Hello everyone,

I'm planning my trip to Israel next spring. Can you tell me if it is fine to hire a tourist guide in Israel? Or should I buy Israel road map and travel videos and make my own exploration? I would also like to know the best places in Israel for tourists. Thanks in advance.

Yes, it's fine (although expensive ) to hire a guide.
We went on a guided tour in 1999 and leave tonight for a month in Israel on our own.
Are you interested in Christian sites, Jewish sites, Muslim sites, history, nature, adventure, art, etc?
You really need to read a guide book to figure out what places appeal to you.

You will find answers to many of your questions in this non-commercial travel guide written by an American tourist who frequently visits Israel:
http://amateurtraveler.com/travel-gu...el%20guide.pdf

The travel guide to Israel you shared is awesome. I have never read anything so descriptive travel information before. Thanks a ton, MBGG, for sharing the PDF.

Thanks Abram, for your response. I'm interested basically in everything which can give me beautiful memories in Israel. I'll visit to different places in Israel within 20 days of vacation.

Israel is a big country. Are you going to cover all destinations? I specifically, suggest you circle around Jerusalem. It is the religious and one of the historic places that still exist in the world. If you have time, expand your reach and enjoy in Sharm-el-Sheikh, most lovable tourist destination around middle east.

Thanks. You can email Douglas and convey your appreciation. I have met him and he is a great guy. He is is also a frequent contributor on the Tripadvisor forum.

The guide by Douglas is a great resource, by far one of the best on Israel that I've seen. Thanks for letting us know about it.

My prime motive is Jerusalem. After seeing all the religious places I will move towards nature. Besides Jerusalem old city, the other two places in my bucket list are Masada and The Dead Sea.

Massada and the Dead Sea will take up two days at most. For "nature", look at the National Parks website for a list of parks and reserves:
http://tinyurl.com/mnevevl
As you can see, many are located in the Galilee, Golan and Negev. Public transport is inefficient in these areas for the tourist so you should seriously consider renting a car for a few days.

I highly suggest having a tour guide in Jerusalem. There is so much rich history and knowledge, without a tour guide, you will miss the depth, the nuances and the richness. I lived in Israel for one year and have been many, many times. Depending on how much time you have, there are other places that are very worthwhile to see. The culture of Israel is so alive, the landscape of Israel is so vast. I highly suggest:
Masada
Ein Gedi- near Masada, natural springs in the middle of the desert
Dead Sea
A night in the desert, if you can visit a Bedouin tent for dinner it's terrific
North Israel- beautiful for nature and more cultural experiences

Choose your tour guide carefully. Some are incredible, others not so great. The tour guide MAKES the experience. There is SO much to do and see and learn in Jerusalem. Enjoy!

Best places:

- Jerusalem (of course).
- Acre (or Akko) with the crusaders fortress.
- Capharnaum.
- The Dead Sea (a bath in the Dead Sea is a MUST).
- Massada (can easily combined with the Dead Sea on a daytrip from Jerusalem).
- The Negev for a desert experience.

What did I NOT include into my list:
- Jaffa - yes, it is charming, but more a second-rank destination.
- Tel Aviv - a modern city with a wide beach and contemporary Israeli life.
- Caesarea - has good Roman ruins (but you find similar archeological sites elsewhere around the Mediterranean)
- Nazareth - not much to see besides an ugly monstrosity of a modern church

But what I would strongly recommend is a side trip into Jordan. Petra is outstanding and so is Wadi Rum.

My favorites places i Israel:
*Jerusalem!
Maybe one of the most interesting cities in the world.
A lot of cool places to stay in (My favorite one called "The Post Hostel" and i'm highly recomend to stay there).

*Tel-Aviv
2-3 days will be enoguh. plenty of good bars and restaurants.

*The Negev
only in the right season, and you better go there with some group.