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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Israel

82 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Israel

Updated September 15, 2023

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  1. Acre
  2. Be'er Sheva
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  5. Haifa
  6. Jerusalem
  7. Ramla
  8. Rehovot
  9. Tel Aviv Yafo

Unusual Attractions in Israel

See All 82 Things To Do in Israel

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Israel

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Sacred Spaces 16
Religion 13
Architectural Oddities 10
Ancient 10
Ruins 9
Ecosystems 8
Archaeology 8
Geology 6

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Stories About Israel

One of the founders of Israel's Tractor Museum, the late Gideon Grosman, restores a small Murray plow.

How Farmers Are Preserving Israel’s Disappearing Agricultural Legacy—One Tractor At a Time

At the Tractor Museum, every machine has a story.
by Gitit Ginat
It's not just a print. It's a story.

How a Bedouin Tracker Sees the Desert

On a seemingly blank, sandy canvas, signs and symbols abound.
by Gitit Ginat
Tribal symbols known as wusum attest to the ongoing presence of Bedouins in the desert.

The 6,000-Year Story of the Negev Desert Is Etched in Stone

Millennia of rock art offer a library of human history in the Levant.
by Gitit Ginat
Kayakers visit a slumped sinkhole on the Dead Sea Coast.

Is There a Future for the Sinkhole-Studded Dead Sea?

Receding waters are leaving behind an environmental disaster, and a new kind of tourism.
by Gitit Ginat

Podcast: Grandma Ida’s Nut Rolls Gravestone

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
Geologist and guide Lior Enmar among Malcham's delicate salt structures.

The Friendly Rivalry—Between Israel and Iran—Over the World’s Longest Salt Cave

Spectacular Malcham Cave, at more than six miles, currently holds the title.
by Gitit Ginat
These images, collected in 2013, show the contrast between restricted (left) and unrestricted (right) satellite imagery.

The Archaeologists Who Unlocked Cold War Spy Photos of Israel

Their efforts convinced the U.S. to declassify CIA images from America's first satellite program.
by Karen Chernick
Early soaps were produced here out of olive oil, potash, lime, and water.

Found: A 1200-Year-Old Olive Oil Soap Factory in the Negev Desert

Excavations in Rahat also turned up ancient board games.
by Claire Voon

Lists Featuring Israel

The crostata, with the storefront in the background.

7 Extraordinary Jewish Restaurants Around the World

A global map of diverse delights.

7

Including Pasticceria Boccione, Gottlieb's Restaurant, and Nahoum and Sons

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