The perfect Israeli vacation

Planning Your Perfect Israeli Vacation after COVID-19

While we are considered one of the smallest countries in the world by size and population, Israel has an awesome variety of places and fantastic attractions to explore and visit. thinking about these facts, many people who plan a visit to the holy land have a big question mark about traveling to Israel, not only, one of the biggest issues is how to create a plan or itinerary in a foreign country with a language border since we speak Hebrew and it doesn't look like any other language in the world. I prepared a perfect list of tips that will help you create the perfect Israeli vacation.

CHOOSE YOUR PREFERRED PERIOD OF THE YEAR IN ISRAEL

Israel has a very soft and pleasant climate most of the year, which means only one thing, there is no excuse for avoiding visiting Israel. The summer is the hottest period and the weather is very humid and sticky, the temperatures are usually over 28-celsius degrees and the humidity can be over 80 % along the coast and around the Sea of Galilee in other areas such as the Judean desert and the dead sea or Eilat the temperatures will be even higher but the area will be less humid, while the winter months can be cold but not as cold as you think, the average temperature in the Tel Aviv will be around 15 Celcius, Jerusalem will be a little colder and averaging 10 Celcius and the Dead Sea will present a pleasant 20 celsius! for people, if you enjoy cooler weather and fewer people I recommend the winter and many people will say that the Israeli winter is a spring :). The best months for the perfect Israeli vacation are, April, May, November, and October as the weather is probably the most comfortable for walking, swimming, and sightseeing, nevertheless, the other months can be also suitable for you. For more information please read my article about the weather in Israel.

THINK ABOUT THE TRIP DURATION IN ISRAEL

Often the length of a trip to Israel will be decided according to the kids' vacations, spring breaks, or work frames, meaning there is only a tight period to explore Israel. therefore visiting Israel for a week, two weeks, or even a month won't be enough to fully enjoy our amazing country and the huge variety of attractions and locations. I recommend dedicating between 10 days and 2 weeks to a very good Israeli vacation, this way you will be able to tour all the major cities and sites of Galilee, the Judean desert, the Dead Sea, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Mizpe Ramon without rushing. for short visits to Israel on a business trip, honeymoon, or a spontaneous trip, I recommend a tour from my daily tours list and you still will be able to enjoy the major sites of Israel.

HOW TO GET TO ISRAEL?

the most common way to arrive in Israel is by plane through the international Ben Gurion airport, we have daily flights from all over the world, direct flights from Rio de Janeiro, New York, Montreal, Amman, California, Florida, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Emirates, Hong Kong, Sydney and many more! if the direct flights are too long for you there is an option to take a connecting flight through Europe, London and Paris are great options, and also the airport in Istanbul will do the job. a great advantage of taking a connecting flight to your perfect Israeli vacation is cheaper flight tickets and an option to see another destination on the way. From Europe, you can use Easy-Jet, bluebird, or Pegasus Airlines to reach Israel in less than 5 hours depending on your location.

For the perfect and smooth start to your Israeli vacation by landing in Israel you can use the special VIP greeting service by selecting an escort straight from the trap of the plane and avoiding any waste of time, passport control, or irritating lines for luggage pick up, you can also take one step forward and choose the private terminal with a private room, beverages, and great service, the service is not expensive at all especially for a family and worth any penny.

GETTING AROUND

After deciding when to come to Israel and for how long the next step is to figure out where to go and what to do! some people book one city such as Jerusalem or Tel Aviv and "star" traveling every day meaning going back and forth, while others book different cities and locations to stay and maximize the places and the time. The cheapest way to travel to Israel is by public transportation such as trains or busses but it's a little complicated and won't get you to all your desired destinations and also you will waste a lot of time! you can also consider hiring a car there are many rental companies in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. the second but better option is to join group tours on a big tourist bus or a small group in a minivan with a guide and a driver, the best and the most recommended way to travel to Israel and to create the ultimate Israeli vacation is by hiring a private guide with a car and travel according to your time frame and wishes, yes this option is a little more expensive but the result is incomparable.

Note, that there is no public transportation or trains on Shabat therefore you can miss a few traveling days during your vacation in Israel and private taxis will charge 200% for the service, so again private tours are the best option to travel to Israel.

HOW MANY DAYS YOU SHOULD SPEND IN ISRAEL?

After step 4, you already know how to use your time according to your wishes and needs in this amazing country, now it is a matter of your interests and priority, some locations in Israel can take just half a day such as the Bahai Gardens in Haifa or the old city of Caesarea while other may take a few days to get the full picture, when I plan for my clients a decent a full itinerary I suggest to spend 4-5 days in Jerusalem and the surroundings,3 days in Tel Aviv and the central district,2-3 days in Galilee and perhaps 2 more days in Eilat. this way you will get the most out of your perfect Israeli vacation without compromising!
yet it is still possible to have a good tour by visiting a variety of places in one day and returning to your hotel in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem
Long or short private trips can be good for a coupe or a family, a good option that will lower the price of the trip is splitting the cost between 2 families or 2 couples, this is a very common option that can reduce cost by more than 50 % and still enjoy a private tour guide and an individual option to travel Israel.

