Temple Mount, Jerusalem

Advantages: Amazing, beautiful
Disadvantages: Dangerous

...Jerusalem is the kind of city it is impossible to visit 'blind'. Everyone knows her glancingly. Her name invokes impressions, differing impressions, in people across the globe, and her role in Western Civilisations cannot be underplayed. I was fortunate enough, and I do use 'fortunate' guardedly, to have spent a few months working in Jerusalem a few years back. The city I often now see on my television screen isn't always the happy, hearty, lively Jerusalem I remember, a city probably with more spirit than I have even felt from a city, but sometimes it is exactly the Jerusalem I remember, the fear, the hate and the entrenched beliefs. Jerusalem is a divided city. Jerusalem has been a divided city for hundreds of years, centuries even. Palestinian East Jerusalem as distinct from Israeli West Jerusalem, The Old City as distinct from... Read review

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Advantages: History, Scenery, Religion, The Old City
Disadvantages: Its the city they all want

...Well I’ve just returned from Jerusalem, Israel after spending a year out studying ancient Hebrew texts, law and philosophy, most of which have been written around 1700 years ago. That’s the beauty of Jerusalem, the history, you can’t get away from it, it’s the place to remove your ‘self’ away from the materialistic life of western life and delve into something more spiritual and un-worldly, possibly even heavenly. Don’t get me wrong the city and Israel is very sophisticated, easily the most technologically advanced county in the Middle East and probably most of Eastern Europe. That’s Israel greatest export - brainpower. All buildings in Jerusalem are made from Jerusalem stone, the same type of stone as the Western Wall, the last remnant of the 2nd Jewish Temple destroyed in 70AD by the Romans, but behind each apartment or complex you... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful City, plenty to do, lots of history.
Disadvantages: Watch out for dodgy dealers. A lot of 'friction' in Israel.

...might rip you off. The New City is pretty much like any other modern European City, with shops, bars, cafes and night clubs (mostly centred around Zion Square). Jerusalem has plenty of places to stay from nice hotels to the dirtiest cheapest hostels you can imagine. For a truly outstanding experience you can sleep on the roof of a hostel in the Old City for about 1 pound 50. Most decent hostel rooms are around 3-4 pounds. There are many other things to see in the area, Yad Vashem the holocaust museum is good but left me feeling a bit depressed, the Knessett (parliament building) is close by with tours but is a little boring unless you are into politics. There are many other religious sites in Jerusalem such as the Mount of Olives and numerous churches/synagogues/mosques (the Old City is actually split into four quarters each with it's own... Read review

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