Centre
Central Israel covers Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and the coastal plain between them, a stretch packed with history. The posts here range from Caesarea on the coast through Bethlehem in the Judean Hills, the Jordan Valley, and Tel Aviv’s modern skyline. The geography is small but the historical and cultural concentration is hard to overstate.
41 articles
41 articles
The Ayalon Valley
A day in the Ayalon valley between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem: Tel Gezer's Israelite gate, Mini Israel, the Crusader Toron des Chevalliers and Latrun's silent Trappist monks, ancient Emmaus, the Tombs of the Maccabees and Neot Kedumim.
The Sea Peoples
Following the footsteps of the Sea Peoples along the southern coast: Tel Qasile in the Land of Israel Museum, Izbet Sartah, the Crusader fortress of Migdal Tzedek, Tel Afek / Antipatris, ancient Ashkelon and Jonah's Hill above the Ashdod port.
The Judean Mountains
A day in the Judean Mountains west of Jerusalem: archaeological excavations at Motza, the Crusader castle of Belmont, the Sataf farming terraces, the Scroll of Fire Holocaust sculpture, and a sunset from Pilots' Mountain.
The Battles for Jerusalem
A Jerusalem field trip across two wars: the Greek Orthodox monastery of San Simon and its 1948 battle, Kibbutz Ramat Rachel with its First Temple palace remains, and Ammunition Hill, the memorial to the 1967 capture of the Old City.
Jaffa
A guided walk through ancient Jaffa: the clock tower, Andromeda’s rock, St Peter’s Church, the Bronze Age excavations, Napoleon’s campaign route and the Protestant cemetery with its surprise occupant.
The Road to Jerusalem in 1948
A field trip along the 1948 road to Jerusalem: the Masrek viewpoint over Shaar Hagay, the snow-covered Castel, the Kiriat Anavim cemetery for the Harel Brigade, the Yad Lashiryon Armoured Corps memorial at Latrun, and the Burma Road that finally broke the siege.
Jerusalem in the British Mandate Period
A day touring buildings of the British Mandate period in modern Jerusalem: the Hansen House lepers' home, the garden neighbourhoods of Talbiye and Rechavia, the Tomb of Jason, Yad Ben Zvi, the National Institutions Building, Ratisbonne Monastery and the original Betzalel.
Roman and Byzantine Jerusalem
A field-trip day tracing the Roman and Byzantine layers of Jerusalem: Zedekiah's Cave by the Damascus Gate, the arches at Alexander Nevsky, the Byzantine corners of the Holy Sepulchre, the cardo, and the ruins of the Nea Church.
Leaving the Old City walls of Jerusalem
A field trip outside the western Old City walls: the old train station, St Andrew's Church, the Montefiore windmill in Mishkenot Sha'ananim, Yemin Moshe, the King David Hotel and YMCA, Machane Yisrael, Nachalat Shiva and the Mamilla cemetery.
The European Powers in Jerusalem
A walking tour of Jerusalem outside the walls in the 19th century: Mahanaim House and St Paul's Church, the Italian Hospital, the Ethiopian Church, Tabor House and the legacy of Conrad Schick, Beit Ticho and Beit HaRav, the Russian Compound and the Museum of the Underground Prisoners.
If you are going to Israel, you would be mad not to give him a call.
Amol Rajan, BBC presenter and broadcaster
Having been on trips in Israel with seven different tour guides, Samuel stood above all the rest.
Seasoned Israel traveller
Samuel is one part walking encyclopedia, one part storyteller, one part stand-up comedian.
Berkeley Haas Business School student