1 2 Guide in Israel. 20 Holy Land Tips, Attractions, Food and all a trip you Attractions, for need Tips, This guide will provide you all you need to know when you are planning a trip in Israel… This guide gives you all the options, a road trip by car or train, all the main attractions in Israel and what kind of food you can find. So enjoy it. For more information and to book a trip you can always go to our website: http://www.veredgo.com What can you find in our guide? • The weather in Israel. • Israel by train. • Israel by car. • Israeli money. • Israeli street food. • Health & Spa tourism. • Main attractions in Israel - Jerusalem area • Main attractions in Israel – Tel Aviv area. • Main attractions in Israel – Northern Israel. • Main attractions in Israel - Southern Israel. • Guide’s recommendation http://www.veredgo.com + 972 – 89303999 Weather The weather in Israel is very comfortable. Winter (December-January - February) is cool and rainy, temperatures range from 5-18 degrees Celsius in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and the Golan temperature ranges between 2-15 degrees Celsius. Spring (March - April-May) season is beautiful and the weather is lovely, Tel Aviv Temperatures range between 16-24 degrees Celsius, Jerusalem and the Golan Heights between 12-21 degrees Celsius and Eilat between 28-19. Summer (June - July - August - sometimes September) hot with high humidity. In Tel Aviv on very hot days the temperature can reach 42 degrees with 95% humidity. In contrast Eilat can get to 50 degrees without humidity at all. Summer clothing is recommended - shorts and a bathing suit, and if possible spend as much time as possible in the pool ... Fall (September - October - November) very convenient season, temperatures range from 16-24 degrees in Tel Aviv, 13-21 in Jerusalem and 19-27 in Eilat. Israel by train You can certainly make a whole trip by train. In every major city you can find a railway station (with the exception of Eilat), location of stations is usually central and there is always public transportation from the train station. Israel by car Driving on the roads of Israel can be no simple task; the Israeli driver has little patience. Yet touring with a car is a very convenient way to see the country, the distances are short, and easy parking can generally be found with relatively cheap prices. Driving in Israel is on the right side of the road with the steering wheel in cars being on the left side– like in the U.S.A. A valid driver's license from your country of origin is enough in Israel; you do not have to obtain an international driver's license. There is only one toll road, Highway 6 - Cross-Israel Highway, if you drive on the road you'll be billed separately later. Most road signs are written in Hebrew and English http://www.veredgo.com + 972 – 89303999 Israeli money The Israeli shekel has not changed in the past twenty years and is marked ₪ . There are coins of 5, 10, 20, and 50 agorot (cents), and coins of 1, 2, 5 and 10 shekels. The bills are of 20, 50, 100 and 200 shekels. You can change money at money exchange shops, cash machines and major Israeli banks. Banks Money exchange in the bank is charged with a fixed fee. When exchanging money at money exchange shops, you will not be charged for the transaction, but will get a lower exchange rate than the bank. ATMs - There are many ATMs around, which are connected to banks in America and Europe. When using an ATM, you are charged by your credit card company, in addition to the ATM fee (usually 3.5 dollars plus 4% of the withdrawal amount.) Your credit card company (Visa, MasterCard, Diners, American Express, etc.) will determine the exchange rate level. Normally it would be the highest in the day. Money exchange offices - In general, changing money at money exchange shops is cheaper than at the bank or ATM. Traveler's checks - some Israeli business owners will receive checks from tourists, but most refuse. You can cash the checks at any post office in Israel with no commission. You can send cash through the post office Western Union Services company. http://www.veredgo.com + 972 – 89303999 Israeli street food: Travelers looking for a cheap alternative will find that street food and food stands offer a good alternative. A large selection of dishes can be found on the street stalls, there are quite a few dishes that are both tasty and nutritious at relatively low prices. Cheap meals or fast food does not have to be McDonald's or Burger King; in fact the possibilities of local street food stalls are usually more profitable for the