So yes, we’ve come up with a list of the TEN very best views in Israel, the views that you will quite possibly find yourself drooling over, and definitely beating yourself up over if you forget to charge your camera batteries before checking them out…

In no particular order…

Sunrise and early morning at Masada

Photo: Nicolas Leistenschneider

Perhaps the ultimate Holy Land view, this one is mixed with history, amazing desert landscapes, and a sunrise that peeks over the Jordanian mountains. It’s an amazing view at any time of the day, but best at sunrise simply for the magical moment the sun pops up over the mountains – and it also means you beat the mid-day heat which at most times of the year is almost unbearable. Read more about Masada.

Tel Aviv coastline from Old Jaffa

One of our fave Tel Aviv views is from Old Jaffa, where you can choose from various viewpoints to grab a glimpse of an amazing coastline. It looks great whatever the weather…and it looks especially great from the road that runs alongside the sea OR from the gardens that lie between the Flea Market and the enchanting lanes of Old Jaffa. Explore and find YOUR perfect viewpoint!

Jerusalem from the Church of the Redeemer

There are a number of great places to catch some of Jerusalem’s amazing skyline, and none more so than from within the heart of the Old City. Head to the Church of the Redeemer in the Christian Quarter of the Old City for a 360 degree lookout over some of Jerusalem’s most historic buildings and beyond. You’ll have to climb up to the top of the bell tower for the view, which is a bit claustrophobic and not for the physically challenged, but it’s well worth the effort (and the 5 shekels you might have to pay the cheeky doorman).

Tel Aviv view from Azrieli Tower

Photo: Michel D’anastasio

The best view in Tel Aviv is without doubt at the top of the Azrieli Tower (the round tower). 49 floors above the streets of Tel Aviv, it’s an amazing view. There is an entry fee (25 shekels), and you might want to call ahead to confirm they’re open (03-6081179), but on a beautiful day you can see for miles! While you’re up there, try the 2C restaurant for some great food and stunning views…

Vistas of the North from Mount Bental

One of the most spectacular views in Israel is from Mount Bental on the Golan Heights. Perched on top of the mountain is an old army outpost with views that stretch for miles in all directions. Highly recommended, especially on a clear day – read more here.

Stunning Galilee views from the Peace Vista

More spectacular views that might just leave you breathless are the plentiful vistas of the Sea of Galilee. It’s taken us years to find it, but for us, the most amazing view of the lowest freshwater lake in the world is at the Peace Vista on Kibbutz Kfar Haruv, which is located in the southern Golan Heights. Take a few minutes, sit on the benches, and enjoy…

Old City rooftops from the Austrian Hospice

Another stunning view of the Old City of Jerusalem is from the roof of the Austrian Hospice in the Muslim Quarter. With a great garden courtyard where you can grab a beer or coffee, this is a little oasis in the heart of the action. The rooftop is the clincher though, with amazing views across some of the most historically important sites in the world, seemingly almost at your fingertips…

Lunar landscapes at the Ramon Crater

The magnificent Ramon Crater is one of Israel’s true natural wonders, and the crater views are truly breathtaking. Head to the main tourist center in Mitzpeh Ramon for some great views, or the Camel Lookout, an isolated lookout point just down the road. Best time to see it is early morning or late afternoon. Read more about the Ramon Crater.

Sunset at the Louis Promenade in Haifa

Haifa might not be on everybody’s must-see list, but the stunning views from the Louis Promenade surely must be! Nicknamed the Balcony of the Country, this 400 meter long promenade at the top of the Bahai Gardens offers some truly spectacular scenery, best caught at sunset – and at night all those twinkling lights are also very impressive!

Above and below the Red Sea at the Eilat Underwater Observatory

The Eilat Underwater Observatory is a superb spot for experiencing the underwater delights of the Red Sea (truly amazing!) AND the views from the Peace Terrace of the Golden Triangle of the Red Sea; you can see four countries from here – Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and, of course, Israel. Read more about Eilat.

A couple of other views bubbling under…

We found it hard to leave these last views out, but you should also consider these if you’re on the hunt for amazing vistas…

Galilee vistas from Mount Tavor

Mount Tavor in the Lower Galilee is a superb place to catch some amazing views of the region. On a clear day you can see for miles, while at sunset, with the call to prayer wailing around from the nearby Arab villages, it can be an almost surreal experience…

Jerusalem from the Haas Promenade

This renowned tourist spot is perfect for those of you wanting to see most of Jerusalem’s holy sites in one super panoramic view. With a beautiful garden alongside, this is a great place for a scenic break – day or night!

