Online - August 05, 2009

The Holy Hideaway

DailyCandy Goes to Israel

Last week we went to Tel Aviv; this week we’re going everywhere else. You may think Israel is mainly sand — okay, you’re right — but we did a little digging and unearthed why the petite country gets paramount attention.

Some Like It Hot
Whether your flight takes eighteen hours (from L.A.), ten hours (from NYC), or one hour (from NYC with a sleeping pill), start on the southern tip in Eilat on the Red Sea to recover from jet lag amid palatial hotels, 24-hour nightclubs, and sapphire beaches. (It’s Vegas meets the Bahamas.) Toast your tushie at Dan Eilat hotel and head to Dolphin Reef to swim with the fishies.

Do the Humpty Hump
Before heading north, you’ll need to choose your ride, and we recommend several test drives. There are so many different colors, textures, and sizes, but does your camel have the right feel? Are you a speed demon? Do you prefer scenic routes? And how do you feel about spitters? Count on the experts at the Camel Ranch to help you blaze a trail through the Negev Desert.

Float Your Boat
More like float your bod. The salt in the Dead Sea is so thick you couldn’t sink if you tried. (Fact: With no plant or animal life, the body of water is literally dead.) Check yourself for cuts before submerging, then indulge in the healing powers of the brine’s minerals and mud. Don’t be scurred — spread it liberally on your skin (it acts as a full-body mask), bake in the sun, and let it dry. After you rinse, hop in a thermal-mineral sulfur pool at Ein Gedi Spa.

Some Like It Old
The heart of Israel beats in Jerusalem’s Old City. Surrounded by walls of Jerusalem stone, the city is divided into Armenian, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian quarters. Best way to explore: Get lost in the maze of winding streets, hidden courtyards, and archeological sites.

Spice, Spice Baby
When you find yourself feeling like Alice in Wonderland, suddenly surrounded by oversize pomegranates and colors you don’t recognize, you’ve arrived at Mahane Yehuda, known by locals as The Shook. Jerusalem’s most famous open-air market is pure eye candy: rows of vendors selling local fruits and vegetables; hundreds of varieties of olives, nuts, and sweets; buckets of spices. With any luck you’ll tumble upon the guy selling etrog, an ancient Middle Eastern citrus. Don’t be alarmed if he spritzes a little youth juice on your face — the fruit is known for its healing powers. Stay at the Little House in Bakah, a charming renovated mansion with a beautiful garden, and hit Emek Refaim Street for jewelry galleries, restaurants, and cafes.

Arts and Tarts
End your trip up north in Safed, the free-spirited, hippie mountain colony that’s home to artists and kabbalists. The streets are painted blue; the synagogue interiors a rainbow of colors. A halvah man moves throughout town selling many delicious varieties of the sweet in front of the temples. Yosef Caro Street brims with kabbalistic trinkets, micrography (tiny words make up the images), and paintings. Stop into the gallery of Yaacov Kaszemacher (12 Yosef Caro Street; 972-4-699-9849) for double-exposed photographs that capture the layers of Safed architecture. When you book the Ruth Rimonim Hotel, ask for a garden room.