ISRAEL
The State of Israel, an independent nation in southwest Asia, is located in the Middle East, along the eastern coastline of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt. Lying at the intersection of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa, the country of Israel is considered the Holy Land for three major world religions; Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
CURRENCY
The currency of Israel is NIS or new Israeli Shekel.
LANGUAGES
The official language of Israel is Hebrew. English is widely used as a second language, and lately Russian is being increasingly used too.
GEOGRAPHY
In the north of Israel lie desert conditions, while in its southern parts there are snow capped mountains, making its geography very varied. Long and narrow in shape, it covers an approximate area of 20,770 square kilometers
CLIMATE
A scanty rainy season occurs from November to April but mostly Israel is a country with a lot of sunshine. The climatic conditions however vary significantly from region to region: the coastal plains witness hot, humid summers and mild, wet winters while the hilly regions are home to dry and warm summers and moderately cold winters, with a little rain and even sporadic light snow.
CAPITAL AND MAJOR CITIES
Among the main cities of Israel, the foremost is Jerusalem, which has been Israel's capital since 3000 years!
Haifa is a known coastal town since ancient times, is a major Mediterranean port and the industrial and commercial center of northern Israel.
The largest urban center in the south of Israel is undoubtedly Be'er Sheva, which has been referred to in the Bible as an encampment of the patriarchs. The entire southern region draws assistance from it in countless areas like administrative, economic, health, education and cultural services.
BUSINESS TRAVEL
If you are traveling to Israel on business, then you have to follow business etiquette. You may make or receive business appointments at home or in restaurants, as well as at the office. Although business meetings tend to be much less formal than in the UK or the USA, some of the common business courtesies should always be observed, and business cards exchanged. Israel attracts on an average, about 150 international meetings take place in the country in a year with 50,000 delegates. Out of these scientific and academic meetings comprise about half the meetings, though religious and sporting events too are on the rise. Most of these meetings, about 55% of them are held in Jerusalem alone. Apart from hotels and convention centers in Jerusalem, Eliat and Tel Aviv, opportunities also exist to hold meetings in kibbutzim.
HOLIDAY
In case the purpose of your visit is a family holiday or simply having fun then Israel has a number of tourist attractions to offer. From traveling to the snowy heights of Mount Hermon to the Judean Desert and the saltiest sea on earth, the Dead Sea, while visiting ancient biblical cities, covered markets and a high-rise metropolis on the way- you can do all of this only in a matter of a few hours.
The age of most of Israel’s cities is counted is millions of years. These ancient cities are on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List.
TEL AVIV
There’s no place like Tel Aviv to indulge your urban tastes. Categorized as a “world city,” by geographers Israel has a great deal to offer the tourist. Museums, opera, theater and dance, excellent restaurants with cuisines from the world over, its own brilliantly restored 19th-century quarter, Neve Tzedek and several galleries, the list of Israel’s offerings is exhaustive.
BEACHES
Tel Aviv offers quality beach-time. The Ashkelon beach is another option. Ashkelon has nearly 10 km of beaches so in case you are looking to have fun in the sun, you will find plenty of beach space. Lovely seasonal wildflowers sprout in the north, in the rocky and romantic coves, exuding a sheer beauty. Take an underwater tour of the Roman antiquities at the Caesarea beach, whether or not you are a diver. And finally head for Tiberias and the Kinneret for your fill of fresh-water fun.
ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES
Another kind of diving experience stars at Israel’s Red Sea Riviera on the Gulf of Eilat where there is a wonderful sea of corals and exotic fish. In addition to hiking and diving, other adventure challenge experiences can be had in the desert cliffs around Eilat and in the Negev and the forested ridges of the Upper Galilee, including cycling, off-road touring and rappelling. Mount Hermon is a hiker’s delight.
EDUTAINMENT ATTRACTIONS
Israel boasts a number of unique edutainment attractions that families love – Jerusalem’s Time Elevator, Mini Israel, the new Kings City in Eilat and the Haganah Museum are only a few of the fun-while-you-learn experiences in store.
MODES OF TRANSPORT
For your fun filled holidays or business travel there are several modes of transport.
Air
A comprehensive service linking Tel Aviv with Eilat and other cities is run by Arkia/Israel Inland Airways (IZ) and by Israir (6H)
Water
Ferries operated by Kinneret Sailing Company run across Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) from Tiberias on the west side to Ein Gev kibbutz on the eastern shore.
Train
Israel Railways operates six lines, with regular services down the coast from Nahariya to Ben Gurion Airport. By 2011 it is expected that a new high-speed rail, will be running that will cut the journey time in half.
Road
There are several road travel options too. Traffic drives on the right. Almost all towns in the country are connected by an efficient and well maintained network of roads.
Bus: There are frequent and comprehensive bus services in the country that link even the smallest communities and Israelis make substantial use of buses.
Sherut
A unique mode of transport in Israel is the sherut. These are shared vans that seat between seven to 10 passengers and follow the intercity and local bus routes. Taxi: Both shared taxis and ordinary taxis are available and these are run either by individuals or companies.
Car hire: Car hire is an expensive proposition but if you are willing to pay then cars for hire are available at airports, ports and all the key towns.
ACCOMODATION
For a holiday with a difference, about 130 of Israel's 300 kibbutzim have guest accommodation. Kibbutzim are villages unique to Israel. They comprise hard-working rural areas running on cooperative basis. These Kibbutzim provide accommodation which is clean and comfortable with most of them having modern dining rooms and even swimming pools.
Israel has a large number of hotels. The Israel Hotel Association has a membership of about 350 hotels. It is best to book months in advance for Israel's high season (usually July to August, though this varies according to the region) and for religious holiday periods.
Located on the Mediterranean, there are holiday villages which provide accommodation usually in the form of small two-bed cabins and bungalows.
In places of Christian interest, some 30 Christian hospices) provide room and board at low rates.
Bed & breakfasts, known as Zimmer’s are private homes, converted and rented out by families. Some are simple rooms with a shared bathroom; others are private bungalows with kitchenettes and modern facilities.
Click to Hide