Cruise Critic member in Israel, happy to answer questions

[happy trailer]

Thanks to everyone for your great advice. These postings are wonderful. A special thank you to Ruth for her great insight into Israel and for Cynthia's willingness to help! You gals are the greatest! Aw, shucks :) At this time we are DIY for the following ports:... Rhodes (just walking around in the old city) We docked right outside the old city; it's easy and very pleasurable to walk around .. and then paying for a private guided tour in Israel... Yeah! I'm glad it you were able to work it out! ...If we need any more info we will post again. Please don't hesitate to ask! Thanks! My pleasure- glad I was able to help! :)

 

See my remarks above :)

[happy trailer]

Two questions I wondered if you could help with:

First - what are the likely temperatures in Jerusalem at this time of the year?

 

I can tell you what the weather's been like in the Jerusalem area this past week: we've had days in the 50's, and days in the 70's. Very sunny days, and overcast days with a touch of a drizzle in the morning, and I think we had some rain, too.

 

The weather this time of year is very changeable, but it definitely won't be hot in Jerusalem the first week of February, and it's our rainy season so there is a possibility that you could hit a downpour. And, although it's been a pretty warm winter so far, Jerusalem does get a dusting of snow at least once most winters, and a snowstorm every few years! So, my best advice is to wear layers, and if it looks overcast as you set out, then be prepared for rain, just in case. No matter what, have a hat and sunscreen- the winter sun here is very strong, and I never go out on even a partly sunny day without sunscreen and a hat.

 

Second - my partner is a smoker (he uses hand rolling tobacco to roll his own cigarettes - usually a brand called Old Holburn). When we cruise he usually tries to buy tobacco at whatever port is likely to be least expensive. Would you know what the price of hand rolling tobacco is likely to be in Jerusalem? Also is there likely to be a duty free shop in which he would be able to buy the tobacco?

I know the second question isnt directly connected to cruising but I would be grateful if you could help with the information, if you have it.

Many thanks

Susan (and Chris)

 

I'm not a smoker, and none of my friends smoke, either, so unfortunately I can't be of much help with this question, either!

 

I think there's a store in my local mall that sells tobacco; if I remember, the next time I'm in the mall I'll take a look. There used to be a cigar and tobacco store on the pedestrian mall in downtown Jerusalem, but I'm not sure if it's still there.

 

Your best bet would be to ask your guide- he/she might be able to take you to a store that sells what you're looking for (and know if the store is duty free as well).

 

One note: although many Israelis smoke, the public smoking laws here are pretty much the same as in the US- basically, no smoking is allowed in indoor public spaces.

 

Yikes! Sorry I couldn't be more helpful!

[Tilly43]

Yikes! Sorry I couldn't be more helpful!

 

No problem Ruth - I really appreciate your trying to answer the questions and your advice on the weather has been really helpful. I understand perfectly that you didnt have the information re tobacco - as a non smoker myself I wouldnt have that sort of information either :)

 

If you do find out anything more on the tobacco front, I would be really grateful but please dont put yourself to any trouble to do this.

 

Thank you for your help

Regards

Susan (and Chris) :)

[happy trailer]

Will keep my eyes open re the tobacco, Susan.

 

Thought you'd want this update:

 

A huge storm moved in last night (the first big storm of this rainy season): lots of lightening, and huge downpours throughout the country. Bad flooding in many places, too, especially in desert areas. The road to Masada and nearby hotels is flooded; no bus service to Eilat; the Jordan Valley Road (from the Dead Sea to Tiberius) is flooded). The storm is expected to continue for several days. Here, in the hills outside of Jerusalem, we're experiencing sheets of rain with plenty of lightening.

 

Yesterday morning it was bright and sunny!

 

Oops- add hail to the list! As I posted this, we started to get hail mixed in with the sheets of rain. The electricity is 'blinking' every now and then, too, so I'm going to unplug my laptop for a while.

 

That's winter in Israel- you never know what you're going to get! (I wouldn't be surprised if next week brought the return of sunny, 70 degree weather :-))

Edited January 18, 2010 by happy trailer

[Capricruiser]

Ruth, I hope your wishes for sunny weather next week come true. I will arrive on Sunday and hope to find the road to Masada and the Dead Sea reopened!!!

[Tilly43]

Thanks Ruth for the good :( news on the weather!!!!

