Latest Travel News From Israel

THE LATEST TRAVEL NEWS FROM ISRAEL  www.goisrael.com #VisitIsrael

THE AKRA, EPIPHANES' LOST CHANUKAH STRONGHOLD IN JERUSALEM, IS FOUND AFTER 2,000-YEAR SEARCH One of Jerusalem's greatest archeological mysteries has been solved through the discovery of the Greek Akra, Epiphanes' lost stronghold in Jerusalem. The finding, after a 100-year search, reveals the location of city boundaries, main streets and monumental buildings at different times throughout history. Akra was a famous stronghold built more than 2,000 years ago by the Syrian-Greek King Antiochus IV in order to control Jerusalem and monitor activity in the Temple. Its eventual liberation by the Hasmoneans more than two millennia ago is commemorated in the annual festival of Chanukah, celebrated by Jews every December.        ARCHEOLOGICAL FIND IN JERUSALEM BRINGS BIBLE TO LIFE  Archeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Institute of Archaeology recently unearthed a discovery imprinted with the rare seal of King Hezekiah of Judea near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The discovery is an impression of the royal seal of the Biblical King Hezekiah, who reigned between 727-698 BCE. The seal, which is imprinted on a soft bulla (piece of inscribed clay), bears an inscription in ancient Hebrew script reading: "Belonging to Hezekiah [son of] Ahaz king of Judah." The script is accompanied by a two-winged sun, with wings turned downward, surrounded by two symbols meaning "life." The discovery of King Hezekiah's Royal Seal impression vividly brings to life the Biblical narratives about King Hezekiah and the activity conducted during his lifetime in Jerusalem's Royal Quarter. MOSAIC UNCOVERED IN LOD While excavating in the Neve Yerek neighborhood of Lod to prepare the ground for construction of a visitors' center, a new colorful mosaic was found. The mosaic is believed to have been used as the courtyard pavement for the villa that once stood on this space. Some 1,700 years ago, another mosaic was found in this same area, which once served as the villa's living room floor. In the current excavations, the southern part of the complex was exposed, which included the magnificent courtyard and mosaic. The scenes in this mosaic depict imagery of hunting, fish, baskets with flowers, vases and birds. In light of the new discoveries, this part of the villa will also be incorporated in the visitor center.      TEL AVIV RECOGNIZED AS THE MOST GAY-FRIENDLY CITY IN THE WORLD Travel website WowTravel.me has recognized Tel Aviv as the top gay-friendly city in the world. Tel Aviv topped 11 other major international destinations on the list, including London, Berlin, Miami, San Francisco and New York. A number of factors were taken into consideration to create the list, such as economic growth, legal protection, social acceptance, LGBT nightlife and economic opportunities. Tel Aviv is described as "a bubble of sanity in an otherwise difficult and tense area." Commended for being one of the most liberal cities in the world, WowTravel describes Tel Aviv as the "undisputed queer capital of the Middle East," highlighting its 24/7 scene, year-round warm weather, incredible cuisine, gay beaches and nightlife. In June, Gay Pride takes over the city with a week of celebrations and events, including an LGBT Theater festival, LGBT Film Festival and the famous Pride Parade.    Find the full article here.    HIGH OCCUPANCY ON FLIGHTS INTO EILAT FROM EUROPE THIS WINTER Europe's largest low-cost airline Ryanair has recently launched six weekly flights to Eilat from Kaunas, Budapest and Krakow. Tourism Minister Yariv Levin commented, "Thanks to the Tourism Ministry incentive to airline companies, about 4,000 tourists flew into Eilat in the last three weeks. This is a vote of confidence for tourism into Israel in general and Eilat in particular." The city is currently planning for the construction of an international congress and convention center adjacent to the casino, an international sports complex, a camping area, a golf course and thousands of additional hotel rooms. The Minister also remarked that "the arrival of Ryanair in Israel proves to us all that it is possible to bring the largest airlines into Israel and, with them, many tourists."   AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE TOWER OF DAVID MUSEUM The Tower of David Museum received a bronze medal for its Virtual Tour as part of the closing ceremony of the International AVICOM Conference. The 360-degree audiovisual tour highlights the breathtaking views of Jerusalem, the magnificently restored citadel as well as a tour inside the guard rooms that shows the permanent exhibition of the history of Jerusalem. The virtual tour can be found on the Tower of David Museum website here as well as an explanatory video in English about the tour.  CLASSICAL MUSIC COMES TO EILAT IN EARLY 2016 Eilat, Israel's southernmost resort destination on the Red Sea, promises a year of festivals and entertainment for 2016. The first festival of the new year will be the 18th annual ClassiCameri Festival from January 7-9, bringing in top soloists from Israel and abroad to celebrate 50 years of the Cameri orchestra. From February 1-6, the 11th annual Eilat Chamber Music Festival will take place, which is one of the leading international festivals in Israel and attracts audiences from around the world. The 2016 performances will include flamenco dancing, a baroque orchestra from Germany, Jewish music from Spain and Morocco, and much more. Other upcoming festivals include the Eilat International Bellydance Festival from February 10-13, and the Red Sea Winter Jazz Festival at the end of February.         Concerto Koeln; photo credit: Harald Hoffmann Find more information here.                            EILAT BIRDS FESTIVAL: MARCH 20-27, 2016 The 10th annual Eilat Birds Festival will take place March 20-27, 2016. The festival, the most significant international event in the Western Palearctic birding scene, is designed to bring together birders from all over the world for an unforgettable week during the peak of spring migration. The festival includes day and night birding tours of all the best sites in southern Israel, as well as bird-related activities, presentations, talks and more. In 2015, some significant birds made an appearance over the week, including rare breeds such as the Caspian Plover, Cyprus and Pied Wheatears, and Black Bush Robin.  Photo Credit: Dov Greenblat, SPNI Find more information here. MOUNTAIN TO VALLEY RELAY RACE: MAY 18-20,2016 The Mountain to Valley Relay Race is an annual sporting event that has taken place for the last eight years in the North of Israel and organized by the Mountain to Valley (M2V) Association. Close to 10,000 people are expected to participate in this year's race, taking place from May 18-20, 2016. Following the success of last year's race, the relay will for the second time be open to tourists visiting from abroad. The route starts in Tel-Hai, continues along the Northern Jordan River Valley, passes the Hula Valley Nature Reserve and meets the north section of the Sea of Galilee. The route then climbs and crosses the Lower Galilee Mountain Range, crossing the Jezreel Valley into the Mountains of Menashe, and finally ends at Timrat, just west of Nazareth.   Find more information here.