For example, a private tour will cost 600 USD, this way each family will spend only 300 USD and still maximize the trip.

WHERE TO STAY IN ISRAEL?

Selecting where to stay pretty much depends on your budget, starting from a simple guest house to the finest boutique hotels the selection is very wide and good, The accommodations in Tel Aviv can offer Airbnb apartments that are comfortable and not expensive, hostels will be the cheapest option and boutique hotels in the city center will be the best value for money since the big hotels on the coastline are the most expensive.
Hotels in Jerusalem also in a very wide range of prices, for spoiled people the 5-star hotels near the old city will be the perfect option while families with kids and more budget people can take the boutique hotels just a little further from the city center, budget travelers can use guests houses or short term rental apartments on the west or the east part of Jerusalem.

Dead Sea hotels are dominated by spa-style resort hotels and this is the place to choose a better hotel with all the relaxing facilities, Galilee hotels range from boutique and luxury hotels such as the Setai hotel to the very popular " Zimmers" which can be much cheaper but on the other hand very luxurious and relaxing! Airbnb won't be a good option in this area since the attractions are mainly concentrated around the Sea of Galilee and the waterline.

Hotels in Eilat are almost the same quality therefore spending too much in this city won't upgrade your perfect Israeli vacation, anyway, you will be most of the day diving or working on your suntan.

The Golan Heights can offer a relaxing area for families so the best option will be a kibbutz where your kids will be able to play safely outside.

WHAT TO DO IN ISRAEL?

There are so many places in Israel to see, and you probably marked many of them for your perfect Israeli vacation such as the church of the holy sepulcher, the Western Wall, and the Masada fortress, some places will be on the second plan such as the market of Tel Aviv or a jeep tour in the Judean desert but get ready to be surprised since there are many fascinating places in Israel that are worth to visit and they are not popular among tourists or even Israelis, for example, the bullet factory in Rehovot! Israel is not all about holy sites or heritage locations but has also a good ski resort up in the Golan Heights during the winter, sand surfing in the Negev desert or year-long, kayaking in the Jordan River, and fantastic museums in every city, this is the place where every family member can find his desired "pearl" to maximize the trip.

WHAT TO PACK FOR TRAVELLING TO ISRAEL?

Clothes, this a very important part of the trip to Israel, since we have many churches, Mosques, and Synagogues that you will visit on your vacation in Israel you must be prepared, visiting religious sites requires a modest dress code, therefore, men have to wear long pants and a long shirt covering their shoulders, the woman can wear pants but also skirts below the knees.
excluding the holy sites, Israel is very liberal and doesn't have any official dress code so take something comfortable that you wear daily, use comfortable walking shoes or sneakers and sandals during the summer.

Pack your clothes according to the season and make sure to take a few speer sets of clothes since you will sweat a lot during the summer, for the evening take something warm even during the summer for cities such as Jerusalem!
Israeli restaurants don't require any dress code so feel free to have your dinner even in flip-flops.

Having your medical kit with your regular medicine is highly recommended since buying medicine in Israel requires a prescription from your doctor and you won't be able to buy your drugs in a regular pharmacy.

Your passport must be valid and also your driver's license in case you are preparing to rent a car or enter different sites with an option to enjoy a free entrance or discounts (seniors, kids).

SUGGESTIONS FOR AN ISRAELI PERFECT TRIP

Will my kids like the food in Israel? Can I get a Wi-Fi connection? Will I be able to call home?… Loads of questions will no doubt enter your mind as the trip approaches. Yes is the answer to all three of the above questions. Remember, Israel is a very Westernized country, and all the services you expect and take for granted at home, will be available – you can even pre-order your Israel SIM card online. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight.

The small and important things such as Wi-Fi, food, communication, and languages will not be a problem in Israel, we have a very Western and progressive country and you will be able to reach out for free everywhere! All the hotels from the cheapest to the most expensive have free wi-fi, you can buy a sim card in every shop and most of the population speak or at least understand English!

What about the food? prepare to gain some weight, the Israeli local kitchen is perfect starting from a great piece of meat to delicious fresh salads and Falafel, it's also a "heaven" for vegans and vegetarians since more and more restaurants are catching up with the trend, do you like Italian food? just choose a place, do you like seafood or fish? go to the port.

PLAN YOUR PERFECT VACATION IN ISRAEL

The most important thing, stay safe and enjoy your perfect vacation in Israel, we have a very safe country for please don't pay attention to the news, the Israelis are very friendly and will be happy to assist and help you any time, you are coming to relax and enjoy this amazing place so allow me to make all the arrangements for you and guide you on your perfect Israeli vacation.