Quick Facts on Israel

The Galilee

The north of Israel is lush and fertile due to the almost magical transformation of this former swampland, brought about by Israeli science. It is cooler than the south in summer and can become quite cold in winter. This hilly forested region, the home of some of the country's most beautiful nature reserves, is also is the centre of Israel's agricultural activity. Many significant New Testament events took place here.

Haifa and the northern coast

Extending to the Lebanese border, this region includes Mount Carmel, the Jezreel Valley, Zevulun Valley, and miles of grapevines, caves and jutting sea cliffs. As in Tel Aviv, the sea causes summer humidity and mild winters. About 600,000 people live in this area.

Tel Aviv and the coastal plaint

Edging the Mediterranean Sea and dotted by waving palm and eucalyptus trees, this area is flat and very hot and humid in summer. Rain falls in winter, which is milder than in Jerusalem and in the north. There are a number of kibbutzim and moshavim here. This section of the coastal plain (which runs from Rosh HaNikra in the north down to the Gaza strip) is the Sharon Plain.

Caesarea

This amazing ruin of a Roman city built by Herod in the first century BC includes a theatre, aqueducts, Byzantine mosaics and an ancient harbour, as well as relics from the Crusader period. A few kilometres away is the wildlife reserve and kibbutz Ma'agan Micha'el and the town of Zichron Ya'acov, the latter is well known both for its winery, and for its connection to the Rothschild family.

Netanya

An attractive, peaceful resort town catering mainly for wealthier travellers, Netanya has beautiful beaches and waterfront areas, as well as a diamond-cutting factory which offers tours. Three features have contributed to the development of Netanya as a city of tourism and leisure: beautifully maintained sea shores offering a variety of high standard services, a wide selection of hotels, restaurants and places of entertainment appealing to the national as well as the international tourist, and the central geographic location allowing easy access to tourist sites all over the country. Nearby services provide a wide variety of activities from nature trails through the Poleg Nature Reserve and cliff walks for the whole family to sports such as paragliding, miniature plane flying, jeep tours, horseback riding, sail boating and tennis.

Herzliya, Rishon L'Tzion, Rehovot and Ramla

These are all quiet towns around Tel Aviv. Herzliya has an affluent section, Herzliya Pituach, with a gorgeous beach, an inhabited sandcastle, and the ruins of a Roman fort, Appolonia. Rehovot is the home of the world-renowned Weitzmann Institute of Science, named after Israel's first president who was an acclaimed chemist in Britain during the Second World War. The institute conducts research into all the natural sciences. Rishon L'Tzion was the first Jewish settlement in Palestine. It boasts a winery where you can join a tour and a wine tasting. Ramla was founded by the Arabs in the 8th century and has some interesting mosques and churches. One of these, the Church of St Nicodemus and St Joseph Arimathea, contains the rooms Napoleon used as staff headquarters when he tried to conquer the Turks in Palestine in 1799.

Jerusalem

The rugged, hilly landscape around Jerusalem, the focus of three major religions for centuries, is packed with archaeological remnants of various ages. The climate is dry, slightly cooler in summer and colder in winter than the coast, due to its height. It has a fair amount of winter rainfall and, occasionally, snow. About 520,000 people live here, many of whom are religious Jews, Muslims and Christians.

The Negev Desert and the southern coast

The Negev Desert is a large area of arid rocky land, broken here and there by green kibbutzim which are irrigated by water piped in from the north. The population has increased immensely over the last few years due to large numbers of Russian immigrants. Cities have been built here and continue to grow within stretches of wild, dramatic terrain sparsely populated by wandering Bedouin Arabs, camels and cacti.

The main tourist activities here are hiking and camel and donkey riding. The Gaza Strip is nearby but is dangerous for visitors as it is the site of many violent clashes. March and April are good times to visit as the weather is temperate and the desert is blooming. In summer the Negev becomes unbearably hot and the area around the Dead Sea is humid beyond belief. You cannot be without water and this is not the best time to hike. In winter the temperature is milder than in the north but can be quite harsh and windy in the desolate areas away from the cities. For Europeans who want to get away from the cold, Eilat is a good place to visit in winter.

Eilat and The Red Sea

Eilat, on the southernmost tip of Israel, bursts upon the senses with very little warning. One minute you are traversing the southern Negev Highlands and Arava Desert, with their red, grey, yellow and white rocks and mountains, and the next minute you are at the Gulf of Eilat on the shores of the Red Sea. This is where the Queen of Sheba arrived on her historic visit to King Solomon, and this is where sun worshippers, diving enthusiasts, and desert aficionados now find a special cure.