Red Sea views from Dan’s Executive Lounge

If you’re lucky enough to experience the Executive Lounge at the lovely Dan Eilat hotel, the view from the 14th floor will leave you falling in love with the wonders of the Red Sea…

The hugely popular Jerusalem Light Festival returns to Jerusalem’s Old City this June for the FIFTH time!

We’ve been to this festival a couple of times, and it’s no wonder it’s one of Jerusalem’s much anticipated festivals. There’s nothing quite like strolling through some of those Old City lanes and coming across some amazing light art! It returns this year on June 5-13, and over 250,000 people are expected to visit this unique FREE event. The action takes place every evening, starting at 20:00, and ending at 24:00.

As always, expect to be wowed by some amazing light art and artists, with seven famous international light artists joining some top local talent.

Some of the highlights to watch out for at this year’s festival:

• Three light trails to follow which are spread throughout the Old City: White (from the Jaffa Gate plaza, Armenian Patriarchate Street, the archeological ruins in Gan Hatekuma and Hurva Square), Green (from HaTzanhanim Street via Damascus Gate and Zedekiah’s Cave to HaNotzrim Street), and Blue (makes its way through the Christian quarter).
• Light body designers and amazing street performers.
• Q, a rock circus featuring lit elements, acrobatics and acting (twice daily at the Habonim Gardens – Sun-Thurs at 20:15 and 22:00 and Saturday at 21:00 and 23:00).

For more details about the festival installations, see the official site.

And for a taste of what the Jerusalem Light Festival is all about , see the following video…

Click here to view the embedded video.

This year you can expect three days of some of the world’s very best jazz musicians, taking place at the Tel Aviv Cinemateque over 29-31 May.

The Tel Aviv Jazz Festival has become one of the city’s, if not Israel’s, major musical events and has become extremely popular. Tickets typically get snapped up quickly, so grab yours now (see the official site for details – only in Hebrew unfortunately).

Some of the hot jazz talent lined up for this year’s festival:

• The Daniel Zamir Quartet
• The Corey Wilkes Quintet with Greg Spero
• The Chihiro Yamanaka Trio
• Gary Bartz Quartet
• Irit Dekel and Eldad Zitrin
• Ester Rada

This year the festival takes place on May 30, and will showcase wines from the Yoav-Yehuda region around the lake at the Botanical Gardens. The action kicks off at 19:30, and will cost 60 shekels, which also gives you a free glass and a round of tastings. For more details call 02-6794012.

The Judean hills region has become a real hive of wine-making and wineries in recent years, and the main players in the region will be on display at the festival, including Srigim, Yehuda Wines, Bar Giora, Navot, Har Adar, Agur, Teperberg, Tzuba and Sea Horse.

The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens is located in the Nayot neighborhood of Jerusalem, next to the Hebrew University, Givat Ram Campus.

Just so you know, most Israelis will be on holiday for this two day holiday (and many will take additional days off), so many tourist spots will be fairly packed.

Ideally, you’ll eat some amazing cheesecake and stuff yourself silly with dairy products, as this is what Shavuot is traditionally about, but here we’ve listed some great alternative ways to get the most out of your Shavuot experience…

Head to a Kibbutz or Moshav!

For the ultimate Shavuot experience we highly recommend you head to a Kibbutz or Moshav, especially one that traditionally holds special events for the holiday.

Don’t be surprised to see dancing tractors, prancing farmers, and plenty of beautiful kids dressed up in white holding baskets of flowers! Great fun for all the family and for an insight into life and festivities in some of Israel’s friendliest communities. Read more here.

Ein Gev Shavuot Festival

One of our fave spots in the north, Ein Gev (read our full guide to Ein Gev), will be hosting some special Shavuot events over 15-18 May. Sail on the Sea of Galilee in specially decorated boats, get the kids to create something at Saba Yossi’s Carpentry shop, and enjoy a special festive meal at their legendary fish restaurant. For more details, call 04-6658008 or check out their Facebook page.

Indigo Festival on the Sea of Galilee

The annual Indigo Festival on the shores of the Sea of Galilee is a huge dance fest for those of you into your hardcore electronic beats. Head to the Golan Beach on 16-18 May, where you can also enjoy performances by Bary Sacharov and Yemen Blues, plus numerous DJ sets. There are also great family and camping facilities. Tickets cost 290-340 shekels for the three days. Click here for a slice of the festival action…

Milk and Honey Festival in the Yezreel Valley

The annual Milk and Honey Festival is a great festive occasion for lovers of Israeli music, with festivals throughout the Yezreel Valley. Expect to see legendary Israeli band Tislam at Nahalal Amphitheater, public singalongs with Einat Sirouf, and plenty of agriculturally friendly exhibitions and events. Call 04-6040575, 04-6220066 or 04-8418411 for more details.

