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The perfect place for summer - Ein Hania National Park is a small and wonderful place on the outskirts of Jerusalem, behind the Mamila Zoo. You can find there archeological remains from the First Temple, Second Temple and Byzantine periods. Near the upper pool, there is a small tunnel into which you can enter by descending a ladder. You walk in the dark as the water reaches your ankles (recommended only if you are not claustrophobic...). If you enter you must have a flashlight and closely supervise the children because it is slippery. The lower pool is larger and magnificent - spacious and wonderful water overlooking the Jerusalem mountains. The water is colddddd…… Around the pools there are shady places, water flows in the canals on all sides, and the combination with the orchard trees and vegetation is stunning. You need to register in advance in the Parks and Nature authority website. Enjoy🤗 For more trips in the area press here

Beit Zayit Dam and Lake - A large dam built in Nahal Sorek creates a large lake under Moshav Beit Zayit. There are large trees in front of the lake that gives shade - perfect spots to spread a blanket for a picnic, coffee, and stare at the lake and the bikers and SUVs raging there happily. Please note - it is forbidden to swim in the lake. Enjoy🤗 For more trips in the area press here

The Sataf is a beautiful trail in the Jerusalem mountains. It is a site for the restoration of ancient mountain agriculture. You descent on the terraces of Mount Eitan towards the spring. On the way, you pass a natural forest and around the magical landscape of the Jerusalem mountains. It leads to the remains of the ancient village and to a small tunnel carved into the rock. If you want to get in and walk in the water in the tunnel, it is recommended to bring a flashlight and an extra pair of shoes In the Sataf there are two springs - Ein Stef and Ein Bikura. Even though it is forbidden to jump into the natural pool, it became a well-known site for hikers who jump in. If you have one car, you can go down to the springs and return in the same way. If you have two cars, you can leave one vehicle in the upper parking lot from which you begin and a second car in the parking lot near the springs. Enjoy🤗 For more trips in the area press here

Shanklish is a Syrian cheese and is also the name of a restaurant cafe in the village of Ein Rafa next to Abu Ghosh. It opened in 2019. They have two menus - breakfast menu until 13:00 and lunch menu. We took some dips, delicious lamb kebab with tomato sauce Mashahan (grilled chicken on pitta bread with almonds and onions) which was wonderful And Knafe Nablusia with ice cream. It is great fun to sit on the terrace and enjoy their great coffee Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday 9 am – 3p3 pm Friday Saturday 9 am – 5 pm Enjoy🤗 For more places in the area press here

The Rose of Ein Karem is a fascinating place in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods of Jerusalem. It is an ancient house over 200 years old (from the Ottoman period) where Elazar and Shoshana Krebsi currently live. They lived in another neighborhood in Jerusalem and bought the house 15 years ago (Elazar says he closed the deal in 20 minutes ...). As they began to maintain and renovate, they discovered an ancient mosaic in the basement. A visit to their house includes a tour of the old and unique house (where every corner is fascinating), an observation of Ein Karem from their roof, and a visit to the garden The highlight of the garden is the jam warehouse. Shoshana is a writer, poet, storyteller who conducts various workshops and dispenses jams. Among the special jams she makes, you will find a jam to increase the Libido of men and women. It is based on a mixture of herbs - knowledge that her grandmothers brought with them from Morocco. When I visited, she had just cooked in a massive pot of this jam because all the previous stock had run out ... You need to book a tour in advance. Phone: 050-2452800 The tours are for a nominal fee. If you buy jam - the tour is free. Enjoy🤗 For more trips in the area press here

Sha'ar HaGai, Bab al-Wad ("The gate to the valley"), is a very narrow area on the road that connects the lowlands to Jerusalem. Due to its unique location, a road hotel ("Khan") was established here during the Ottoman period. Later, during the War of Independence (1947-1948), the place was a ground for some challenging battles. The interactive 45-minute visit tells about the convoys to besieged Jerusalem before establishing the state of Israel and during the War of Independence. The visitors participate in a decision-making game that simulates dilemmas and situations facing warriors and convoy leaders to Jerusalem. Because the experience is primarily interactive and the size of the touring groups is limited, visitors must coordinate the visit at the Nature and Parks Authority website. A bit of history: Ahead of the Austro-Hungarian emperor's visit to Jerusalem in 1869, the Ottomans paved a road connecting Jaffa to Jerusalem. The trip from Jaffa to Jerusalem took two days, and a roadside inn was built at Sha'ar HaGai, which was used to refresh the passengers and collect taxes. It worked until the First World War. The British later used the place as a roadside canteen. Following the Arab uprising of 1936-1939 and the Arabs' attempts to harm Jews traveling to Jerusalem, the British set up a police station there. Then, with the UN resolution of November 1947, which decided to split the Land of Israel to Arab and Jewish states, a war began on the road to Jerusalem. The Heritage Center tells the incredible heroic stories of the drivers and fighters who risked their lives to ensure food supplies to besieged Jerusalem. At the end of the 19th century, the Kutne family from Jerusalem built an agricultural farm next to the Khan building. It is not currently possible to enter the building. According to the Nature and Parks Authority plans, it will be turned into a conference hall. At the end of the tour, you can have fun in three restored cars from that period - a protected bus, a truck, and an armored vehicle. The kids love it very much. 🚻 Toilet and shop at the entrance. 🎫 Admission fees: Nature and Parks Authority rates (free for Matmon and Israel Pass cardholders) 🧭 Waze: Khan Sha'ar HaGai Enjoy 🤗 For more trips and sites in the area press here

