Before you go

• Official name State of Israel
• Capital Jerusalem
• Languages Hebrew and Arabic. English is spoken almost everywhere you will go.
• Currency New Israeli Shekel (NIS)
• Calling code +972
• Power 230 volts, 50 Hz
• Emergency numbers Police 100 · Ambulance 101 · Fire 102

Before you fly, travelers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and the EU need ETA-IL approval, an online travel authorization from the Israeli Population and Immigration Authority. Every traveler needs their own, children included. Apply a few days ahead on the official Israeli government website. Your passport must be valid for at least three months after you arrive, and some airlines ask for six, so check yours with your airline.

Continuing to Jordan or Egypt? Visa rules differ by passport, so check those too.

Bethlehem: carry your passport on any day we cross to Bethlehem, together with the blue entry card you receive at the airport.

You can travel all year. The most comfortable months are March to June and October to November. August is hot, but it is also when school holidays let families travel, and we plan air-conditioned breaks into the day.

February is cooler and part of the rainy season: roughly one day in three sees some rain, most often a passing shower, and we keep an indoor option ready for every day. The Dead Sea and the south stay warm even in winter.

For the current forecast, see the Israel Meteorological Service.

Typical daytime highs and nighttime lows, rounded, in °C (and °F). Rain falls mostly from November to March, and almost never from June to September.

The Sea of Galilee is warmer than Jerusalem, and the Dead Sea and the Negev are warmer still: in summer they can pass 38 °C (100 °F). Values are long-term averages, so check the forecast a few days before you fly.

Sunrise at Masada: local clock time on the 15th of each month (daylight saving time from April to October), approximate (give or take ten minutes), for a flat horizon. From the top of Masada the sun clears the mountains of Jordan across the Dead Sea a little later than this, usually by about twenty to thirty minutes, so the best light comes shortly after the times shown. Whether you climb the Snake Path or take the cable car, we plan the start around it.

Summer: light, breathable clothes, a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle. Nights in the hills can be cool, so bring a light layer.

Winter: a warm layer and a waterproof jacket, a scarf and good shoes. Winters are mild compared with northern Europe or North America.

All year: comfortable walking shoes (old stone streets are uneven), a swimsuit, and one outfit that covers knees and shoulders for holy sites.

For the Dead Sea and Masada: a swimsuit, a towel and flip-flops in a bag, since there is a place to change. Do not shave for about twelve hours before the float, because the salt stings.

For the Galilee and Nazareth: no shorts in the churches.

Churches, synagogues and the Western Wall ask for modest dress: trousers or a skirt that reach the knees, and sleeves that cover at least the upper arm. It is not required everywhere, but it is a mark of respect, and some sites will turn visitors away.

A light scarf over the shoulders is an easy solution. We tell you the evening before if the next day needs it.

Shabbat runs from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening. In most Jewish towns public transport stops, many shops and restaurants close, and some sites keep short hours. The same is true, to different degrees, on Jewish holidays.

Christian holy days, Muslim holidays and Sundays also change the rhythm of the day in some places. Tell us your dates and we tell you what is open.

Jewish holidays begin at sundown the evening before. On Yom Kippur everything stops: no public transport, shops and restaurants are closed, the roads are empty and the airport closes. On the first and last days of Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Passover and Shavuot, life is close to Shabbat.

Christian holy days: Easter is on March 28, 2027 for Western churches and on May 2, 2027 for the Orthodox, and Christmas is on December 25 (January 7 for the Orthodox). Jerusalem and Bethlehem are very busy at these times, with services in many languages.

Every week: on Fridays, shops and some sites close early, and on Saturday many places are closed. Many churches in the Old City close for a few hours at midday. Opening hours change often, so when you send your dates, we check them against holidays and closures.

The currency is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS). Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, and ATMs are common, usually next to a bank or a kiosk. For a short stay you rarely need to change money; small cash helps for markets and small tips.

Banks are closed on Saturday and often on Friday afternoon. Most open on Sunday to Thursday.

Tipping is customary in restaurants, usually 12 to 15 percent when service is not included. Ask us about guides and drivers.

Free Wi-Fi is easy to find in hotels, cafes, shops and malls. Before you leave, check your phone plan for international use, or buy a local SIM or an eSIM on arrival.

WhatsApp is how most of Israel communicates, and it is the quickest way to reach us: WhatsApp +972-50-444-4324.

• Home Front Command the official app for alerts, in English, based on your location. Install it before you land.
• Waze navigation, made in Israel and used by almost every driver.
• Moovit buses, trains and the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem light rail.
• Google Maps walking directions and opening hours.
• Gett a taxi app that works in the main cities.
• Google Translate Hebrew and Arabic, with offline language packs.
• WhatsApp how we stay in touch, before and during the trip.

Israel uses 230 volts at 50 Hz. Sockets take two-pin plugs of types C and H. Travelers from the United States or Canada need an adapter, and usually a converter for devices that are not dual-voltage. Most phone and laptop chargers are dual-voltage, so check the label.

Take travel insurance that covers medical care, lost baggage and cancellation, and check what it says about emergency assistance.

Keep regular medication in its original packaging, and bring a copy of the prescription. Pharmacies are everywhere. Tap water is safe to drink.

The sun is the most common problem: hat, sunscreen and water, especially at Masada and the Dead Sea. Emergency medical help is 101.

Israel has invested a lot in access. Masada is reached by cable car, and the Roman theatre at Caesarea and the Knights' Halls of Akko are also accessible. Most street corners have curb ramps, and traffic lights have signals for the blind.

Yad Sarah, a volunteer organization with branches across the country, lends wheelchairs and other equipment. Access Israel lists accessible sites, hotels and services.

Tell us about walking pace, stairs and mobility, and we plan the days and the vehicle around it.

With children: keep the days shorter, build in a swim, a snack and a shady stop, and let them touch things: an archaeological dig, a boat on the lake, the float in the Dead Sea. A private vehicle means you stop when they need it. Read more on our family journeys page.

With seniors: we choose sites with level access or a cable car where possible, plan seats and rest stops, and keep the pace gentle. Tell us about knees, hips and heat, and about who needs a hand on the stairs.

With three generations: this is what a private itinerary is for. The vehicle keeps distances easy for grandparents, and the days keep teenagers engaged.

You will find everything: Kosher, non-Kosher and vegetarian, from market stalls to family restaurants. Vegetarian and vegan food is easy to find. Tell us about allergies and diets, and we plan meals around them.

Friday evening and Saturday are quieter in Jewish areas, and many Kosher restaurants close for Shabbat.

We plan every itinerary around the daily guidance of the Home Front Command. You can read the full answer on our safety page.

Most travelers land at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. Your guide meets you at arrivals, and takes you to your hotel or straight to the first stop.

Cruise passengers: in the ports of Haifa and Ashdod your guide waits for you in front of the ship or the terminal, with a sign with your name. Send us the ship name, the docking and sailing times and a phone number you will have with you.

Flying home: arrive at the airport early. Security checks at Ben Gurion are thorough, and most airlines ask passengers to be there about three hours before the flight.

• Shalom hello, goodbye, peace
• Toda thank you
• Bevakasha please, you are welcome
• Sababa great, no problem
• Yalla let us go
• L'chaim to life, cheers