History is omnipresent in Jerusalem, and that means one thing for visitors: historical sightseeing is king here. Charge your camera and fill your canteen, because this city is packed with places to see.
A long walk along the ramparts surrounding the Old City of Jerusalem gives tourists a bird's eye view of all the city has to offer. Hoof the northern section of the wall to see the Church of the Holy Sepulchreand the famous Dome of the Rock, or stroll the southern route to check out the Armenian quarter and the Mount of Olives, where the Garden of Gethsemene still grows. Other places of interest in the old city include the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall, which is littered with scraps of paper, on which visitors have scribbled their prayers and hopes. The Israel Museum offers a respite from the heat, and the chance to see the legendary Dead Sea Scrolls, up close and personal.
If you feel like getting out of the city – but not the history – a cable car trip up to Masada may be in order. This cluster of ruins was once King Herrod's castle, and the site of a tragic last stand by Jewish rebels against the Romans in the first century A.D. Mitzpe Ramon, a small town between Eilat and Jerusalem, is perched on a massive erosion crater and provides bleak, though sweeping, desert vistas.
And if all this sightseeing's got you caked in sweat and sand, a nice float in the Dead Sea will be a welcome change. Pooled at the lowest spot on earth, this lake is the second saltiest water on earth, making even the heftiest swimmer as buoyant as a bobber.
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