The Ramat Gan Safari Park is the main zoo of the Tel Aviv area and is home to the largest collection of animals in the Middle East. Arranged as a 250 acre African Safari Park, unique in the world as the African animals who live here are able to roam around the park, and visitors are able to have an African safari experience, just minutes from the center of downtown Tel Aviv. There is also a zoo within the park.

There are hundreds of archaeological sites to visit in Israel dating from almost every major historical empire. Israel is covered in history and with these, and so many other things to do in Israel choice can make it hard for tourists in Israel to decide which archaeological sites to visit. This list includes the five archaeological sites you should most consider including in your trip to Israel.

Caesarea is a magnificent site, a national park where amazing amazing ancient harbor ruins, beautiful beaches, and impressive modern residences sit side by side. Caesarea is originally an ancient Herodian port city located on Israel’s Mediterranean Coast about half way between Tel Aviv and Haifa. The site recently been restored to create one of Israel’s most attractive and fascinating archaeological sites. The restored Caesarea amphitheater hosts modern-day concerts during the summer months, whilst the Old City has a range of boutiques and restaurants. The new town of Caesarea is a luxurious neighborhood of villas, whose beach, the Caesarea Aquaduct Beach is one of the best beaches in Israel.

The Banias Nature Reserve and iconic Banias Waterfall located within it provide some of Israel’s most beautifully tranquil spots. In the Golan, the Banias is a spring which rises from the base of Mount Hermon, Israel’s tallest mountain, flowing for about 3.5km through a gorge, eventually coming to the impressive waterfall, the largest in Israel. The park also incorporates Caesarea Philippi, Dan, a historic city mentioned in the New Testament featuring ruins, including those of a Herodian temple.

Timna Park is located about 25 km (about 17 miles) north of Eilat, in Israel’s Negev Desert. One of the largest attractions in the south of Israel. The park is in a beautiful desert setting combining the scene with amazing history and a number of other unexpected activities including those on the lake (yes, a lake in the desert!). Timna Park covers about 15,000 acres in a horseshoe-shaped valley surrounded by steep cliffs, with Mount Timna, the world’s first ever copper mine, standing tall in the center.

On the outskirts of Tel Aviv lies the beautifully tranquil Yarkon Park (Ganei Yehoshua). What Central Park is to New York, the Yarkon Park is the green lung of Tel Aviv and straddles the Yarkon River in the north of the city. With a Rock Park, Tropical Garden, Petting Zoo, among the beauty its a great place to spend some time away from the hustle and bustle.

Masada is not only important because it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site or an ancient fortress occupying a breathtaking strategic location high on a flat plateau above the Dead Sea, but because of its symbolic importance as a symbol of determinance and heroism which continues to this day with many Israeli soldiers sworn in here. Masada is one of the greatest archaeological sites in Israel and, perhaps, across the world. Its dramatic ascent can now be made by cablecar, but the drama and imagery that this site portrays is no less powerful than it ever was.

If you shut your eyes and imagined beauty and reopened them to see the Hula Valley in the far north of Israel’s Upper Galilee region, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were still dreaming. The Hula Valley is a magical place, of history, of nature, and of miracles. The Hula Valley is the best place to do bird spotting in Israel, and one of the best in the world due to its location on a major migration route for birds travelling from Europe to Africa and Asia. The Hula Valley Nature Reserve and the valley as a whole offers bird spotting, endless hikes and walks, bike trails, and beautiful nature to absorb.

Sataf is located in the the Jerusalem Hills, one of Israel’s most incredible and powerful landscapes. Pine forests line the hillsides providing a powerful entry to the powerful city of Jerusalem. Just off the road are a large number of amazing places, within breathing distance of the city. These include the village of Abu Ghosh, Israel’s hummus capital, the village of Ein Kerem, famed for its Biblical importance, and a large number of beauty spots of which Sataf is definitely one. With a great walking or hiking trail, amazing views, and a great cafe, its a great place to escape the city and enjoy some shaded beauty.

Mount Carmel towers over 15 miles of Israel’s Mediterranean Coastline between Hadera and Haifa. The Carmel mountain range has always been a symbol of beauty, and whilst it is not especially high, with a peak of just 550m above sea level, the change in scenery from the flat Coastal Plain makes it a striking landform. Ranging views across the flat coastal plain and onto the Mediterranean to the West, and the Alona and later Jezreel Valleys in the Galilee to the East are breathtaking.