Did you know that there’s an entire ancient village under the sea in Israel? It’s a magnificent Stone Age village whose inhabitants gave their best to protect it against the rising sea levels, going as far as to build what archeologists find may have been the world's first – hence, today’s oldest – defense wall. This Neolithic wall is up to 7,000 years old, but it could not stop climate change, and the villagers eventually lost the battle.

The area of Israel has a millennia-old history and has been called home by numerous civilizations. Today, we can see their legacy and the remnants of their intricate cultures. How amazing is that? As we’re talking about many centuries of history, we won’t be able to discuss each period in detail, but we’ll still be able to see what immense impact these cultures had on the creation of the country as we know it today.

There is nothing better than the first-hand experience of the Holy Land and the immense significance it has for millions of people all across the world. There is a long and special history that one can witness only in Israel, where people get to walk the roads that Jesus once took, visit the places he was born and lived in, and see the sites that the Bible describes. We live in a fantastic age when we can simply choose a tour that will make our life-long dreams a reality, or even have a tour tailored just for us! Let’s check out some of these biblical tours of dreams we can go on in 2020.

The Bar and Bat Mitzvah mark a special transition in the life of a young person, proudly celebrated with family and friends in love and joy, when many beautiful memories are made. And what more fitting place on Earth to have the ceremony than in Israel? 

Tel Aviv is without a doubt, not only one of Israel’s most popular cities, but one of the favorite places to visit for travelers from across the globe. This city has it all and welcomes its guests with all it has. We’ll see here great many religious sites, but also museums, theatres, popular art and literary sites, most entertaining of clubs and bars, amazing beaches, and much more. It’s difficult choosing just a few of so many top-rated attractions, but let’s start our Tel Aviv tour with these five.

When many people think of deserts, they think of scorching, yellowish wastelands. But truth be told, they are far from it. Though quite different from what an average city dweller is used to, deserts are full of life. They have their own ecosystem, nature, plants, animal life, and a great number of different settlements, towns, and cities even. Israeli deserts have over and over again proven to be historically, culturally and strategically relevant. They are homes to a great variety of sites and sights, of adventurous and relaxing activities, and they capture many-centuries-old history, tradition, and culture – from ancient to contemporary times. On top of all that, visitors get to meet the welcoming locals and hear directly from them the stories of the area, its people, and its animals. We’ll focus here on the Negev and the Arava – amazing places of night safaris, clear starry skies, captivating archeology, and so much more.

If you ever wanted to walk on a path that leads through various places associated with Abraham/Ibrahim, you’re in luck, as such an exciting and enriching path really exists. This cultural route called Abraham’s Path is comprised of several regions. It offers a hugely important experience, because it allows those who walk on it to connect with their fellow travelers, but also reconnect with their origins. What we find here is great hospitality and kindness, as well as knowledge about each site we visit and its peoples, and how those two are connected to Abraham. We’ll meet the wonderfully diverse communities that live in these areas, which themselves are linked by their common heritage and Abraham/Ibrahim as their common ancestor. 

Welcome to a fascinating and ancient site, of a great historical significance for a number of nations and through multiple centuries. The Negev Incense Route encompasses incense roads, as well as the spice and luxury goods routes, which once linked Arabia to the Mediterranean, all the way back during the Hellenistic-Roman period. Knowing this, you can imagine its relevance at the time. The end of the incense route in the Negev Region has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Besides the forts, caravanserai, and the irrigation system, you’ll find here the four Nabataean towns, situated on the main route from Gaza to Petra, which prospered particularly between 300 BC and 200 AD. The Nabataeans were an Arab people who lived in the northern Arabia and the Southern Levant, and they were immensely skilled at engineering in the difficult conditions of the region. You can witness their way of life in the antiquity, and see just how masterful they were, in their four ancient cities.

There are many types of tours that Gil Travel offers, and each is special in its own right. However, this time, one of Gil’s newest offers to travelers deserves to be highlighted – Volunteers for Israel (VFI). There are many things that make this tour phenomenal, a major one being that anybody, no matter the age or how many times they’ve visited Israel before, can join and enjoy it. That’s not all! This is actually not one tour, but three different options in conjunction with VFI that are available to all travel fans. This amazing program with exceptional service is an absolutely perfect match for all of you who want to have the experience of volunteering at an IDF base, while using the free time to travel around Israel, all-inclusive style of course, as you deserve it. 

Whether you’re looking for a land adventure or a sea adventure, the modern cities or traditional villages, or you want to explore the deserts and the mountains – Israel’s got it all. Wherever your interests lie, you are bound to find a myriad of spectacular sites to visit – sites which can only be visited in Israel, and which offer to their guests a variety of experiences. These are the places of great and inspiring beauty, but also of immense historical and contemporary value. Some of the massively popular places you must see in this country include Jerusalem, Baha’i Gardens, Akko, Haifa, Nazareth, Tel Aviv’s White City, Jaffa’s old city and port, and much more. However, for this occasion, we’ve chosen to show you five special and truly breathtaking places you might want to include in your itinerary next time you visit Israel.