Things to do in Jerusalem: attractions, tours and how to pick between them

Why one quarter of a day is not enough

The Ottoman walls were built between 1535 and 1542 under Suleiman the Magnificent, and inside them the city divides into four uneven quarters: the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter, the Armenian Quarter and the Jewish Quarter. The fifth area is the Temple Mount plateau with the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. That density is the argument for a guide.

On your own you can walk from Jaffa Gate to the Western Wall plaza in minutes, but you will not know which unmarked stone marks what. A guide does the sequencing for you: the Church of the Holy Sepulchre before the tour groups arrive, the Via Dolorosa while the shops are open, the Western Wall when the light is good.

• Four hours is the right length for a first walk through all four quarters, our estimate.
• Jaffa Gate is the practical meeting point, close to the Mamilla Mall side of the walls.

Our pick between the two four-hour walks

The difference between the two Old City walks is small but real. The four-hour Old City walk is the established choice with 423 reviews at 4.8 stars, and sticks to the Western Wall, the Via Dolorosa and the Holy Sepulchre. The alternative adds the souk and a Temple Mount viewpoint for one dollar more.

Both follow the same weekend rule: on Fridays, Saturdays and various holidays the Temple Mount plateau is closed to non-Muslim visitors, so the route stops at a viewpoint over it instead. If seeing the plateau's courtyards matters to you, book a Sunday-to-Thursday slot and check on the day, because closures can come at short notice.

Underground Jerusalem and the City of David

Most archaeologists place the original core of ancient Jerusalem south of the Temple Mount, on the spur now called the City of David. Self-guided entry costs $5.18 (16 NIS) and takes about an hour and a half. The famous wet route through Hezekiah's tunnel needs water shoes and a change of clothes, with water up to 70 cm deep, and a dry Canaanite channel is the alternative.

The City of David and Underground Jerusalem day tour adds the Pilgrimage Road and the Jewish Quarter Cardo with hotel pickup for $89, but note entrance fees of about $10 per person are paid on top. Last entry to the water tunnel is 2.5 hours before closing.

What the coach days actually cover

The ten-hour full-day city tour runs Gethsemane, Mount Zion, the Old City, the Western Wall and the Holy Sepulchre with entry fees included. On Mondays and Thursdays, outside Jewish holidays, Yad Vashem replaces Gethsemane, King David's Tomb and the Room of the Last Supper, because of site closures.

The eight-hour version at the same $75 swaps in a Mount Scopus view, the Jewish Quarter and the Cardo, and keeps Gethsemane except on Mondays and Thursdays when Yad Vashem takes its place. Children under 10 cannot enter the Yad Vashem museum, so families with young children should prefer a day that keeps Gethsemane throughout.

When to skip the coach and walk

If your hotel is in the city centre, the Old City needs no coach. Walking from Jaffa Gate into the Christian Quarter is a few minutes, our estimate, and entry to the Holy Sepulchre is free. The half-day option that ends in the Old City around 13:00 works well if you would rather keep the afternoon for the Mount of Olives or the market.

Coaches earn their price for the places outside walking range: the Mount of Olives ridge, Yad Vashem on Mount of Remembrance, and Bethlehem across the line. For a route built entirely around you, compare the private tours of Jerusalem, where guides meet you at your hotel and you set the stops.

Booking rules you must know before you go

Advance registration is required for every visit through the online reservation system, and the museum closes on Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Hours run 09:00 to 16:00 on Sundays and Wednesdays, to 19:00 on Mondays and Thursdays, to 14:00 on Tuesdays, and to 13:00 on Fridays and holiday eves.

Entry to the Holocaust History Museum stops one hour before closing and is restricted to ages 10 and up. Yad Vashem itself advises allowing 1.5 to 2 hours, so a morning visit followed by an afternoon elsewhere is the natural shape of the day.

