JERUSALEM, ISRAEL

From the sky, Jerusalem is a mass of white stone dwellings, spread over hilltops, with the walled Old City as a center point. Despite the city's buildings all being made from the same stone, (this is according to a planning law), the diversity from area to area is huge, with each neighborhood being its own little world. Within a matter of kilometers you can switch from the history and intensity of the Old City, to the cosmopolitan buzz of downtown, from the hubbub of a souk to the peacefulness of a panoramic look-out point, from hearing Arabic on Salah Al-Din Street to Hebrew in Malha Mall, from the religiosity of Mea Shearim to the dance club culture of Talpiot.

Old City

The walled Old City is the center of Jerusalem (but sometimes feels like the center of the world), with Jewish West Jerusalem on its one side and Arab East Jerusalem on its other. It's a wonderful place to get lost in by day and to marvel at its fairytale-like beauty when it is floodlit at night. A walk around the Ramparts Walk of the city walls is recommended to get a feel for the... more