Ashdod Cruise Holiday Guide

GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from March to September).

New Shekel (IS) = 100 agorot (singular, agora).

Language

Hebrew.

Ashdod, the largest port in Israel, is ideally situated for exploring one of the most fascinating cities in the world, Jerusalem. For Jews, Christians and Muslims, this 5000-year-old walled city is one of the most revered on earth. Attractions range from religious emblems and relics of antiquity to modern items of interest. Religious tours are available from West Jerusalem, which include Mount Zion and the Tomb of David. Other sites are the Tomb of Judges; Yad Vashem, the memorial to the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust, and Mea Shearim ('the hundred gates'). In East Jerusalem visitors may follow the Way of the Cross, enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, see the Wailing Wall, the Dome of the Rock and the Jaffa and Damascus Gates. The Israel Museum in Jerusalem houses the Dead Sea Scrolls and is worth visiting. Visitors also flock to Bethlehem, home to the Church of the Nativity, where today, a single silver star marks the spot where Jesus was born. From Jerusalem, it is also possible to visit the Dead Sea, which contains more minerals and salt than any other stretch of water in the world, and where it really is possible to float on top of the water. Masada, the magnificent mountaintop fortress of King Herod is also located on the Israeli shores of the Dead Sea. Tel Aviv can also be visited from Ashdod – Tel Aviv is an exciting city offering commerce, culture, nightlife and sandy beaches. The bustling Carmel Market is a popular place to visit.

Special purchases include jewellery, diamonds and other precious stones, ceramics, embroidery, glassware, wines, religious articles and holy books.

Restaurants in Israel offer a combination of Oriental and Western cuisine, in addition to local dishes. Dishes such as Hungarian goulash, Russian bortsch, Viennese schnitzel or German braten are found next to Middle Eastern items such as falafel, humus, tahini, shishlik, kebabs and Turkish coffee, as well as traditional Jewish dishes such as gefilte fish, chopped liver and chicken soup.

Africa and Middle EastIsrael

Israel