Rating system for places of travel:
****=don't miss this place
***=try to visit this place
**=visit only if you have time to spare
*=don't bother, it sucks
Jerusalem (****). You can't visit Israel without visiting Jerusalem. I love Jerusalem because it's so interesting to see how people revere the ancient holy places, and what people are willing to do to hold on to Jerusalem. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is very evident in Jerusalem because 150,000 Palestinians live in the eastern section, and they are constantly being swamped by more Jewish settlers. I saw a few fights and spitting matches in the Old City.
Tel-Aviv (****). You should visit Tel-Aviv to see the contrast from Jerusalem. Tel-Aviv is much less religious and the Middle East conflict is much less evident. It's basically just a regular European-type of city, with lots of nightclubs, cafes, and great beaches. I like Tel-Aviv because it is more representative of Israeli culture than Jerusalem. My favourite parts of Tel-Aviv are the beach and the Carmel Market. The suburbs of Tel-Aviv are just as beautiful, and they have a really great atmosphere.
Hebron (****). Yes, 4 stars means "don't miss this place," but when dealing with Hebron there may be some good reasons to miss it. I found Hebron incredibly fascinating because it is the fiercest spot of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Jews and Arabs are fighting over Hebron because that is where the biblical figure Abraham is supposedly buried. When I was there there were Arab kids throwing rocks and molotov cocktails at Israeli soldiers, and the soldiers were shooting rubber bullets. Be cautious in Hebron, because violence can erupt easily and quickly. Make it obvious that your a tourist, or else you may be mistaken for a Jewish settler and attacked.
Acco/Acre (****). This is probably the most beautiful town in Israel. The Old City and the marina are gorgeous. I just sat on a rock and stared out across the bay for about an hour. And there's a lot of historical sites here, like the Crusader ruins and a Turkish bath house. One of the oldest cities in the world.
Netanya (***). The beaches are beautiful and the city's really cool. Pure downtown funk. If you like watching people and just hanging out, then this place is really cool, but other than that there's nothing to see. It's a big tourist spot because of it's beaches.
Bethlehem (***). This is the town infamous for being the birthplace of Jesus. Anyone of Christian background should visit here just to see the Church of the Nativity. Unfortunately, it's a pretty ugly and boring town. Don't plan on hanging out there. The only other site to see is the Tomb of Rachel, a biblical figure. Rachel's Tomb is guarded by Israelis, so some times you see some stone-throwing incidents.
Eilat (***). I think that Eilat is overrated. I liked Eilat, and I had a nice time there, but it wasn't the most beautiful place in Israel like people say. The beaches in Tel-Aviv are much better. Eilat is expensive and it's full of European tourists, so if you're looking to explore Israeli culture, go somewhere else. The best part is snorkelling in the Red Sea, because the sea life is beautiful. Eilat's also a good stopping place on the way to Egypt.
Tiberias (**). I think that Tiberias is highly overrated. It's a small town without much action, it's EXPENSIVE, and the people there make you want to leave the country (troublemaking punks). The only good thing about this town is that it is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, which is always good for a swim. If you're an active Christian you'll find the surrounding holy sites interesting.
Golan Heights (**). I found the heights interesting, but only because I'm interested in the country's war history (the heights are an occupied part of Syria). Most are bored to death by the Golan Heights. I hear that it looks nice in Winter and Spring, but in the summer there was nothing but parched grass.
Haifa (**). I liked the city of Haifa because it has an interesting look to it, but there isn't much to see aside from the Baha'i gardens and shrine. Baha'i is an interesting religion with it's main shrine in Haifa. The shrine and gardens are really beautiful, but that's the only tourist site.
Nazerath (**). For active Christians this place would get ***, but for anyone else it's a pretty boring place. It's a pretty ugly town, but I found it somewhat interesting because of its Israeli Arab population.
Be'er Sheva (*). This city sucks, period. It's ugly, it's in the middle of nowhere, the cabbies are swindlers, and there's nothing to do there.
Arad (*). Same as Be'er Sheva.
If there is a place I did not mention, it's likely because I didn't
go there. I didn't go to Caesaria, Jericho, Gaza, the Westbank north
of Jerusalem, and a few other places.
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