Anyone gone to Israel?

JDodds

Have any of you gals gone to Israel for your honeymoon?  Just need some extra ideas of must-see places or things.  We will be going mid-Oct.  TIA.

lauralaur

Try paging Mrs.LesGrossman on P&E. She was married in northern Israel and I believe has family there.

october010bride

I'm from Israel originally and have been about 15 times... so hopefully I can help! First off, if you don't speak Hebrew and have never been I STRONGLY suggest getting a guide or joining a tour. There are a lot of great options to pick from so they fit your needs. I believe I Israel is an amazing country but it can also be a dangerous one. A guided tour will bring you to all of the famous/popular sites but also keep you out of danger. They also allow for you to travel from North to South effortlessly. As for personal rec's, Tel Aviv is awesome. Very cosmopolitan city with a lot to do. You can visit the Israel Parliament, Rabin's memorial site, shop, eat at some great restaurants, etc. The dead sea is out of this world. Try and find a hotel near the cost and just float in the water, its so wonderful... but don't shave your legs the day of, it'll burn like he11. Also make sure to cover your body head to toe in mud, it does wonders for your skin. Sea of Galilee (north) is beautiful. There are some great markets, shopping areas and religious sites to see. Tzaf is the center of Jewish Kabalah and such a quaint, historic city is great. There are some beautiful temples to visit and fantastic shops to see. Jerusalem is of course great. You really can't go wrong with all of its religious significance. I stress again the importance of a guide or going on a tour. You never know when a bombing can happen and you can never be too safe. Also stay off of the public buses... taxis are the way to travel in Israel. If you want more specific information please feel free to page me on the Boston board. Also come over to the Jewish wedding board, you'll get some great ideas there!

october010bride

Oh and right by the dead sea is Mt. Masada (site of a Jewish revolt against an invading army). Hike masada at sunrise, it's life changing... really. You'll never see a more amazing sunrise.  

ilovemycarats

Hi- I went to Israel for a month on a group tour when I was in high school. I agree, you need to climb Masada, it was such an amazing experience. We woke up at 4am for the climb, it was worth it. Also, you should also look into a tour. There are just so many things you would not expect. I remember going into malls and my back pack had to be checked before entering. Also there would be random check points where police would inspect the bus. I went 9 years ago (hard to believe it was that long ago!) so things could have changed. It is an AMAZING place and I would love to go back. But to be safe, you should go with a tour group