 

We have had several weeks of very cold weather here in Scotland (also in other parts of the UK) - large falls of snow, much ice, roads closed or only partially open, driving conditions dreadful - things are a bit better now in Scotland - its good to see roads and pavements again without the covering of snow and ice.

 

Keeping our fingers crossed that the storm will have passed by the time we visit Israel.

 

Best wishes

Susan

[happy trailer]

Ruth, I hope your wishes for sunny weather next week come true. I will arrive on Sunday and hope to find the road to Masada and the Dead Sea reopened!!!

 

I think you'll be fine! The sun is shining today, with no clouds in the sky :)

 

The temps by me have dropped into the low 50's, and it's windy, but while they're predicting a few more rainy days ahead, it looks like the big storm has passed.

 

Enjoy your visit!!

[happy trailer]

Thanks Ruth for the good :( news on the weather!!!!

 

We have had several weeks of very cold weather here in Scotland (also in other parts of the UK) - large falls of snow, much ice, roads closed or only partially open, driving conditions dreadful - things are a bit better now in Scotland - its good to see roads and pavements again without the covering of snow and ice.

 

Keeping our fingers crossed that the storm will have passed by the time we visit Israel.

 

Best wishes

Susan

 

We heard about the difficult winter weather in Europe and the UK! Glad to see things have cleared up by you!

 

No worries- this worst of this storm has passed. :)

[ferrytale]

First, I apologize if this question has been answered on this thread, but I don't want to scroll through several hundred posts.

 

My port of call to Jerusalem is late October. Ship docks at 10am. Being the first Israel port, how long does it take before I can get ashore?

I wish to see Dead Sea as well as Jerusalem, which is offered by a local tour company. At that time of the year, sun probably sets at 5, meaning I should go to Dead Sea first, then visit Jerusalem afterwards. Will I miss a significant part of the Jerusalem sights because of low light or night time? Or is it so well illuminated that it makes little difference?

I am debating whether I should just give up going to Dead Sea if the late afternoon to Jerusalem is undesirable.

Thanks.

[happy trailer]

First, I apologize if this question has been answered on this thread, but I don't want to scroll through several hundred posts.

 

My port of call to Jerusalem is late October. Ship docks at 10am. Being the first Israel port, how long does it take before I can get ashore?

 

Hopefully someone who has docked in Ashdod (where your ship will actually dock for Jerusalem, which is about 60-90 minutes away, depending on traffic) will be able to answer your question. I docked in Ashdod last summer, but that was on an Israeli cruise ship returning to its home port, and my understanding is that it is a different experience than what you might experience.

 

I wish to see Dead Sea as well as Jerusalem, which is offered by a local tour company. At that time of the year, sun probably sets at 5, meaning I should go to Dead Sea first, then visit Jerusalem afterwards. Will I miss a significant part of the Jerusalem sights because of low light or night time? Or is it so well illuminated that it makes little difference?

I am debating whether I should just give up going to Dead Sea if the late afternoon to Jerusalem is undesirable.

Thanks.

 

Jerusalem is beautiful at night! The Old City walls are illuminated, the area is filled with residents and tourists, and it's possible that the arab souk will be open, too. The new city hustles and bustles at night, just like any major city, with restaurants, shops, the pedestrian mall, etc open and busy. I'm not sure of the operating hours for museums like Yad Vashem, and some of the archeological sites tho', (although the tunnel tours are open at night) so you may have to forgo those if you are only in Jerusalem at night, but other than that, you will have a wonderful experience visiting and touring Jerusalem at night!

 

[Just as long as you won't be visiting Jerusalem on a Friday night, as just about everything will be closed- you'd still be able to walk thru the Old City (which will be illuminated), and to the Western Wall, and a few restaurants in the new city will be open, but pretty much everything else, including stores, shuts down by 2 hours before sunset on Friday.]

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

[happy trailer]

I tried t0 edit my post to add this, but didn't make the editing window, so here you go:

 

 

BUT- if your ship doesn't dock until 10, then you won't be at the Dead Sea until around 'noonish'. I don't know how late your ship will be docked in Ashdod, but even if you didn't have to be back at the ship until late at night, you wouldn't be giving yourself time for much more than a brief look at Jerusalem if you also go to the Dead Sea. A visit to the Dead Sea is a real treat, but unless you feel it's a must, I'd recommend you skip the Dead Sea and spend the entire day in Jerusalem instead. JMO..

