All you need to know before visiting Israel and top 4 places to visit in Israel, known as the Holy Land, is the birthplace of the Jews and is a spiritual and beautiful place to visit. People who follow Islamic and Christian religions also consider Israel a holy place because God lived here when he was in the flesh like Jesus. Aerial View of Beach and Cityscapes Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Israel While planning a trip, find out everything you need to know before visiting Israel from this guide, including the top four tourist attractions you can visit during your stay! Namaste for all aspiring travelers! How to Apply for an Israel Visa Online Before you can visit the country, you must apply for and obtain an Israel visa online. This is also known as an Electronic Travel Authorization. Standard passport holders from these countries can travel to Israel without an e-Visa. However, if your country is not on this list, follow these steps to apply for an Israel visa online: Enter your name, address, email, and other indicators of personal information in the online application. Select a method to pay the visa fee and submit your application. Keep an eye out for a copy of your e-Visa in the email you provided in your application. Environmental precautions that must be observed when visiting Israel From October 2022, there are some environmental precautions that must be observed when visiting Israel. Suppose you are a government employee from the United States. In that case, you should not go inside the Damascus Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem, seven miles from the dividing line for Gaza and other areas. Check the link in this paragraph for updates on environmental precautions before you go. Some regions of the country are facing civil unrest due to terrorism. In the southern regions, Hamas and Jihad are the two main groups to watch out for and avoid. Cultural customs in Israel that must be observed Studying Israeli cultural customs and observing these customs is an important task to do before visiting the country. For example, you should never ask someone to take off their hat if they are visiting where you are staying. Men wear a kippah because women usually wear snoods or other forms of head covering, but such clothing is culturally acceptable and it would be inappropriate to ask someone to remove it. Other Cultural Customs You Must Follow Observing/meeting/complying/respecting local cultural customs is the best/correct way to travel anywhere in the world. It is good to know a little bit about the country/countries you are visiting and one can always learn more about the trip. It makes a huge positive difference. Locals understand and appreciate your attempt, even if you utter a few words as a normal new visitor. Know a couple of words of respect for someone you meet for the first time in a new place/country, it helps, even if you don’t pronounce them like the locals do. Do not drive or use electricity from sunset on Friday to the same time on Saturday. This is considered Shabbat if you are in an area where Orthodox Jews live. Watch what other people are doing when you’re walking around town. Refrain from walking in front of the worshiper, this is rude. Make sure you have the correct food on hand if you are hosting a gathering where they must be eating kosher foods. Put on your best clothes and make sure you bathe as Israelis like a well-prepared presentation. Israelis like people they meet to be on time, but they don’t mind if someone is up to half an hour late. Anything beyond this time frame is considered uncivil. What is the Israeli currency? Before visiting Israel, you will have to convert your country’s currency into New Israeli Shekels (NIS). Locals refer to the currency simply as the shekel. If you come from the United States, you can convert several US dollars into shekels. One US dollar is equal to 3.41 shekels, meaning that one shekel is equal to about 0.29 US dollars. Currency exchange rates are always subject to change, so check with them a few days before your flight. Once you’re in Israel, you can convert some currency into shekels at the airport, so you can fly to where you’re staying. Don’t exchange all your currency at the airport because they don’t have the best conversion rates. Try banks, hotels or exchange agency in the area authorized to do the service for better conversion rates. Keep some US dollars as some tourist attractions take this currency as payment. For example, tours of the Old City of Jerusalem are available which you must purchase using US dollars. Top 4 Tourist Attractions In Israel Now that you have learned the administrative tasks of getting ready for your trip to Israel, now comes the fun part! Plan your trip to Israel by considering the top four tourist attractions. 1. Nazareth Village Learn about how people lived in Nazareth in the first century when you visit Nazareth Village. Listen to Bible parables of Jesus re-enacted from the Bible for a more visual representation of what you’ve read. Tours are usually in English, but you can ask to be conducted in Hebrew, French, Portuguese, Romanian, and other languages as long as you request in advance. Plan accordingly as tours take about 75 minutes. You can order a biblical meal at the end to complement the overall aesthetic of the experience. Address: 5079 St., Nazareth 2. Church of the Holy Sepulcher The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is home to two of the most important sites related to Jesus. It is where Calvary is located, where Christ was crucified and the tomb in which his dead body was buried and eventually raised from the dead. Come here to pray and connect spiritually while navigating the church. Address of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher: The Christian Quarter inside the Old City of Jerusalem 3. The Western Wall Visit what Jews consider the holiest place in Jerusalem, the Western Wall. Also known as the Kotel, it is the last remaining icon from the original synagogue. Treat this area with the utmost respect and respect during your visit. Western Wall Address: Three minutes walk from Dome of the Rock 4. Camel riding in the Negev, or Nakot, can be done at the Camel Farm in the Negev. Book a hotel stay at the farm and enjoy a camel ride at any time during the day. In business since 1986, the caregivers and herders take good care of the camels to make sure they are well-groomed and well-groomed for their riders. Camel rides last from one to four hours, depending on which experience package you purchase. Camels Resting in a Camel Farm Landscape in the Negev Address: Route 25, Dimona, Israel Final Thoughts on Traveling to Israel Traveling to Israel is an exciting spiritual experience. Remember to observe cultural customs and environmental precautions to obtain your e-Visa, convert your currency and enjoy the tourist attractions. Follow the tips/suggestions in this post on everything you need to know before visiting Israel. Susan Noel is an experienced content writer. She is associated with several popular travel blogs as a guest author where she shares valuable travel tips with the public.