Why pay $12 for a free museum

The museum is free, so the two-hour guided tour at $12 buys a Yad Vashem guide and headsets, and it is rated 4.8 from 101 reviews. A guide keeps you moving through a heavy subject and answers questions an audio guide cannot.

If you would rather go at your own pace, an audio guide ticket with a reserved entry time is on the Yad Vashem page. Either way, the light rail's Mount Herzl stop puts you within reach of the entrance, which makes pairing Yad Vashem with the market afterwards straightforward.

Mahane Yehuda: go hungry, go early

The market is the city's larder, and the stalls of spices, halva and fresh bread are as much the attraction as any single purchase. It closes for Shabbat, so Friday afternoon is the wrong time. The light rail's line L1 stops along Jaffa Road within easy reach.

For food-focused Jerusalem sightseeing, the private culinary tour at $200 per group includes tastings and lunch and adapts to kosher, vegan, vegetarian or allergy needs, with a 5-star rating from 11 reviews. It is private, so it suits couples and small families who want the market explained stall by stall.

Mea Shearim: take a guide, dress modestly

Mea Shearim is a traditional ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood where daily life follows religious rules a casual visitor will not understand unaccompanied. Modest clothing is required, with a scarf or shawl for women and no shorts or bare shoulders for anyone.

The tour led by a former community member at $53 for 2.5 hours is the clearest way in, rated 4.8 from 104 reviews, and meets at Ha-Nevi'im St 67. It is one of the more unusual things to do in Jerusalem and consistently the tour past visitors recommend most after the Old City walks.

What to do in Jerusalem at night

The Old City after dark is cooler, quieter and emptier. The after-dark walking tour with wine runs three hours from Jaffa Gate with a rooftop sunset, a glass of wine, and the Western Wall and Holy Sepulchre by night, at $99. It is a newer listing with few reviews so far, which is the one caution.

Independent evening options include the Tower of David's Night Spectacular sound-and-light show on the citadel walls, 40 minutes, adult tickets $22.32 (69 NIS), with start times following sunset. Mahane Yehuda's bars and late stalls fill after the day visitors leave. Remember the light rail stops before sunset on Friday and does not run on Saturday, so plan Shabbat evenings on foot.

Day trips: Bethlehem, Masada and beyond

The Jerusalem and Bethlehem day tour at $106 covers Mount Scopus, Gethsemane, the Old City and the Western Wall, then Bethlehem in the afternoon. Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the West Bank about 10 km south of Jerusalem. Bring a valid passport, expect a possible change of vehicle and guide at the checkpoint, and know the Nativity grotto is not always open to groups on busy days.

For desert days, Masada and the Dead Sea tours from Jerusalem include the cable car and a beach float, and the shore runs 6 to 8 degrees hotter than Jerusalem. Further afield, dedicated day trips from Jerusalem reach the Galilee and even Petra over two days. Prices and cancellation terms sit on each tour card.

How many days do you need

One day covers the Old City essentials if you take a guided walk in the morning and wander on your own after lunch. Two days allow the Mount of Olives, the market and Yad Vashem without rushing. Three or more let you add Bethlehem or Masada.

Our Jerusalem itineraries set this out day by day with walking orders that avoid backtracking. The single biggest scheduling rule is Shabbat: from Friday sunset to Saturday nightfall public transport stops, the market closes and Yad Vashem closes, while the Old City churches stay open.

Where to stay and how to get around

Stay within walking distance of the Old City or along the light rail line and you will rarely need a bus or taxi. Our where to stay in Jerusalem guide compares the centre, the German Colony and the area near Jaffa Gate.

Getting around is simple once you know the rules: the light rail takes a Rav-Kav card or an approved app, no paper tickets, and line L1 links Mount Herzl, the market and Damascus Gate. Coming from the coast, the train from Tel Aviv reaches Jerusalem in about 35 to 45 minutes every 30 minutes Sundays to Thursdays. Full details sit in our getting around guide.