Globe hopping
26 / Israel
Sacred
splendour From ancient history aplenty in Jerusalem to modern Tel Aviv, Israel offers a complete holiday experience. Open for business, it is more accessible than ever, says Stuart Forster
I
’m overcome by a deep-rooted sense of awe. Distant sounds of urban life swirl on a buffeting wind as I view Jerusalem’s rooftops from an observation platform high on Mount Olivet (or the Mount of Olives). A steady stream of traffic rumbles along the road below the ancient city’s straw-coloured walls. Gnarly olive trees sprout from arid terraces in the valley, the location of the Garden of Gethsemane. According to the gospels, it was here that Jesus Christ was apprehended nearly 2,000 years ago. On the way here I spotted traffic signs pointing to the City of David and Mount Zion: the close proximity of so many places with names familiar from the Bible and history books can’t fail to impress.
Earlier, I waited patiently to descend into the grotto within Bethlehem’s busy Church of the Nativity, where Jesus was reputedly born. My next stop will be the Church of the Sepulchre, in the heart of the Old City, built over the sites of Jesus’s crucifixion and the tomb where he was briefly buried. The Dome of the Rock’s golden roof draws my eye. I also look forward to exploring the lanes around the Islamic shrine when I reach Jerusalem’s Muslim Quarter. As a lover of history, Israel is proving a fascinating land to spend time in.
Post-lockdown israel Israel used the lockdown to improve its tourism infrastructure. Empty streets helped accelerate a project making
alleyways in Jerusalem’s Old City accessible to wheelchair users. Signage about archaeological finds, history and places of interest have also been improved. “Israel is a fascinating country to explore and perfect if you have clients looking to holiday somewhere a bit different or have a particular interest in religious history,” says Edwina Coppock, Head of Trade Sales for Titan Travel. “I recommend that clients book early for 2022,” she says. Prior to the pandemic, Israel’s appeal as a tourism destination was growing and 2019 was a record-breaking year as 4.6 million global tourists visited, including nearly 260,000 UK travellers. Israel, a global leader in vaccinating citizens against COVID-19, has remained on the UK’s travel green
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