Things to Do in Jerusalem

Surrounded by ancient stone city walls, it is easy to get lost in the winding alleyways of Old Jerusalem — lost in another time, another place, another world. That is what is so special about the place: outside of being of utmost sacred significance for Jews, Christians and Muslims, the Old City maintains its historic feel and tangible spirituality. The Western Wall, Temple Mount, Dome of the Rock, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre are all located within its walls. The Via Dolorosa, where Jesus is said to have walked to his crucifixion, can still be traced here. There is both a sense of chaos — with bustling souks and busy streets — as there is a deep sense of calm and peace. 

Built by King David in 1004 B.C., the Old City of Jerusalem has one of the most fascinating histories in the world. Its walls were constructed in the 16th century by the Ottomans. The city is divided into four main quarters, each with its own distinct feel: the Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Armenian quarters. Pilgrims of many world religions can be found on its streets, as well as present day residents who call Jerusalem home.

In the Gospel of John, chapter 5, Jesus is said to have miraculously healed a paralyzed man at the Bethesda Pool. This pool was discovered and excavated during the nineteenth century when the Church of St. Anne, located on the same grounds, was being restored. This public bath was likely used during the first century BC and first century AD.

The Romanesque church was built in 1140 by Crusaders at the site where Hannah, mother of Mary, was born. It’s considered one of the best specimens of medieval architecture in Israel and is famous for its astounding acoustics. Stick around for a few minutes and you’ll often hear hymns being sung.

The term “yad vashem” comes from the Book of Isaiah and can be translated as “a place to memorialize.” Yad Vashem in Jerusalem is the world’s most important Holocaust museum — a memorial to the 6 million Jewish lives lost.

The complex comprises two museums, the Holocaust History Museum and an Art Museum, as well as an exhibition pavilion, learning center and a synagogue. The centerpiece is the history museum, housed within a triangular prism-shaped structure running through the center of campus. Nine underground galleries recount the story of the Holocaust from a Jewish perspective through artifacts, survivor testimonies, personal possessions and audio-visual presentations. A visit to the museum ends in the Hall of Names, a place where the names and stories of millions of victims are recorded.

The Art Museum houses the largest and most diverse collection of Holocaust art in the world — some 10,000 works — mostly produced during the Holocaust period.

When Ottoman Turkish Sultan Suleiman was rebuilding the Old City walls of Jerusalem during the sixteenth century, the architects neglected to consider a Franciscan monastery just outside the walls. What is today the Zion Gate was punched through the wall to provide the monastery access to the Old City. During the 1948 War of Independence the gate was the site of fierce fighting between Jordanians and Palmach forces; the facade still bears bullet holes. 

One of eight gates in the wall, Zion Gate is situated on the south side of the city, looking out toward Mount Zion. For modern day visitors, the gate serves as one of the primary entrances into the Jewish and Armenian quarters.

The Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City is a raised stone plateau that’s home to some of the most significant religious structures in the world, including the Dome of the Rock, the Al Aqsa Mosque, and the Western Wall. The Temple Mount covers a 35-acre area known as Al-Haram Al-Sharif, and is considered to be a sacred place in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

While East Jerusalem is controlled by Israel, the Temple Mount is controlled by the Islamic Trust, making the area a very contested location. The compound is open to anyone who wishes to enter, and can be entered near the gate near the Western Wall. Visitors can admire the exteriors of the Dome of The Rock, Al Aqsa Mosque, and other sights.

The Temple Mount is in Jerusalem’s Old City, and visitors can gain entrance through the Mughrabi gate near the Western Wall. Private cars are not allowed inside the Old City during the day, but there are a number of public parking lots outside the various entry gates. Taxis are relatively easy to find near Jaffa gate and can take passengers inside. Public busses and the light rail stop within a 10 minute walk from the Temple Mount, and there’s also a free shuttle to the Old City every 20 minutes from The First Station in Jerusalem.

Sundays can be especially busy, but arriving in the early morning as soon as it opens and 7:30 (8:30 in the winter) is your best bet for avoiding crowds. Allow at least an hour to see the site, and be prepared to wait in long lines to enter. 

Part of an ancient, limestone retaining wall along the western side of the Temple Mount, the Western Wall is one of the most famous landmarks in Jerusalem. (It’s also known as the Wailing Wall; Kotel in Judaism; and the Buraq Wall in Islam.) For Jews, the wall is considered the holiest prayer site; for Muslims, it’s believed to be the place where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven.

