Israel Vacation (10 day itinerary)

We hired a local guide for 2 days to give us a tour of the old city and 4 quarters of Jerusalem. The old city which is surrounded by ancient walls is a mix of multiple religions that all seem to coexist together in the old city. We toured the very busy market, Mahane Yeuda, and then also spent 1/2 a day at the Israel Museum which houses the dead sea scrolls which were discovered in 1947. The scrolls are religious manuscripts that are believed to be dated 125 B.C. Jerusalem is truly a history lovers' dream. So much to learn and see. 

With our guide and rental car, we drove about 90 minutes to see the Dead Sea. We didn't swim or get in the water but we did buy some fancy mud from a gift shop. We then headed to Masada National Park which is an ancient fortress in the desert. It's on a huge plateau overlooking the Dead Sea. A cable car and a long, path climb up to the fortifications, built around 30 B.C. We then went on a hike nearby which had views of Jordon and the dead sea. I highly recommend this day trip to get out to the desert from Jerusalem. 

We based ourselves in Acre as it's a good base for exploring the area, and the well-preserved old city is a Unesco heritage site. Acre has a history of conquerors including the Romans, Persians, the Crusaders, and the Ottoman Empire for a short time.  Acre is also on the meddeterian so definitely check out the local seafood restaurants. We went to Uri Buri which was fun and had great food. 

We drove through Israeli wineries over to Golan Heights which was seized Israel from Syria in 1967 during the six day war.

We only had a few days in the busy city of Tel Aviv and I wish had spent more time. The city has a great mix of old history (Jafa), city cosmopolitan, and beautiful sunsets and beaches. There are lots of great restaurants and nightlife.  The weather is far warmer than in Jerusalem and was hot in October. I highly recommend a day at the beach followed by a late dinner.