As I said in my previous blog, Tel Aviv was beyond my expectations. I love the vibe, the food, the people and how beautiful and special Tel Aviv and Israel are. In the 5 days that we were in Tel Aviv, we (Larissa and I) saw and did a lot of amazing things.
The first 2 days we spend in Tel Aviv exploring all the areas, the beach, and Old Jaffa. The last 3 days of our trip we stayed in Abraham hostel and we went on 3 tours with Abraham tours, which were so beautiful and special. The 3 tours we did are definitely a must-do when you are in Tel Aviv. So let me take you with me…
1. Caesarea National Park
Escape the city to take a day trip to the ancient Roman Ruins at the Caesarea National Park. On Saturday we went with Abraham tours to see the Caesarea National Park. Caesarea was one of the most significant Roman cities outside of Rome during the time of Herod. It is a really beautiful national park with the ruins of this area including a Hippodrome, aqueduct, houses, and palaces. It was very impressive to see all the old ruins. It is really worth visiting when you are in Tel Aviv.
2. Jerusalem day tour
Sunday was our most special day as discovered the rich and complex history of one of the oldest cities in the world, Jerusalem. I was really excited to go on this Abraham tour trip to Jerusalem as I heard from many people who visited Jerusalem that it was there most extraordinary experience. We started the tour at the Jaffa gate where we walked through all the four quarters of the Old City and discovered what makes each quarter unique. It is really interesting to hear about the history of each quarter. After the quarters we went to the Western Wall to pray and make a wish. Many people come to the holy Western Wall to pray. It was very busy and impressive to see all the people pray and hope their prayers will be heard.
From the Western Wall, we went to the Al Aqsa Mosque. This Mosque is to most beautiful Mosque I have ever seen. The colors are unbelievably beautiful. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take a look inside as only Muslims are allowed to go in for their prayers.
The tour continues by walked along the Via Dolorosa, the path which Jesus walked with the cross. I found it really special to be at this place. All the things I learned in school about the story of Jesus became started to live as I was actually at this place. After the walk, we visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where you can see and visit the tomb of Jesus.
The Jerusalem day tour ends at a lookout point where you will get an inspiring view of some of the most important religious sites in the world. I can’t describe how special it is to see all the three religions from the same lookout point. Jerusalem is such a remarkable city and if you are in Tel Aviv and you get the chance, experience the city yourself.
3. Floating in the Dead Sea
As we were already in Jerusalem we planned to join the Abraham Dead Sea chill-out tour after our Jerusalem tour. Floating in the Dead Sea was on my bucket list for such a long time as I love the water and I was super curious how swimming in the Dead Sea would be. As the water is really salty you can float in the water. Actually, this is the only thing you can do as swimming is really difficult. Plus you don’t want to get your mouth and eyes wet, because it is really not comfortable with the amount of salt that is in the water. I found floating in the Dead Sea so relaxing. I really enjoyed it! After a lot of floating around, I also immersed myself with the mineral-rich mud of the Dead Sea. This mud is so good that it is nowadays sold as a beauty product all over the world. You don’t look great when you put it on, but after you wash it off your skin feels so soft. I really didn’t want to leave as I was so relaxed and happy. So I when you are in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem I highly recommend booking a tour to the Dead Sea. It is the lowest point of the earth and such a special experience.
All the 3 tours we did you can book at Abraham tours. We also stayed at the Abraham Hostel where the pick up is of the tours. The hostel is really nice! Everything is very well organized and the rooms are clean and tidy. Also, I loved the design of the interior. A good recommendation to stay when you are planning to make some tours and if you want to stay at a trendy and social hostel.
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