Bursting at the seams with produce, nuts, seeds, spices, wines, meats and cheeses, baked goods, fish, housewares and clothing, Mahane Yehuda Market, informally called The Shuk, teems with locals and tourists who come for a bargain or simply to take in the frenetic atmosphere.

The history of the market dates back to the Ottoman Period, when locals began selling produce there in the early 20th century. It soon expanded into an organized market thanks to its convenient, centralized location. The local government attempted to add much-needed infrastructure — proper sewage, running water and garbage disposal to start — to the market during the British Mandate period, but it wasn’t until the 1930s that conditions began to improve.

Hungry travelers will find plenty of street food stands in and around the Mahane Yehuda Market, including some of Jerusalem’s best burekas. The market also offers a Shuk Bites card, which includes a self-guided tour map of the market and vouchers for a variety of market products.

Having a predominantly Haredi and Hasidic population, the Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Mea She’arim is a world of its own within Jerusalem. The insulated neighborhood is one of the oldest Jewish areas in the city and accordingly, life revolves around the many strict religious rules and traditions. Men can be seen wearing the traditional black frock coats with white shirts and stiff black hats to cover their heads. Women usually dress in black, long skirts and blouses and cover their heads with a headscarf or a wig. Additionally, the households in Mea She’arim reject most technology, including computers, televisions and radios as well as newspapers and magazines. Instead, important messages and news are glued onto walls or one of the numerous billboards that can be seen everywhere. Next to the messages, there are also the so called “modesty posters”, big notices with bold print that urge visitors to wear at least knee length clothing as well as tops with sleeves. Since the inhabitants of Mea She’arim also don’t want to become a major tourist attraction, photography is forbidden within the neighborhood and visitors are generally encouraged to blend in. 

The residents of Mea She’arim might be suspicious of strangers, but if you make the effort to follow the rules and blend in, you will find the people to be nothing but honest, helpful and friendly. Those looking for bargains and reasonable prices will discover a great selection of interesting goods in the shopping district and it is worthwhile to purchase typical Jewish necessities and clothes, visit one of the bookstores and follow the mouthwatering smells into one of the many bakeries. The bakeries could even be called the main attractions of the neighborhood, so make sure not to miss out on the Sufganiyah, delicious round jelly doughnuts topped with powdered sugar.

Underground Jerusalem is an archaeological site in ancient Jerusalem, located beneath the neighborhood of Silwan. It is said to be where Jerusalem was born. Situated on a narrow ridge south of Temple Mount in East Jerusalem, it is understandably one of the most extensively excavated sites in the city. The underground city is open to visitors, who can use the same underground tunnels that residents would have used 2,000 years ago. The most famous tunnel in the area is Hezekiah’s Tunnel. He constructed tunnels to bring water to the people within the city walls; this is even quoted in the Bible: “the acts of Hezekiah and all his might, and how he made the pool and conduit, and brought water into the city” (2 Kings 20:20). There are two other major underground systems in the area: Solomon's Quarries and Solomon's Stables. There is more than a mile (two kilometers) of pathways beneath the city, away from the hustle and bustle of busy Jerusalem, under most of the city’s major historical attractions.

Just east of the Old City, separating Jerusalem from the Judean Desert, sits the Mount of Olives, one of the city’s most famous scriptural sites. The famous mountain is referenced in both the Old and New Testaments, first as the escape route David used during his son’s rebellion, and again by the prophets. The New Testament recounts Jesus addressing his pupils from the Mount of Olives.

Apart from its religious importance, the Mount of Olives is historically significant as well. On the lower slopes of the mountain, you’ll find the Jewish cemetery, believed to be the oldest cemetery in the world still in use and burial place of many prominent Jewish figures, including Zechariah and philosopher Nahmanides. The foot of the mountain is also home to the Gardens of Gethsemane, the Church of All Nations and the Russian Orthodox Church of Maria Magdalene.

At the top of the mountain, the Mount of Olives Observation Point offers panoramic views of the domes and towers of the Old City below. If possible, head to the top first thing in the morning, so you’ll have the sun at your back for photos, before exploring the rest of the area.

During Byzantine Jerusalem a sunken north-south thoroughfare was built across the city, from what is now the Damascus Gate southward toward the Zion Gate. The general term for such a main street in Ancient Roman cities was cardo maximus, and today, the street is simply called The Cardo.

Today the Cardo begins just south of David St. and is only half its original width — it was once as wide as a six-lane highway — and passes into the modern-day Jewish Quarter. A walk along the Cardo will reveal a strip of high-end shops selling souvenirs, Judaica, jewelry and artwork. A southern portion of the Cardo has been restored with colonnaded walkways, much like it had during the sixth century.

