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

Birds Mosaic

Caesarea, Israel

Birds Mosaic

These mosaics were created more than half a millennium ago and feature various animals.

Murals referencing the rare and strange reptiles that once lived at the exhibit.

Bir el Maliha, Israel

Kushi's Pundak 101

This legendary roadside attraction feels like a bizarre mirage, 101 kilometers outside the resort city of Eilat.

Negev Guardian

Ramat Hovav, Israel

Negev Guardian

One of the largest statues in Israel was erected to protest pollution.

The front side of the fountain.

Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel

Nahum Gutman's Mosaic Fountain

The history of Tel Aviv told through a work of art.

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.

Inside the castle's main hall

Margaliot, Israel

Hunin Castle

Crusader ruin with views over South Lebanon.

Altalena Memorial

Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel

Altalena Memorial

This site honors an Israeli cargo ship that was destroyed by the government in 1948.

Hadrianic Aqueduct of Caesarea

Caesarea, Israel

Hadrianic Aqueduct of Caesarea

Built by a king and rebuilt by an emperor, this aqueduct transported water for 1,200 years to this ancient Mediterranean hub.

See All 84 Things To Do in Israel

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Israel

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.

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.

Underwater bar (Planet Oddity)

Eilat, Israel

Red Sea Star

Underwater restaurant at the coral reefs of Eilat.

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.

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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.

12 Extraordinary Jewish Restaurants Around the World

A global map of diverse delights.

Including Pasticceria Boccione, Gottlieb's Restaurant, and Nahoum and Sons

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