There is an image of Israel... that all its tourism is religious. No. Not all of it is! This is a destination for all tastes: from the gastronomy of Tel Aviv to floating in the Dead Sea; from the bars of Jerusalem to the fortress of Masada; and from the renovated centre of Nazareth to the waterfalls on the Ein Gedi nature reserve. And it is a place I found many solo women travellers, just like me.
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From Tel Aviv to Nazareth
In recent years the centre of Nazareth has been filled with many modern businesses and shops selling traditional crafts. It is a quieter city than Tel Aviv, but it has restaurants, cafes... and it is safe to wander alone through the picturesque streets in the city where Jesus grew up. Besides visiting all the religious sites, such as the Basilica of the Annunciation or the Fountain of the Virgin – from here there are a number of tours, including to the Sea of Galilee, the River Jordan, Haifa, Mount Tabor and many more. If you are travelling solo, then you should join other travellers on tours.
On one of the trips I took, from Nazareth, there were only women, all from different countries and travelling alone. Even the guide was a woman!
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From Nazareth to Jerusalem
From hostel to hostel with transfers included, I went from Nazareth to the city everyone wants to visit. If the general idea is that Israel is connected with religious tourism, its capital Jerusalem is where it can all be felt! However, Jerusalem is much more than the Holy Sepulchre, the Wailing Wall, the Dome of the Rock or the Mount of Olives. Although everything is related to religion, a walk through the old city takes us back in time to absorb the historical wealth this city holds. And despite its bustle, it is also very welcoming to solo travellers, providing a sense of safety both day and night. As well as the Holy City tour, from Jerusalem you can visit the fortress at Masada, take a walk through and bathe in the waterfalls of the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, or even float on the Dead Sea... all unforgettable experiences.
And don’t miss the trendy Mahane Yehuda market in the centre of Jerusalem, where there are restaurants serving traditional and international food and lively bars that stay open late. It was an easy trip back from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv (I used the hostel transfer), from where I was to catch my TAP flight to Lisbon. Have a good trip!
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From Lisbon to Tel Aviv
I first discovered this vibrant city from TAP’s Lisbon-Tel Aviv flight! I planned to spend at least two days there. Tel Aviv has an electric life and you will want to do a bit of everything: there are gastronomic tours, bars... stroll through the old city of Jaffa, the eclectic and artistic Neve Tzedek neighbourhood and pass this modern city’s spectacular beaches... if possible, go there and enjoy the sunset. In the evening you can visit the boulevard bars and terraces. And a tip for solo travellers: if you stay in hostels you will have a better chance of meeting other people who are travelling alone.
On one of the trips I took, from Nazareth, there were only women, all from different countries and travelling alone. Even the guide was a woman!