A Recommendation - Israel

[SeattleRocks]

Wanted to throw this out to the forum as I recently went to Israel and was blown away by it and would highly recommend it as a retirement vacation destination.

If you like history, politics and religion (plus AMAZING food and culture) Israel cannot be beat.

I have literally been all over the world, but my first time to Israel and I have to tell you, I was very apprehensive to go. You hear all of the horror stories about it being dangerous etc., but I found it to be intense, but safe. Tel Aviv has beautiful beaches and is very modern. But it was Jerusalem that blew me away.

I'm devout Christian so to me it was a bucket list to go and see all of the sights. But even non religious people could appreciate the amazing history. I took several day long tours that were highly organized and efficient, the guides were incredible and super knowledgeable and how many times can you say that you were literally in the middle of Armageddon? lol.

So just throwing it out there. Like I said, I never felt "unsafe" but you can feel the tension and intensity in Jerusalem, especially in the old city, but that was the appeal. What you see on TV every day was unfolding right in front of me.

I am already planning my next trip. Highly recommended...

 

[brett]

It is on our list. Not at the top but up there. We will combine it with another Greece or Cyprus trip.

 

[Bamaman]

Israel is one of those places that requires a few months of study and reading. My sister was invited to join a group led by a famous bible scholar (a minister) who has led groups to Israel yearly for decades. He meets once a week for 4 months educating the group on what they'll be seeing. And my sister loved the trip. A friend that went with her turned around and went right back to Jerusalem 2 weeks later.

 

[Nemo2]

I was first in the region, (Syria, Iraq, Iran), in 1963....going overland, and couldn't enter/leave Israel through the Arab countries, so had to give it a pass.

Finally got there on my first R&R from Saudi, (via Cyprus), which coincided with Easter 1982.....who knew? Not me, being stationed in Riyadh.

Arrived in Haifa by ferry, rented what was the last available car in Haifa.....went to Acre, Bethlehem, Jericho, Jerusalem, (especially LOVED the old city), Masada......etc, etc. At Masada my late wife & I picked up two young hitchhiking Germans (who'd been at a kibbutz for six months), took them down to the Dead Sea near Ein Gedi, and after an inadvertent crossing into Gaza, (guys standing around fires in oil drums...we booted it outta there I can tell ya), we dropped them in Jaffa.

(They said they'd seen more of the country with us than they had in the six moths they'd been there. )

Hoping to stop there this Fall, as DW has never been.