Israel

We decided to head to Israel for New Year's Eve of 2023, where we spent short, about a week-long trip to the Holy Land, exploring the cities of, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem, basking in the sun at Herod's place in Eilat, and then returning to Tel Aviv. The trip was an unforgettable experience, and we are excited to share our journey with you. We arrived to Israel from Tbilisi, Georgia by El AL arways, landing at Ben Gurion airport, from which we took a train to Jerusalem, the train ride was shot…

Jerusalem is a city steeped in history, culture, and religion, making it a fascinating destination to visit any time of the year. However, there is something particularly special about visiting Jerusalem in the weeks leading up to New Year's. In this article, we'll explore some of the highlights of experiencing Jerusalem before New Year's eve. We arrivied to Jerusalem from Ben Gurion airport terminal and our discoveries could start. After booking nice apartment on Be'er Sveva street, we left…

Eilat is a city in southern Israel that is well known for its sunny beaches and vibrant nightlife. The city is especially popular during the New Year's holiday season when visitors flock to the area to enjoy the warm weather and festive atmosphere. In this article, I'll explore some of the highlights of visiting Eilat around New Year's. We come to Eilat, especially for New Year's Eve, and booked Herods Boutique hotel, paying about USD 750 for a 2-night stay. Might be a bit expensive, but the…

Tel Aviv is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Israel, known for its vibrant culture, nightlife, and beaches. With over 14 kilometers of coastline, Tel Aviv boasts some of the most beautiful and accessible beaches in the country. During our latest trip to Israel I had a chance to spend a day in Tel Aviv's beaches and was left with that white envy feeling, how lucky Israelis are, having such nice beaches just in front of their city. Just amazing. Coming back from the trip, I was…

Jaffa is an ancient port city near Tel Aviv in Israel. Jaffa is known for its association with the biblical stories of Jonah, Solomon, and Saint Peter as well as the mythological story of Andromeda and Perseus, and later for its oranges. Today, Jaffa is one of Israel's mixed cities, with approximately 37% of the city being Arab.  We had a chance to visit Jaffa and meet with our Latvian friend there at the start of 2023 during our latest trip to Israel.   Jaffa is a fascinating destination for…

The Carmel Market (also, the Shuk Hacarmel) is the largest market, or shuk, in Tel Aviv, Israel. It’s a vibrant marketplace where traders sell everything from clothing to spices and fruit to electronics. Visiting the Carmel Market is a fascinating thing to do in Tel Aviv. The hustle and bustle, vibrant noises, and its reputation as the largest shuk in Tel Aviv all combine to make the Carmel Market a favorite. I first visited this market at the start of 2023, during our New Year's trip to…

Mayer House Hotel in Tel Aviv is located on  Dizengoff Street 98. It featured an outdoor swimming pool, a terrace, a restaurant, and a bar. We booked this hotel for a 2-night stay at the start of 2023, before returning back to Tbilisi. We paid about USD 430 for a 2-night stay here. Thsi small hotel has an excellent location, from here we were able to explore the neighbourhood, visit the Tel Aviv beach and more. The property is close to several well-known attractions, 400 m from Dizengoff…

The Nachlaot Pearl / King Salomon room is an apartment we booked via Airbnb for a two-day stay in Jerusalem on New Year's Eve of 2023. The price we paid seemed a bit high, paying about $350 for a small studio room,  but as we didnt know what to expect from Jerusalem rental market and were not into extensive reserach, we agreed to book this place. And the stay was actually really excellent.  We agreed to book over AirBnB insetad of booking.com because it seemed that all decent hotels in…

The highly anticipated new high-speed train from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv via Ben Gurion Airport is now operating. The final destination of the Jerusalem train is Tel Aviv. The new Jerusalem to Tel Aviv train service is officially called King David Line. I have traveled by train from Ben Gurion Airport to Jerusalem on New Year's Eve of 2023. The ticket price per passenger was about ISL 15. The train station is actually located inside the terminal building and is one of the easiest ways to travel…

Ben Gurion International Airport, is the main international airport of Israel. Situated on the northern outskirts of the city of Lod, it is the busiest airport in the country. It is located 45 kilometers (28 mi) to the northwest of Jerusalem and 20 kilometers (12 mi) to the southeast of Tel Aviv. I first visited it back in 2009, flying with Turkish Airlines from Riga (via Istanbul), and also have flown a direct flight by EL AL from Tbilisi and a domestic flight to Ramon airport near Eilat. …