Edited January 20, 2010 by happy trailer

[Croissant]

Dear Ruth,

Would it be possible to get easily to Tiberias and Tsfat from the port at Haifa and get back on time on our own? The prices for private tours are somewhat out of my budget.

I have been to Israel a number of times, got to Haifa, but nothing else more northerly.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[happy trailer]

Dear Ruth,

Would it be possible to get easily to Tiberias and Tsfat from the port at Haifa and get back on time on our own? The prices for private tours are somewhat out of my budget.

I have been to Israel a number of times, got to Haifa, but nothing else more northerly.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Very doable, but you'd want to rent a car rather than travel by bus.

 

It's a very easy and direct (via highway), and very beautiful drive! You can travel to both Tiberias and Tsfat, have time to explore both cities and make additional stops along the way. It's best to allow for a complete 8 hour day, but it could be done in less time.

 

Just check the rental car office's carefully- many people have mentioned that you need to return the car in the early evening. And, my understanding is that you'll need to take a cab to (and from) the car rental offices, but that's no big deal.

 

Theoretically, you could do it by public transportation (bus), but I wouldn't recommend it. For one thing, you'd really only be able to go to one of the cities, and also the drive is so pretty that you're going to want to make several photo stops, and of course, you wouldn't be able to do that by bus.

 

You should be able to rent a car for the day for around $50, if not less. All road signs in Israel are written in Hebrew, English, and Arabic. Most Israelis speak at least some English, and are always happy to help with directions, too.

 

Tiberius and Tsfat each has its own unique qualities, so by visiting both you would have a wonderful, varied day!

 

[And, BTW, if you rent a car, there are many special places up north you can choose to visit. Instead of Tiberius and Tsfat, you could go to Akko, and/or Rosh Hanikra, or you could go south to Ceasaria. About half an hour from Haifa is Zichron Yaakov, a very pretty town where you can visit a winery and artist's galleries.]

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

[motib]

Dear Ruth,

Would it be possible to get easily to Tiberias and Tsfat from the port at Haifa and get back on time on our own? The prices for private tours are somewhat out of my budget.

I have been to Israel a number of times, got to Haifa, but nothing else more northerly.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Tzfat and Tiberias in 1 day independently is too risky to my opinion with public transportation. It is possible with a car but you must take into consideration few things:

1. Opening hours of the car rental office. You'll have to take a bus to any car rental you'll chose and will be able to start your driving not before 08:30-09:00. You'll have to be back no later than 16:30 because the offices are closed at 17:00. All this is true if you are not coming on Saturday.

2. Mileage. In 1day renting you have a limit of 200km. if you drive to Tzfat Tiberias and back 180Km if you drive directly and not off the route. Any extra Km is charge by the rental companies and usually it makes the renting very expensive.

 

Out of those 2 options I would recommend Tzfat. It is not complicated to do it independently. Take from the port exit bus no 103 or 113 to Merkazit Hamifrats CBS and from there bus no 361 to Tzfat – 2hr and 38.5NIS. The old city of Tzfat is in walking distance from the CBS

Another option would be to find partners from your cruise and arrange a private tour with a guide for a small group – for a group of 6 it will cost you around 1100-120$ pp.

 

Edited January 22, 2010 by motib

[cwuer]

Thank you so much for your willingness to share your vast body of knowledge with us. I want to ask you if you think it is advisable to visit jerusalem in the morning, then the dead sea that afternoon or is that too much for one day? I will be in Ashdod on a cruise in June on a Sunday June 6th from 9am to 10pm, and would like to do both, but don't know if this is advisable. I am with a group of 10-18 depending on if all choose the same shore excursion. We are all in reasonably good shape and most under 50 years of age. thank you very much.

[YorbaLinda]

Thank you so much for your willingness to share your vast body of knowledge with us. I want to ask you if you think it is advisable to visit jerusalem in the morning, then the dead sea that afternoon or is that too much for one day? I will be in Ashdod on a cruise in June on a Sunday June 6th from 9am to 10pm, and would like to do both, but don't know if this is advisable. I am with a group of 10-18 depending on if all choose the same shore excursion. We are all in reasonably good shape and most under 50 years of age. thank you very much.

 

 

Yes...Thank you for sharing - it is very generous.

