Tourist pilgrimage

YOU could be forgiven for swallowing hard before booking a trip to Israel.

The West Bank remains a thorny issue and the territorial dispute is likely to be one of the things prospective visitors chew over before committing to the journey.

Those who take the plunge are greatly rewarded.

Its location at the western-most frontier of Asia means historical and cultural influences segue together.

Key cities – Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to name two – still feel quite European.

Older than Christ, Jerusalem is beautiful; it doesn’t take a religious person to feel touched by its holiness.

The Old City, with origins dating back to 1,000BC, is divided into four quarters: Christian, Muslim, Armenian and Jewish.

While the Christian and Muslim quarters are fairly free and easy to navigate, the Armenian quarter is essentially a members-only area.

The Jewish quarter is open to all, though it is protected with airport-style security gates due to its wonder of the world: the Wailing Wall.

A pilgrimage spot for Jews from across the world, it’s hard not to get caught up in the emotion of others confronted with this monument of their faith.

In the Christian quarter, the Church Of The Holy Sepulchre is another holy site. Built in 326 AD, it throngs with tourists looking to see part of the rock on which Jesus was crucified, the stone he was laid on after he died and the tomb in which he was interred until he rose again, according to the scriptures.

Elsewhere the Austrian Hospice, a guest house and cafe, is a calm place away from the colourful, bustling bazaars of the Muslim quarter. For a less frenetic but nevertheless awesome display of the Old City’s heritage, the Sound and Light Spectacular projected onto the castle walls at night is a must.

Beyond the Old City there are many fine restaurants, all of which flex the culinary muscles of a nation with an “evolving” cuisine, according to one guide book.

Meshing Mediterranean and Arabic influences, a key factor is making sure food is kosher – ie, not mixing dairy and meat or eating hoofed animals.

Two kosher outlets worth visiting are Hachatzer, in Bethlehem Road, and Modern, inside the Israel Museum (you don’t need to enter the museum to eat there but its expansive collection is well worth a look).

Cheese burgers and pizzas aren’t entirely off limits.

Not all establishments are bound by religion.

For a novel way of getting around, Jerusalem boasts a Segway tour.

It may take you a little while to master this two-wheeler but by the end you may well forget you’re riding it as you look around.

SmartTour operates Segways at 195 New Israel Shekels (NIS) for a two-hour session.

As far as money goes, at about six NIS to the pound, some things are eye-wateringly expensive.

Small bottles of beer cost between 30 and 40 NIS in a bar while wine and spirits can work out to about double English prices.

Food is not quite as expensive (a meal for two can range from 250 NIS up to 500) though ask your hotel for places to eat for your budget.

Tipping is customary and starts from 10%, though 15% is considered more appropriate.

Don’t tip taxi drivers, though.

Fares are metered but seem arbitrary when surcharges are added on for extra passengers or the time of night. Agree a fee before getting in.

Getting around Israel should not be difficult, though Western tourists are advised to avoid the West Bank, which can add to journey times.

The Dead Sea, a major draw for Israel, is a mere 30-minute drive from Jerusalem according to one tourist pamphlet. However, this does not take into account the West Bank, which is not clearly marked on all visitor maps.

It’s this obstacle that turns a half-hour jaunt into a two-hour-plus descent to the lowest point on earth.

Winding eastwards, grassy hills turn into a more aggressive looking Martian-like surface.

The Dead Sea, some 420m below sea level, sits between a mountain range forming the spine of Israel and Jordan, the border of which runs longitudinally through the middle of this salted oasis.

And it’s called the Dead Sea for a reason; it’s hard to see how anything could survive in it.

The sheer saltiness lends it an almost oily lustre and is good news for weak swimmers.

Like an astronaut drifting in space, it’s possible to stick both arms and legs in the air and remain suspended near the surface.

Just don’t get the water in your mouth.

The mud from the sea, on the other hand, is great for your skin, and several hotels in the Dead Sea Resort offer mud treatments to invigorate the mind and body.

The soil on dry land is part of the Negev desert, comprising towering, eroded ridges and flat, dry plains stretching across the southern part of Israel.

Not many plants grow here although acacia trees, normally found in Sudan, prevail and after heavy rain patches of green blossom appear.

The limestone crags here give the appearance of still being under construction, with their scree creating vast fields of broken rock that appear to have been scattered by some god in the distant past. Some may even believe that.

With some peaks touching on sea level, these precipices show how far down you actually are.

One of the key summits of the area is Masada, a Jewish stronghold refined by King Herod, who ruled from 37BC to 4BC.

The actual fortress might be older – archaeologists have found Hasmonean coins dating back to 103BC – though no remains can be dated with any certainty.

Perched on an impervious-looking plateau, it has held up remarkably well, surviving a Roman siege in 66AD, now detailed in a museum on site.

Another long-standing institution is the Bedouin community. You can even hitch a camel ride at the nearby tourist-friendly Kefar Hanokdim camp.

With so much history, despite any reservations you might have, this promised land is well worth the pilgrimage.

The facts

• Adrian flew with easyJet between London Luton Airport and Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv – easyjet.com. He stayed at Isrotel in Ein Bokek on the Dead Sea coast and Mount Zion Hotel in Jerusalem. Rooms at the Mount Zion Hotel Jerusalem start from £129.11.

Rooms at the Isrotel Dead Sea start from about £185 on a room-only basis.

Visit isrotel.com/hotels/isrotel_dead_sea, and mountzion.co.il For more information on Israel, visit thinkisrael.com