There are many things for tourists to see and do in Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel. Whether visiting as a Christian, Jew, or Muslim, there are sites sacred to all three of these faiths within the walls of Jerusalem.
The section of the city where many of the holy sites for all three faiths are located is called "Old City." With its narrow alleys and streets, one can't help feeling the ancient ambiance that fills the air at this place. The Old City is actually separated into four different neighborhoods. These are the Christian Quarter, the Armenian Quarter, the Jewish Quarter, and the Muslim Quarter.
In the Old City part of Jerusalem, you will find the Wailing Wall, sometimes called the Western Wall. This place of prayer that is held sacred by those of the Jewish faith, is the ruins of the biblical Second Temple. One does not have to be Jewish to be granted entrance here, but guests need to be respectful of those visiting the wall to pray. Men and women will be separated for prayers. Be prepared here, as well as many other places in the city, to have to go though security checkpoints.
Christian visitors are often interested in walking the Via Dolorosa, meaning "Way of Sorrows" (also sometimes called the way of the cross.) It starts at the Lion's Gate in the Old City and travels the route that is believed to be the way Jesus walked as He carried the cross. The Via Dolorosa ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, another place that offers entrance to visitors. This is the shrine built over the place Christians believe the crucifixion and nearby burial of Jesus took place.
Other places that will be of interest to Christians visiting Jerusalem are the Mount of Olives, the Kidron Valley, the Garden Tomb, the Garden of Gethsemane (this is outside of Jerusalem's walls), the Room of the Last Supper, and Skull Hill, or Golgotha.
Points of interest in and near the Old City include the Temple Mount, the Garden Tomb, and the Dome of the Rock. This is a holy shrine to Muslims and the place where it is believed the prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.
Many churches, synagogues, and mosques are situated in Jerusalem. The architecture of many of them is remarkable. It would be a good idea to know prior to your travel time which of these places of worship you would like to visit due to the high number of them in the city.
After seeing the Old City, the Israel Museum on Ruppin Boulevard has been in operation since 1965 and is a good place to spend a few hours. About five hundred thousand pieces of art and history are housed here. Another museum definitely worth a visit is the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. It covers forty-five acres with museum pieces, monuments, and sites of memorial.
If neither of these museums is what the traveler is searching for, or more museum time is on the agenda, there are many other museums with many themes found all around the city. Some of these include the Bible Lands Museum, the Herodian Quarter / Wohl Archaeological Museum, the Tower of David Museum, L. A. Mayer Memorial Museum of Islamic Art, Ammunition Hill Memorial and Museum, Museum of the Seam, Rockefeller Archaeological Museum, Wolfson Museum, and the Museum of Taxes.
There are streets in Jerusalem for shopping and dining, vendors, and markets. An open air market is called a "souk" and is generally a very memorable experience. With today's security concerns, however, this must be taken into consideration before deciding whether or not to spend time in places such as open markets.
For a totally different kind of attraction in Jerusalem, try the Time Elevator adventure. This multimedia experience helps visitors to learn the history of Jerusalem back through thousands of years. Time Elevator has kinetic seats and three large screens for an unforgettable adventure. Shows are offered every forty minutes. Stationary seats are also available for visitors with health problems or pregnant visitors.
A good attraction for visitors with children is the Tisch Family Zoological Gardens. The zoo is in a beautiful valley location and covers sixty-two acres. There are two main sections of the zoo. One section is for showing worldwide endangered species and the theme of the second section is animals that are spoken of in the Bible. There is a train to ride around to various parts of the zoo and there are two gift shops here.
While tourists are in Jerusalem, they often travel short distances to see other points of interest such as the Dead Sea, Jordan River, and Sea of Galilee. There are some tourist-type attractions and restaurants along the Sea of Galilee, for one example. Also check out the same area for boat cruises on the Sea.
Tel Aviv is also close to Jerusalem (slightly more than 20 miles) so a side trip for a day (or a few days) to Tel Aviv is often added to an itinerary of things to do in the Jerusalem area. Tel Aviv offers a rather well known nightlife scene and is much more modern than most of Jerusalem.
