We decided to make our trip to Israel in order to compensate for a previous planned trip that was cancelled due to the pandemic: Jordan + Israel. Finally, we decided to do 2 separate trips and we couldn’t help but comparing both countries as they are “twin” countries. All in all, they are quite different and Israel is a very cultural and religious country that can be enjoyed at a different level if the traveller is versed in those topics.

The main experience was actually being surrounded by a full jewish community and system. We spent a Pesach and a Shabbos there, so we learned what it means for the jews to fully rest.

All costs you will see below always belong to 2 people, so if you want to know the individual price for everything, just split it by half. Also, we noted all prices in Israel Shekels, NIS, but converted them in Euros at the end.

Day 1 – Tel Aviv

Arrival at 4:15, we took the train 100 to the city centre (it left at 05:38 and stopped at Tel Aviv Ha’Fa, we walked from there to the hotel). Cost: 9NIS per person. We arrived at the hotel at 6:10, they allowed us to stay and take a short nap while our room was getting ready: The O’Pod hotel, not bad, not good. We woke up at 10:30, had a shower and went for brunch to Benedict, which costed us 145 NIS including tip, which we were forced to give at that time, but didn’t happen again in the whole trip. We went to get a sim card to a shopping mall and got it from 019 (the telecom company) for 100NIS, 50 MGs. Later we walked around the Caramel market, where we saw shops, the promenade, the Pagoda House and took a walk on Eliat Street, which ends in a restaurants and bars area. Had a coffee at Bread Station for 30NIS. We later explored Jaffa, which is the old town of Tel Aviv and it’s very beautiful but we had a terrible experience with dinner: disgusting guy tried to scam us with the kebabs, which we paid in cash and were 145NIS. We ended up the day watching the sunset at the beach.

Day 2 – Caesarea and Haifa

We had the nicest breakfast at Aroma (croissants and coffee) for 46NIS, picked up our car at Eldan, the local car rental company in Dan Panorama. Drive to Caesarea, just 1 hour and the entrance to the park was 76NIS. After that, we drove to Haifa and had a kebab Johnny Kebab for 107 NIS, which was ok, but all vegetables were pickled and we didn’t like it. We bought some cravings at a supermarket for 100NIS, and had ice cream at the Airbnb. Later, climbed to Behai Gardens around the hill, which was more than 1 hour long and very sweaty, we recommend taking the bus up hill. We exchanged cash there and it was ok, just 4€ commission. We bought some pre-cooked dishes at a supermarket for 30NIS for dinner. I had a terrible night as the Airbnb was just in front of a traffic light and the main road and the noises wouldn’t let me sleep.

Day 3 – Acre, Nazareth and Tiberias

We drove to Acre, which is one of the nicest places in all Israel although we didn’t visit its caves. After that, we drove to Nazareth, where we visited the Church of Annunciation (where supposedly the Archangel Gabriel tells Virgin Mary she will have a child) and had the greatest lunch at Rosemary’s 114 NIS. Later we drove to Tiberias, to the Galilea’s Sea, also visited the Ramban tumb. We did a late night shop at a supermarket for 64NIS and drove to our next destination near to Beit She’An in order to have an easier morning the next day as we would be visiting it.

Day 4 – Beit She’An

Visit to Beit She’An, it was empty and gorgeous. 52 NIS entrance. We later drove to Beit Guvrin, which took us 2 hours. We benefitted from a free entrance because it was closed because of Pesach and got inside the caves without security. We had to put gas to our car, which was 189 NIS (very similar prices as in Europe). Fromt here, we drove to Arad, where everything is closed and we had to make our purchases in a Russian Supermarket called Deli Market for 166 NIS. We had pizza, toasts and noodles, which we could cook in our Airbnb and it was the first city where we started seeing Ultraorthodox Jews in the street.

Day 5 – Masada

We drove to Masada for 50 minutes. The entrance fee was 65NIS and the hike up took us 1 hour via the Snake Path. The security staff at the base camp recommended us to bring 5L of water per person, but there are fountains up there, so it wasn’t necessary. There’s a restaurant at the base camp, which was a gift even though it wasn’t cheap, 166NIS, similar to a free buffet. We drove to the Dead Sea and walk around it for a bit. Later we took our longest drive: 2:30 hours surrounding Cisjordanie, you can see the wall from the car and it’s very scary. We arrived to Jerusalem at 19:00. We were lucky enough as parking the car at the streets is free during public holidays until next day at 8:00. As everything was closed, we had no other choice but going McDonalds for dinner for 106 NIS.

