Travelling to Israel - help to divide time between areas [closed]

Question

We are planning on going to Israel (inc West Bank) and Jordan (Petra) mid Oct for 3 weeks (17 Oct - 4 Nov). We = Female 25 & Male 30. Both none religious. Both like history, adventure and "off the beaten path".

I'm wondering if anyone could suggest how many days to stay in each place. We have a provisional itinerary but if you think we have chosen poorly please suggest an alternative place.

Also, any "must-do's" for each area that would also be appreciated.

Fly in to Tel Aviv (this could change if needs be) Bethlehem, Beit Gurvin, Jerusalem, Jaffa, Haifa, Zichron Ya'acov, Akko, Rosh Hanikra, Daliyat Al-Karmel, Peqi'in, Nazareth, Sea Of Galilee, Nimrod Castle, Banias Nature Reserve, Tsfat, Rosh Pina, Beit She'an, Jericho, Dead Sea, Masada, Mitzpe Ramon, Maktesh Ramon, Eilat, Red Sea, Petra.

I know I’m asking a lot but if you think we should visit these places in a different order, please say so.

Finally, if we're flying in and out of Tel Aviv; what’s the best way to get to/from Petra?

Answer 1

I think answer is - no anyone cannot suggest how many days to stay in specific place. But - make complete list of all you want to see - you will know how much time you need to each place (add some time for monuments, some time for food etc.), plan trips between - and you can figure out how much days you need for each place.

My own recomendation is for Dead sea - half day is enought - there you can do nothing else, that swimming or relaxing in spa.

Answer 2

This isn't meant to be a complete answer as-is given the broadness of your questions, however, here are a few suggestions:

1. Since you are flying out of Tel Aviv, I would recommend allotting the last couple days of your trip to touring Tel Aviv so you don't feel rushed in getting back to the airport. On the other hand, you'll be flying out on a Friday, and Tel Aviv has some great nightlife, so you might alternatively decide to stay there over a weekend if you enjoy clubbing. The other benefit of staying in Tel Aviv over the sabbath is that relatively many restaurants and stores stay open in that city.
2. I'd recommend combining Jaffa and Tel Aviv. Or is that what you had planned?
3. Keep in mind that the public transit system basically shuts down on Fridays and Saturdays in Israel, so you may need to plan around that when deciding where to stay over the weekend.
4. I would suggest trying to spend one of your Fridays/Saturdays in Jerusalem. It looks like you may have planned that for your first weekend. Saturday morning take a walk through the city; it is really interesting seeing a city that has completely shut down. Just keep in mind that if you do decide to spend a Friday in Jerusalem you're basically stuck there until Sunday. Also make sure to plan in advance where you are going to eat during the sabbath since most restaurants close.
5. I agree with SergeS: Unless you really want to do things leisurely and/or you really enjoy rocky beaches, spa treatments, and extremely salty water, I don't think you need more than a partial day on the Dead Sea. I'd recommend climbing Masada early in the morning (~04:30am) to see the sun rise from the top. Climb down (or take the cable car) and have breakfast in the new hostel at the bottom (they have a relatively large and decent buffet of traditional Israeli breakfast foods). Then spend the rest of the day at the Dead Sea (it's only 15 minutes away).