Travel guide – israel

israel
Go back to travel guide home

Overview

Israel is a land saturated with the import of its position as the cradle of Judaism, Christianity and Islam alike. This complexity flows into the diversity of the natural landscape that varies from the salty serenity of the Dead Sea to the verdant national parks and the parched desert plateaus.

Most visits to the Holy Land are ushered in with a trip to the capital city of Jerusalem. The vibrant streets bustle with the activity of modern city dwellers and busy markets spill out onto ancient cobbled streets against a skyline of sacred sites. The modern commercial centre of Tel Aviv is dedicated to the more hedonistic pursuits of life that come in the form of sun drenched beaches, good restaurants, designer clothing stores and sophisticated night clubs. Sunbathing and scuba diving is the allure of the Red Sea port of Eilat while relaxation and spa resorts are a specialty of the Dead Sea experience. The Galilee area, north of Jerusalem, is the destination of pilgrims and nature lovers alike. Its concentration of holy sites provides a fascinating visit, particularly around the azure stretches of the Sea of Galilee. The cosmopolitan reaches of the Jewish-Arab city of Haifa provide a glorious base from which to explore the Galilee area as well as the magnificent sea grottoes of Rosh Hanikra.

Travel to Israel is currently risky because of the political situation. Those planning a trip should consult up to date official travel safety warnings.

Regions and cities within Israel...

Jerusalem
Tel Aviv
Galilee

Climate

Israel has a Mediterranean climate that is characterised by long, hot, dry summers and short, cool, wet winters.

Health

There are no special precautions required for travel to Israel. Travellers are advised to avoid drinking tap water. Medical facilities are excellent but treatment can be very expensive so it is essential that travellers take out full insurance.

The basics

Time

GMT +2 (GMT +3 from April to September).

Electricity

220 volts, 50Hz; European-style two-pin and round three-pin plugs are used.

Language

Hebrew and Arabic are the official languages of Israel. Most of the population also speak English.

Tipping

Tipping is expected unless a service charge is added to the bill.

Safety

Travellers should maintain a high level of vigilance and keep up to date with developments. The security situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip remains unstable and all visitors are advised to avoid all travel to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and along the border with Lebanon, and care should be taken crossing between Israel and Jordan. Threats have been made against UK and US nationals and buildings associated with Western interests have been attacked, and there is a general strike throughout the Occupied Territories. This follows the raid on the Jericho prison by Israeli forces on 14 March 2006. Following the Palestinian elections in January 2006, the situation is tense and the possibility of internal violence, as well as between Palestine and Israel, is high. The evacuation of Israeli settlers from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank was completed on 12 September 2005, but entry into Gaza is still tightly controlled and relatively risky; all travel to Gaza City at night should be avoided, and essential travel to the city should be undertaken during daylight hours only. The risk of terrorist attacks remains high and travellers to the region, including Jerusalem, need to exercise caution particularly around locations specifically targeted by attacks in the past such as bars, nightclubs, markets and buses. Suicide bombers have targeted crowded public areas resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries over the years, and although foreigners have not been specific targets, many have been caught up in the attacks. Following the invasion of Iraq, the Middle East has become a volatile region. Check with local embassies for the latest travel advisory notices.

Customs

Care should be taken not to photograph any military or police personnel or installations. Indecent behaviour is not tolerated and offenders will be arrested and fined heavily or imprisoned. Possession of a weapon, even a small-scale weapon such as knuckledusters, is an offence in Greece.

Communications

The international access code for Israel is +972. The outgoing code is 00 (not from public phones) followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). There are other outgoing codes depending on which network is used to dial out on. Public phones are card operated and are readily available, and instruction cards state whether to dial 012, 013 or 014 for overseas. The local mobile phone operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most international operators, otherwise mobile phones can easily be rented. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and tourist areas all over Israel.

Duty Free

Travellers to Israel do not have to pay duty on 250 cigarettes or 250g of other tobacco products; 2 litres wine and 1 litre of other alcoholic beverages; 250ml of eau de cologne or perfume; and gifts to the value of US$150 for residents and US$125 for non-residents. Prohibited items include fresh meat, fresh fruit (especially from South Africa).

top of page