The Radar Hill is located in the heart of Har Adar (named after the hill), and it rises to a height of 880 meters above sea level. Its strategic location, which allows observation of Jerusalem, Judea, and the lowlands, made it an important battle site during the Independence War (1948) and the Six-Day War (1967). During World War II, the British set up a relay station on the hill, mistakenly called "Radar" by those who saw it. However, the British abandoned the facility before the declaration of Israel's independence (1948). As a result, a battle broke out between the Palmach forces and the Jordanian army. The ceasefire agreements left the hill under Jordanian control until the Six-Day War (1967) when the Har'el Brigade occupied the mountain. At the end of the war, the 104th Battalion of the Harel Brigade erected a small monument to their comrades. In 1975 a central memorial was inaugurated in memory of the Harel Brigade, with a 16-meter-high observation tower and a display of tanks and armored vehicles that could be climbed. A plaque next to the monument commemorates the Israeli soldiers who fell here. In addition, explanatory plaques about the battles are spread on the site. 🚻 There are toilets near the site. 🧭 Waze: Giv'at Haradar Har Hadar Enjoy 🤗 For more trips and sites in the area press here

Jerusalem Mountains offer numerous great hikes. The Arbutus trail is a round trip that takes about an hour's walk. It Is an easy hike, suitable for the entire family. You walk in a natural grove with a small rock on the ground and several stairs carved in stone. The trail begins at “Bar Bagar” Café. From there, you should walk in the route accessible for people with handicaps and then turn right to the trail marked in red and white. After about half an hour, you arrive at a crossroad, where you need to choose the path marked in black. Pay attention – as you climb up, the trail is marked in black and white: but this is the right trail that leads you back to the parking lot. Enjoy 🤗 For more trips in the area press here

The Sorek Trail is a beautiful short road of about 750 meters in each direction. The path is designed for people with handicaps. Along the road, you see magnificent trees. There are many viewpoints of the Jerusalem mountains. There are also benches along the route where you can rest in front of the fantastic view. When you return, you can relax in the Bar Bahar Café, which overlooks the trees and mountains as well. Enjoy 🤗 For more trips in the area press here

The Monastery of the Silent Monks at Latrun was founded in the 19th century by Trappist monks who advocate a life of simplicity and see speech as a waste of time. They are not committed to complete silence but underestimate speech. The monks make a living from growing vines and making wine. In the monastery, there is a winery. The vine leaves near the monastery are now painted in stunning fall colors. The shop there sells the monastery's produce: wines, liqueurs, arak, honey, olive oil, and olives. In the big bar, you can taste before you buy. I recommend that you try the liqueur, which consists of 15 herbs – strange and unique. 📌Please note the entrance hours to the monastery - Monday-Saturday - 8:30 - 12:00, 15:30-17:00. 📌Those who want to enter the monastery should come in modest clothes. 📌Near there is a yard with a place for a barbecue. Still, in my opinion, it is better to continue to one of the forests near, where you can both walk and have a picnic. For example, Ayalon Park, Eshtaol Forest, and Tzura’a Forest. Enjoy 🤗 For more trips in the Jerusalem area press here.

The Burma Road was breached and paved in 1948 as a bypass road from the Hulda area to Jerusalem because, during the 1948 war, the road from the lowlands to Jerusalem was blocked in Latrun. On the way to Burma Road, trucks with equipment and supplies passed to besieged Jerusalem. Today the Burma Road is a stunning road in the Eshtaol Forest. It combines historical information, green landscapes that for a moment make you feel abroad, cyclamens and lots of places for picnics and barbecues. You can travel between the various points along the road, or you can choose one point and hike there: it is up to you. We drove from Ein Mesilla to Mitzpe Harel, and I would like to recommend here five main points along the way, in which we stopped and hiked the area: 1. Ein Mesila parking lot - you can picnic climb up to the forest to see cyclamens. Near Ein Mesila, there are small ponds after the rain. 2. Nahal Meir Nature Reserve Nahal Nachshon - tables, benches, and a small stream that flows after the rains. 3. Burma viewpoint - In the area next to it, you will find a fantastic view of vineyards. 4. Beit Susin Springs - Beautiful green fields alongside places for barbecues and picnics. 5. Harel lookout point - an observation of the surroundings with a vast map of the rock that shows the various points along the way. Two important tips: You can start the route from either side - Mitzpe Harel or Ein Mesila. If you start from Ein Mesila, you must follow the wooden signs that say "Burma Road - direction Mitzpe Harel.” If you start from Mitzpe Harel, you should follow the “Burma Road – Ein Mesila” signs. Enjoy 🤗 For more trips in the area press here.

Cherry blossom is typical in Japan and rare in Israel. In the Botanical Garden in Jerusalem, you can now find two trees in all their glory. The cherry blossom is beautiful and short, so if you are interested, you should hurry. Beyond that, it is enjoyable to stroll in the botanical garden. This time we also used their app of laminated reality. It is a very nice gimmick. At the entrance to the garden, you take a tablet or download the app to your phone. In various spots in the garden which are empty, you can look at the tablet or phone and see amazing installations. Enjoy 🤗 For more trips in Jerusalem press here.