It is still possible to visit the supposed site of the Last Supper, known to some as the “Cenacle” (Latin for ‘dining room’) and also the “Upper Room.” The Last Supper is the Passover meal Jesus and his disciples shared the night before his death. The New Testament of the Bible writes that the Apostles gathered in the upper room here to pray after Jesus’s ascension into heaven. 

The room then became a gathering spot for first-century Judeo-Christians. Some consider it “the first ever Christian church.” The room became known as the Church of the Apostles after it was spared in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The stone structure that now stands was built by the Crusaders in the 12th century, though parts of the original wall can still be seen. The great hall is divided into three naves by large Romanesque pillars, imbued with a true sense of Biblical history.

The Via Dolorosa is an ancient path in Jerusalem’s Old City, where it’s believed Jesus carried the cross to his crucifixion. Also known in Catholicism as the Stations of the Cross, it’s a pilgrimage that’s been followed going back to the fourth century. The route has changed over the years, and today there are 14 stations along the path, each marked with a plaque detailing what took place at that location.

Visitors can follow the path Jesus is said to have taken while carrying the cross to his crucifixion. The Via Dolorosa is open to the pubic, and visitors can choose to make their own way or book a guided tour to add context. Many pilgrims stop to pray and reflect on the events believed to have taken place at each station, although it should be noted that it’s a busy and often noisy route, with a bustling outdoor market going on around it.

The Via Dolorosa begins at the Lion’s Gate in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City and stretches about a third of a mile (500 meters) to its end at the Christian Quarter at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The Via Dolorosa is open to the public year round, but the Franciscan procession at 3pm on Fridays is a popular time to follow the path.

The Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City stretches across 76 acres (31 hectares) and can be accessed through Lion’s Gate, Damascus Gate, and Herod’s Gate. It’s easy to get lost in the winding maze of lively streets that make up the Arab Souk in center of the Muslim Quarter. Stalls selling everything from spices, breads, and pastries to freshly squeezed pomegranate juice and hummus are tightly packed along the narrow streets. The buzzing outdoor markets are a sight to behold, with traders hawking wares on streets that are thousands of years old. 

An open-air synagogue where worshippers recite prayers, Israel’s historic Western Wall is where travelers come to kiss pale gold stones the color of the Negev desert and to stuff paper prayers between the stones. The beating heart of the Old City of Jerusalem, this is a must-see sacred site in the Jewish Quarter. 

The Western Wall—also known as the Wailing Wall—is the holiest site in Jerusalem due to its status as the last remnant of the Second Temple built by Herod in 19 BC. Today it forms one side of Temple Mount, and this section of the wall rises 187 feet (57 meters) up. The Western Wall is divided into two areas—there’s a small southern section for women and a much larger northern area for men. If you don’t feel comfortable joining in on the action at the wall, it’s backed by a large, sloping plaza where you can stand back and just take in the scene.

The site is commonly visited on half- and full-day Jerusalem sightseeing tours departing from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Many tours also visit Bethlehem, the Dome of the Rock, or the Dead Sea. 

The Western Wall plaza forms the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City. Dung Gate is the nearest access point by taxi and intercity bus 1 or 2.  

The large crowds that gather here can really add to the atmosphere, but if you’d rather have peace and quiet, try visiting early in the morning or in the late evening on a weekday. Bar mitzvahs are often held during Shabbat, or on Monday or Thursday mornings, and those times can be busy with celebrating families, too. The same goes for Jewish holidays.

The Western Wall Tunnel is an underground tunnel beneath the buildings of the Old City of Jerusalem. There have been many Herodian discoveries (plus the uncovering of a Hasmonean Aqueduct) since excavations began in the 19th century and again after the Six-Day War in 1967. Join a Western Wall Tunnel tour to see this slice of Jerusalem history.

At the base of the Mount of Olives lies the site believed by Eastern Christians to be the final resting place of the Virgin Mary. Her tomb there, embedded in rock, commemorates Mary’s Assumption and ascension into heaven. Following a dark, winding staircase down to the burial site, the walls are decorated with historic art depicting Mary, the mother of Jesus. In the crypt itself, hanging lamps and burning candles and incense create a low lit, peaceful atmosphere.

Tradition states that her body was received on the third day following her death, leaving her tomb empty. Traditions following her death here are said to taken place since the 2nd and 3rd centuries. The church that sits above is believed to have been built around the time of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, making it one of the oldest near-complete religious buildings in Jerusalem.