Five amazing things you can't do in Israel right now
Oh, the places you cannot actually go in the Holy Land!
Israel, as it says loud and clear on the El Al Israel Airlines website, is currently closed for foreign passport holders. After the two-week border closure due to omicron—spreading even faster now, apparently—was extended despite the fact that it wasn’t supposed to be (as I’ve always said, the farther east from Rome you go, the more elastic the facts), a fool’s errand it would be to try to guess when Ben-Gurion International Airport will re-open to Americans and others who don’t hold Israeli passports.
Do border closures really help? The British government has, reports the BBC, accepted that “Omicron” can no longer be contained. And does anyone care to ponder the reaction in the American “street” if “the authorities” had closed JFK or LAX? Yikes. In the meantime, here are five fabulous things you cannot do right do in Israel right now, starting with five cool days trips from Tel Aviv—now the world’s most expensive city—that you can’t take:
1. Caesarea
Halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa, Caesarea is among Israel’s brightest archaeological gems. It was built some 2,000 years ago by Herod the Great, who dedicated the port to Caesar Augustus. Ruins from the Roman and Crusader periods are framed by stunning sea views, and the restored ancient amphitheater is now used for concerts in the summertime. The ancient ruins notwithstanding, this is also a great place to indulge in a breezy seaside lunch away from the fun but pricey urban commotion of Tel Aviv.
2. Jerusalem
Jerusalem is Israel’s official capital city and is sacred to at least three religions that we know of. It’s perfect for a culturally stimulating jaunt from Tel Aviv, and you can get there easily by car or train in about an hour. Virtually every large hotel will be able to set up a guided tour, assuming the hotels are actually open to foreigners of course. The ancient Old City is encircled by imposing stone walls that date to the Ottoman period and contain within it such holy sites as the Western Wall, Dome of the Rock and Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
In a day-long visit you can also take in Yad Vashem, the world’s largest Holocaust museum and memorial. There are numerous exhibition halls within its dramatic central triangular structure. Archaeology buffs can opt for the Israel Museum, which is the biggest cultural complex in Israel and permanent home of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Billy Rose sculpture garden on the museum grounds contains works by the likes of Picasso and Rodin. The Rockefeller Archaeological Museum in East Jerusalem is also a part of the Israel Museum. I don’t recommend going there on foot unless you are a certified blending-in ninja.
3. Masada and the Dead Sea
The desert fortress of Masada was the scene of the tragic last resistance of the Zealots, an ancient Jewish sect, to a really nasty bunch of Romans in 73 A.D. You can still see the ramparts that the Romans built as part of their siege of Masada, and many other evocative ruins as well. You can climb to the arid 1,300-foot peak by hiking up the Snake Path, but don’t. Take the cable car/you’re welcome.
Close by and at some 1,380 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth. Its water is about 10 times saltier than the ocean’s, giving it a buoyancy that makes it possible to float on top of it. In a day trip from Tel Aviv, whether by driving on your own or by organized tour, you can easily fit in a visit to both Masada and the Dead Sea.
4. Herzliya and Zichron Yaakov
Herzliya is scarcely more than 10 miles north of Tel Aviv, but with its wealth of breezy restaurants and great beaches make it an interesting detour. Pair a visit with a couple hours in Zichron Yaakov, technically in the Haifa District but less than an hour away from Tel Aviv by car. The pleasant hilltop village overlooking the Mediterranean was founded in 1882 by the Baron Edmond James de Rothschild and is also home of the Carmel Winery, the largest winery in Israel. And while it may seem like most Israelis are driving while drinking wine, do not in an attempt to fit in drink and drive yourself.
5. Acre (Akko)
Acre, also called Akko, is a hidden gem of the Mediterranean coast. Its urban history stretches back more than 4,000 years. In 1799 Napoleon tried and failed to wrest the walled town from the Turks. Among seaside Akko’s myriad historic sites, the absolute coolest is the underground Crusader city, known as the Hospitalers’ Fortress. It is situated next to the Mosque of Ahmed al Jezzar Pasha and is one of the most spectacular Gothic ruins in existence.
Akko is often hailed as a model of Arab-Jewish coexistence. During the 10-day war last May in which Hamas fired rockets at Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, some Arab locals torched the city’s best-known restaurant, a seafood haunt called Uri Buri, to the ground. In the spirit of international coexistence, I’d also like to see a kosher French-Mex-Ital table in these parts: name, of course, La Taco di Akko.
Hotel options in Akko aren’t great, but that’s what makes it perfect for a leisurely day trip from Tel Aviv. What’s more, because it’s on the coast, getting there by car is pretty straightforward — in good traffic conditions you can drive there in less than two hours. From Acre you could also in theory at least head up the coast to a little seaside burg named Beirut, but that’s a border closure of another color.