A little bit of heaven
HOLY CITY IS WINDOW ON THE PAST
WAILING, with their arms raised towards the heavens, a group of tourists at the Room of the Last Supper appear to lose themselves in the moment.
Tour guide, Uri Golani, shrugs it off, saying: “We call it ‘Jerusalem Syndrome’. People get emotional when they come here.”
I’m standing in the very place where Jesus is said to have eaten his last meal with his disciples, before the Romans decided to nail him to a cross.
Whatever your beliefs, Jerusalem is a window into centuries past and a place of pilgrimage for some of the world’s main religions.
Jews, Christians and Muslims all lay a claim. Many prophets have made their mark here and are still worshipped to this day.
Another must-see on the city’s trail of sacred destinations is the Via Dolorosa. On the street, believed to be the path Jesus took to his crucifixion, tourists can follow the 14 Stations of the Cross marked by discs on buildings. For my visit to the Western Wall, or Wailing Wall, I don a traditional brimless kippah cap.
But I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do here.
In the end I copy the folk already there and rest my forehead against the warm stone. Around me, lips move, reciting prayers and homilies by heart. Devotees are gripped in the moment.
Afterwards, I head to the Mount of Olives for a complete overview of the city.
Standing out with its gold dome glittering in the midday sun is The Temple Mount building, also known as the House of God.
The story goes that God gathered up the earth here to create Adam.
But Jerusalem is not just for believers. Tourists from all over the world come here to have fun haggling with street traders over carpets, scarves and urns, to marvel at wares at the Machane Yehuda food market and sip local beers in the bars along Jaffa Road, and then eat in the upscale restaurants, such as Adom, a muchtalked-about eaterie in the renovated First Train Station.
They also come to stay in some of the most luxurious hotels in the world – such as the Dan Boutique Jerusalem, a sleek, designer affair with trendy cocktail bar and elegant roof terrace.
Before I leave, I squeeze in a Segway ride around the Jewish area outside the city walls, taking in the famous Montefiore Windmill, the Lions Fountain, and ending at the Jaffa Gate. It proves to be a fast and fun way to see the sights.
Canyons
From Jerusalem, the Dead Sea is an easy day trip, but I chose to stay overnight at the five-star, adultsonly Spa Club and Hotel resort.
Chilling out and enjoying the area’s natural wonders are high on my to-do list, so I book into the hotel spa.
Opting for a massage, a therapist plasters my arms and legs in Dead Sea clay, famed for easing ailments such as eczema, sore muscles and stiff joints.
I then spend the afternoon in the Dead Sea itself, lying back in the water, letting the currents gently glide me along the silvery surface.
No matter how much you try, its unusually high salt content means you cannot sink.
I later take a jeep tour around the Judean Desert, a twisting hulk of dusty ravines that rise from the shores of the Dead Sea.
The canyons and valleys below stretch for miles and, on the other side of the West Bank, I can even see neighbouring Jordan.
There’s also Israel’s Negev Desert to explore and Maktesh Ramon, a vast hollowing in the earth.
Popular with tourists is the Club Ramon Hotel in the town of Mitzpe Ramon, close to the crater viewpoint, and a good base for anyone up for early morning yoga sessions in the desert or a camel ride.
We transfer to Tel Aviv and check into the Brown Hotel, a 70s-cool bolthole at the crossroads of the Neve Tzedek quarter and trendy Rothschild Boulevard.
Guests can admire the city’s skyline from its stylish sundeck, go for a whizz around town on one of the hotel’s bikes, available to borrow,
or take the 10-minute walk to the beach. We chose to meander through the markets in Old Jaffa where traders hawk everything from rugs to vinyl and jewels, before heading past art galleries down to the port where locals sip beers amid squawking seagulls.
With its buzzing bar scene and trendy eateries, Tel Aviv’s major draw is its nightlife.
We have dinner at the speakeasystyle Social Club, which serves a mix of Greek, Italian and Israeli-inspired delights.
We also sampled the delicious Middle Eastern flavours of Messa Restaurant and enjoyed a lunch of salads and kebabs at the friendly Ha’achim in the city centre.
On the final day we hit the beach. Tel Aviv’s entire west side faces the Med and there’s 14km of sandy shoreline.
Wandering into a beachfront bar, we order drinks and watch the world go by.
There are hipsters skating along the promenade on rollerblades and boards, young couples sunbathing on the sand, with a balmy sun hanging over it all. Bliss.