Day 6 – Jerusalem

We returned our car and filled up what was left in the deposit, which was 112NIS. Walked around the Old Town, Sant Sepulcro was closed until later in the day. All streets bringing to the muslim area was closed due to a conflict that took place there a couple of days back, so we couldn’t see the nice mosque there. We visited the Second Temple of Salomon and the Wailing Wall, where the women’s side is quite boring and the real deal happens at the men’s side, which is bigger and apparently has an indoors library, which is cooler. We hiked up the Ascension Church, 20 NIS, Olives Hill, Getsemene, Mary’s Church and jewish cemetery. We were exhausted so we had a burger at IWO’s for 155NIS. Later, we looked for the King’s David Tumb but the jews wouldn’t let us in. We also learned that shorts in Santo Sepulcro aren’t allowed in the worst way possible as Guillem couldn’t get in because of it and I had to experience how very devoted people had their craziest experience in the rock. We had 2 slices of pizza in Chilli Pizza for 32 NIS for dinner. This place saved us a couple of times.

Day 7 – Jerusalem

Everything was closed again because it was Shabbos, but could have Breakfast at Bezalel for 160NIS and visited the Israel Museum for 108NIS, we really recommend it for a day like that one, it’s really interesting and enormous. I got some compliments about my dress on the way there by the young jewish ladies. We did laundry for 30 NIS and went to find to the Austrian Hospice’s rooftop the sunset views, which isn’t free, it costs 10 NIS to get up there. We tried to find a restaurant but failed, so we got another pizza and pasta at Chili Pizza for 111NIS and bought A beer at the supermarket downstairs for 15 NIS. Up until that point, we were staying at the Maz, a great hotel or hostel, we aren’t sure, but the prices were around 75€ per night, very centric and big rooms with private bathrooms. As we had to extend our trip, we were forced to find another hotel for our last day, so we had to accept whatever was available at that point.

Day 8 – Jerusalem

We moved to Capsule Hotel X, the directions on the app and everywhere are wrong, so it was a miracle that we got there. Went to Yehuda Market (15 minutes walking) and had a watermelon and carrot juice for 30 NIS. Bought a card for the tram for 5 NIS and added 2 trips for 11NIS. 1 same card can’t be used by 2 people unless it’s used in the bus. We confirmed that everything closed even thought Google says it’s open and it wasn’t Shabbos, so that irritated us a lot. We had lunch at Zuni for 172 NIS, but it was worth the views and the lamb burger, quite special. We later took a walk at the Haas Tayalet Promenade, where the locals spend their afternoon with all their kids. We later went to City of David, we didn’t get into the tunnels. but it seems like a nice space for kids. And something that we tried to do but couldn’t find the way to, was waling up the city walls, where there’s a path and tourists can walk around the whole old town just following it. Tried again to see the mosque but couldn’t. We visited the jewish quarter last minute and it was quite an experience: full of families gathering, there was popcorn and it had views to the Wailing Wall. We had our last dinner at Kazza, which was the most expensive one, for 190 NIS, but the place was apparently very niche for italian food with specific wheat.

Day 9 – Trip back

We had a terrible night at the Capsule Space X, it’s a noisy and warm place. Went to Aroma cafe but they didn’t have any croissants and our coffees costed us 26 NIS. All bakeries were closed, so we bought a new card for the tram for 5NIS, loaded the card with 5,5NIS in order get to the central train station and get the fast train and find something to eat at the airport, which was a success. The train tickets were 36 NIS total and the train comes at :09 and :59 and it takes 20 minutes. Airport bakery 27.5NIS, big sandwiches for the flight 90NIS. At the security control, we were questioned very intimately and for a lot of time and were forced to check our backpack in for 260NIS as we weren’t supposed to exceed the 5kg per item. Actually we were quite disappointed with the whole airport experience.

And now, we proceed to detail our spent for the full trip:

Restaurants: 433€

Flights: 751€

Car (and gas): 448€

Hotels: 683€

Entrance tickets: 82.5€

Supermarkets: 93€

Public transport: 22.7€

Travel insurance: 20.5€

Sim card: 26.53€

Laundry: 7€

TOTAL: 2567€ for 2 people