Spending a week in Israel is better than never have time to visit Israel. Isn’t that right? Maybe this itinerary feel rushed, but you can cover that much in this beautiful country in just 7 days! While Israel is not a cheap country to explore, you only need a budget for $500 to spend a wonderful week in Israel. Let me show you how it’s done, especially if you are short on time:

 

 

A Week in Israel Itinerary

• Day 1 Jerusalem (Sunday): Hezekiah’s Tunnel (in City of David) → Temple Mount → Old City → Western Wall Tunnel→ Night Spectacular (at Tower of David)/ Stay in Jerusalem
• Day 2 Jerusalem (Monday) ：Mt.Olives → Western Wall and Bar Mitzvah→ (Mt.Zion)→  Go to Bethlehem / Stay in Jerusalem
• Day 3 Jerusalem (Tuesday) ： (Mehane Yehuda Market)→ Yad Vashem → (Knesset)→ Israel Museum /Stay in Jerusalem
• Day 4 Dead Sea: Rent a car for 4 days/ go to Qasr el-Yahud where Jesus was baptized → Qumran → Ein Gedi → Ein Bokek Public Beach  → Masada / Overnight in Tiberias
• Day 5  Galilee+ Golan Height: Magdala → Capernaum→ Tagbha→ Mt.Beattitudes→ Daniel’s Worship Boat → Dan → Caesar Philippi → Banias Waterfall → Mt. Bental → Ofir Lookout / Overnight in Tiberias
• Day 6  Nazareth：Cana→ Nazareth→ Megiddo→ Beit She’arim→ Akko  / Overnight in Haifa
• Day 7 Mediterranean Sea (Saturday)：Haifa → Caesarea → Tel Aviv → Jaffa → Return your car at the airport

 

How Many Days Off Do You Need?

If you are from a country where you don’t get a lot of days off, you only need 5 days off with this itinerary. If you are from the East, fly out from your home country on Saturday. And you will arrive in Israel on Sunday morning, which is the first working day in Israel. And you stay 6 nights and 7 days in Israel.  You will fly out on Saturday night, and you will be home on Sunday night.

If you are flying from Europe or America, catch a flight on Friday night, and you’re likely to arrive in Israel on Saturday night. You can leave on near midnight on Saturday to arrive home on Sunday. So that’s 7 nights and 7 days.

 

A Few Things to Note

1. Bar Mitzvah can only be seen on Mondays and Thursdays. That’s why it’s on Day 2 and not Day 1

2. Israel Museum opens from 4 pm till 9 pm on Tuesdays. That’s why it’s planned on Day 3.

3. Remember to take a look at the exact opening time of Temple Mount on Day 1 before you head down to the City of David. It’s usually from 12:30-13:30 or 13:30-14:30. You want to finish the Hezekiah tunnel before this time.

4. The total driving time on Day 4 is 5 hours because from Masada to Tiberias takes 3 hours. It won’t be any shorter if you do it on Day 5, so you might as well finish driving on Day 4 and have a full day touring on Day 5.

5. Buy Jlm City Pass (130 shekels) online: You will use it for Night Spectacular show, Israel Museum, and Western Wall Tunnel.

6. Buy Annual Pass of Israel National Park (180 shekels) at City of David. You can use it on Hezekiah’s Tunnel of City of David, Qumran,  Ein Gedi, Dan, Banias, Megiddo, Beit Shea’rim, Caesarea

 

The budget for Making a Trip to Israel: Is $500 Really Enough?

Let’s see. The first 3 days you are in Jerusalem. Expect to pay about  $200 

• Public Transportation ($20)：Airport Bus 485,  maybe light rail for 6 times, bus to/from Bethlehem. So: ₪16+36+20 =₪72 ($20)
• Entertainment  ($36)： Jlm City Pass for Night Spectacular Show, Israel Museum and Western Wall Tunnel
• Food for 3 days ($60)：You need $20 a day.
• Accommodation for 3 nights in Jerusalem ($90)：You can find a hostel in Jerusalem for $30 (breakfast included). Double room starts at $80

 

For the other 4 days, you need a car. Even there’s no one splitting cost with you, you can still finish this trip independently. $460 for one. $355 each if you are 2. Or $320 each if you are 3. Or $300 each if you are 4. Or $290 if you are 5.  

• Transportation (a car $210)：4 days car rental $80+ Fuel Cost (860km  /100*$12 = $103 )＊＋ Parking fee at Mt.Beattitudes ₪10($3) + Airport return surcharge $28  (*A liter of fuel can run 13.5km in Israel. The fuel price is calculated at ₪5.85 per liter, so that’s how for every 100km you will spend $12 on fuel)
• Entertainment  ($80)：Israel National Park Pass (Hezekiah’s Tunnel of City of David, Qumran,  Ein Gedi, Dan, Banias, Megiddo, Beit Shea’rim, Caesarea ₪150, Ein Bokek Public Beach toilet access ₪2.5, Capernaum Site ₪4,  Magdala Site ₪15、Masada Cable car (return) ₪54,  Daniel’s worship boat ₪50, Akko combined tickets ₪40= $80
• Food for 4 days ($80)：Still $20 a day
• Accommodation for 3 nights ($90)：Still $30 a night

 

 

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If it looks daunting… You can go for the “Best of Israel & Jordan 10 Day Package” with Abraham Tours, for $1048, they have all things figured out for you 😛 Easy option for saving time!