Travel Guide to Israel: 8 Days in Israel
Every year, my family takes a trip for Christmas. This year, we went to Rome, Israel and Jordan and I was in charge of planning the whole trip. We spent 8 days touring Israel on our own with almost no guided tours.
This blog will focus on Israel: where we went, what to do, where we stayed, and how to celebrate Christmas in Israel.
Here is what we did and how I planned the trip! First, a few things you should know:
Day 1: Fly to Tel Aviv and drive to Jerusalem
The Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv is the main international airport in Israel. We rented a car from a rental car company at the airport and drove to Jerusalem (about an hour drive). On the way, we stopped for dinner in a town called Modi’in, which is a very non-touristy town. We ate at a cool restaurant called פדריק. The staff were excited to speak with Americans, and the food was great! Right across the street is a bulk Israeli grocery store. We had lots of fun walking around and stocking up on tea, dried fruit, and candy. Then we continued on to Jerusalem for the night.
A bulk food market in Modi’in, Israel.
Day 2: Jerusalem: Mahane Yehuda Market, Old City, and Bethlehem for Christmas Eve
Mahane Yehuda Market
We started Day 2 at the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem, a busy street market also known as “The Shuk”. There are lots of vendors selling fruit, teas, sweets, and other goods. You can easily walk to the market from Jaffa Street or from the Old City. We bought some fruit and tea then ate lunch at a litt[……]