Oldest Complete Copy Of Ten Commandments Displayed In Israel

JERUSALEM (AP) - The world's oldest complete copy of the Ten Commandments is on rare display at Israel's national museum in an exhibit of objects from pivotal moments in civilization.

The 2,000-year-old Dead Sea Scroll belongs to a collection of the world's most ancient biblical manuscripts discovered near the Dead Sea.

The brittle manuscript has never before been displayed in Israel, and was shown abroad only in brief exhibits.

It is being displayed alongside the oldest known remains of a communal bonfire and a family burial, the oldest complete sickle and some of the world's oldest coins.

Museum director James Snyder says many of the exhibited objects were discovered in Israel in recent years and have never been displayed.

The exhibit, which opened last week, marks the 50th anniversary of the museum's founding.

Tel Aviv Goes Digital: 100,000+ Tourists Using Free Wi-Fi

Over a quarter of a million unique users logged into the system overall

Tel Aviv's free Wi-Fi system, launched by the municipality a year and a half ago, includes 180 free hot spots covering 3.7 million square meters and encompassing the entire city. The Nonstop City's world-famous beaches, boulevards, coffee shops, bars, parks, and startup hubs are all covered by the free Wi-Fi zones.

According to the latest data from 2014, more than 50% of entrances were made by tourists visiting Tel Aviv, with 85% of entrances made using smart phones. 298,272 unique users entered the network in 2014 with a total of 579,917 entrances overall.

The data shows that only 36% of entrances were made in Hebrew with English being by far the most popular language at 41%, Russian 4% and French 2.5%. The most popular areas for Wi-Fi users were in the center of the City, its markets and of course, Tel Aviv's beaches.

The Wi-Fi initiative is part of a number of projects lead by Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality and is one of the reasons for Tel Aviv's coveted international recognition as the 'World's Smartest City' at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona this past November. Other projects include the Digi-Tel Residents Card which facilitates direct 'smart' communication between the Municipality and the residents of Tel Aviv.

Hila Oren, CEO of Tel Aviv Global: "Today, access to free Wi-Fi is a basic service – just like it’s a City's job to connect people to water and electricity –it is also our job to connect people to the web- free Wi-Fi is a new aspect of city-making. It's only fitting that Tel Aviv, with its more than 1,000 startups– the largest concentration of innovation per capita on the globe – leads the world in this field as well."

