Some are coming for religious reasons, others out of a pure desire to discover what we call the Holy Land and, for sure, they all leave it changed.
Even if you are not an old stone lover you will never get bored in the Old city of Jerusalem. Divided in 4 parts: the Jewish Quarter, the Christian Quarter, the Muslim Quarter and the Armenian Quarter. Take it from me, I have been to the Old City a lot of times yet the Adrenalin rush upon exploring the never-ending twists and turns of the alleys and side streets always leave me wanting to stay longer. But, what are my favorite places there?
The souk
My favorite thing to do in the Old City is to get lost in its markets. If the holy places are unavoidable, the simple fact of walking there is a journey in itself. Do not miss the shopping streets of the old souk but be careful you can get lost in a few seconds. From spices to ancient artifacts, handmade goods and some of the freshest products, you can find everything you need.
The Western Wall
We see it in picture, we imagine it… and suddenly here it is the Western Wall or Kotel in Hebrew. You can go there every day of the week even during Shabbat. Even if you are not Jewish you can touch the Wall and drag a wish written on a paper in it.
The Via Dolorosa
In English the “painful way” is the path that Jesus would have taken with its cross to his execution place. The stages of the Way of the Cross are commemorated in 14 stations indicated by the presence of a small chapel or simply by an inscription on the wall. They are spread out along a route that crosses the streets of the Old City and they end at the Holy Sepulcher.
The Church of the Holy Sepulcher
It is the site where it is believed that Jesus was crucified and buried. Believer or not, you will surely feel the very strong atmosphere of this place. You can visit a reconstruction of the tomb of the Christ. If you want to understand deeply the story of the church you should take a guide who will make you discover the different levels of the Holy Sepulcher and explain you the entire story behind it.
Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list, the Old City is overflowing with wonderful things to do and see. For instance I would have loved to tell you about the Temple Mount as it is renowned to be one of the most beautiful sites to visit, yet it is pretty difficult to have a chance to go there unless arriving very early and waiting for a long time during the few hours of public operation.
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