Jerusalem

Old meets new in spiritual and complex Jerusalem, the sacred center of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity for millennia. Feel the fragile proximity of Jerusalem’s religious diversity while walking through the Old City’s hidden passages, and on its rooftops. Different holy sites exist almost on top of one another - as with the golden Dome of the Rock, visible from the Western Wall. Brush shoulders with pilgrims and atheists at the Western Wall, breathe in the scents of incense and fresh spices at the bustling marketplace, and experience the intense magic of cultures and languages mingling throughout the streets of this bona fide melting pot.

You gotta

Stand on the ridge of the Mount of Olives for an unforgettable view of Jerusalem.

Off the beaten track

Tikun Olam (mend the world) – participate in an activity at Yad LaKashish (Lifeline for the Elderly), a Jerusalem-based non-profit.

A real gem

Hummus Arafat and Ja'afar Kanafeh – in the Old City.

Here's the scoop

While Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan (1949-1967), a French nun living right on the border coughed and her false teeth fell right into the demilitarized zone. How did she get her teeth back?