random traveler. So, if you are looking for a cheap alternative to a meal, and you do not mind eating standing up there are plenty of dishes that you can take into account: Falafel A popular Street food and the cheapest you can find on the streets of Israel. Falafel is served in pita bread, with pickles, salad and tehina. Falafel balls are usually made from chickpeas sometimes mixed with grains Paul parsley spices. Cost: Between 8-16 ₪ . Shawarma Shawarma is usually made of turkey, served in pita bread with salad, pickles and tehina. Pita size can vary, and if you want to achieve your maximum portion look at the size of the pita before ordering, ask for the dish without the potato chips or salad so you can increase the amount of meat you get in it, saving the need for a second. Cost: Between 15-25 ₪ . Sabih The word means morning in Arabic. Sabih is a traditional dish that was introduced by the immigrants from Iraq to the Israeli street. Sabih can be found in all major cities, especially in Ramat Gan. Sabih is pita bread with fried eggplant, egg, salad, tehina and pickles. Cost: Between 10-15 ₪ . http://www.veredgo.com + 972 – 89303999 Health & Spa tourism: SOUTHERN PART OF ISRAEL AND THE DEAD SEA The Dead Sea is one of the world’s best-known and most unique therapeutic resorts. The region is characterized by an unusual combination of natural resources and climatic conditions – the saltiest sea in the world that is also mineral-rich; thermo-mineral waters; medicinal black mud; filtered sunrays; dry air rich in minerals; a pleasant temperature most of the year; a relatively high concentration of oxygen; air that is almost completely free of allergens and other air pollutants. Both a briefly bathing at one of the beaches or a stay for a pampering vacation at one of the hotels and guest rooms scattered along its shores are recommended. A thirty-minute ride from the Dead Sea is the city of Arad, whose dry, clean air makes it a haven for people suffering from asthma, allergies and respiratory problems. Mineral Beach At the Mineral Beach, on the well-tended shore of the Dead Sea, are two little pools: a fresh-water pool for small children, and a sulphur-water pool with a fixed temperature of 39 °C whose water arrives from an adjacent spring. On the shore there are open-sided, chill-out style, shelter pavilions from around the world, and plastic chairs. Right on the shoreline is natural mud – when spread on your body, it stimulates blood circulation, strengthens hair roots, and renews skin cells. On the site are cloakrooms, showers, a treatment room, a cafeteria, and a small shop where you can buy Dead Sea products and plastic sandals for entering the sea. A treatment room also awaits visitors, offering various types of treatments and massages by prior arrangement. http://www.veredgo.com + 972 – 89303999 Ein Gedi Spa The Ein Gedi Spa, a well-established site on the shores of the Dead Sea, has six indoor thermo-mineral pools – two for women, two for men, and two for mixed bathing. There is also an indoor resting area facing the primordial panorama of the Dead Sea. The pools are refreshed by a constant flow of salt and mineral rich water, and have a steady temperature of about 38 °C. Outside the building is a large bath containing rich, heavy black mud, which is great for ridding the body of poisons. An all-terrain-vehicle-type train, waiting outside the indoor baths, takes vacationers to the ever-receding seashore, for bathing. There is also a natural freshwater pool outside, which operates in the summer, as well as a spa treatment centre. Visitors can enjoy various treatments and massages in the private treatment rooms. It’s worthwhile to book your treatment in advance, and to inquire about the pampering packages, which include a visit to the facilities on the site, a treatment of your choice, and a packet of cosmetics manufactured from the Dead Sea water. Neve Midbar Neve Midbar has baths extending over an area of 8,000 square meters. In the centre is a splendid building, inside and around which are stylish pools full of thermo-mineral water drawn from a depth of some 900 meters. The temperature of the water fluctuates between 40 – 46 °C, and is rich in minerals, sulphur and magnesium. There are also saunas and treatment rooms, lawns and a cafeteria at the site. Next to them is Kibbutz Mash'abei Sade, which has guest units. Ein Bokek A resort and a therapeutic site at the estuary of Nahal Bokek, on the western shore of the Dead Sea. The site has some ten hotels, therapeutic baths, two beaches, and a few restaurants.