Sights & Attractions in Jerusalem

Immerse yourself in Jerusalem. Of course you can see the primary sights in a couple of days—some visitors claim to have done it in less!—but don't short-change yourself if you can help it. Take time to wander where the spirit takes you, to linger longer over a snack and people-watch, to follow the late Hebrew poet, Yehuda Amichai, "in the evening into the Old City / and.. emerge from it pockets stuffed with images / and metaphors and well-constructed parables.." The poet struggled for breath in an atmosphere "saturated with prayers and dreams"; but the city's baggage of history and religion need not weigh you down. Decompress in the markets, the jewelry and art stores, the eateries and coffee shops and pubs of both the Old City and the newer areas.

Jerusalem beyond its ancient walls is a city of neighborhoods. Several are picturesque or quaint enough to attract the casual daytime visitor, but hold little interest once the sun sets: the upscale Talbieh-Yemin Moshe area and the lower-end Machaneh Yehuda-Nahlaot area are good examples. Two hives of activity after dark are the downtown complex of the Ben-Yehuda Street pedestrian mall ("midrachov") and Nahalat Shiva, and Emek Refa'im, the main artery of the German Colony.

Let's put Jerusalem on the map. The city is built on a series of hills, part of the country's north-south watershed. To the east, the Judean Desert tumbles down to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, less than an hour's drive away. The main highway to the west winds down through the pine-covered Judean Hills toward the international airport and Tel Aviv. North and south of the city—Samaria and Judea, respectively—is what is known as the West Bank. Since 1967, this contested area has been administered largely by Israel, though the major concentrations of Arab population are currently under autonomous Palestinian control.

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