The Atlas Obscura Guide To Israel

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

Updated March 12, 2024

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Unusual Attractions in Israel

Pool of Arches.

Ramla, Israel

Pool of Arches

You can row a boat through this ancient underground reservoir.

Rosh HaNikra Grottoes

Acre, Israel

Rosh HaNikra Grottoes

The bluer than blue waters in these natural Israeli caves are reached via the world's steepest cable car.

Beit Guvrin Caves

Ashkelon, Israel

Beit Guvrin Caves

These numerous Israeli caves were dug out over hundreds years for reasons ranging from hideouts to burial sites.

St. George and the Dragon tattoo motif as tattooed from a stencil block that dates to 200 or 300 years ago.

Jerusalem, Israel

Razzouk Ink

This family tattoo parlor has been inking religious pilgrims in the Middle East for 700 years.

Shrine of the Book

Jerusalem, Israel

Shrine of the Book

The home of the Dead Sea Scrolls is an abstract modernist dream.

The Western Wall Tunnel.

East Jerusalem, Israel

Western Wall Tunnel

Descend 2,030 years into the past in an ancient tunnel built to support Jerusalem's most famous wall.

A aerial view of the Masada fortress.

Masada, Israel

Masada

This daunting 1st century fortress was purportedly the site of one of the most dramatic revolts of the Jewish-Roman wars.

Avshalom Cave.

Israel

Avshalom Cave

This amazing ancient cave was kept secret for seven years to protect it from the public.

See All 84 Things To Do in Israel

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Israel

The exterior of the diner.

Neve Ilan, Israel

Elvis American Diner

In a small town outside Jerusalem, a roadside diner is devoted to all things Elvis Presley.

Montefiore Windmill

Jerusalem, Israel

Montefiore Windmill

After over 100 years out of service this landmark windmill once again turns as a symbol of Jerusalem's self-sufficiency.

Ida's recipe is on the front-facing side of the grave.

Rehovot, Israel

Ida's Nut Roll Gravestone

A family recipe is just one of several touches that make this Hebrew headstone special.

Underwater bar (Planet Oddity)

Eilat, Israel

Red Sea Star

Underwater restaurant at the coral reefs of Eilat.

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Explore Israel

Architecture 17

Sacred Spaces 16

Religion 13

Architectural Oddities 10

Ancient 10

Ruins 9

Archaeology 8

Ecosystems 8

Museums 7

Caves 6

Biblical 6

Geology 6

Places To Stay 3

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Stories About Israel

One of the founders of Israel's Tractor Museum, the late Gideon Grosman, restores a small Murray plow.

How Farmers Are Preserving Israel’s Disappearing Agricultural Legacy—One Tractor At a Time

At the Tractor Museum, every machine has a story.

It's not just a print. It's a story.

How a Bedouin Tracker Sees the Desert

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

September 1, 2022

Tribal symbols known as wusum attest to the ongoing presence of Bedouins in the desert.

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.

Kayakers visit a slumped sinkhole on the Dead Sea Coast.

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

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

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

January 4, 2022

Geologist and guide Lior Enmar among Malcham's delicate salt structures.

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.

August 11, 2021

These images, collected in 2013, show the contrast between restricted (left) and unrestricted (right) satellite imagery.

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

September 28, 2020

Early soaps were produced here out of olive oil, potash, lime, and water.

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

Excavations in Rahat also turned up ancient board games.

August 27, 2020

Lists Featuring Israel

The crostata, with the storefront in the background.

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A global map of diverse delights.

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