Israel

A Food Scene That Refuses to Stand Still

Tel Aviv has become one of the world's great eating cities, fuelled by a melting pot of culinary traditions stretching from Eastern Europe to North Africa and beyond. Hummus joints open at dawn and close when the bowl runs dry. Shuk HaCarmel market overflows with fresh herbs, spices and street food worth lingering over. Rooftop restaurants stretch the concept of Israeli cuisine into thrilling new directions, and the city's vegan restaurant density is among the highest anywhere on the planet.

Deserts, Seas and Everything Between

The geography of Israel is startling in its variety. The Negev desert swallows the south in vast silence, punctuated by the extraordinary crater of Makhtesh Ramon. The Dead Sea sits at the lowest point on earth, its salt-thick waters supporting an effortless float that never gets old. In the north, the green hills of the Galilee roll toward the Sea of Galilee, where ancient fishing villages and Roman ruins sit side by side. The Mediterranean coast strings together a necklace of beaches from Eilat in the south to Akko in the north.

Culture, Creativity and a City That Never Stops

Tel Aviv's White City, a UNESCO-listed collection of Bauhaus architecture, gives the city a distinctive look that sets it apart from anywhere else in the region. The nightlife hums seven days a week, the gallery scene is punchy and international, and the startup energy that has earned the country the nickname Start-Up Nation spills into coffee shops and co-working spaces across the city. Alongside Tel Aviv, Haifa offers a quieter cosmopolitan rhythm, with the stunning Bahai Gardens cascading down Mount Carmel to the sea below.