Over 10 million visitors tour Jerusalem’s Old City each year, making it one of the most visited areas in Israel by both locals and foreign tourists. A destination this popular deserved a “tourist upgrade” and that’s just what it got!

The Jerusalem Development Authority has launched a state-of-the-art website (http://www.jerusalem-oldcity.org.il/) for an informational one-stop-shop where visitors and those planning to visit can find all the information they need to plan their trip to the Old City. Included in this site are maps of tour routes, complete with downloadable MP3 audio files to accompany the routes. But, it doesn’t stop there. Now there’s also a free app to guide you through the Old City!

The Jerusalem Development Authority partnered with a New-Zealand based software developer to create an iPhone compatible app that will soon be available for android users as well. The development of this type of tourist initiative is the first of its kind in Israel and is at the forefront of the Authority’s efforts to provide the highest quality experience for tourists. This new app offers visitors a dramatically improved experience of the Old City via audio-guided tours of 15 different walking trails (some of which are handicapped-accessible) all accompanied by maps, photos and additional information.

With two apps available – one in Hebrew and one in English – this new app will undoubtedly change the face of personal walking tours! The app is available in the Apple app store and is free to download.

Click here to learn more about Jerusalem’s Old City

Israel Tour Connection is the premier tour operator in North America. We guarantee a trip filled with a lifetime of memories. Don’t wait, contact us today to make your dream trip a reality.

Safed (Tzfat) is a beautiful breezy mountaintop in northern Israel that dates back more than 2,000 years. Crusaders, Kabbalists and artisans all played an important part in the story of this artistic Galilean city. A popular tourist destination, Safed is home to a thriving Artists Colony and many significant religious sites dating from the 13^th-16^th century rabbinic mystics, including Isaac Luria.

The Gallery Street of the Safed Artists Colony houses all genres of artists…  painters, sculptors, textile artists, potters, calligraphers, glassblowers, micrographers and scribes.

A permanent collection of paintings and sculptures are housed in the Safed Artists Museum. Another notable museum is the Frenel Museum which is home to the abstract paintings of Yitzhak Frenel. Frenel is the great-grandson of the 18^th century founder of the Hassidic movement that led a group of 1930s artists in setting up the Artist Colony.

Sarah’s Tent is one of the newest and most comprehensive centers for art that is located deep in the Old City. As a branch of a successful Jerusalem gallery, it showcases seven different galleries exhibiting and selling one-of-a-kind items made by more than 70 artists, from jewelry to paintings. Sarah’s Tent was established by immigrants from Montreal about eight years ago, and has become the exclusive dealer for Israeli artist Avi Ben Simhon, whose exuberant Fauvist and Cubist-influenced work is displayed in more than 100 galleries worldwide.

Israel Tour Connection is the premier tour operator in North America. We guarantee a trip filled with a lifetime of memories. Don’t wait, contact us today to make your dream trip a reality.

Experience Israel The Zimmer Way!

Bed and Breakfasts, Country Cabins, Zimmers… no matter what you call them, these rural lodgings offer a unique and different view of Israel and are quickly becoming the popular alternative to big city hotels. They can be found all over Israel from towns to kibbutzim and farming communities. Some may be located next to farmers fields, orchards, or wineries while others are located close to historical sites and attractions and some are atop mountains or along the beaches.

Whatever you desire, from deserts, to oceans and beaches, to mountains, or farms and vineyards, zimmers are popping up anywhere and everywhere and are very accessible and popular with both locals and tourists alike. Most offer upscale accommodations with multiple amenities, like Jacuzzis, cable TV, wine, fireplaces, children’s playgrounds and swimming pools. And the prices are good too. Weekdays you can save up to half off the cost of staying in the city. However, the prices do go up on weekends as they have become a popular destination for city dwellers to get away to the country!

These wonderful alternatives to traditional accommodations offer rustic atmospheres accompanied by delicious local meals and an educational introduction to country living. For instance, some zimmers offer activities like harvesting produce, visiting the livestock, riding horses, visiting olive or wine pressing plants or riding in wagons.

