Jerusalem,
4 days

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, is one of the most important sites in the world for Christians. It sits within the Christian Quarter of the walled Old City and claims to have within its walls the locations of both Christ’s crucifixion (Golgotha altar - the darker picture) and his resurrection (Aedicule, Jesus' tomb). Quite a devote place to visit.

Tip!

Notice the Immovable Ladder on the right upper-story window at the entrance. It's "immovable" because no one of the six ecumenical Christian orders may move, rearrange, or alter any property without the consent of the other five orders.

You probably think it's a mosque, but it's not. It is actually an Islamic shrine. The dome is the visual symbol of Jerusalem and made of real gold (!). The interior and exterior of the structure are decorated with beautiful marble, mosaics, and metal plaques. The wide raised platform surrounding the dome is open and a bit dull to be honest, but the Dome of the Chain adjacent east is very lively with mothers chatting away.

Tip!

Don't take selfies. It's a holy place and the safety guards 'kindly' help you remember.

Located at the foot of the western slope of the Mount of Olives, you find this church. The church is cut into a rock and to get to the tomb of Virgin Mary you have to descend a vaulted staircase area. The cave you end up in, has something mystical about it. It's dark, hundreds of oil lamps hang from the ceiling and the place is filled with ancient paintings. A good place to rest.

Looking for a secret grotto underneath the Old City? Visit Zedekiah’s Cave (or Solomon's Quarries). It is the largest man-made cave in Israel and the most important of Jerusalem's ancient quarries. Its importance lies in the fact that the major quarry layers consist of “Melekeh” stone. Many Jerusalem monuments have been constructed using this type of limestone with the most well known site being the Temple Mount.

Tip!

Entrance lies outside the city walls.

Just southeast of Temple Mount, you find a pathway through the valley with some strange stone monuments and tombs. The first is topped with what looks like an upside-down funnel. It got it's name based on 2 Samuel 18:18 where Absalom “set up for himself a pillar which is in the King’s Valley.” But the edifice has nothing to do with Absalom ;), but it represents a first-century funerary monument. Further along the path another funerary monument comes into view. This monument has a pyramid-shaped top and is named Zachariah’s Tomb. There's innumerable tombs that surround it, so take some time if you're into this stuff.

The Jewish Cemetery on Mount of Olives is the oldest Jewish Cemetery in the world and has some tombs that are 3,000 years old dating back to the time of King David. It is a very impressive site and a landmark. You can see the hill covered with white graves from a lot of viewing points in the city. There are 150,000 graves and it is believed that the bodies that are buried here will be the first to be resurrected during the End of the Days (Armageddon).

Tip!

Doors at the bottom of the cemetery will give you access to the oldest graves.

This 20th century Roman Catholic church, also known as the Church of All Nations, also known as the Church of the Agony, is located on Mount of Olives. It contains a grotto with an outcrop of stone known as the Rock of Agony, where it is believed that Christ anguished in his final hours before he was crucified. Personally I loved the ceiling the most, it shows the national symbols of 12 donors

Tip!

Next to the church is the Garden of Gethsemane, a garden of ancient olive trees where Jesus and his disciples used to pray.

Escape the touristy souk and discover authenticity in the backstreets. Just turn a street and see where it brings you. I stumbled upon the interesting As-Sayyida street and Al-Battikh ascent, but unfortunately I can't show you where they are. Google Maps does't recognize the names :(.

The Western Wall is the most religious site in the world for the Jewish people. Did you know that the Wall is a surviving remnant of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and it is here, on Mount Moriah, that Isaac was bound for sacrifice. And it is here that his son Jacob dreamed of the ladder ascending to heaven.Although other parts of the Temple Mount retaining wall remain standing, the Western Wall is especially dear, as it is the spot closest to the Holy of Holies, the central focus of the Temple. Well, I didn't! ;)

Tip!

Ha-Tamid street gives you the best view (viewing deck Aish HaTorah).

Amidst the archaeological remains in the Citadel’s courtyard the story of Jerusalem unfolds through giant breathtaking, virtual reality images. The visualizations on the walls of the Citadel are jaw-dropping. Don't miss it. The show takes about 45 minutes and is in open air.

Tip!

FYI....cameras are not allowed ;)