Old City of Jerusalem: Which Quarter to Visit First

The Old City is divided into four quarters, Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Armenian, packed into just one square kilometre. Here's how I'd think about where to start.

The Old City is divided into four quarters, Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Armenian, packed into just one square kilometre. People often ask me where to start, assuming there is an obvious answer. There is not, but there is a better one, depending on what you are hoping to feel.

Start in the Jewish Quarter if you want the story to build in order

This is where the Cardo runs, the old Roman-Byzantine main street, and where the Western Wall sits at the base of what remains of the Temple compound. It is also the quietest of the four quarters early in the day, which makes it the easiest place to actually think about what you are looking at before the crowds catch up with you.

Start in the Christian Quarter if the Via Dolorosa is your priority

This route follows the path tradition holds Jesus walked to his crucifixion, ending at one of the most contested and remarkable buildings in the world, shared uneasily between six different Christian denominations. Go early. By midday it is genuinely difficult to move.

Start in the Muslim Quarter if you want the market, not just the monuments

This is the Old City at its loudest and most alive, narrow lanes packed with spice stalls, bakeries, and shops that have been run by the same families for generations. It is also home to the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque, sacred to over a billion people around the world.

The Armenian Quarter is the one almost everyone misses

And I think that is a shame. It is the smallest and quietest of the four, home to a Christian community that has lived in Jerusalem since the fourth century. If you want a few minutes of genuine stillness in the middle of the day, this is where to find it.

Here is the honest answer: it does not matter which quarter you start in, as long as you do not try to do all four properly in one go. I would rather walk you through two quarters and let the stories breathe than march you through all four and have none of it stick. Working out which two, and in what order, is exactly the kind of decision that is easier to get right with someone who walks these lanes for a living.

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.