In a recent ranking by Savills, Tel Aviv was ranked as one of the world's top three tech cities, alongside San Francisco and Austin.

Backstreet Boys, Robbie Williams, Dionne Warwick, Lauryn Hill And Others To Rock Tel Aviv This Summer

The Backstreet Boys, one of the bands performing in Tel Aviv this May    Things are heating up in Tel Aviv and it's not just the weather - The Backstreet Boys, Robbie Williams, One Republic, Lauryn Hill, Dionne Warwick, Art Garfunkel and others will all be playing concerts in and around the city in May and June to the delight of pop and rock fans.         In May, Robbie Williams will play for the first time in Israel on May 2 at Hayarkon Park, as part of his Let Me Entertain You world tour. Lauryn Hill will perform in Rishon leZion on May 7; The Backstreet Boys will play three concerts at the Ra'anana Amphitheater on May 19, 20 and 21; and Dionne Warwick will perform at the Nokia Arena on May 19. One Republic will be performing for the first time in Israel on May 28 at Hayarkon Park, and singer Ryan Tedder was quoted in the Israel media as saying, "we wanted to perform in Israel and visit it since we established the band. This performance will be the realization of the wish of a lifetime. We can't wait."   The lineup for June includes Suzanne Vega, who will perform two concerts with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at the Mann Auditorium on June 9 and 10; Art Garfunkel, from the legendary duo Simon and Garfunkel, who will return to Israel to play at the Bloomfield Stadium on June 10; Damian Marley, son of reggae legend Bob Marley, who will perform in Rishon leZion on June 24; and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, who will perform at the Tel Aviv Fairgrounds Hall on June 27.           For more information about travel to Israel, visit www.goisrael.com.

10+ Incredible Experiences In Newly-Cool Jerusalem

My last trip to Jerusalem was over ten years ago and while it was an eye-opening experience from a religious and historical perspective, it was not a place that I would describe as particularly fun or edgy. But with a slew of recent innovations which can be seen in the city’s dynamic food scene, counter-culture nabes, hip bars and an abundance of stylish new designer boutiques springing up, Jerusalem is really having a “moment”. Newbies will most certainly want to allow time to see Jerusalem’s awe-inspiring Big 5: the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, City of David, the Western Wall, the Temple Mount and Yad Vashem.

Sleep in style

The historic American Colony Hotel is the antithesis to cookie-cutter chain establishments since every room in this elegant property (once a Pasha’s palace) is uniquely furnished combining classic Arabian arches, opulent Oriental rugs, Armenian ceramics and polished stone floors with welcome modern updates including a flat-screen TV, Italian “Frette” bed linens, modern bathrooms and evening turndown service. The whole staff is exceedingly gracious and just a sampling of the hotel’s many amenities include a champagne welcome drink, complimentary Wi-Fi, parking and (how sweet is this?) 20 minutes of free long distance calling nightly. Conveniently located at the crossroads of East and West Jerusalem, the American Colony Hotel has hosted a plethora of famous guests over the last century including Sir Winston Churchill, Lawrence of Arabia, Mikhail Gorbachev, Graham Greene, Robert De Niro, Bob Dylan, Giorgio Armani, Sir Ben Kingsley, etc. With its world-class restaurants, high-tech fitness center, fabulous swimming pool, and beautifully landscaped gardens filled with tropical flowers, stone fountains and olive trees, it can be difficult to tear yourself away.

Insider tip: If you’re jetlagged, be sure to set your alarm because you won’t want to miss the bountiful breakfast buffet-one of the city’s best.

Techie travels

You can aimlessly wander through the labyrinth of cobblestoned alleyways that make up the Old City, where you are almost certain to get lost and could miss out on some of the four quarters ( Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Armenian) or you can get smart and download a free app, The Old City of Jerusalem Audio Walking Tours has 16 self-guided tours (complete with user-friendly directions, maps, descriptions of the sights and photos) covering a wide range of interests such as In the footsteps of Christian sects, The Jewish Quarter, or Marketplaces in the Old City. This app kicks Siri to the curb!

Underrated gem

The new Herzl Museum opened on the 100th anniversary of Binyamin Ze’ev (Theodore) Herzl death, the founder of modern political Zionism, to commemorate the impact his life had on the creation of a Jewish State. A visit here includes a riveting hour long, audio-visual, theatrical encounter with this visionary Zionist. The presentation provides fascinating insight into Herzl’s ambitious goals and incredible achievements, as well as his deep disappointments and turbulent personal life–fodder for a reality show. Herzl and his wife Julia, who was prone to mental instability, had three children, each of whom met a terrible end and Herzl died when he was only 44. Yet only fifty years later, his daring dream, the establishment of the independent State of Israel became a reality.