Opening Ceremony at the new First Station in Jerusalem

Jerusalem’s newest tourist attraction – the revitalized original railway station – holds a festive pre-Shavuot event will take place on Tuesday May 14, and which will be the official grand opening of the station for Jerusalem residents. This place looks like becoming a BIG tourist hot spot in the years to come! Read more here.

Abu Gosh Festival

This bi-annual festival is pure paradise for lovers of vocal music, and has now evolved into one of Israel’s premier festivals over the last 20 years or so. The festival takes place 14-18 May in two churches in Abu Gosh (just outside Jerusalem). Read more about the Abu Gosh Festival, or click here for the full festival schedule.

King Herod Exhibition at the Israel Museum

The must-see exhibition of 2013 is the King Herod Exhibition at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. It’s already been packing the crowds in, so go get some! There are over 250 archaeological treasures on display, many of which were unearthed during recent digs in Herodium, Jericho, and other sites. Read more here.

Head to the Beach

With mid-May meaning typically hot sunny days, the beach could be the perfect place to while away a few hours. Great fun for all the family too.

Check out our guide to the very best beaches in Israel before you head out, there are some real beauties! But don’t forget the sunscreen and plenty of drinking water…

Haifolk – Haifa’s Indie Music Festival

The Haifa Indie Music Festival is a great off-the-beaten-track festival for music lovers, located in some great little pubs in Downtown Haifa. This year expect to see some great indie talent, including Eran Tzur, Oren Barzilai, Beni Bashan, and Efrat Ben Tzur among others. Read more here.

Metulla’s Poetry Festival

Located in Metulla, Israel’s most northern town, the annual Poetry Festival (now in its 16th year) taking place over 13-16 May is a great place to catch some unique music and poetry. Tickets cost between 40-140 shekels. Expect to catch some big names there too, including Eran Tzur, Etti Ankri, and the legendary Shalom Hanoch. Read more here.

Happy Shavuot!

Electronic legends Depeche Mode kicked off their new world tour in style last night – in Tel Aviv!

As big Depeche fans, we were also there, and have to say, they ROCKED TLV! Much much better than their previous gig here, back in 2009, which I know left a few people disappointed.

This time they were a bit more interactive with the crowd – I lost count of the number of times Dave Gahan shouted out Tel Avvvviv! – and the vibe seemed so much better. I have a feeling the crowd was a touch smaller than the 50,000 in 2009, but for those of you who stayed away, you missed out!

Just that buzz for the encores of Just Can’t Get Enough and my personal fave Never Let Me Down were worth the four year wait…and 2.25 hours of Depeche Mode at their finest is just so worth those hard-earned shekels…

Marks out of 10 – we’ll have to go with a 9!

Here are a few videos from the concert – mighty good ones!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Last here in 2007 when she performed two sell-out concerts in Tel Aviv, the talented anti-folk pianist will be performing at the Caesarea Amphitheater on August 24. Tickets are on pre-sale at 199 shekels, and then will rise up to a maximum of 350 shekels. For more details, call *9080.

The tour is part of Regina Spektor’s promotion for her latest album What We Saw From The Cheap Seats.

And although she has quite a fan base here in Israel, her most famous fans are President Barack Obama and The First Lady Michelle, who Regina has performed in front of twice.

Here’s a slice of one of her biggest hits, Fidelity, which was a big hit back in 2006.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The market is held Tuesdays (from 11:00 to 21:00) and Fridays (from 07:00 to 16:00) at the plaza next to the Rav Chen cinema in Dizengoff Square (on Fridays it is held on both sides of the square).

Expect to find a whole range of vintage and second hand goodies on sale, as sellers will range from old-hand antique dealers to young designers trying to make a name for themselves.

Dust off your wallet if you’re looking for second hand accessories, collectible artifacts, notes and coins, old toys, posters, postcards, cameras, collectibles, old jewelry, rare books, vintage clothing… and more!

If you’re also interested in selling at this market it only costs 100 shekels per day for a stall – call 03-5223633 for details.

Photo courtesy Tel Aviv Municipality.

