Masada, the mountain top fortress that was built by Herod the Great, is in the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. High up in the mountains, reachable by hiking up the Snake Path or riding the cable car, the fortress was the site of mass suicide by the Jewish people in rebellion to Herod the Great and the rule of the Romans. Over the ages, Masada has come to symbolize the freedom of the Jewish people.

The Dead Sea, a mineral-rich salt water lake, is at the lowest elevation on earth. The health and curative properties of the waters and natural mud found on the shores of the Dead Sea have been used for centuries and is one of the first spa resorts in history. Known to calm the symptoms of psoriasis, eczema, asthma, and other health problems, the Dead Sea is a popular destination for medical spa treatments. The mineral- and salt-rich waters offer a natural buoyancy for natural floating – a relaxing, and possibly curative, activity.

The Hanging Gardens of Haifa, magnificent manicured gardens, house the Shrine of the Bab on Mount Carmel. The gardens were designed by Iranian architect, Fariborz Sahba, and opened in 2001. The exotic gardens have elements from English gardens, Persiand gardens of Shiraz, Iran, and  of Kashmir, India. The top of the gardens start at Yefe Nof.

A custom that nearly every visitor to the Western Wall practices – regardless of religious affiliation –  is to write out personal prayers and entreaties on small slips of paper. The papers are then folded into tiny parcels and squeezed into the crevices of the ancient wall. The prayers in the Western Wall are in many languages and represent the people of the world. Protecting the prayers from the elements are the hyssop plants. King Solomon referred to these plants: And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall. [Kings I: 5, 13]

The Arab suq or bazaar offers hand painted ceramics from Armenian artisans with a long history of crafting this highly colorful pottery. Name plaques can be personalized with name and custom colors. Find hand carved olive wood religious items as well as amulets to ward off the evil eye – usually in a turquoise blue. Pita breads baked in old fashioned stone ovens and other delicacies are found in the winding lanes.

The outdoor market of Mahane Yehuda, the place where Jerusalem residents go to shop for the freshest produce, foods and delicacies, is also a tourist attraction and great way to taste local flavors. Religious objects like the shofar or ram’s horn can be found here before the Jewish New Year. Trendy restaurants and cafes are scattered throughout the market grounds.

Handmade crafts like jewelry crafted by embroidering traditional Palestinian themes are found in the Old City of Nazareth.