Insider tip: The museum is adjacent to Mt. Herzl, where Herzl is buried alongside many of Israel’s presidents, prime ministers, Knesset speakers and other leaders.

New/old discovery

A half-hour drive into the Judean Desert brings you to the seldom-visited Herodion, a magnificent seven-story, palace-fortress built between 23 and 15 BCE. After a 35 year search, Professor Ehud Netzer recently discovered Herod’s royal tomb. Herodian, the third largest palace of its day, is similar to Masada, which was also designed by Herod, the greatest builder of the ancient world. The Talmud states, “If you have not seen the Temple that Herod built, you have not seen the most beautiful structure in the world.” You can appreciate Herod’s incredible building skills as you wander through the palace remains, complete with courtyards, a Roman theatre, synagogue, banquet rooms, opulent living quarters, and the largest Roman bathhouse in the country, where you can still see some of the original tiles and colorful frescoes. This gifted builder was also an extremely cruel and paranoid leader, who murdered several family members.

Shoptalk

Small but fabulous Little Bezalel Street is the epitome of style. The pedestrian-only, cobblestoned street is lined with postage stamp sized, stone built shops, home to some very talented Israeli clothing and jewelry designers, as well as a handful of fashionable outdoor cafes. Two chic clothing boutiques, Momi Mia and Homi, feature sophisticated Israeli fashions, while Alit Heiman, a one-woman force to be reckoned with, recently opened a gorgeous jewelry shop. Once a dancer, Alit’s gracefully designed sterling silver and vermeil pieces combine elegant poise and balance.

Insider Tip: If you’re there on a Friday take in the Bezalel Arts Fair, a lively street fair with over 100 crafty booths between Bezalel Street and Shmuel HaNagid Street, next to the old home of the renown Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design.

4,000 years of history in 45 breathtaking minutes

You can not find a more spectacular setting (hence the name, “The Night Spectacular”) than the massive expanse of ancient citadel walls that serve as the backdrop for the Tower of David -Light and Sound Show. Jerusalem’s 4,000 year old history is brought to life during this state-of-the-art, multi-sensory experience that utilizes 20 projectors, 10 video players, 14 computers and 14 loudspeakers resulting in an extraordinary experience that will linger long after the last orchestral note and breathtaking, virtual reality image has faded away.

Insider tip: See below for the perfect end to your evening.

Unique tour experiences

If you’re afraid you won’t have time to see it all or just want to take in the city’s highlights from another perspective, join ZuZu on one of their magical, mysterious Midnight Bike Tours. The company will supply you with a good bike, light and helmet, and a fun, knowledgeable guide who will lead you on a 2 or 3 hour circle tour offering spectacular views of the Old City, as you pedal through the quiet, empty streets up to the top of a hill overlooking the city lights.

Insider tip: Zuzu also offers a variety of Segway City Tours in either Hebrew or English.

Non-schlocky souvenirs 

Yad LaKashish: Lifeline for the Old not only offers one-stop shopping for beautiful, gently priced, hand-made jewelry, candlesticks, menorahs and other quality crafts but at the same time you’ll be performing a mitzvah (charitable act) since this non-profit organization provides approximately 300 of Jerusalem’s needy elderly and disabled a sense of purpose through creative work opportunities. Located in the Musrara neighborhood of Old Jerusalem, the small shack which was originally used as the bookbindery has grown into an impressive complex, offering daily workshops in ceramics, metalwork, embroidery, silk painting, woodwork, paper mache and much more. Standouts include colorful Ethiopian clay mobiles, recycled paper stationery, and very cool hand made metal Star of David necklaces.

Insider tip: Sign up in advance for a tour where you’ll be able to meet these inspiring artisans and see their work works-in-progress.

Market mayhem

The Mahne Yehuda Market aka The Jerusalem Shuk ranks up there with the world’s best. The minute you step foot in the Shuk you are enveloped by the same captivating cloud of scents, sights and flavors that has wooed shoppers since the Ottoman Era, when it served as a social meeting place. Join the throngs of mankind at this cacophonous food market haphazardly lined with over 250 stalls stocked with the finest local produce, freshly ground coffee, exotic teas and spices, dried fruits and nuts, fish, meat, cheese, olives, and baked goods, many which offer tasty free sample! After a recent revitalization the market now includes many new bistros, lively espresso bars and hip clothing boutiques and has become a popular evening hangout.

