I was really looking forward to the visit to Jerusalem, the city with so many religions. And it was a very special experience to walk around the religious capital Jerusalem. Jerusalem made a big impression on me!
Here you can find my experiences and tips for an unforgettable visit to the religious capital Jerusalem:
Tip: Click the layers on and off in this map with the square button (with the arrow) on the left in the grey beam.
1. Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem
Before we entered Jerusalem, we visited the very interesting Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem, situated outside the city. Yad Vashem means “Memorial with a name”. You can’t skip this holocaust museum full of historical information about the Jewish religion, the diaspora of course the holocaust in the World War II. The museum is very informative and it gave me a better impression of the past (and present) of the Jewish people. Don’t forget to walk around the museum garden too!
Location: Jeruzalem, 9103401, Israel, Website
2. Western Wall, Way of the Cross and the Dome
The 3 major religions all come together in the city of Jerusalem: the Westerns Wall (Jewish), the Way of the Cross (Christianity) and the Dome (Islam).
Western Wall
A visit to the very impressive Western Wall is on everyone’s bucket list when visiting Jerusalem. We visited the Wall on the second Friday in December. It was a special moment because they burnt a (huge!) candle that evening accompanied with a lot of singing and dancing at the square. So do check if there is a special Jewish celebration if you’re planning your trip to Jerusalem.
Tip: Don’t forget your passport, because you can be asked to show it at the security gates to enter the Western Wall.
The day after we visited the Western Wall again to put a note with a wish in a small hole in the wall. Men and women are strictly held apart at the Wall. We had to enter the women’s area and shuffled – very slowly – closer to the wall. It is incredibly crowded at the Wall: everybody wants to stick their note in the cracks of the wall and some people pray for hours, standing with their head against the wall. For me it was a great experience actually: my wish came true within a month 🙂
Tip: Write your wish down on a very small note and try to make this note as tiny as possible! That’s the only way you have a chance to find a small hole in the Wall to put your note in.
Way of the Cross
I have been brought up Christian (Catholic) and I have seen the stages of Jesus’ Way of the Cross many times in churches and I know the story. For me it was very impressive to walk the Way of the Cross myself following the Via Dolorosa and to stand still at all stages of the agony. Even more special were the people we encountered on this walk, like a group of Asian people carrying a huge cross themselves while singing and praying on their way. You can find signs along the Via Dolorosa with the names of the stage of the agony. The Way of the Cross ends in the beautiful Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Tip: Walk around the other side of the city walls too to see Gethsemane, the olive garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives where Jesus said his prayers on the evening before his crucifixion, and the Tomb of the Virgin Mary.
The Dome
The other major religion you can find in Jerusalem is the Islam. The gigantic golden “Dome of the Rock” just behind the Western Wall on Temple Mount is a place of pilgrimage for muslims.
From the square of the Western Wall you can’t see the Dome. The two holy places are strictly separated from each other because of the friction between the religions. For me it was quite an intense experience to pass so many strict security posts to get from the Western Wall to the Dome on the other side, but it’s something you have to experience yourself. The huge golden Dome with wonderful mosaic walls is beautiful to see. Don’t forget your passport!
3. Explore the tunnels
There’s a whole new (or actually: very old) hidden world underneath Temple Mount and the Western Wall. A guided tour through the tunnels will bring you to ancient times and makes you aware how old Jerusalem is. Don’t go down in the tunnels if you are claustrophobic, because the corridors are very small.
You can only visit the tunnels with a guide. Buy your ticket for a guided tour online, for example via this website.
Tip: An alternative view of the city is from above. Climb the city walls from the well-known and always crowded Jaffa Gate or enter the city walls at the other side of the city (on the side of Gethsemane) near Lion’s Gate, like we did. You might have to search for the entrance, but it is definitely away from the crowd.
4. Mahane Yehuda Market
I love good food and the taste of freshly chopped herbs and fresh ingredients. And in Israel I had one culinary treat after the other! This country has so much delicious food to offer.
We went to the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem for some good food. It’s an easygoing hipster food market visited by all the people you can find in Jerusalem. The colourful graffiti adds up to the reasons that you definitely should visit this place. In this indoor market everyone can have their share: sweet buns, Israelian delicacies and delicious freshly prepared food from all over the world. We dug into fluffy pitas with hummus and a refreshing beer.
Location: Agripas St 90, Jerusalem, Israel
5. YMCA Three Arches Hotel
Het YMCA Three Arches Hotel is een hele goede uitvalsbasis om een paar dagen Jeruzalem te oThe YMCA Three Arches Hotel is a very good starting point to explore Jerusalem for a couple of days. The hotel is situated in the centre of the city and makes it very easy to walk into the old city. You can taste some national dishes at breakfast, like “halva”. Our three-person room was not very spacious, but it was fine. Because, say for yourself, how much time do you spend in your hotel room if you have such a beautiful city to explore at your feet?
Tip: A big plus for this hotel is the possibility to take a look at Jerusalem from a bird’s eye view. Only hotel guests can get the key to the high tower of the hotel. From the lookout tower you can see all the highlights of the city (and there are quite a few!) from above.
Location: King David St 26, Jeruzalem, Israel, Website
I’ll write more about this road trip in Israel soon. Here you can find the hotspots of hip Tel Aviv. Via this link you can see the route we took on our 11 day roadtrip in Israel. Did you ever make a road trip? Which country or countries did you go to and what is your ultimate tip for an unforgettable road trip? Please let me know in the comments below!
Are you inspired by this destination with all its delicious food, culture and beach? Please continue reading my blogs about Thailand, Bali and Colombia for more inspiration.
If you have any questions, please let me know in a reaction at the bottom of this page or via the contact page or a DM on Instagram.
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