Jerusalem – The Top 8 Places to Visit

Unmissable places for those visiting the Holy City for the first time

The 3,000-year- old holy city is decidedly magical. Every corner and every stone exude history and a trip to this beautiful city really leaves a mark. We have selected eight must-see places for those visiting Jerusalem for the first time. Whether ancient or modern, they are not necessarily places of worship, even if the first three stages that we recommend are necessarily linked to the three monotheistic religions that make up the social fabric of Jerusalem.

The Wailing Wall

It is the holiest site to Judaism, but anyone can go there. This is the retaining wall built by Herod two thousand years ago during the renovation of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Also called the Western Wall or, in Hebrew, Kotel, anyone can come within a few centimeters and insert a note containing a prayer between the cracks of the large stones. The important thing is that men and women access it from different sides (men on the left and women on the right).

The Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher

This is the holiest site to the Christian religion and remembers the place where Jesus was crucified and buried. The original church was built by the Emperor Constantine in the 4th century and enlarged by the Crusaders in 1149. It is the Church of the Churches as six different Christian groups gather in it: the Orthodox Greeks, the Franciscans, the Armenians, the Syrians, the Copts and the Ethiopians and all of them share the space and their respective traditions.

Haram el-Sharif or Temple Mount

It is a large square – Esplanade of the Mosques – where the Dome of the Rock stands, a golden dome representing one of the first examples of Islamic architecture, and the al-Aqsa Mosque. It is the third holiest site in the Islamic world after the Ka’ba found in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

Biblical Cuisine of the Eucalyptus

After a full immersion in the sacred places of the three monotheistic religions, here is the most incredible gastronomic stop you can do. This restaurant combines Middle Eastern cuisine from Bible times with international cuisine, using only local ingredients. The chef Moshe Bassan who prepares dishes of biblical cuisine became famous in Italy for losing part of the Cous Cous Fest in San Vito lo Capo. If you want to immerse yourself in history, try the recipes from the times of King Solomon.

Along The Ancient City Walls

You can get lost in the narrow alleys of the Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, passing from the Arab to the Christian, from Hebrew to Armenian quarters without even realizing it. But if you really want to understand Jerusalem, you have to take a walk along the walkways that run around the ancient city. It starts from the Jaffa Gate, to the west, where stones dating back to 1538 are trampled and placed there by the Ottoman Turks at the time of Suleiman the Magnificent. The circumference of the city measures only 4 kilometers, so it is a doable tour. You will touch the eight ancient gates of Jerusalem, including what remains of the Roman gate that is located below today’s Damascus Gate and Golden Gate.

The Austrian Hospice

Right in the center of the Old Town, in the midst of the chaos of the Arab quarter, there is an oasis of paradise. After opening a gate and climbing a dozen stone steps, you leave all the noise behind and enter a place where it seems to have been teleported to Vienna. Boiserie, red velvets, liberty chandeliers. This place, run by religious, houses a hotel and a restaurant. Room prices are moderate and you can also just stop for lunch for a hot plate of goulash, a Wiener Schnitzel (the schnitzel) or a slice of Sacher. On the hottest days you can rest in the shade of flowering plants in the raised garden from which you can enjoy a beautiful view of Jerusalem

The City of David

A tour of the ancient City of David, the city that King David made the capital of his kingdom or the original nucleus of Jerusalem, located on the mountain, will make you understand the importance of water in the history of the city. Put on water-repellent shoes and take a torch with you to enter Hezekiah’s Tunnel carved into the rock, where water still flows up to the knees. The tunnel carried water from the Gihon spring to the Siloam Pool within the city walls. The pool is the same in which Jesus performed the second miracle, the Healing of the man born blind, Gospel according to John (9: 1-41).

Yad Vashem – Holocaust Museum

It is a crazy place where it is impossible not to feel your heart squeeze. It is Israel’s official memorial to the Jewish victims of the holocaust founded in 1953. On his recent visit to Israel, Pope Francis dedicated a stop to this museum. In addition to the historical museum, the art gallery and an archive, the most representative place is the Hall of Names. Outside there is also the Garden of the Righteous, a garden dedicated to those in the world who have opposed crimes against humanity. The promoter was Moshe Bejski, saved by Oskar Schindler, made famous by a famous film.