Insider tip: Some faves here include an incredible cup of freshly roasted coffee served by the sweetest baristas at Cafelix; Basher’s Formagerie, opened since1956 and considered to be the finest cheese outlet in Israel; Marzipan Bakery for their renown gooey, fudge-y, piping-hot, killer-rich chocolate rugelach and The Halva Kingdom which offers 100 different flavors of this ground sesame treat. For a more substantial meal head to Manou ba Shouk, for their decadent baked eggplant anointed with a pool of creamy tahini.

Food to fly back for

Machneyuda is a vivacious venue run by three wildly inventive Jerusalem chefs. Every seat has a view of the open kitchen where you might see the chefs banging on pots in time to the blasting music or painstakingly adding the final touches to their “I’d like to be under the sea, in an octopus garden with you” dish before dancing it over to your table. The creative menu changes daily featuring the freshest ingredients from the adjacent Mahne Yehuda Market.

Insider tip: Foodies near and far have discovered this treasure so be sure to make reservations waaaay in advance.

Adom restaurant, hidden away in the newly renovated First Train Station complex, is a great choice if you’re looking for someplace a bit more romantic. Dramatic design elements include lots of wood, stone and glass with camel, black and burgundy leather banquettes, and outdoor seating. The fusion food has Italian, French and Mediterranean nuances which pairs nicely with the extensive international wine list. Top hits here include any of the seafood dishes, gnocci, a seriously good burger (served with little potato croquettes instead of fries) or any of the not-overly sweet desserts.

Insider tip: The bar is party central after 10:00 pm when a special ½ price menu is available.

Timely transport

Finally someone gets mass transport right! Hop on the environmentally friendly, electrically operated, Jerusalem Light Rail for a virtually noise and pollution free mode of transportation which takes you to many of the city’s popular destinations.

Insider tip: The red line takes you across the new Chords Bridge, also called The Bridge of Strings, a cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge designed by the Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava. Costing over $70 million the bridge has sparked major controversy for both its price and artistic merit.

For help in planning your exciting trip to Jerusalem visit the Israel Ministry of Tourism website.

Contributed by Janice Nieder, aluxurytravelblog.com
Follow us on Twitter: @TraveloreReport

Passover In Israel: 130,000 Tourists Are Celebrating

Hotel occupancy levels in most of the popular Israel tourism areas should have reached 80-90% during the ongoing Passover/ Easter holidays. Many hotels are completely full.

The Israel Ministry of Tourism expected about 130,000 visitors. They should have arrived in Israel over the period of Passover and the Christian Holy Week.

About 20 direct flights landed in Ovdah airport in the Negev. Flights brought in tourists from France, Russia and Britain to celebrate the Passover holidays in Eilat.

Tourism in Israel is experiencing an uplift since the dive in the number of tourists during and after last summer’s Operation Protective Edge campaign.

Travelore News: Tel Aviv Tops The World Smart Cities Awards

The city of Tel Aviv won first prize at the World Smart Cities Awards, beating out 250 competing cities at the recent Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona.   The Smart City Expo World Congress is considered to be the leading conference in the world on the subject of urban innovation. Tel Aviv has been recognized as a startup city that has undergone a digital revolution over the last two years with the introduction of the DigiTel platform and city app and the implementation of free Wifi throughout the city. The DigiTel Residents' Club and city app are personalized web and mobile platforms providing residents with individually tailored, location-specific information and services. Examples include alerting residents to neighborhood road work, sending targeted reminders of cultural events and activities, and offering discounts and deals.     Tel Aviv also uses social media as a platform to involve the public in municipal decision making and community improvement initiatives. Public access to municipal databases sparked a competition encouraging residents to develop mobile apps for public use and the creation of the iView system renders geo-spatial information readily available to all and easy to use. All of these initiatives were facilitated by the free citywide WiFi in public spaces.   Tel Aviv has also been ranked one of the most innovative cities in the world by Citibank and the Wall Street Journal. Israel's largest annual international high-tech gathering, DLD Tel Aviv Digital Conference, which features hundreds of startups, VC's, angel investors and leading multinationals along with the DLD Tel Aviv Innovation Festival, will take place in the city from September 6-12, 2015.   For more information about travel to Israel, visit www.goisrael.com.