Israel

Citizens of the US, UK, EU countries, Canada, Australia and many others don't need a visa for stays up to 90 days — but since January 2025 every visa-exempt traveler DOES need an ETA-IL, the mandatory electronic travel authorization: a short online application on the official Israeli government portal (NIS 25, normally approved within hours, valid up to two years). Apply at least 72 hours before your flight — airlines deny boarding without it. Nationalities outside the exempt list apply for a visa through an Israeli embassy.

Israel doesn't stamp passports — you receive a paper entry card instead, which you keep for your whole stay and it's checked at exit. The caveat: several countries in the region (Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Kuwait) refuse entry to travelers with evidence of an Israel visit, and border officers can look beyond stamps — think about the ORDER of trips in the region, not just the stamps.

Thorough, methodical and normal — expect detailed questions at Ben Gurion about your itinerary, contacts in Israel and previous travel in the region, both on arrival and (more intensively) at departure. Answer clearly and honestly, allow a full three hours for departure, and treat the process as routine: it's professional screening, not an accusation.

Two full days is a sensible minimum for the Old City alone — the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Dome of the Rock sit within minutes of each other, but each quarter has its own rhythm and the city rewards slow, repeated walking. Add a third day for the Mount of Olives, the City of David excavations and the Israel Museum, and check access rules and hours for the Temple Mount, which are limited for non-Muslim visitors.

From Friday sunset to Saturday sunset, public transport stops in most of the country, most shops and kosher restaurants close, and intercity buses and trains don't run. Tel Aviv keeps more open — many cafés, restaurants and shared taxis (sherut) operate — while Jerusalem shuts down almost completely. Plan intercity moves for Friday morning or Saturday night, and treat Shabbat as a feature: the quiet in Jerusalem is memorable in itself.

Yes — it's the classic day trip from Jerusalem: Masada at first light (the sunrise from the Snake Path or the early cable car, before the desert heat), then a float and mineral-mud session at a Dead Sea beach, with Ein Gedi's spring-fed oasis as the stop in between. Float rules apply: keep your face dry, don't shave that morning, shower promptly after.

Bethlehem and other Palestinian Authority cities in the West Bank are commonly visited on the entry you receive from Israel — many travelers day-trip from Jerusalem by tour, taxi or bus through the checkpoint with passport and entry card in hand. Rules and access points can change with the situation; check current conditions before planning, and note that Gaza is a separate, extremely restricted case entirely.

The honest answer is that regional security conditions change quickly, and no static page should be your source on timing: check your government's current travel advisory before booking and again before departure, register your trip where that service exists, avoid demonstrations, and follow local guidance during your stay. What a page CAN tell you: entry procedures, sites and logistics above are stable, and tourism infrastructure operates with well-practiced security routines.