Native Israelis have become so enthralled with zimmers that it has become a cottage industry and many are leaving the city to run a zimmer of their own. Recent figures show that the number of zimmers has increased by 40% over the past two years. So, no matter what you call them, they are definitely the new popular form of accommodations in Israel. After all, the best way to get to know a country is to talk to its residents and learn how they live.

Israel Tour Connection is the premier tour operator in North America. We guarantee a trip filled with a lifetime of memories. Don’t wait, contact us today to make your dream trip a reality.

Akko: Fishing boats in the bay, with the old Mediterranean sea wall

The Exhibition Focuses on Special Moments of Prayer by Artists of Various Faiths

A new group exhibition called Prayer has recently opened in the Okashi Art Museum in the Old City of Akko.  The exhibition features Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Druze, and Hindu artists using still photography and video exhibits to focus on special moments of prayer in Israel and other areas around the world.

Open to the public, the Prayer exhibit runs alongside other temporary exhibitions of contemporary Israeli art, as well as the permanent exhibitions of the late Israeli artist Avshalom Okashi, whose works were inspired by the scenery, human landscape and spirituality of Israel.

Akko: Old Mediterranean sea wall and promenade

The Old City of Akko has been identified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major tourist destination for visitors to northern Israel. Tourism Commission, North and South America, Haim Gutin, says that “Akko is one of the most important cities of ancient times and has so much to offer all travelers. The remains of various cultures make Akko a distinct combination of art and religion.”

Akko has a unique blend of East and West, featuring the colorful Oriental Bazaar, historical buildings dating back to Roman times, including Ottoman-era buildings, the subterranean Crusader city, Turkish baths, Templars Tunnel, an ancient fishing port, and much more.

Let Israel Tour Connection plan and organize your tour to Israel.

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Image from freeisraelphotos.com

Ein Avdat – Nature At Its Finest

Spectacular views… pristine trails and canyons… natural beauty and wildlife… that’s the Ein Avdat National Park. Ein Avdat is a breathtakingly beautiful narrow canyon in the Zin Valley of Israel’s Negev Desert, and home to a number of springs that flow into two deep pools via spectacular waterfalls.

The Ein Avdat National Park runs the full length of the canyon and has two entrances – one at the bottom of the canyon and one at the top. The top (Southern) entrance affords a magnificent panoramic view of the canyon. Many tourists come just for the view and never even enter the canyon. The bottom (Northern) entrance’s parking lot is just adjacent to the spring of Ein Mor and the riverbed trails. These trails follow the riverbed as the canyon gets narrower and the cliffs rise higher. After a bit the walls of the canyon close up completely and a stunning waterfall cascades into the pool down each side of an artificial divider dam.

In 1956, Israeli teens carved steps into the cliff just before the waterfall. These steps, which have been improved by the National Parks Authority over the years, lead up to a trail that crosses the stream back and forth, ultimately leading to a carved rock water channel. Also nearby is a two-room man-made hermit cave that was once inhabited by the monks. The park has many trails for both the amateur and experienced hiker to enjoy. Since this area has been inhabited for thousands of years, many artifacts, such as flint tools, have been found that date back to 80,000-90,000 years making this an important area for archaeologists.

During the time of the Spice Routes, Avdat became a popular station along the Nabatean Spice Route and had thriving cities. In the Byzantine period, it became a Christian city and the canyon was inhabited by monks. When the kibbutz Sdeh Boker and the road to Eliat were completed, a trail was constructed giving easy access to any travelers or hikers.

Today, Ein Avdat is acclaimed as one of Israel’s most beautiful natural spots. The park is a reserve for ibex, griffin and other birds of prey and a popular destination for travelers who enjoy nature at its finest.

Israel Tour Connection is the premier tour operator in North America. We guarantee a trip filled with a lifetime of memories. Don’t wait, contact us today to make your dream trip a reality.