Travel in Jerusalem
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Informations on Jerusalem: history, politics, economy, culture, Did you mean: Jerusalem
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Jerusalem (Hebrew: ??????? Yerushalayim, Arabic: ????? al-Quds), the capital of Israel, represents the spiritual home of two world religions - Judaism and Christianity - and is sacred to another - Islam. The city remains a fascinating destination for any traveller interested in either the past or the present.
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Districts
- Old City
- West Jerusalem - also known as "New Jerusalem"
- East Jerusalem
- Ein Kerem
Understand
Get in
By plane
Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) 1 (http://www.iaa.gov.il/Rashat/en-US/Airports/BenGurion/), named after Israel's first Prime Minister, is situated at Lod - approximately midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv - and conveniently serves both major Israeli cities.
Ben Gurion acts as the home base for El Al 2 (http://www.elal.co.il/), Israel's national airline, and is served by a large number of additional international air carriers. These include British Airways, Air France, Alitalia, Iberia Swiss Air, Lufthansa, Olympic, Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines, South African Airways, American, United, and Air Canada. Egyptair runs a subsidiary service under the name of Air Sinai from Cairo to Ben Gurion (tel airport 03-9711689, Tel Aviv office 03-5102481)
Travel from the airport into the centre of Jerusalem takes a minimum of 40-50 mins, and - depending on traffic conditions - often more. It is advisable to budget at least an additional 2 hrs above your pre-flight check-in time to ensure timely arrival and completion of security procedures.
By train
In April 2005, train service from Tel Aviv, which terminates in Malcha station (in the south of the city) was renewed. While the length of the trip is over an hour, it passes through a beautiful scenic path and is very recommended.
By bus
Bus services to Jerusalem from Ben Gurion International Airport and every Israeli city are frequent, cheap, and efficient. Most buses arrive at the misnamed Central Bus Station to the west of the city, from which it's a long hike (or short local bus trip) down Jaffa Road to the centre of town in West Jerusalem and / or the Old City.
By shared taxi
Public buses do not run during Shabbat, during which your only option is a sherut (shared taxi). These depart from Tel Aviv's Central bus station and charge a small surcharge on top of the normal bus fare.
Get around
The only effective public transportation option currently is in the form of buses. The Jerusalem City Tour 3 (http://www.egged.co.il/Eng/main.asp?lngCategoryID=2773) (Bus 99), intended for tourists, does a loop of pretty much the whole city and costs NIS 45 adults and NIS 36 children for a one-day pass.
A light rail line is under construction and will be operational in 2008. It will link most parts of the city.
See
Jerusalem has an amazing array of attractions for the traveller to see. Following are some of the must-sees:
- Old City - the historical core of Jerusalem surrounded by Ottoman period walls, filled with sites of massive religious signficance and a bustling approach to life
- In West Jerusalem, be sure to visit the Israel Museum (home to the Dead Sea Scrolls and much more) and the heart-wrenching Yad Vashem Holocaust museum.
Do
Learn
- the Rothberg International School 4 (http://overseas.huji.ac.il/) - part of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Yad Vashem 5 (http://www.yad-vashem.org.il/) runs a number of educational courses treating the subject of the Holocaust and Genocide Studies.
Work
Buy
Jerusalem is big on t-shirts of all shapes, colours and designs, often with good evidence of Jewish humour being present! If shopping in the Old City's markets, be prepared to haggle.
Judaica is also a popular choice of purchase. The Old City's Jewish Quarter is particularly good for this.
Eat
In West Jerusalem a large number of restaurants and fast food outlets (including just about all those you'd expect to see at home) are located in and around Ben Yehuda Street and Jaffa Road. Try meorav yerushalmi (lit. "Mixed Jerusalem"), a pita or laffa bread stuffed with a tasty mix of spices and grilled meats.
The Old City is more interesting for authentic local experience and also less commercial - try exploring some of the back streets to keep away from the obligatory tourist traps.
- The Lebanese Restaurant is located just outside of Jerusalem in the Arab-Israeli village of Abu Gosh at 88 Hashalom St. (phone: 02-5335561). This restaurant, as its name would suggest, specializes in serving traditional Arab cuisine in the Lebanese style. The Lebanese Restaurant is frequented by locals, Israelis and tourists alike and serves, amongst other reasonably priced delicacies, what is arguably the country's best Hummous (chick pea paste). Many Israeli notables have eaten here and in good weather you can eat under the Mulberry tree that the restaurant is built around. Do not miss eating at this gem of a restaurant.
Drink
Sleep
The Old City has a diverse mix of small hotels, religious hospices and hostels that might appeal to the traveller.
West Jerusalem has a blend of B&Bs, guesthouses, small hotels and large hotels - all the way up to 5-star accommodation, including the famous King David Hotel. On the less visited Eastern side, the American Colony Hotel is one of the best-kept secrets in the city.
Contact
Phone
The area code for Jerusalem is 02 (the country code for Israel being 972).
The central Post Office for West Jerusalem is located near the head of Jaffa Road.
In the Old City, a Post Office can be found near Jaffa Gate, diagonally opposite the Tower of David Museum.
Israel continues the use of British "pillar" mail boxes in some areas of Jerusalem - these are a nice reminder of British Mandate days in the city.
Internet cafes
- Strudel, 11 Mombaz St, +972 2623 2101 (fax: +972 2622 1445). M-F noon-midnight, Sa 3PM-midnight. Jerusalem's original Internet cafe. Strudel was Jerusalem's first Internet cafe and takes its name from the Hebrew word for the "@" sign. This cafe was opened by an English-speaking husband and wife team who wanted to provide a safe haven for English speakers and since then Strudel has been a social hub. Faxing and scanning are also available. NIS 6/15 minutes.
- Wireless Internet - There is now a wireless internet connection in some of the streets in Jerusalem. The service is free of charge and can be accessed in the center of the city (Nov. 2004). The streets are: Midrahov Ben-Yehuda, Nahalat Shivaa st., Shlomzion hamalka st.
Stay safe
Depending on the political situation, terrorism may be a concern in public areas and on buses. Street crime is almost nonexistent, although pickpockets may work in crowds in the Old City, particularly in areas near the Western Wall.
External links
- The Jerusalem Website (http://www.jerusalem.muni.il/) - The official website of Jerusalem municipality. (Available in Hebrew, English, Arabic and Russian).