and practical rules. Then read the text on when to go and check your dates against the articles on holidays. After that, choose your cities and resorts, and finish with transport: train or car. The texts on food, shopping and expenses are best read last, once the route is in place. This order saves time.

The section belongs to "Asia", which is part of the larger "Destinations" section. It has no subsections yet, and all the articles sit in a single list. If you are still comparing options, look at the neighboring sections: "Turkey", "United Arab Emirates", "Armenia", "Azerbaijan". For trips farther away there are "Maldives", "Thailand", "Vietnam" and "India".

We update the articles regularly. Entry rules, train timetables, holiday dates and prices change, so we check them against official websites and give the date of the last check. If a rule concerns visas, insurance or medical matters, we do not give advice but show where to find the requirements in force. Check them once more yourself before you travel. This applies especially to trips during holidays, when transport and shops run on a special schedule.