Here are the top five reasons why you should visit Israel.

Soccer just edges basketball as the most popular sport in Israel. The professional soccer league, with 12 teams in the top Premier League division, is followed closely in the media and attracts crowds of up to 20,000 people at games.

1972 Summer Olympics Eleven members of Israeli Olympic team were murdered during the Munich massacre: The tragedy caused the Israeli delegation to withdraw from the remainder of the Games.

• Jerusalem is an International Icon. Jerusalem is the holiest city in the world – holy for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
• Tel Aviv is THE Coolest City in the Mediterranean.
• You Can Float at the Lowest Place on Earth.
• Diverse Scenery.
• It’s Safer Than You Think.

Despite what you see in the news, Israel is actually a very safe country to travel to. The area of the country around Gaza is not touristic and there is no reason for tourists to go travel there. Tourists should also be very vigilant when traveling to the West Bank or east Jerusalem.

In general, Israel is a surprisingly expensive country, particularly when compared to its nearby neighbors. Food is quite expensive so cooking whenever possible is your best option. Hotels are also very expensive. It’s really hard to find budget accommodation but there are hostels throughout the country.

Jerusalem Biblical Zoo

10 Best Places to Visit in Israel

• Nazareth. Nazareth, the largest city in Galilee, is known as the Arab capital of the country because its residents are predominantly Arab citizens of Israel.
• Caesarea. Caesarea is both ancient and new.
• Ramon Crater. flickr/Alon Ron.
• Haifa.
• Sea of Galilee.
• Tel Aviv.
• Eilat.
• Dead Sea.

Safety: Israel is a low-crime country. When traveling in Jordan or in East Jerusalem and Arab cities inside Israel, travelers should not carry or drink alcohol (which is forbidden by Islam) in public, and modest dress is expected of both men and women.

Christian Sites in Israel

• Best Holy Land Tours.
• The Footsteps of Jesus in the Galilee.
• Holy Sites in Jerusalem.
• The Footsteps of Jesus in the Galilee.
• The Museum of the Underground Prisoners, Akko (Acre)
• Bethlehem.
• Jericho.
• Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

JERUSALEM, May 1, 2009 — The Jesus Trail is 40 miles long and starts in Jesus’ home town of Nazareth. Recently completed, its route winds through the towns and villages of the Galilee region in northern Israel. This is the place where Jesus and his disciples established their ministry.

The Temple Mount

Jerusalem has been the holiest city in Judaism and the ancestral and spiritual homeland of the Jewish people since the 10th century BCE. During classical antiquity, Jerusalem was considered the center of the world, where God resided. The city of Jerusalem is given special status in Jewish religious law.