Lilly7

Planning a trip to Jerusalem.Israel and Venice, Italy next Sept 2020. I have several questions I'd love your feedback, suggestions, advice or recommendations.
1. I'm planning to use my CSR (Chase Sapphire Reserve) points to cover for 2RT flights if possible and American Advantage that partners with BA for the other flight(3 altogether).
Hopefully I can find a way to match all flights. Itinerary MIA/VCE ,VCE/TLV, TLV/MIA.
I've never transferred airline points or pulled the cash for airfare. I'm thinking I will lose cash value by pulling cash to buy all flights under the same reservation as I get more pt value if I book through their portal.
Someone suggested to use the United Excursionist perk but it won't apply as VCE/TLV are no withing the same region
Anything I should be on the lookout for or suggestions being that I still have some time to get the airfare?

2. It'll be my first time in both places, Israel and Venice. My husband and I are taking my 75yr old mom as a gift trip since she's never traveled outside the US and her dream trip is Jerusalem.
I'm taking account that she's older and can't move as fast. Your suggestions for hotels, restaurants, things to do, must see and do activities are greatly appreciated.
Any tips of things to also beware of or that will make our trip easier are also appreciated.

Thanks so much.
LB

LAX_Esq

Watch out for the holidays, both because airfare and hotels are expensive and because many sites are closed. The holidays are generally not a good time to travel in Israel unless you have/want to be there for the holidays/family. Rosh Hashana 2020 is Sept 18-20. Yom Kippur is Sept 28. I'd make sure you're out of Israel well before the start of RH.

If you say how many days you're planning in Israel, what interests you, what you have in mind, etc., people can help you better. There are so many different options for how to "do" Israel. Going for religious purposes? (Jewish? Christian?)? Interested in history? Archaeology? Beaches / relaxing? Nature? Israel has it all and your question is much too broad to answer properly. Perhaps you ought to do a little bit more thinking and homework so we can offer better advice.

Lilly7

Ahhh this is great information already. I had heard not to go around the holidays but didn't realize Sept had all those holidays. Thank you Lax_Esq. We are thinking to leave Israel just before the 18th. Do you think sites will close that early on? Hotels still be affordable?

We're taking my mom for religious purposes (Christian). She wants to see all the Christian sites. My husband is a History geek and is mainly going for that. I'm going for all of the above, culture and gastronomy.
We live in Florida by the beach so that's not our priority.
As of now this is what I have down in my notes to see in Jerusalem: Haram Al-Sharif, Al Aqua Mosque, Dome of the Rock, Western Wall, Church of Holy Sepulcher, Via Dolorosa St., King David's Tomb, Last Supper Room, Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Tomb of Prophets, Jerusalem Old City and the Dead Sea.
For Bethlehem: Church of the Nativity & Groto.
For Sea of Galilee: Jesus Trail, Qsr El Yahud (Jordan River).
I'd also like to visit the market "The Shuk Ha'Carmel". Some Restaurants/Eateries: Afteen Restaurant in Bethlehem. Hummus at Miznon Danni in Old Jaffa Flea Market, Schnitzel at Café Noir, Dr. Shakshuka in Tel Aviv.

Hopefully this is more helpful.
Thank you.
Lilly B.

LAX_Esq

Some sites may close early on the afternoon of the 18th. I don't know * exactly * when hotel prices start to spike up, e.g., 2 days before or 5 days before. I assume it varies a bit from hotel to hotel.

Are you comfortable renting a car? You pretty much need a rental car to do all the Christian stuff in the North. It's pretty much impossible to efficiently see what you're going to want to see using public transportation. If you're not comfortable driving, you can always sign up for an organized tour for that part of the trip or hire a private driver/guide (definitely won't be cheap in Israel).

In addition to the Christian stuff, the North has a lot of stuff that would be of high interest to your husband if he's a history buff. Acre (Akko) is an ancient city with interesting Islamic / Christian Crusader history. There's the roman Ruins in Caesarea. There are the Megiddo (Armageddon) ruins, etc. Depends how much time you have for all this.

Bethlehem is a day trip (or even half-day trip) from Jerusalem. It's very close; less than 10 miles as the crow flies. No need to stay overnight there; you can comfortably see all the places of interest very quickly.

Jerusalem obviously has a ton of stuff to see and do. You could spend a week there and not get bored. Your list of things doesn't really have anything in the "new" city, and lots of stuff there is of interest, e.g., Israel Museum (Dead Sea scrolls are there, among other things), Yad Vashem (Holocaust museum), Mahane Yehuda market, Ben Yehuda Street, tour of Knesset, etc.

FYI, you can't go inside the Al Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock unless you're Muslim, can visit the Temple Mount and see them up close. Visiting hours are very limited and change all the time (and are sometimes shut down due to security issues), so if you're keen on visiting the Temple Mount (I highly recommend) make sure you plan around it.

I wouldn't spend more than a day or two in TLV. Old Jaffa is the only major historic site in TLV, but it's a good idea to visit Israel's largest city and get a sense of what modern-day Israel is like. You do say you want "culture," and it's interesting to see the contrast of secular TLV and orthodox Jewish (and Arab) Jerusalem and not just see ancient sites. I suppose you could even skip TLV entirely if you're pressed for time. (You mention seeing the Carmel Shuk. That's in TLV. The Machane Yehuda Shuk in Jerusalem is basically the same thing and I think better / more interesting, so you'll see a famous market either way.)

