The greater Jerusalem area now contains dozens of hotels, so there’s plenty of room at the inn.
Built in 1930, the venerable King David (check rates now) has suites and deluxe rooms that feature views of the Old City. At the King David Hotel there is a swimming pool and tennis court. David’s Slingshot Bar is where visiting VIPs end the day.
Among newest fine hotels in Jerusalem is the David Citadel (check rates now) , which also overlooks the Old City. The Sheraton Jerusalem Plaza (check rates now) is within walking distance of both the Old City and modern Jerusalem.
Most hotels observe the kosher laws and prepare sumptuous Israeli breakfast buffets. The healthful meal generally includes a selection of fresh breads, cheese, fruit, and fish.
Quench Your Thirst in Jerusalem
Gold Star and Maccabee appear to be brands of choice among beer-drinkers in Jerusalem, and Turkish coffee (or tea with fresh mint leaves) completes a meal.
If wine is your passion, note that there are many wineries in Israel. Choice cuttings of the finest grapes in France arrived in Israel in 1890, courtesy of Baron James Rothschild, after whom the Carmel winery was named.
Two-thirds of wine consumed in Israel is dry or semidry. Golan, Yarden, and Gamla brands receive praise from oenophiles and can be sampled at fine restaurants in Jerusalem.
That’s Entertainment in Jerusalem
In warm weather, the outdoor Sultan’s Pool amphitheater beneath Jerusalem city walls provides a site for concerts under the stars. Pubs, taverns, jazz, folk clubs, and hotel piano bars are plentiful. And there are free jazz concerts held at the Pargod Theater.
At the Khan Theater complex in Jerusalem — housed in a renovated 19th-century Ottoman building — there’s a restaurant, club, and performance hall.
Fink’s bar-restaurant, a Jerusalem fixture for more than 50 years, offers music along with conviviality. In the Talpiot industrial area of the city, folk singing and dancing rouse the crowds.
Shopping in Jerusalem
As Israel’s Museum of the Diaspora in Tel Aviv depicts, for many centuries observant Jews have kept the same objects in the home: a pair of candlesticks, a menorah (Chanukah candelabra), and a mezuzah (encased prayer scroll intended to be attached to the entryway of a home). These items are known as Judaica.
Jerusalem silversmiths craft gold and silver works of Judaica that marry modern design and ancient techniques. Fine Judaica is for sale along Arts & Crafts Lane opposite the Jaffa Gate and in shops in the Orthodox mea Shea’arim quarter.
Along the narrow alleyways of the Souk in the Old City, shoppers will find store owners in the Arab bazaar hawking hand-blown glass, olive-wood religious items, kaffiyehs of many colors, and jewelry ranging from necklaces made of Bedouin silver to Eilat stone ( an appealing deep-turquoise swirl of color somewhere between malachite and lapis lazuli).
Enter through the Jaffa Gate and be prepared to bargain with the merchants of Jerusalem.
In modern Jerusalem, Jaffa Road and Ben Yehuda and King George V streets around Zion Square lure shoppers. This district contains a branch of England’s Marks & Spencer department store and Mr. T’s, which sells Israel army-navy surplus.
Two well-known Israel export brands, Beged-Or leatherwear and Gottex swimwear, are available in Jerusalem shops.
Getting to Jerusalem
Visitors destined for Jerusalem must fly into Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, which is serviced by many major airlines. El Al is Israel's flagship carrier.
The 39-mile trip from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem takes about an hour. To save on taxi fare, take a sherut (seven-person sedan). When traveling by taxi, do make sure the driver turns on the meter to avoid and endpoint discussion.
While Jerusalem is a fascinating city to explore on your own, you still can benefit by hiring a guide for a day. He or she will help you to get your bearings and make sure you don't miss any areas of importance. Jerusalem guides are licensed by the government, and each provides a personal window into the Israeli soul.
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