Hello loves! I’m coming at you today with a post I’ve had in the works for a long time, and that is my Israel travel posts! If you follow along on Instagram, you probably followed along while I was visiting this small but amazing country back in March, but I wanted to hop on the blog and give you all a more in-depth look at the places I visited while there and share all my favorites with you, as well as give you some handy tips for traveling to Israel should you decide to go there!

Where to Stay

While in Jerusalem, we were quite fortunate to stay at the David Citadel Hotel, which was honestly one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve ever stayed at! You can’t possibly beat the location either- it is just steps away from the Old City and within walking distance of many of the popular destinations you want to see when traveling to Jerusalem, including the Tower of David, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall, among others.

I might add, it wasn’t so shabby waking up to this view every morning! You can see from this photo that the walls of the Old City are so close!

I also have to mention…the breakfast buffet at the David Citadel was INCREDIBLE. First of all, I’ve never had better orange juice in my life, but also, I’ve never had better smoked salmon in my life either. I was pretty much in heaven because breakfast is my favorite meal.

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This particular question was top of mind for me when I was traveling to Jerusalem…alright, that question is always top of my mind, but it was especially a concern when visiting this ancient city that is holy to multiple religions. Christians, Muslims, and Jews all have holy sites in Jerusalem, and many of the people who live here are Orthodox Jews, who dress very modestly. While technically there is no “dress code” for the city as a whole, I felt more comfortable roaming around clothing that covered. As you can tell, I wasn’t dressed like a nun by any means, but with the weather we had, a short sleeve shirt and trousers or a flowy midi skirt worked perfectly. It is also not a bad idea to bring a scarf with you just in case you want to visit a holy site where they are more strict with your clothing.

What to Do

The very first morning that we were in Israel, my dad woke us up at about 6am local time to take us on a jog around the Old City. It was something he said he loves to do every time he visits, and that you can really see the sites without the millions of tourists that show up at the more reasonable hours of the day. Being that I was still jet lagged and didn’t know what was up from down, I agreed to this craziness. I have to say, this is a really cool thing to do if you can manage to wake up that early. We ran all around the old walls, climbed up on the ruins of the even older portions of the wall, and definitely got to see a Jerusalem that was much more quiet than reality!

While on our jog, we stopped by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is where the Catholic church claims that Jesus was both crucified and buried. This church is probably the oldest I have ever visited, and while not as beautiful and ethereal as the churches I’ve visited throughout Europe, it is incredible to walk through and explore all the nooks and rooms hidden in this church.

Another area you have to visit while in Jerusalem is the Old City. One tip I would give is to make sure you wear some shoes with a bit of grip, as the limestone streets that wind through this area of Jerusalem are incredible worn from years of foot traffic, making them a little slippery. (I nearly wiped out twice in my Kate Spade sandals that everyone seems to have loved so much over on Insta.) I loved this area because it is filled with different shops where you can find anything from cheap souveneirs to beautiful jewelry, to the most delicious fresh squeezed juice you’ve ever had.

Another place you have to walk through while traveling to Jerusalem is the Mahane Yahuda Market, also known as “the Shuk.” The Shuk definitely had me shook with everything it has going on! It is a partially covered outdoor market with vendors yelling their wares to passerby. You can find fish, produce, baked goods, jewelry, clothing, textiles, and more. I loved all the colors and just the life in this place, and I wish we would’ve had more time to explore.

The Shuk also has lots of small little bars tucked in between the fish mongers and fruit stands. When the merchants close down for the day, these bars stay open and this is actually a fun place to go out for drinks at night…Jerusalem, you’re not so straight laced after all!

The Western Wall

You can’t really come to Jerusalem and not pay this place a visit. Even if you aren’t very religious, its an incredible site to see and is considered the holiest place for Jews to pray. Many people come here each day to leave their prayers written on tiny pieces of paper in the cracks of the wall. When you visit here, make sure to be wearing modest clothing or come prepared with a scarf to cover up as they will not allow you in without it!

Favorite Places We Ate:

Ok, let’s get down to the good stuff….food! Israel seriously has the most amazing food. I was out of control with the food here….I seriously feasted on pita like I have never enjoyed carbs in the last ten years of my life.

Manou ba shouk

This restaurant is located in Mahane Yehuda Market, and was probably my favorite meal we ate in Jerusalem. I had never had Lebanese food before, but I’m sold now because…wow. The menu is a little overwhelming if your only concept of Mediteranean food is a step above Zankou Chicken, so we opted for the tasting menu which is honestly the best choice! You get to try a little (a LOT) of everything, and if you particularly loved something and want more, they will bring more out. This restaurant is especially great if your vegetarian, because they have tons of delicious meat free options.

Happy Fish

Happy Fish is a delicious seafood restaurant in the beautiful Mamilla Mall. I loved this restaurant because their salads are SO GOOD and I loved the rooftop dining space. Seriously, all the restaurants in Israel had amazing salads but I really loved the salads here. Its a little crazy, because its almost like you don’t even need to order a meal after they shower you with all this food.

Golda’s

Let me just say one thing: Strawberry Marscapone gelatto. I thought I had amazing gelatto in Italy, but wow this stuff was delicious as well. I knew I had to try it when there were tons of locals sitting outside enjoying cones here, and it definitely didn’t disappoint. Once you’re done indulging, you can then go on a little shopping adventure in Mamilla Mall where they have all kinds of modern stores and boutiques.

Cofix

When you’re ballin’ on a budget, every little travel expense can start to add up. The good news is, Coffix is an Israeli coffee shop where everything is only 5 shekels…which in USD is basically a little bit more than…a dollar? I’m so bad at the NIS to USD conversions, I just know that 5 shekels ain’t a lot to pay for a coffee…and by coffee, I mean this delicious frozen concoction of coffee, ice, cream, and sugar which is very similar to a mocha frap, but just way better. Apparently, Israelis like their coffee blended and sugary, because you can find variations of this beverage almost anywhere you go.

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