I have traveled extensively throughout the Middle East in the past 2 years and without question one of my most favorite places that I visited was Jerusalem. This is a significant and very special place for millions of people around the World and I just had to see it when I was traveling throughout Israel. In all honesty, I didn’t know what to expect, which was probably the best mind set which I could have had when I arrived in the Ancient city.
If you love travel as much as me and want to explore somewhere new and exciting then here are just 5 reasons why you need to get Jerusalem on that travel list of yours.
The Golden Dome
This impressive dome sits on the top of Temple Mount and it is considered to be one of the holy spots in Sunni-Islam. Muslims consider this to be the place where Muhammed was transported to Mecca during the famous Night Journey. In all honesty, whatever your belief is, you will find this to be a fascinating place and the artwork which has gone into the creation of the dome is highly impressive. Make sure that you check the visiting times before you go as the dome is only open for select periods of time during the week for non-Muslims.
The Israel Museum
The Israel museum is one of the World’s ten largest museums, here you will find an incredible collection of historical artifacts from all religions as well as a vast collection of art through the ages. The main event here is the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of religious teachings which were found in a cave and are considered to be one of the oldest examples of religious text ever found.
Mahane Yehuda Market
This large Suk is one of the most impressive open-air markets that I saw anywhere in Israel and you simply must visit it on a trip to Jerusalem. Here you will find an incredible array of food products from meat that you’ve never heard of to fruits and veggies that you’ve probably never seen. The market is always bustling with locals and foreigners alike and there are lots of cute cafes and boutique restaurants which have popped up in the market too, the perfect place to take a load off.
The Food
The range of food available in Jerusalem is incredible, it is like the World in one city and you can easily find Armenian, Russian, Italian, Spanish and of course, Israeli cuisine. A local told me that the range in the cuisine is nothing new as for many years, international tourists have arrived in Jerusalem on a pilgrimage to the holy site and they have brought their cultures and traditions with them.
Wailing Wall
This wall is the holiest site in Judaism and each year, millions of Jews come to pray near it and post their prayers into cracks in the wall. Regardless of your religious beliefs, you cannot help be taken aback by the level of spirituality on display here and as a historical piece alone it is truly an incredible sight.
