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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Israel

82 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Israel

Updated November 14, 2022

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  1. Acre
  2. Be'er Sheva
  3. East Jerusalem
  4. Ein Gedi
  5. Haifa
  6. Jerusalem
  7. Ramla
  8. Rehovot
  9. Tel Aviv Yafo

Unusual Attractions in Israel

See All 82 Things To Do in Israel

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Israel

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Sacred Spaces 16
Religion 12
Architectural Oddities 10
Ancient 10
Ruins 9
Archaeology 8
Ecosystems 8
Subterranean Sites 6

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Stories About Israel

How a Bedouin Tracker Sees the Desert

On a seemingly blank, sandy canvas, signs and symbols abound.
by Gitit Ginat

The 6,000-Year Story of the Negev Desert Is Etched in Stone

Millennia of rock art offer a library of human history in the Levant.
by Gitit Ginat

Is There a Future for the Sinkhole-Studded Dead Sea?

Receding waters are leaving behind an environmental disaster, and a new kind of tourism.
by Gitit Ginat

Podcast: Grandma Ida’s Nut Rolls Gravestone

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team

The Friendly Rivalry—Between Israel and Iran—Over the World’s Longest Salt Cave

Spectacular Malcham Cave, at more than six miles, currently holds the title.
by Gitit Ginat

The Archaeologists Who Unlocked Cold War Spy Photos of Israel

Their efforts convinced the U.S. to declassify CIA images from America's first satellite program.
by Karen Chernick

Found: A 1200-Year-Old Olive Oil Soap Factory in the Negev Desert

Excavations in Rahat also turned up ancient board games.
by Claire Voon

The Strange Afterlife of a Mysterious Tomb Inscription

"I lay with another but I love you, the one most dear to me."
by Gitit Ginat

Lists Featuring Israel

The crostata, with the storefront in the background.

7 Extraordinary Jewish Restaurants Around the World

A global map of diverse delights.

7

Including Passticeria il Boccione, Gottlieb's Restaurant, and Nahoum and Sons

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