 

We are arriving in both Ashod and Hafia, each for a full day. We are travelling with friends who really like being on their own - so much so, they say, why not catch a taxi and just go into town. Given the drive time, I am thinking a taxi is expensive, and perhaps unsafe. I thought I would ask an opinion and if there are facts such as difficulty getting a taxi or costs that will help us with our friends.

[pauline wales]

Very doable, but you'd want to rent a car rather than travel by bus.

 

It's a very easy and direct (via highway), and very beautiful drive! You can travel to both Tiberias and Tsfat, have time to explore both cities and make additional stops along the way. It's best to allow for a complete 8 hour day, but it could be done in less time.

 

Just check the rental car office's carefully- many people have mentioned that you need to return the car in the early evening. And, my understanding is that you'll need to take a cab to (and from) the car rental offices, but that's no big deal.

 

Theoretically, you could do it by public transportation (bus), but I wouldn't recommend it. For one thing, you'd really only be able to go to one of the cities, and also the drive is so pretty that you're going to want to make several photo stops, and of course, you wouldn't be able to do that by bus.

 

You should be able to rent a car for the day for around $50, if not less. All road signs in Israel are written in Hebrew, English, and Arabic. Most Israelis speak at least some English, and are always happy to help with directions, too.

 

Tiberius and Tsfat each has its own unique qualities, so by visiting both you would have a wonderful, varied day!

 

[And, BTW, if you rent a car, there are many special places up north you can choose to visit. Instead of Tiberius and Tsfat, you could go to Akko, and/or Rosh Hanikra, or you could go south to Ceasaria. About half an hour from Haifa is Zichron Yaakov, a very pretty town where you can visit a winery and artist's galleries.]

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

Hi Ruth. We have just booked a cruise with one day in Ashdod which is a brand new part of the world for us. I was then lucky enough to find you on Cruise Critic. If we decide to just do our own thing whilst there what would you recomend. Many thanks

[happy trailer]

Thank you so much for your willingness to share your vast body of knowledge with us. I want to ask you if you think it is advisable to visit jerusalem in the morning, then the dead sea that afternoon or is that too much for one day? I will be in Ashdod on a cruise in June on a Sunday June 6th from 9am to 10pm, and would like to do both, but don't know if this is advisable. I am with a group of 10-18 depending on if all choose the same shore excursion. We are all in reasonably good shape and most under 50 years of age. thank you very much.

 

It's a pleasure to help :-)

 

Visiting both Jerusalem and the Dead Sea in one day is possible, but you are really going to short change yourself on the Jerusalem part of your visit.

 

Most tour guides (and also me, just a regular resident of Israel who loves to travel :)) recommend that cruisers plan on an overnight stay for their Jerusalem (Ashdod) visit, if possible. That allows you to get a good taste of Jerusalem, and also enjoy time at the Dead Sea (and Masada, if you want).

 

But, let's consider if you decide to only spend the day in the area:

 

Here are the highlights of a visit to the Dead Sea, followed by those in Jerusalem-

 

Dead Sea:

 

- Floating in the Dead Sea (highly recommended!) and:

- Covering yourself in mud (supposedly therapeutic, good for your skin, and definitely fun)

- Visiting Masada

- Some like to take a quick look at the gardens and waterfalls at Ein Gedi (very pretty and relaxing, but on a one day trip you'll want to skip this)

 

[bTW, if you are interested, Jesus' baptism site is a very short drive from the Dead Sea, towards Jericho. It used to be difficult to visit, but now it is usually accessible.]

 

 

Jerusalem:

 

The modern city:

 

- Yad VaShem, and possibly the cemetery at Mt Herzl (which adjoins Yad VaShem), where you can visit the graves of Golda Meir and others

- The Israel Museum (esp for the Shrine of the Book - where you'll see the Dead Sea Scrolls, and also for the model of the Second Temple period)

- The Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall (for shopping, snacking and/or a meal)

- A quick pass by the Knesset (our Parliment building), and other sites

- The promenades that overlook the city

- We always recommend the shuk at Machane Yehuda (this is not the same as the Arab souk in the Old City- it's more of a very lively farmer's market mixed in with boutiques and trendy cafes). Most cruisers don't ever see it, but we never miss our regular Friday visits (it's open Sun-Fri)- we've been going for years, and it's always the highlight of our week!