Pitbull will perform at the Exhibition Grounds in Tel Aviv on August 12. Tickets are currently on pre-sale at 259 shekels, call *2207 for more details.

Pitbull, probably the world’s hottest rapper, and renowned international hitmaker and king of collaborations, will be in Israel for one show only.

The American producer and rapper has teamed up with some of music’s biggest names, including Christina Aguilera, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Brown, Marc Anthony, Sean Paul, Enrique Iglesias, and many more. He’s also the man behind some huge hits, including ”I Know You Want Me”, “Dance Again” (with Jennifer Lopez), and “Get It Started” (with Shakira).

Pitbull has sold some 5 million albums sold and 40 million singles worldwide, with number 1 hits in more than 15 countries, and music videos with over 3 billion views! Yes, his shows across the world are very big news and typically sold out – so grab a ticket while you can!

Here’s some Pitbull to get you in the mood for that Tel Aviv gig…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Last year’s first ever race was a big success, so the guys from DBI (Dragon Boat Israel), a Canadian-Israel venture, are back again to once more give you the taste of the fun and adventure behind a dragon boat race.

You can register to take part as long as you have a team of dragon paddlers – 8 women as a minimum are needed, and paddlers must be at least 12 years old. The great thing is that all equipment is provided by the DBI, including the boats! A day of training is provided the day before the race.

There’s plenty more to see at the Festival, in addition to the Dragon Boat races themselves, with arts and crafts stands, food stalls, a beer garden, jugglers, kids activities, drum workshops, dance troupes, and some live bands.

The fun for racers takes place on the waters of the Sea of Galilee; the fun for spectators takes place at the Ma’agan Eden Hotel, a Kibbutz guest house and resort located on the southern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

For more info and registration details, see the official website: www.dragonboatisrael.com

Details are yet to be set in stone, but it looks like The XX will be performing a concert in Jerusalem as part of their world tour to promote their album Coexist. The date is also yet to be confirmed, but looks like it will be August 7-16. As soon as we get more details, we’ll publish them here!

The XX are an indie pop band formed back in 2005. Their self-produced debut album XX, released in 2009, was a huge hit with critics, and also won them the Mercury Music Prize in 2010.

We’ve heard them quite a bit on Israeli radio, especially their haunting hit Angels, so here’s a taste of what The XX can do…looking forward to this one!

Click here to view the embedded video.

The spring and park area is between the Malha and Gilo neighborhoods of the city, down a dusty road from the Biblical Zoo parking lot. Despite an uphill incline, it’s an easy twenty-five minute hike up the road due to the mostly paved surfaces, and the views of the Judean Hills make the walk even easier. To the left are the lush green hills of the Gilo Forest, separated from the path by a vast valley with the Israel Rail railroad tracks in the middle. The train rumbling through the ancient valley looks oddly out of place among the cypress trees and green shrubs. Finally, the road to the spring ends in a small parking lot and a steep but short climb.

The Ein Lavan spring appears like a mirage. Surrounded by smooth rocks that form a terrace, the water is cold and refreshing after the hike. The feeling of slippery algae under your feet is a little off-putting, and at times the little critters living in the water will tickle your toes, but otherwise the water feels relatively clean and fresh. Since the water level is about chest-high, it’s the perfect height for cooling off sweaty legs and feet without an entire dunking. The rocks around the spring are custom-made for lying down with feet dangling in the water.

A flat area to the side allows for barbecues, games, and frolicking. You might see donkeys and their owners meander by, stopping to let the animals munch some grass. A little higher up the hill is a sandy road ideally suited for dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles whose roaring sounds punctuate the stillness of the area. Without the sounds of the engines and the sight of the railroad tracks down the hill, it’s easy to imagine yourself living in ancient times, surrounded by nothing but nature and blue skies.

A trip to the spring could be an excursion by itself, suitable for the whole family, or as a complement to a morning at the Biblical Zoo (see our guide to the amazing Jerusalem Biblical Zoo). Be sure to wear walking shoes and sunscreen, and don’t forget to clean up any picnic leftovers. There are no public facilities besides nature.

How to get to Ein Lavan

Take the 33, 26A, or 99 buses or the train to the Biblical Zoo. Walk through the parking lot until the end where there is a small road and a sign noting the start of the nature path. About two kilometers down that road are the steps leading up to the spring. By car, drive to the Biblical Zoo (Derech Aharon Shulov 1) and keep driving through the parking lot to the small road at the back that leads to the spring.

This article was written by new olah Caroline Hughes, you can find her on Twitter.