SECRET GARDENS Partner of HTMS in Israel

A small country between Africa, Asia and Europe; smaller than Switzerland and two-thirds occupied by the desert. A young state (founded in 1948) and the most contested land in the world. Here all the monotheistic denominations (Hebrew, Muslim and Christian) originated and there are places of worship among the most sacred for humanity. In Jerusalem the Muslims venerate the Dome of the Rock and the mosque of El Aqsa, while the Christians the Holy Sepulcher, where Jesus is said to have been buried, and Mount Calvary, where he was to be crucified. But the most famous destination of trips to Israel is the Wailing Wall, the surviving wall of the Temple where Jews pray and where they leave messages and supplications on pieces of paper. Full of energy, hedonistic and devoted to fun. Tel Aviv is, in many ways, the other side of nearby Jerusalem. And perhaps it can be explained by thinking that it is a young city: after all, only in 2009 did it celebrate its first century. In short, despite having been the capital of the state of Israel for a year, it is one of the youngest cities in the world. For all these reasons it expresses a liberal culture, it is easy to live and presents itself with many different faces. People here love to live happily, crowd the cafes, take pleasure in the creative architecture of the buildings and, at night, don't go to sleep early. Life here, after dark, is perhaps as full as that which takes place in the light of day. And basically Tel Aviv feels a bit like the beacon of modernity compared to the slower, historical and spiritual Jerusalem. But as always there is one though: Tel Aviv in its own way, despite being a young girl, has a great past.

In fact, a few kilometers away is the old city of Jaffa that gave birth to Tel Aviv. Although now it represents only one of the suburbs to the east. Walking through the streets paved with ancient Jaffa stones, however, you will be rewarded with the unexpected view of the golden sands that shine against the Mediterranean background. The fairytale landscape - and at the same time ghostly - that welcomes visitors looking out onto the shores of the Dead Sea needs physical contact to become real. Nothing, to our body, does well as that sea water eight times saltier than that of the oceans, so dense that diving into it is impossible, and woe to touch it with your eyes, unless you want to see the stars. One remains afloat, in that closed sea, looking at the sun, one can do nothing else. The Dead Sea is located at 415 meters below sea level, "the lowest point on Earth", generated millions of years ago due to an evaporation of the water not compensated by the influx of tributaries. With its 650 square km of surface and its 67 km of length, this strange, beneficial sea embraces the main territories of Israel and Jordan, and represents a destination of certain interest, not only landscape but cultural. A few steps from its banks, in fact, is the ancient fortress of Masada. Secret Gardens Tours & Travel for the destination Israel is exclusively represented for the Italian market by HTMS Italia from 2018.