 

The Old City:

 

- The Western Wall (the Kotel)

- The Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

- The Jewish Quarter

- The Arab Souk

- The Tunnel Tour (at the Western Wall)

- The recent excavations

- Also, the Burnt House

- The Tower of David Museum

 

The drive from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea is filled with very dramatic desert scenery.

 

Travel time from Ashdod to the entrance to Jerusalem is at least an hour; to the Old City add another half hour. Jerusalem to the Dead Sea is an hour; Masada is a half hour further (with more dramatic scenery along the way). You can return to Ashdod from the Dead Sea without going thru Jerusalem; I think the travel time would be under two hours, but I'm not familiar with the route.

 

So- can you do visit both the Dead Sea and Jerusalem in one day? Yes, it can be done, but you'll obviously need to eliminate many of the highlights. You'd get to Jerusalem at 10:30 at the earliest, and you'd need to leave the Dead Sea area by no later than 7pm, and probably a bit earlier to be on the safe side. You'd only be able to spend a few hours in Jerusalem before heading to the Dead Sea.

 

If you decide to visit both, plan on a non-stop, exhausting, but extremely fulfilling day. If you decide to just visit Jerusalem, plan on a cultural and social whirlwind, with time to sit every now and then to soak up the atmosphere, do some people watching, and have some fun and tasty food.

 

You can certainly visit Jerusalem without stopping at any museums- even if you decide to only visit Jerusalem, and skip the Dead Sea, I'd suggest a drive thru the new city, stopping at the overlooks and maybe one or two other places, and then focusing on touring the Old City. You can also certainly go to the Dead Sea without visiting Masada.

 

I think the best idea would be to poll your group and see what most people envision seeing when they think of a visit to Jerusalem, and then see if you can fulfill most of their 'musts' and still include a stop at the Dead Sea.

 

HTH, and please don't hesitate to ask more questions!

 

Ruth

[happy trailer]

Yes...Thank you for sharing - it is very generous.

 

We are arriving in both Ashod and Hafia, each for a full day. We are travelling with friends who really like being on their own - so much so, they say, why not catch a taxi and just go into town. Given the drive time, I am thinking a taxi is expensive, and perhaps unsafe. I thought I would ask an opinion and if there are facts such as difficulty getting a taxi or costs that will help us with our friends.

 

Taxis in Israel are very safe, even for tourists- but you would want to agree on a price before you enter the cab.

 

[There have also been varying reports by CCers on various threads in this forum about the availability (or lack of) taxis at the pier, so many suggest you arrange for a driver in advance.]

 

The drive time from Ashdod to Jerusalem is about an hour (rare)- 90 minutes, and can be longer depending on traffic. Getting to the Old City will take about another half hour. I haven't checked the fare in quite a while, but I believe that sometime last summer I posted that I had been charged from my town (which is about 15 minutes from the entrance to Jerusalem) to Ashdod, around 250 shekels. The fare from Ashdod to Jerusalem would probably be about 75 shekel more than that (possibly even more if you want to go to the Old City). (Nowadays, that's about $85 altogether, which I think is pretty reasonable.) BUT my memory could be way off, so hopefully a CC'er who has visited recently will be able to give an accurate estimate of the taxi fare!

 

[Moti, a tour guide who often posts here, sometimes tells people that they should think about taking a bus from Ashdod to Jerusalem instead of a taxi. I personally don't recommend doing that, because your time is limited and I know I wouldn't want to spend any extra moments waiting for a bus (not to mention getting to the bus station). That's especially true if you want to go directly to the Old City- you'd have to take another bus once you get into Jerusalem, which would take add at least another hour to your travel time, or else grab a cab (easy, and about $10-$15).]

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

[cwuer]

What valuable information you have just given me. Yes, I think from reading that, that to do both would mean really cutting Jerusalem short, and I do want to soak up a little of the "feel" of the city, and be able to stop to eat street food and watch any interesting locals I might encounter. People watching is always enjoyable! I know an overnight would be much better but I am traveling with a family of 5 ( 3 children 21, 17, and 17) so adding overnights really adds up. We do dock at Haifa the next day so theoretically could go back down there and pick up dead sea the next day as a day trip, but that would mean leaving off Nazareth, Galilee, and other places that are so meaningful to Christians as part of Jesus' ministry, so I hate giving that up! I suppose floating in the Dead Sea will have to wait, but it sure does sound fun! Thanks again, you are a blessing to this board!

