Things to See in Israel

The gushing springs, waterfalls and streams of Banias Nature Reserve are worth visiting all year round, though they're particularly beautiful in early spring, following snowmelt from Mt Hermon. Without doubt one of the most beautiful - and popular - spots in the whole of Israel.

The impressive archaeological site Tzipori (or Sepphoris) was first settled by the Hasmoneans in the 2nd century BC, but then served as the Roman capital of Galilee. Today it brims with ruins, including original colonnaded roadways, a Roman villa with lovely mosaic floors, a Crusader citadel and an atmospheric underground system of cisterns and aqueducts.

It may be clichéd, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. No trip to Israel is complete without a float in the Dead Sea. The water is packed full of invigorating minerals and there's 10% more oxygen in the air here than at sea level. Beyond the obligatory float, the soothing mud bath and a soak in the sulphur, the approximately 65km (40mi) shoreline is one of the most mythic places on earth.