Jerusalem for First-Time Visitors: What I Tell Every Guest

I meet a lot of first-time visitors, and most of them arrive carrying the same handful of worries. Here's what I actually tell people before we start walking.

I meet a lot of first-time visitors, and most of them arrive carrying the same handful of worries and the same handful of misconceptions. Here is what I actually tell people, before we have even started walking.

You cannot see it all, and you should stop trying to

Jerusalem rewards depth far more than breadth. Two or three sites walked through properly will stay with you longer than seven rushed past. This is the single piece of advice I repeat most often, and the one people thank me for afterwards.

Dress with the holy sites in mind

Shoulders and knees covered is the general rule for the Western Wall and most religious sites, for men and women alike. It is a small thing to plan around, and it means you will not be caught out or turned away at the entrance to somewhere you have travelled a long way to see.

The city is safer, and calmer, than the headlines suggest

This is one of the most common questions I get before a trip, and a fair one. Day to day life in Jerusalem, including in the Old City, is calmer and more ordinary than visitors expect from the news alone. That said, it is always worth checking current conditions closer to your travel dates, and I am always happy to talk this through honestly with anyone who is unsure.

Bring good shoes and a sense of humour about the heat

The stone streets of the Old City are beautiful and unforgiving on tired feet. Comfortable, broken-in shoes matter more here than almost anywhere else you will visit.

You do not need to be religious for this city to move you

Some of the most affected visitors I have guided were the least religious people in the group. Jerusalem has a way of reaching people regardless of what they believe walking in.

Every first-time visitor arrives with their own questions, and I would genuinely rather answer yours directly than have you guess from a list like this one. That conversation is usually the best part of planning the trip.

Written by Orit Kropp

Licensed by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, Jerusalem-based, and endlessly enthusiastic about bringing the Tanach to life on the ground where it happened.