[happy trailer]

Hi Ruth. We have just booked a cruise with one day in Ashdod which is a brand new part of the world for us. I was then lucky enough to find you on Cruise Critic. If we decide to just do our own thing whilst there what would you recomend. Many thanks

 

 

Spend the day in Jerusalem! The new city, the Old City- museums, archeological sites, religious sites, new foods, great people watching...!

 

I've listed a few of the highlights of the city in my response to CWER's post (it's just one or two posts before this one), so take a look there and then think about this:

 

Are you mainly interested in history, in visiting religious sites, or in soaking up the modern culture and tastes of a city (Jerusalem has an unbelievable and incredibly and uniquely varied cultural mix!)? Your answer will help you decide how to plan your day in Jerusalem. (And, please don't hesitate to post more questions here :))

Or, on an entirely different track-

 

You could spend the day in Tel Aviv- a fun, modern city with great beaches! (And even some ancient history- you can walk the beach promenade down to Jaffa.)

 

[You probably noticed I haven't suggested spending the day in Ashdod. That doesn't mean there's anything 'wrong' with Ashdod. It has lovely beaches.... But it's not a 'tourist' city- for cruisers, it's the gateway to Jerusalem and the Dead Sea (and to Tel Aviv); very few land tourists ever visit the city at all.]

 

HTH!

 

Ruth

[happy trailer]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm finalizing my plans for my spring visit to my grandchildren in the States, so wanted to mention that while I'll try to check here occasionally while I'm away, you might want to ask any 'pressing' questions in the next couple of weeks, as I'll be pretty much out of touch during the entire month of April.

 

Ruth

[houch]

Ruth,

 

I was in Israel on a cruise last Nov. We didn't do an overnight but had 2 awesome full day tours. The first to Galilee and area and nest we did a Jerusalem/Bethlehem tour. We just couldn't imagine not visiting the city of Christ's birth and coming home to be in the Christmas season made it even more special. I found Israel to be a beautiful country with friendly people. I wouldn't mind returning some day to see more of it. This was a very moving journey for me as a Christian.

[jagi]

Ruth,

 

I've only just found your thread and am grateful to you. I've never been to Israel (my family is horrified since I've traveled extensively) so I am planning to spend 3 weeks there in late April or early May. Do you think that is enough time to soak up the history, archeology, and contemporary ambiance--or am I asking too much. I can plan for more time if it is needed. My cousin is in Jerusalem for 6 months researching his book and he suggested I spend 5 days to a week there. I'm hoping to join an excursion to Petra, looking at 2-3 days there. I have some friends in Caesaria, but I don't want to overstay my welcome. You have listed so many wonderful things and I want to do them all. I understand the country is small, but is it small enough to experience in 3 weeks--or will I just come away with a "taste"?

Judith

 

 

[happy trailer]

Ruth,

 

I've only just found your thread and am grateful to you. I've never been to Israel (my family is horrified since I've traveled extensively) so I am planning to spend 3 weeks there in late April or early May. Do you think that is enough time to soak up the history, archeology, and contemporary ambiance--or am I asking too much. I can plan for more time if it is needed. My cousin is in Jerusalem for 6 months researching his book and he suggested I spend 5 days to a week there. I'm hoping to join an excursion to Petra, looking at 2-3 days there. I have some friends in Caesaria, but I don't want to overstay my welcome. You have listed so many wonderful things and I want to do them all. I understand the country is small, but is it small enough to experience in 3 weeks--or will I just come away with a "taste"?

Judith

 

 

 

Hi Judith,

 

I'm sure you're excited about your upcoming visit to Israel!

 

Three weeks is fine for a first visit to Israel (and 2-3 days is also perfect for Petra, btw).

 

I'd suggest, that at least for a few of the days, you consider hiring a guide, or else joining some local walking tours. The Friday English language newspapers (Friday is the weekend edition here) have lists of walking tours and upcoming events for the following week (including that Friday).

 

Also, for a first visit, 5 days in Jerusalem is enough time- you want to have time to explore the rest of the country! In those 5 days, you'll be able to explore both the Old City and the new city; visit modern museums and archeological digs; and spend plenty of time in cafes people watching (and enjoying the food :)).

 

HTH!

 

Ruth