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UNESCO World Heritage Sites are cultural or natural landmarks that have been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as having outstanding universal value to humanity. These sites are considered to be of exceptional importance and are protected by international treaties.
Israel has nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, recognized for their cultural and historical significance. Here's everything you need to know about them.
Mount Carmel: The Nahal Me’arot / Wadi el-Mughara Caves - has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage
The stream is known and famous for its four caves ("Carmel Caves"), in which important remains were found that indicate the settlement of ancient man in the Carmel as early as 500,000 years ago.
Inside the caves, there is a very impressive light show and an area to sit and watch a short film about the history of the site.
The archaeological site contains some 3,500 underground chambers and dates back to the 8th century BCE.
Beit Guvrin is a nature reserve located not far from Jerusalem.
This is a fairly large complex, which includes about 5 different sites.
The highlight is the caves that are spectacular in beauty but apart from the caves the area wave is very beautiful and there are beautiful trails, beautiful ruins, and interesting history.
Like any nature reserve, it is recommended to arrive in the middle of the week, early from a place to enjoy it properly.
Also in winter, the place is much greener but it should be taken into account that the caves close for safety reasons, so it is recommended to check before the caves open.
Acre is a historic walled port-city with continuous settlement from the Phoenician period that dates back to the 18th century.
Acre is a port city in northwest Israel, near Haifa, on the Mediterranean coast and it is known for its well-preserved old city walls.
The atmosphere here is very interesting and makes you feel like you're in a different country.
Those who love fish will find many good fish restaurants there.
The style of the city is very reminiscent of Jaffa in Tel Aviv.
Stroll around the city and fall in love with the culture, food, and beautiful sites.
Masada is a rugged natural fortress, of majestic beauty. It is a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel and dates back to 37 Years BCE.
This is a place that is usually very busy on weekends so it is advisable to schedule your arrival during the week.
It is a place with a lot of history so we would recommend coming with a guide or on an organized trip so you can really enjoy this place.
Due to its proximity to the Dead Sea, you can combine your trip to Masada with the dead sea!
It is recommended to come to see the sunrise, but keep in mind that it is a 3-hour drive from Tel Aviv, so either you will sleep in the Dead Sea.
The central White City, Lev Hair, and Rothschild Avenue, and the Bialik Area
The White City was constructed from the early 1930s until the 1950s, based on the urban plan by Sir Patrick Geddes, reflecting modern organic planning principles.
Tel Aviv is such a beautiful city to walk around and the white city has so many beautiful spots.
You don't want to miss this spot in Haifa! It is a must! The property includes the 2 most holy places in the Bahá’í religion & surrounding gardens, associated buildings, and monuments.
It dates back to the 19th century.
Consisting of a series of catacombs, the necropolis developed from the 2nd century AD as the primary Jewish burial place outside Jerusalem following the failure of the second Jewish revolt against Roman rule. These catacombs are a treasury of artworks and inscriptions in Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew and Palmyrene. Bet She’arim bears unique testimony to ancient Judaism under the leadership of Rabbi Judah the Patriarch, who is credited with Jewish renewal after 135 AD.
Tels (prehistoric settlement mounds) are characteristic of the flatter lands of the eastern Mediterranean. Of more than 200 tels in Israel, Megiddo, Hazor, and Beer Sheba are representative of those that contain substantial remains of cities with biblical connections. The three tels also present some of the best examples in the Levant of elaborate Iron Age, underground water-collecting systems, created to serve dense urban communities. Their traces of construction over the millennia reflect the existence of centralized authority, prosperous agricultural activity, and the control of important trade routes.
All three tels have been generally left untouched and intact since their decline, and subsequent abandonment, between the 10th and 4th centuries BCE.
Tel Hatsor is identified with the biblical Hatsor – perhaps the greatest of the cities of the land of Israel in the Late Canaanite period.
Tel Be’er Sheva, the area in which the forefathers of the Jewish nation (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) lived and worked, is an important biblical tel – one of three from the days of the Bible that UNESCO has included in its list of world heritage sites.
Megiddo was one of the strongest and most important cities of Canaan. The remains of the palaces, temples, gates and the sophisticated water system of the city are evidence of its great power.
The four Nabatean towns of Haluza, Mamshit, Avdat, and Shivta, along with associated fortresses and agricultural landscapes in the Negev Desert, are spread along routes linking them to the Mediterranean end of the incense and spice route. They reflect the hugely profitable trade in frankincense and myrrh from south Arabia to the Mediterranean, which flourished from the 3rd century BC until the 2nd century AD.
If I had to choose 2 out of the four, I'd recommend visiting Shivta and Avdat.
Mamshit National Park contains the remains of a Nabatean city from Roman and Byzantine times, and presents Nabatean architecture in all its glory, against the desert backdrop of the northern Negev hills
Shivta National Park showcases the impressive remains of a Byzantine city that existed in the heart of a desert area with no natural water sources whatsoever. The splendid churches, streets, and homes are astonishing even today.
In the heart of the desert, on a hilltop above the Tsin Stream watercourse, are the impressive remains of an ancient Nabatean city.
This is the only site that isn't under the supervision of the national parks here in Israel and therefore I don't recommend it.
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