When you think of traveling to Israel visiting religious sites in Jerusalem or basing yourself in Tel Aviv may initially come to mind. However, when exploring Israel it is paramount to set aside enough time to get off the beaten path and explore more of the country. Fortunately, for us, we were able to make two separate trips to Israel experiencing as much food, culture, historical and modern attractions as we possibly could. The following is a list of things to do in Israel with a focus on the top attractions in this travel guide: 1) Regardless of whether you can swim (or not swim) well you will most certainly float when visiting the Dead Sea. Covering yourself in gooey mud and joining others floating is one of the top attractions in Israel. 2) No trip to Israel would be complete without sampling the local cuisine and especially the street food. With this in mind we walked all the way from our hotel room in Tel Aviv to Jaffa - an ancient city renowned for its amazing hummus and other street food. Aside from just hummus we were able to try Shaksouka, cheese stuffed pastries, malabi and kanafeh. 3) Having the opportunity to take a tour of the West Bank (or Palestine) is an eye opening experience. Media coverage, from the perspective of the west, often depicts this area as being quite unruly and poor; however, a tour there really dispels a lot of myths. We had the opportunity to eat falafel, walking around the streets and get a real sense of what life is like in this region. Some highlights included visiting Sheppard's Field, the Jordan River and oldest city in the world - Jericho. To end our trip we drank beer at the West Bank Palestinian brewery. 4) Getting off the beaten track a little we visited Rosh Hanikra. Known as the window to the Mediterranean we were treated to breathtaking views and an amazing sunset. 5) Aside from just eating our way around Jaffa, we took the time to properly explore it on foot. One of the top highlights was visiting a traditional flea market, 6) Taking the cable car up to visit Masada was a welcome relief considering how hot it was on the day we visited. As we wandered about we visited an old water cistern and Byzantine church. From our vantage point we had amazingly unobstructed views of the Dead Sea. 7) Caesarea! The ruins of the ancient city once given from Agus Caesar to Harrod the Great was an experience we'll never forget. Walking around in the Hippodrome allowed me to visualize what the old chariot races must have been like. 8) One of my favorite meals in Israel was prepared by a Druze family. This amazing feast, in the form of a buffet, featured kebabs, olives, chicken and stuffed cabbage just to name a few. 9) Wondering wear to rest your sleepy head while traveling in Israel? Look no further than the Fauzi Azar Inn in Nazareth. This converted Arab Mansion offers a charming stay. Best of all is that free cake and coffee is available throughout the day and the buffet breakfast is amazing. 10) One of the more frontier attractions was visiting Golan Heights and the Sea of Galilee. We toured around the Banias Reserve and Mount Bental. 11) Considering how tasty the food is in Israel it would be a shame to leave without knowing how to recreate these delectable delights back home in your own kitchen. Fortunately, for us, we were able to take a cooking class at Dan Gourmet in Tel Aviv. We learned how to make Lahmacun and charred eggplant amongst other dishes. 12) Have you ever wondered how olive oil is made? Visiting an olive press answered our all of our questions and made us appreciate the craft of making this high quality cooking oil. For the best vantage point of Nazareth we headed to Mount Precipice for panoramic 360 degree views. Finally, we visited Haifa to check out the famous Bahá'í gardens. כאשר אתה חושב על הנסיעה לישראל לבקר באתרים דתיים בירושלים או מבססת את עצמך בתל אביב עשוי בתחילה מגיע אל המוח. עם זאת, כאשר בוחנים ישראל אותו הוא בעל חשיבות עליונה להפריש מספיק זמן כדי לקבל את השביל הכבושולחקור יותר של המדינה. למרבה המזל, עבורנו, שהיינו מסוגל לעשות את שתי נסיעות נפרדות לישראל נתקל בכמה שיותר אוכל, תרבות, היסטורי ואטרקציות מודרניות כפי שאנו יכולים להיות. This is part of our Travel in Israel series. We're making a series of videos showcasing Israeli culture, Israeli arts, Israeli foods, Israeli religion and Israeli people. Proudly presented by: http://nomadicsamuel.com & http://thatbackpacker.com This video features music -various artists and various songs - available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Commercial license.

• published: 01 Jun 2014
• views: 4556