You don't say how many days you're looking to go for. Any ideas? As a general framework for your trip, do something like this: rent a car at the TLV airport, go up North and see the stuff up there, drive down to the Dead Sea and Masada, drive back up to Jerusalem, drop the car off in Jerusalem, spend as much time in Jerusalem as you can (tons of see), and then either end the trip in Jerusalem or transfer to TLV and end the trip there. Or do it in reverse.

That's a pretty "standard" structure for an Israel trip. You want to ditch the rental car in Jerusalem and TLV.

Hope this helps!

Lilly7

We're planning to be there a week. Prob 9/11-18th.
Your info is so helpful. Are you from there or you've been many time?
I'm not sure that we feel comfortable renting a car there but we'll figure that
part out once we have everyone's suggestions and ideas to work around it.
Any particular hotels you suggest or restaurants?

Thanks so much LAX_Esq.
Lilly B.

RedChili

I hope you realize that visiting sites in and around the Old City of Jerusalem usually means a lot of walking. I would also recommend going on an underground tour of the Western Wall Tunnels, The Tower of David Museum of the History of Jerusalem, and the City of David Archaeological Park. In my opinion, those are musts in and around the Old City. I don't know what kind of Christians you are, but evangelical Christians usually prefer the Garden Tomb instead of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, while the latter is THE preferred attraction in Jerusalem for Catholic and Orthodox Christians.

In the new city, I agree with Lax-Esq that Yad Vashem and the Israel Museum are musts.

Qasr el-Yahud is not located in Galilee but close to Jericho, only a 30 minute drive from Jerusalem.

In Galilee, most Christians will want to visit the Mount of Beatitudes, Tabgha, Capernaum, and the Jesus Boat Museum.

If your husband is interested in recent military history, the Yad La-Shiryon (armored corps museum at Latrun, halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv) is a must.

Hotels in Israel are quite pricey. What class of hotels are you looking for?

worldiswide

Instead of a car I would recommend a tour guide and driver. Guides in Israel are well trained and knowledgeable take exams from the ministry of tourism and will add immeasurably to a first trip. They will be able to get you the most for your time. Also if you are interested in the Christian sites the holidays may not be as much of an issue. Its a a small country packed with things to do. There is history with every step. Start with your must haves and then you can fill in. For instance there is a great market in h Jerusalem if you end up not having time to do Carmel. Hummus is at every street cafe in every Israeli city. Bethlehem is 10 mjjnutes from Jerusalem. Agree with other posters, don't have your heart set on seeing temple mount, the visiting schedule is erratic at best.

LAX_Esq

AFAIK, a driver-guide is at least $700-800/day. That might be no big deal to OP, or it might be a big deal. Either way, that's an awful lot of money for a guide in comparison to in most places in the world. So, it's worth making clear to OP what the cost would be.

worldiswide

If it is going to be a dream trip do it right. Your guide will greatly enhance your day, you will get more in your day because you are not worrying about directiobbs parking the right order directions etc. I'm not sure the quote on the driver and guide are accurate at all so don't be put off as you plan.. but I would absolutely not recomnnend renting a car in israel for a first time visitor, this said for someone who has been there many times and knows my way around pretty well.

Lilly7

So we're finding EasyJet has non stop flights (3.30hrs) to TLV from VCE for very low prices compared to other airlines that all have layovers and duration is 6hrs + for a lot more $.
Can someone shed some light into why I shouldn't or should get flights from Easy Jet? I've heard mixed reviews but so far even if I pay for seat assignment and baggage is still way cheaper and less time.
Thoughts or Experiences??

craz

Although Ive never flown them or any European LCC, as long as you do your homework and add up all the additional fees (and probably prepay as well to save a few $$) you should be good to go. AFAIK the main only negative is if you run into IRROPS, as you will be stuck with them and what they offer and wont move you to any other carrier. But for enough in savings Id roll the dice

yonatan

You might get more detailed feedback on the "other European airlines" forum, but as an American who's used Easyjet on a number of trips across the pond, I can say I've been satisfied. The key is to read up in advance to know what to expect and to factor in costs for things like luggage, advance seat reservations and food when comparing to airlines that include these in the price (btw El Al flies nonstop from VCE and they sometimes have cheap fares on such leisure routes so make sure to compare them before booking Easyjet). I flew them from the UK to Israel two years ago and it was good enough for me to book them for the same trip I'll be doing in March. The only annoyance was that luggage took a while to come out at TLV (maybe a half hour after I had cleared passport control, ie almost an hour after landing) - but I felt I still came out ahead timewise given that they had a much more convenient schedule.

Two considerations:

Easyjet typically doesn't use jet bridges - can your mother negotiate the stairs? (unfortunately in TLV even traditional carriers may park on a hardstand so it's a bit of a crapshoot anyway).

I'd recommend paying for upfront seats that give you speedy boarding, permission to bring a personal item (otherwise you only get one carry on) and priority check-in for a slightly calmer travel experience.

awayIgo

A few comments on what has been said,

The prices quoted for a guide are accurate. Also, if you go away overnight, unless you have a guide from the north, you are responsible for the guides lodging and meals.

Driving in Israel,isn’t hard. There is no reason a first time visitor should shy away from renting a car.